|
|
|
Before Selling Your Home
Here are some important steps you should take before you put your house on the market:
1. Home Loan Approval for your next Home
You don’t want to be signing a contract to sell your house before knowing if you are qualified to buy another....
Hiring A Contractor - 10 Tips
A very smart attorney I know paid $7,000 for a roof repair, only to have the roof leak the next time it rained. The contractor stalled, made excuses, but never did a thing about it. Anyone can have these kinds of problems when having repairs or...
Is A Townhouse For You?
With the huge variety of real estate choices on the market today, many people aren't even clear on what a townhouse is, much less whether or not it's the right choice for them. So what, exactly, is a townhouse?
A townhouse, also called a...
Part II: Home Buyer Terms and Definitions
Balloon - A loan which has a series of monthly payments (often for 5 years or less) with the remaining balance due in a large lump sum payment at the end.
Binder - A receipt for a deposit paid to secure the right to purchase a home at...
Real Estate Options: The Best Kept Money Making Secret
Real estate investing is currently a very hot topic because of the increasing property values and the number of investors who are looking for a safer alternative to the stock market.
In the last 10 years, stock investors lost trillions of...
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Home Buyers: Closing Costs You Might Not Know About
If you're home shopping or in the process of buying property, you want to make sure you have all your costs covered.
Home buyer's who purchase a home without a real estate agent (or sometimes purchase through an inexperienced agent) can find out too late they don't have enough money to close and move.
10 most overlooked costs home buyers miss:
1.) Property Taxes and Assessments
Home buyers often need to set up an escrow account with the new mortgage lender. This means that they must pay a portion of taxes upfront. In some states, the seller has already paid the local taxes and this amount must be paid back to the seller at closing. Also, some counties have transfer taxes whenever a property changes hands.
2.) Insurance
Fire insurance or a homeowner’s insurance policy usually needs to be paid for up front. Although you may be able to get an insurance binder from your company on a payment plan, most mortgage companies require the first year paid during escrow or closing.
3.) Appraisal Fees
Mortgage lenders require appraisals to make sure your property covers your loan amount plus their investment risk. The buyer normally pays between $150-$450 to the appraiser.
4.) Survey Fees
Some lenders require a property survey. You may also want a survey if the property lines are in question. Survey fees vary from $600-$2,500, or more for large parcels.
5.) Septic System Certification
If your new property does not connect to public sewers, you may need a septic clearance for your lender. Often the home seller pays this cost, but you want to make sure you get no hidden charges or surprises.
6.) Water Quality Certification
The same holds true for properties with a well and not public water service. For your own piece of mind, you will want to check the water quality and have this clause as a condition in your purchase contract. Not only do you want to make sure the water quality passes, you want to make sure the well has plenty of flow so you don't run out of water.
7.) Miscellaneous Origination and
Loan Fees
Your mortgage lender adds fees for processing your loan, document preparation, underwriting, closing, funding, and sometimes "garbage fees." Check your estimated costs statements and look for hidden fees. Before committing to a lender, shop for your best loan and compare lender's costs.
8.) Association and Maintenance Fees
Most buyers understand that a condo comes with association fees. However, some housing developments also charge maintenance fees. Don't assume that the fees will be nominal. Many condos in California have association fees over $400 per month. Some of these fees need to be paid annually, which means a home buyer needs to pay upfront.
9.) Utility Service Fees
Check your hook up and installation fees for water, gas, electricity, cable or satellite TV, phone, trash, sewer and other services. Sometimes the water department covers the sewer and trash service. These fees quickly add up and you don't want any surprises like a $340 water deposit required by some companies.
10.) Moving Costs
Plan your move before committing to a purchase. Know whether you can move yourself or need to hire professional movers. You may be shocked to find out the costs involved. Ask for referrals of clients and check out moving companies. Prices for truck rental and moving companies vary.
Make sure you have all your purchase and moving costs covered before you make an offer to purchase a home. You don't want to find out when it's too late that you need more money.
Copyright © 2005 Jeanette J. Fisher. All rights reserved. (You may publish this article in its entirety with the following author's information with live links only.)
About the Author: Jeanette Fisher teaches first-time home buyers and beginning real estate investors the six steps to home financing. FRE.E Ebook, "Credit Tips for Mortgage Financing." http://www.recredithelp.com
Source: www.isnare.com
|
|
|
|
|
| Real Estate, Property, Land and Homes for Sale, lease and rent ... |
| Comprehensive real estate and property listings. Includes information on buying and selling, tips on building, an auction timetable and other helpful ... |
| www.realestate.com.au |
|
| Real Estate | Homes for Sale | Houses for Sale | MLS Listings ... |
| RealEstate.com provides home listings , homes for sale , REALTORS , house listings , apartment locating services. We have Florida real estate , Texas ... |
| www.realestate.com |
|
| REALTOR.com: Real estate listings & homes for sale |
| Search for a new home or find mortgage rates, real estate agents, and relocation services throughout the US, Canada, and Puerto Rico. |
| www.realtor.com |
|
| Real Estate on Yahoo! Real Estate - Homes, Mortgage Rates, School ... |
| Yahoo! Real Estate is the most comprehensive place for real estate, housing market information, school reports, local mortgage rates and more! |
| realestate.yahoo.com |
|
| Find Your Home Value, House Values and Prices on Yahoo! Real Estate |
| Yahoo! Real Estate - Free instant home values and comparable home valuations for millions of houses. Check your home's price or any house value. |
| realestate.yahoo.com |
|
| Real Estate, Houses for Sale, Rentals, Commercial and Businesses ... |
| Real Estate, Houses for Sale, Rentals, Commercial and Businesses for sale at Realestate.co.nz. |
| www.realestate.co.nz |
|
| Real Estate - Buy, Sell or Rent a Home - New York Times |
| Online real estate listings for properties in New York and nationwide. |
| www.nytimes.com |
|
| Century 21 Real Estate Agents and Brokers |
| Agency with franchised offices throughout the United States, Canada, Europe, Latin America, the Middle East and Asia. Find local offices and agents, ... |
| century21.com |
|
| Zillow - Your Edge in Real Estate |
| Zillow provides a free Home Valuation Tool for Real Estate enthusiasts. Whether you're an agent, broker, buyer of investment property or first time ... |
| www.zillow.com |
|
| STLtoday - Homes |
| Real estate agent revels in the boom in downtown St. Louis living ... [more real estate news as seen in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch] ... |
| www.stltoday.com |
|
| Real estate - Boston.com |
| Boston Real Estate - Search the Boston Globe and Boston.com for Massachusetts Real Estate, Boston Condos, Land for sale, Vacation Rentals and more. |
| www.boston.com |
|
| ABCs of Real Estate |
| Real Estate ABCs consumer tips, hints, and resources for home buyers, sellers, and mortgage borrowers. |
| www.realestateabc.com |
|
| washingtonpost.com - Washington DC real estate, Maryland real ... |
| Washington, DC, Virginia and Maryland homes, real estate news and headlines. [Registration required] |
| www.washingtonpost.com |
|
| Coldwell Banker Real Estate Corporation |
| Real Estate from Coldwell Banker ®. Buying a home, selling a home, or finding a real estate agent is easy with Coldwell Banker. Find a home, sales associate ... |
| www.coldwellbanker.com |
|
| Detroit News Online | Real-Estate |
| Sellers around the state have been frustrated with the slow sales patterns of Michigan real estate over the past year or two. But buyers have been enjoying ... |
| www.detnews.com |
|
| Newsday.com - Long Island Real Estate for Nassau County and ... |
| In a real estate market increasingly defined by niches, ... Real Estate Resources. Search by school district for recent home sales in Nassau and Suffolk ... |
| www.newsday.com |
|
| Real Estate for Sale, Rent and Share @ Domain.com.au |
| Real Estate for Sale, Rent and Share @ Domain.com.au. Houses and apartments for sale or rent all over Australia. Thousands of properties in Sydney, ... |
| www.domain.com.au |
|
| Luxury real estate news and features - Forbes.com |
| Luxury real estate news and features at Forbes.com. Core topics include real estate, mansions, condos, co ops, oceanfront realty, second homes, ... |
| www.forbes.com |
|
| Real Estate News - Prices, Mortgages, and Calculators from CNNMoney |
| Latest on mortgages, refinancing, & home tips from CNNMoney.com. Calculators for refinancing, mortgage payments and more. |
| money.cnn.com |
|
| Los Angeles, California, national and world news, jobs, real ... |
| Los Angeles' leading online source for local, state, national, world, entertainment, and sports news. Plus jobs, real estate, cars and shopping information ... |
| www.latimes.com |
|
|