Home Buyer Tips – Page 3 – amyandnoreenteam.com

Mortgage FAQs: Video Series with one of our favorite experts!

in Buying a Home, Home Buyer Tips, Video

Ann Griffith of Capital Mortgage Funding joined Amy and Noreen recently to discuss all things mortgages! The pendulum has finally swung, and the market is very different than it was ten years ago. If you’d like to know if you can qualify to buy – and what to expect from the process, watch on!

? (If you find these helpful, please SUBSCRIBE to our channel while you’re there!)

In this video, Ann and Amy talk about how the mortgage market has finally normalized:

Next, Ann talks about something many of our buyers wonder about: What does the mortgage application process look like? (Ann consults the buyer to establish their goals. She helps them gather documents, and look at different types of loans might be a fit.) Watch to learn!

The next question: How much mortgage can I afford? … It’s important to determine in advance how much mortgage you can afford. Ann describes the process for coming to this number / her methods for helping buyers know.

Lastly, we are busting a myth! 🙂 We STILL often hear people ask: Do you still need 20% down to buy a home? (Spoiler alert: Not anymore! That’s old news. Today there are hundreds of great loan products on the market, and there is one that is a good fit for you.) Ann and her partner Ruby Teich help many of our clients find the right “mortgage fit.” Watch more here:

Thanks for watching! If you have questions about buying a home, our team is always here to offer you no-obligation advice!
Call us at (561) 571-2289.

If you’re interested in buying – now or in the future – you can search listings here – and start to familiarize yourself with the buying process and the market.

What is Title Insurance – and Why Do You Need It?

in Buying a Home, Home Buyer Tips

Did you know that Amy Snook, one of our team’s leaders, is a licensed title agent?

Amy has more than 15 years of experience in the title business. So, she is uniquely poised to help our buyers and sellers navigate the closing process, and everything that leads up to this critical piece of the puzzle!

But, if you still don’t really “get” title insurance, what it is, and why you may need it… here’s a quick rundown for you:

Title insurance is a one time purchase. Factors like your contract, the county you are in and its norms will help determine who pays for it. It’s a fee you will see on the final closing statement.

It’s is an insurance (like the name says!). This policy is for life, and it insures that the people who are selling the home are legally able to sell you the home – that all mortgages, liens, judgements, encumbrances that are attached to the property – are all paid off.

Why does this matter? It gives you the peace of mind that you legally have the right to own and enjoy that home, and that no one will come knocking one day and tell you you don’t!

Buyers sometimes ask “Do I have to have it?

… Do you legally have to have title insurance? The answer is no.. But as Realtors, we would never be involved in a transaction that doesn’t include it. Because, for the small one-time cost, you have peace of mind for life.

If you still have questions about title insurance, feel free to message us at amyandnoreen@allaboutfloridahomes.com or call us at (561) 571-2289.

Want more details? Read more about this important subject here.

If you’re interested in buying – now or in the future – you can search listings here – and start to familiarize yourself with the buying process and the market!

VIDEO: HELP, AMY! WE MADE AN OFFER, HAVEN’T HEARD!

in Home Buyer Tips, Video

A Social media friends asked Amy for some help – “We made an offer and we haven’t heard anything but the listing disappeared off of MLS. What does this mean? How will we know if our offer to buy the home was accepted?” In this video, Amy helps viewers understand how she and Noreen handle this part of her role for clients.

If you’re planning to buy a home – or just curious about what’s available – you can search listings here – and possibly even start to familiarize yourself with the buying process!

Or, contact us at (561) 571-2289 – or via amyandnoreen@allaboutfloridahomes.com – if we can provide you with any additional market data that will help inform your decisions! We are here to help!

GUEST POST: DON’T MAKE THESE COMMON HOME FINANCING MISTAKES

in Home Buyer Tips

This is a guest post written by one of our preferred providers, Ann Griffith of Fairway Independent Mortgage Corporation. You can reach Ann and her partner Ruby Teich at 323-620-6800 or via email at ruby.teich@lowrateonline.com.

As an experienced mortgage lender, I talk regularly with people at all stages of the home buying process. Based on the many conversations and relationships I’ve had over my career, the most common mistake people make when buying a home is NOT having a complete plan in place before shopping.

These days, the internet has made so much information available to home seekers, but the thing that is sometimes missing is the guidance that brings all of that information together into a buying strategy. (That is certainly where the Realtor and the Mortgage Lender come in add the most value.)

It’s easy to start looking online and get caught up in the excitement… and then to begin a home search without a solid plan. This often leads to disappointment and even discouragement in the beginning.

A thorough plan is needed for home buying, complete with goals and objectives. The first step in that effective plan entails sitting down with a trusted and informed mortgage lender to go over income, credit, down payment, job history and all the mortgage options tailored to your specific needs.

Once the plan is in place, buyers can go out and shop with confidence and with a clear understanding of what they can afford, with their mortgage approval in hand.

In the next phase of the plan, it is critical to be honest and have open communication with their Mortgage Lender. Not doing so is another common mistake. Nobody wants any unwanted surprises during the mortgage process, and maintaining clear and honest communication will ensure that this doesn’t happen.

DURING THE PROCESS, WE ADVISE THAT CLIENTS DO NOT:

•Change jobs;

•Increase liabilities;

•Open up new credit cards;

•Buy or lease a new car; or

•(last, but not least) deposit or transfer large sums of money without proper documentation.

WE ALSO ADVISE THAT CLIENTS DO:

•Keep access to bank statements and other important financial statements;

•Provide their earnest money deposit from their own personal bank account or acceptable gift funds;

•Provide all documentation for sale of their current home;

•Notify us if they plan to receive gift funds for closing; and

•Be aware and prepared that a new credit report could be pulled prior to closing.

The mortgage process does not have to be tricky. With a solid plan in place, and open and trusting communication with your Realtor and Lender, it won’t be!

Are you ready to become a homeowner? Or, looking to buy your next property? You can learn more about the Steps to Buying a Home here!

VIDEO: IS A SELLER OBLIGATED TO MAKE REPAIRS?

in Home Buyer Tips, Home Seller Tips, Video

Buying or selling a home in Delray or Palm Beach County? Our video series helps keep you in the know!

A client submitted this excellent question: Is a seller obligated to make repairs that were discovered during the home inspection? Amy’s answer involves an overview of the types of contracts and the role they play here, and offers advice about the way this plays out in practice.

VIDEO: HOW TO MAKE YOUR HOME OFFERS STAND OUT

in Home Buyer Tips, Video

Buying a home in Palm Beach County? It’s a competitive market for buyers. How can you make your offers stand out?

Trusted relationships with listing agents, deposits with offers, closing timeframes, inspection periods, assignable contracts… and more. In this video, Amy lists a few of the strategies that she and Noreen use to get their home buyers’ offers to the top of the list. Take a look!

VIDEO: CAN I BUY A HOME WITHOUT A REALTOR?

in Home Buyer Tips, Video

Can I buy a home without a Realtor? In this video, Amy addresses this great question from a buyer.

Her major points: You can buy a home without a Realtor, but it’s not a good idea!

Finding the perfect home for you is not the hardest part. The harder part is getting you to the closing table and into your new home. Who is getting your offers noticed? What happens when an issue comes up in inspection? What happens when there’s a problem with the appraisal? Who is negotiating all this? Who is reviewing title? Who is making sure your cash to close is ready to go and liquid? Our job is to foresee the items that come up and help you before it becomes an issue.