Posts with tag 'Home-buying tips'

While most homebuyers consider a garage a necessary or important home feature, many buyers overlook potential problems that may be lurking in the space. If you're looking around at Ohio homes for sale, our REALTORS® at Haring Realty can help you find a beautiful home with a two-car garage that's in great shape.

A garage is an asset to any home because it can serve many purposes. As a utilitarian space, its primary purpose is storage and protection for your car, which is a big expense. However, a garage can also provide a large amount of storage space for a washer and dryer, lawn care equipment, tools, household items, and clothing. Most homeowners with a two-car attached garage use the space for much more than storing vehicles.

Although your garage is separated from your living spaces in Mansfield or Ashland homes for sale, it's still space with structural components that need attention. Your garage can reveal telltale signs of damage that can have a significant impact on a home's investment. To avoid problems and expensive repairs, pay attention to your garage.

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You've been browsing Mansfield and Ashland homes for sale for quite some time now and have finally found something perfect for you and your family's needs. You're ready to take the plunge and put in an offer on the house. But how long should you wait ?There's really no conventional answer to that question. But in a seller's market, when inventory is low and demand is high, you may have to go above and beyond to make sure you submit an early offer and that it stands out from the competition. Here's what you should know about making early offers along with strategies for making a winning one.

Potential Problems with Early Offers

Making an offer isn't as simple as knocking on the door and informing the seller you'll take the house. Your intentions trigger the start of an intricate process between you and the seller. Don't expect the seller to accept your offer just because it came in first. Sellers usually think they've priced their home too low when an offer comes in fast. So, they want the house to have the longest exposure possible on the open market and get bids from a large number of buyers. An early offer would need to be mighty attractive for the seller to accept it instead of waiting too long for better offers.

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Real estate markets across the country are red hot. It is not uncommon for sellers to receive numerous offers within days of listing their property. Time and time again, our REALTORS® have seen homes sell for well above their listing price. If you have your eye on the perfect property for your next home, we recommend taking the time to get prepared before you jump into the pool of buyers eager to get their hands on your dream home.

• Preapproval
  Start by getting preapproved for a loan. This is more rigorous than a prequalification process and shows you precisely where you stand and how much the lender will loan for your purchase. There are multiple advantages to this when searching for Mansfield or Ashland homes for sale. It helps narrow down your search to only those properties within your price range. This speeds up the process considerably. It also shows you how high you can go if a bidding war breaks out. Equally important, when multiple offers are submitted, sellers are more likely to accept offers from preapproved buyers than those who are merely pre-qualified.
  
  In fact, be prepared to pay more than the listing price. This is especially true for well-maintained homes in desirable locations. It's not unheard of for homes to sell for 100-110% or more of the asking price. As you search, factor this into your calculations and search for homes that are 95% or less of your preapproval.

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At Haring Realty, our REALTORS® know that some aspects of the home-buying process can be confusing.

Even buyers who have been through it all before don't know everything. And it can be even more worrisome for first-time buyers, who wonder about all the things they aren't familiar with yet. That can put a damper on the fun of looking at Mansfield or Ashland homes for sale.

One subject comes up again and again: Financing. Where to find a mortgage and how to get the best deal.

Choosing the best mortgage for you can save you thousands of dollars across the life of your mortgage. But buyers often go into the process knowing little about one of the most important factors that can influence your mortgage terms: your FICO score.

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It's a competitive real estate market. For first-time homebuyers, the goal of homeownership can appear difficult to achieve. While it's true that there are obstacles in the path, it's not impossible to overcome them and beat the odds. Our REALTORS® know how to help first-time homebuyers position themselves in the market to purchase the home they desire. 

Overcoming the Obstacles to Homeownership

• Strict Lending Requirements
  This is often the most daunting obstacle first-time homebuyers need to tackle. Overcoming it requires a multi-prong approach that starts with trimming the budget. Eliminating unnecessary spending, paying off credit card debt, and consolidating existing loan obligations at a lower interest rate are essential steps. It pays big dividends. It will help first-time homebuyers save money for the down payment, and it reduces the debt-to-income ratio. It also helps boost the credit score a few points, which allows buyers to qualify for a lower interest rate.

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