02.22.12
Posted in Brandon MS Real Estate tagged tips for brandon ms real estate buyers at 7:00 am by Mississippi Real Estate Agent
The mortgage application process can be confusing — so you only want to have to go through it once when buying Brandon MS real estate. Keep these tips in mind as you complete the application process to make sure you get the answer you want: Approved!
- Make Sure Your Credit is Clear: If there are any lingering issues on your credit report, get them resolved prior to application and get your credit in high standing for the best loan rates.
- Lower Your Debt: If you meet the income requirements, but have substantial debts elsewhere – car payments, student loans, credit card debt – your application may be denied. Budget, save up and pay off as much as you can.
- Have the Required Income: With the tightening of regulations, any wiggle room you may have had before is gone. You must meet the income requirements for the loan. Remember that not all income may be counted toward your loan – rental property income, for instance, is often excluded.
- Negotiate the Repair of Any Condition Issues with the Seller: Lenders are leery of extending loans on any properties that could later be deemed distressed. Issues turned up during the appraisal process should be addressed for loan purposes, as well as your own comfort and safety.
- Follow the Instructions: The stacks of paperwork documenting your application are a nuisance, yes, but they are required. Do the work and make sure your application is complete.
Put these tips into action and your application is more likely to be approved.
If you’re ready to buy Brandon MS real estate, I can help. Whether you need help finding a reputable lender or a home to buy, give me a call today at 601-942-3392 or email me at Paula@KeyTrustProperties.com.
Paula Ricks Broker/Owner, REALTOR®
220 W Jackson St, Suite 200, Ridgeland MS 39157
601-942-3392
www.PaulaRicks.com
Tags:
tips for brandon ms real estate buyers
Permalink
02.20.12
Posted in Ridgeland MS Real Estate tagged tips for ridgeland ms home buyers at 7:00 am by Mississippi Real Estate Agent
Is your family starting to feel cramped in your current house, or are you ready to quit renting and start investing? With the extra day added into this leap year, you have an additional 24 hours this month to decide if you’re ready to take a big jump and purchase Ridgeland MS real estate.
Not sure how to decide if this is the year? Whether you’re a property-purchasing pro or a first-time home buyer, take a look at the three points below to determine if you’re prepared to take the leap and invest big.
- You have a sizeable down payment. Knowing what you can actually afford is half the battle. A good estimate is to triple your household income, and that will roughly be what you’ll want to spend. Whatever you’ve saved as a down payment can go on top of that or, if you’re frugal, can just be used to reduce your monthly payments. The larger the down payment you have, the smaller your mortgage payments will be, and it could possibly get you a better interest rate.
- You have a good real estate agent. It’s important to find a trustworthy, competent agent before you find your dream house. Take the time to thoroughly interview agents and get referrals. You’ll want to make sure you have someone who is knowledgeable about the Ridgeland MS real estate market to help you make one of the biggest decisions of your life.
- You have a brag-worthy credit score. Strike while the iron is hot! If you’ve taken the time to build up and ensure a great credit score, use your good standing to take advantage of today’s low interest rates.
If you meet all three qualifications, consider taking advantage of this month’s extra day, as well as the low interest rates and home prices, and leap into a new home. Please call me at 601-942-3392 or email me at Paula@KeyTrustProperties.com if you have questions concerning your credit score and down payment, or want to work with a knowledgeable Ridgeland MS real estate agent.
Paula Ricks Broker/Owner, REALTOR®
220 W Jackson St, Suite 200, Ridgeland MS 39157
601-942-3392
www.PaulaRicks.com
Tags:
tips for ridgeland ms home buyers
Permalink
02.17.12
Posted in Madison MS Homes for Sale tagged Tips for Madison MS Home Buyers at 7:00 am by Mississippi Real Estate Agent
You’ve decided you want to buy a Madison MS home for sale, but you’re not sure if you should buy a previously-owned home or a newly built home. Here are five reasons why buying a pre-owned Madison MS home might be right for you:
- You want big trees – The cost of landscaping a newly built home can be exorbitant, especially if you want big trees immediately. When you buy a resale home, you get the benefit of bigger trees that have taken years (even decades or centuries) to sink deep roots and grow broad, shade-providing canopies.
- You want an established neighborhood: Who wants to deal with the noise and dust until all the construction is completed? No one! What if all the homes don’t sell? You could end up living in a partially finished neighborhood without all the promised amenities. When you buy a pre-owned home, you know what you’re getting – just ask the neighbors and check the crime stats.
- You don’t want to have to deal with a home builder. Not only do you have to deal with the builder while the home is being built, you’ll also be dealing with him or her for years afterwards. There are invariably things that need to be fixed, even after you move into your newly constructed home. If you decide to build a new home, hire a real estate agent to represent you before you begin the process of looking at home construction, and thoroughly research the builder before signing anything.
- You don’t want to pick out everything: Most people think they want the opportunity to pick out all the light fixtures, flooring, countertops, and on and on, but the reality is that it’s very time consuming. It’s also hard work if you don’t enjoy or have a knack for decorating.
- You want a definite move-in date: When you’re building a new home, there are invariably time delays. They can be caused by bad weather, slow supply delivery, overbooked subcontractors. Unfortunately, you have no control over any of these.
Whether you’ve decided buying a pre-owned or new Madison MS home is right for you, I can help. Give me a call today at 601-942-3392 or email me at Paula@KeyTrustProperties.com.
Paula Ricks Broker/Owner, REALTOR®
220 W Jackson St, Suite 200, Ridgeland MS 39157
601-942-3392
www.PaulaRicks.com
Tags:
Tips for Madison MS Home Buyers
Permalink
02.15.12
Posted in Madison MS Homes for Sale tagged Tips for Madison MS Home Buyers at 7:00 am by Mississippi Real Estate Agent
A brand new Madison MS home for sale is better than a used home, isn’t it? For most people, that’s a matter of preference. If you’re unsure which you prefer, consider these five reasons to buy a newly constructed home:
- You want to pick out everything: Do you want granite or cement countertops? Perhaps you’d like a skylight in your family room or a fireplace in your master bedroom. You get to choose all the fixtures, flooring and faucets. Plan to spend a lot of time making these choices and probably some additional money paying for upgrades.
- You want a Madison MS home for sale that comes with high-tech and energy-efficient features: You’ll save energy and money with low-flow toilets and shower heads, energy-efficient appliances and higher-efficiency HVAC, doors and windows. New homes are able to handle today’s hottest electrical components and gadgets.
- You want a home that no one else has ever lived in it: This is one of the American dreams. Our culture is built around having to own the newest and best. There’s also no wear and tear on the home.
- You want a planned community: A well-planned community offers a variety of housing choices, plus recreation and other amenities. For many, it’s the perfect choice for today’s busy lifestyles.
- You want a new home warranty: Most new homes come with a builder’s warranty which covers “house settling” problems and defects. So if your roof starts leaking or the furnace breaks during the warranty period, your builder will pick up the tab for the repair.
Whether you’ve decided buying a pre-owned or new Madison MS home for sale is right for you, I can help. Give me a call today at 601-942-3392 or email me at Paula@KeyTrustProperties.com.
Paula Ricks Broker/Owner, REALTOR®
220 W Jackson St, Suite 200, Ridgeland MS 39157
601-942-3392 w
ww.PaulaRicks.com
Tags:
Tips for Madison MS Home Buyers
Permalink
02.13.12
Posted in Ridgeland MS Real Estate tagged tips for ridgeland ms home buyers at 7:00 am by Mississippi Real Estate Agent
The latest statistics indicate that the U.S. real estate market is at or very close to the bottom right now.
On January 18, Bloomberg News reported, “Confidence Among U.S. Homebuilders Climbs to Highest Since 2007.” Bloomberg said, “The confidence measure, which increased for a fourth straight month, improved in all four regions of the U.S. This is ‘yet another indication of the gradual but steady improvement that is beginning to take hold in an increasing number of housing markets nationwide,’ Bob Nielsen, chairman of the National Association of Home Builders and a builder from Reno, Nevada, said in a statement.”
The official data on home prices might not show the recovery yet, because they are always months behind, but most other data indicates that in general the housing market has hit the bottom.
Right now, homes in America are the best value they’ve been in many generations. And right now, mortgage rates are off-the-charts low. In short, now is the time to buy Ridgeland MS real estate.
The reasons to buy now are incredibly basic:
Of course, there is no guarantee that this is the bottom. But with prices this low and with very few other great places to invest your money, now’s the time to seriously consider buying Ridgeland MS real estate. If you can buy now and hold on to it for a few years, it could be one of the lowest-risk, highest-reward investments you ever make.
If you’re still not convinced real estate is one of the best values out there right now, please give me a call at 601-942-3392 or email me at Paula@KeyTrustProperties.com. I will share specific numbers with you about our Ridgeland MS real estate market.
Paula Ricks Broker/Owner, REALTOR®
220 W Jackson St, Suite 200, Ridgeland MS 39157
601-942-3392
www.PaulaRicks.com
Tags:
tips for ridgeland ms home buyers
Permalink
02.10.12
Posted in Madison MS Homes for Sale tagged Madison MS home safety tips at 7:00 am by Mississippi Real Estate Agent
You know what an ounce of prevention is worth? In the case of fire, it’s worth your Madison MS home and everything in it. Here are six tips to prevent fire from devastating your home.
- Repair or replace appliances that repeatedly cause fuses to blow or circuit breakers to trip. This indicates the appliance is causing an overload that could lead to fire.
- Keep your clothes dryer’s lint vent clean. Lint is highly combustible. Make it a habit to clean out the lint trap after every load. Also, make sure the flapper to the exterior is open while the dryer is running. Keeping lint cleared out not only prevents fire, it also helps your clothes dry quicker and saves energy.
- Know where your main gas shutoff valve is. If you use natural gas or propane, make sure you know where to shut it off in case you smell a gas leak. The main valve is usually near the meter or tank. Go outside to call your gas company to prevent the phone from setting off a spark that could ignite the gas. Never turn the gas back on yourself.
- Practice fireplace safety. Keep fireplaces clean by having them inspected annually by a certified chimney specialist. Always use a metal mesh screen with fireplaces that do not have a glass fireplace door. Clear the area around the hearth of debris, decorations and flammable materials.
- Install smoke alarms.
a. High on walls
b. On every level of your Madison MS home
c. Outside every bedroom
d. Inside bedrooms if you close doors at night
e. Test their batteries every season; make it part of your equinox/solstice rituals
6. Invest in fire extinguishers
a. Make sure they are ABC rated
b. Learn how to use them and review instructions periodically
c. Have one on each level of your Madison MS home
d. Have them serviced annually
Don’t risk the loss of your Madison MS home (or your life and family!) to fire. Fire prevention is easy, recovering from fire is not. For more safety tips, subscribe to my blog – it’s free!
Paula Ricks Broker/Owner, REALTOR®
220 W Jackson St, Suite 200, Ridgeland MS 39157
601-942-3392
www.PaulaRicks.com
Tags:
Madison MS home safety tips
Permalink
02.08.12
Posted in Ridgeland MS Homes for Sale tagged ridgeland ms real estate selling tips at 7:00 am by Mississippi Real Estate Agent
The winter season makes staging, or the concept of showing your Ridgeland MS home for sale at its best, even more important. Follow these tips to make your home irresistible:
- Make every surface shine: Shine bathroom fixtures, stove, refrigerator and faucets.
- Sweep your front porch: Sweep away all those leaves stuck in the corners.
- Clean, Clean, Clean: Everything from lamps and light fixtures to bulbs and baseboards.
- Add fresh flowers: Put them on the entry table, dining room table and anywhere else that needs a splash of color.
- Remove all clutter: Put it in a storage locker or a friend’s garage. Take down all your personal pictures. Buyers want to picture their belongings in the house, not yours.
- Burn potpourri: Or bake something to leave out for potential buyers.
- Leave every light on: And every interior door open.
- Keep snow and ice at bay: If your Ridgeland MS home for sale is under winter conditions, be sure to keep walkways and driveways clear of snow and ice.
- Warm it up: Adjust the thermostat so your home is warm and inviting.
- Take advantage of natural light: Encourage showings of your Ridgeland MS home for sale during daylight hours. Have all curtains and blinds open during the day and closed at night.
- Wash the windows: Buyers act on first impressions; the strong winter sun can reveal grime and turn away prospective buyers.
- Create a little atmosphere: Play music softly in the background. Tune the radio to a classical station, and turn it down so that you barely hear it in the background.
- Show off hardwood floors: Pull up that wall-to-wall carpeting, clean the floors, store the throw rugs and show the wood!
- Freshen the walls: At a minimum, clean the walls from top to bottom. If they still look dingy, give them a fresh coat of paint. That is the quickest and fastest way to freshen up a room.
- Use the rule of 3 – Three items per surface, in every room. Make it look uncluttered and clean by doing this.
If you are ready to sell your Ridgeland or metro Jackson MS home, I can help you get it on the market and sold. Call me today at 601-942-3392 or email me at Paula@KeyTrustProperties.com for more information.
Paula Ricks Broker/Owner, REALTOR®
220 W Jackson St, Suite 200, Ridgeland MS 39157
601-942-3392
www.PaulaRicks.com
Tags:
ridgeland ms real estate selling tips
Permalink
02.06.12
Posted in Madison MS real estate tagged selling tips for madison ms homes at 7:00 am by Mississippi Real Estate Agent
In honor of Valentine’s Day, sellers should take this month to highlight what they love best about their homes for sale. Instead of just focusing on the square footage, buyers will get the chance to see what makes your Madison MS real estate surprisingly special. The best way to project a loving image is to let Cupid take over and shoot up your home — with a camera, of course.
As a seller, you constantly hear tips about de-cluttering and depersonalizing a home that’s on the market. However, when you’re taking pictures to post online, be sure you capture the details you love most about your home, because buyers are likely to love them too. Below are a few photography tips to get you started:
- Capture the heart of your home. Ensure you get pictures of all the living spaces, from the kitchen and living room to the finished basement and backyard. Any place that a family will spend most of its time together should be highlighted.
- Make sure you have good lighting. Photograph on a day when there is a lot of natural light coming through the windows. Also be sure to turn on all inside lights and lamps — this gives your home that cheery, glowing feeling.
- Highlight your home’s best features. Do you love your wrap-around porch, built-in bookshelves, shaded backyard or beautiful stained glass windows? Be sure to showcase each of those unique features in the photos of your home. You might be surprised at what catches the eye of a potential buyer.
- Double-check your online upload. Take care to verify the online uploading of your photographs. Carefully read website parameters for picture size and captioning. This will probably be many potential buyers first impression of your home, so you definitely want to make it a good one!
Don’t just quickly snap pictures using your phone. Be sure to employ a little love and effort when capturing your Madison MS real estate. Then you’ll highlight its best features and pass on that heartwarming image to potential buyers.
If you’re looking for a Madison MS real estate agent who will photograph your home to show off its best features and market it extensively online and off, please call me at 601-942-3392 or email me at Paula@KeyTrustProperties.com.
Paula Ricks Broker/Owner, REALTOR®
220 W Jackson St, Suite 200, Ridgeland MS 39157
601-942-3392
www.PaulaRicks.com
Tags:
selling tips for madison ms homes
Permalink
02.03.12
Posted in Madison MS real estate tagged financing Madison MS real estate at 7:00 am by Mississippi Real Estate Agent
If you’re thinking about taking the plunge into homeownership, before you even start looking, talk to a qualified mortgage professional to get preapproved for a home loan. Armed with that information, you can make better decisions on the type of Madison MS real estate you can afford to buy.
Follow these steps to get preapproved for a mortgage:
- Get referrals. Ask family, friends, neighbors and your Madison MS real estate agent for referrals to a lender with whom they have had a good experience. Talk to several lenders to compare service, rates and other options.
- Review your credit report. If anything unexpected appears on your report, do what you can to resolve the issues before you apply for preapproval. Lenders will review your credit report before preapproving you for a home loan.
- Provide financial information to the lender. This usually includes documentation of your income, recent statements for all your checking and savings accounts, assets and debt (for instance, credit card debt and car payments).
Even though the preapproval process is rigorous, obtaining a preapproval still does not guarantee that the lender will ultimately fund your loan. Lenders still need to look at property appraisals, verify your information and potentially check your credit again before agreeing to give you a mortgage.
Preapproval helps you narrow the focus of your Madison MS real estate property search to properties that are within your financial reach. It also helps you check out lenders to find one that is the best match for your situation.
When you find the Madison MS real estate of your dreams, you’ll be ready to move to the next step!
If you’re looking for more information on the home buying process, I can help. Give me a call today at 601-942-3392 or email me at Paula@KeyTrustProperties.com.
Paula Ricks Broker/Owner, REALTOR®
220 W Jackson St, Suite 200, Ridgeland MS 39157
601-942-3392
www.PaulaRicks.com
Tags:
financing Madison MS real estate
Permalink
02.01.12
Posted in Jackson MS real estate tagged Jackson MS homebuyers at 7:00 am by Mississippi Real Estate Agent
Appraisals are final when it comes to securing money from a bank, so don’t let a poor one ruin your metro Jackson MS real estate plans. Be proactive to ensure your appraiser is competent and has all the information he or she needs, because your purchase, sale or refinancing goals could be wrecked with a low-ball appraisal.
Minimize the risk of receiving an inaccurate appraisal by …
- Meeting the appraiser at the house. Show them around your metro Jackson MS real estate, just like you’d show a potential buyer. That way you can highlight some of your home’s unique features that they might otherwise overlook. Also, if they have any questions about when things were updated or replaced, you’ll be there to share all relevant information — instead of them just taking a guess.
- Establishing that he or she is geographically competent. Appraisers that don’t know the area can misquote, so be sure to ask them questions, such as how far their office is from the property and if they have access to local MLS data. If you feel the appraiser doesn’t meet geographic competency standards, then you can raise the issue with your lender.
- Providing him or her with comparables. You probably know the neighborhood better than the appraiser, so supply information on recently sold homes that you think are similar to yours. He or she might not use them, but it can’t hurt.
- Record any mistakes. Always ask for a copy of the appraisal to review, because appraisers make slip-ups all the time. Especially if the value is low, be sure to look over the details of the appraisal and call out any discrepancies. If this is the case, you won’t be able to change the designated value, but you can file a complaint against the appraiser. If the mistakes are big, ensure you get a second appraisal.
Don’t let an inaccurate home appraisal ruin your future financial goals. Take metro Jackson MS real estate appraisals seriously, be proactive, do your homework and definitely review the final version.
If you’re getting ready to sell your home or purchase a new one and have questions about appraisals, please call me at 601-942-3392 or email me at Paula@KeyTrustProperties.com for more information.
Paula Ricks Broker/Owner, REALTOR®
220 W Jackson St, Suite 200, Ridgeland MS 39157
601-942-3392
www.PaulaRicks.com
Tags:
Jackson MS homebuyers
Permalink
« Previous entries Next Page » Next Page »
