Is Mortgage Debt out of Control?

Amanda RobinsUncategorized

The housing crisis of the last decade was partially caused by unhealthy levels of mortgage debt. Homeowners were using their homes as ATMs by refinancing and swapping their equity for cash. When prices started to fall, many homeowners found themselves in a negative equity situation (where their mortgage was higher than the value of their home). As a result, they … Read More

Millennials Are Increasing the Demand for Condominiums

Amanda RobinsUncategorized

When deciding to buy a home, people are presented with many different options. The type of home you buy depends on your needs, budget, and in many cases, the desired maintenance level. For many millennials, their choice has been buying a condominium! According to CoreLogic, “Last year about 43% of all condo home-purchase mortgage applications were submitted by FTHBs… Similarly, … Read More

Top 5 Reasons You Should NOT FSBO

Amanda RobinsUncategorized

Rising home prices coupled with a lack of inventory in today’s market may cause some homeowners to consider selling their home on their own (known in the industry as a For Sale By Owner). However, a FSBO might not be a good idea for the vast majority of sellers. The top 5 reasons are listed below: 1. Online Strategy for … Read More

Americans Rank Real Estate Best Investment for 6 Years Running! [INFOGRAPHIC]

Amanda RobinsUncategorized

Some Highlights: Real estate has outranked stocks/mutual funds, gold, savings accounts/CDs, and bonds as the best long-term investment among Americans for the last 6 years. Stock owners are more positive about real estate than stocks as an investment. Of the 4 listed, real estate is the only investment you can also live in! Source: Amanda Robins

Know What to Expect at Your Home Inspection

Amanda RobinsUncategorized

So you made an offer and it was accepted. Now, your next task is to have the home inspected prior to closing. Agents oftentimes make your offer contingent on a clean home inspection. This contingency allows you to renegotiate the price you paid for the home, ask the sellers to cover repairs, or in some cases, to walk away. Your agent … Read More

Having a Professional on Your Side Makes All the Difference!

Amanda RobinsUncategorized

In today’s fast-paced world where answers are a Google search away, there are some who may wonder what the benefits of hiring a real estate professional to help them in their home search are. The truth is, the addition of more information causes more confusion. Shows like Property Brothers, Fixer Upper, and dozens more on HGTV have given many a false sense of what it’s like … Read More

Stop Wondering What Your Budget Is & Get Pre-Approved!

Amanda RobinsUncategorized

In many markets across the country, the number of buyers searching for their dream homes outnumbers the number of homes for sale. This has led to a competitive marketplace where buyers often need to stand out. One way to show that you are serious about buying your dream home is to get pre-qualified or pre-approved for a mortgage before starting your search. … Read More

Young First-Time Buyers Are Saving for Their Dream Homes

Amanda RobinsUncategorized

Young buyers (Millennials & Gen Z) have waited longer than previous generations to enter the housing market for their first home. However, this hasn’t stopped them from dreaming about the home they will eventually buy. Many spend hours searching listings and building Pinterest boards of their favorite home features. According to a survey from Open Listings, 70% of single renters … Read More

What You Need to Know About Private Mortgage Insurance (PMI)

Amanda RobinsUncategorized

Whether it is your first time or your fifth, it is always important to know all the facts when it comes to buying a home. With the large number of mortgage programs available that allow buyers to purchase homes with down payments below 20%, you can never have too much information about Private Mortgage Insurance (PMI). What is PMI? Freddie Mac defines PMI … Read More

Why Is So Much Paperwork Required to Get a Mortgage?

Amanda RobinsUncategorized

When buying a home today, why is there so much paperwork mandated by the lenders for a mortgage loan application? It seems like they need to know everything about you. Furthermore, it requires three separate sources to validate each and every entry on the application form. Many buyers are being told by friends and family that the process was a hundred times easier … Read More

5 Reasons to Sell Your House This Summer

Amanda RobinsUncategorized

Here are 5 compelling reasons listing your home for sale this summer makes sense. 1. Demand Is Strong The latest Buyer Traffic Index from the National Association of Realtors (NAR) shows that buyer demand remains strong throughout the vast majority of the country. These buyers are ready, willing, and able to purchase… and are in the market right now! More … Read More