Available 7 Days/Week       MON - FRI  8am - 7pm       SAT - SUN  10am – 6pm
Call us (850) 805-6900
Apply Now

Category: For Buyers

Auto Added by WPeMatico

What To Know About Credit Scores Before Buying a Home

If you want to buy a home, you should know your credit score is a critical piece of the puzzle when it comes to qualifying for a mortgage. Lenders review your credit to see if you typically make payments on time, pay back debts, and more. Your credit score can also help determine your mortgage rate. An article from US Bank explains: “A credit score isn’t the only deciding factor on your mortgage application, but it’s a significant one. So, when you’re house shopping, it’s important to know where your credit stands and how to use it to get the best mortgage rate possible.” That means your credit...

Continue reading

The First Step: Getting Pre-Approved for a Mortgage [INFOGRAPHIC]

Some Highlights If you’re looking to buy a home in 2024, getting pre-approved is a key piece of the puzzle. Mortgage pre-approval means a lender checks your finances and decides how much you’re qualified to borrow. As more buyers re-enter the market, it’ll help you make a strong offer that stands out from the crowd. Talk to a trusted professional to learn more and begin your homebuying process today.

Continue reading

Why You Want an Agent’s Advice for Your Move

No matter how you slice it, buying or selling a home is a big decision. And when you’re going through any change in your life and you need some guidance, what do you do? You get advice from people who know what they’re talking about. Moving is no exception. You need insights from the pros to help you feel confident in your decision. Freddie Mac explains it like this: “As you set out to find the right home for your family, be sure to select experienced, trusted professionals who will help you make informed decisions and avoid pitfalls.” And while perfect advice isn’t possible – not even from...

Continue reading

The Truth About Down Payments

If you’re planning to buy your first home, saving up for all the costs involved can feel daunting, especially when it comes to the down payment. That might be because you’ve heard you need to save 20% of the home’s price to put down. Well, that isn’t necessarily the case. Unless specified by your loan type or lender, it’s typically not required to put 20% down. That means you could be closer to your homebuying dream than you realize. As The Mortgage Reports says: “Although putting down 20% to avoid mortgage insurance is wise if affordable, it’s a myth that this is always necessary. In fact,...

Continue reading

Strategic Tips for Buying Your First Home

Buying your first home is a big, exciting step and a major milestone that has the power to improve your life. As a first-time homebuyer, it’s a dream you can make come true, but there are some hurdles you’ll need to overcome in today’s housing market – specifically the limited supply of homes for sale and ongoing affordability challenges. So, if you’re ready, willing, and able to buy your first home, here are three tips to help you turn your dream into a reality. Save Money with First-Time Homebuyer Programs                                        Paying the initial costs of...

Continue reading

Achieve Your Dream of Homeownership with Condos and Townhomes [INFOGRAPHIC]

Some Highlights If you’re trying to buy a home but are having a hard time finding something in your budget, here’s something that can help: consider condos and townhomes. They may better fit your budget, can help you start building equity, and tend to require minimal upkeep and less maintenance. Looking at condos and townhomes can make it easier to find and buy a home. When you’re ready, connect with a local real estate agent.

Continue reading

Why So Many People Fall in Love with Homeownership

Chances are at some point in your life you’ve heard the phrase, home is where the heart is. There’s a reason that’s said so often. Becoming a homeowner is emotional. So, if you’re trying to decide if you want to keep on renting or if you’re ready to buy a home this year, here’s why it’s so easy to fall in love with homeownership. Customizing to Your Heart’s Desire Your house should be a space that’s uniquely you. And, if you’re a renter, that can be hard to achieve. When you rent, the paint colors are usually the standard shade of white, you don’t have much control over the upgrades, and you’ve...

Continue reading

Bridging the Gaps on the Road to Homeownership

Homeownership is a major part of the American Dream. But, the path to achieving this dream can be quite difficult. While progress has been made to improve fair housing access, households of color still face unique challenges on the road to owning a home. Working with the right real estate experts can make all the difference for diverse buyers. It’s clear that achieving homeownership is more challenging for certain groups because there’s still a measurable gap between the overall average U.S. homeownership rate and that of non-white groups. Today, Black households continue to have the...

Continue reading

Winning Plays for Buying a Home in Today’s Market [INFOGRAPHIC]

Some Highlights In today’s housing market, you can still come out on top if you have the right team and plan. To win when buying a home, you need to build your team, make strategic plays, consider what’s in and out of bounds, and stand out from the crowd. Connect with a local real estate agent today to make your winning move.

Continue reading

Why Pre-Approval Is Even More Important This Year

On the road to becoming a homeowner? If so, you may have heard the term pre-approval get tossed around. Let’s break down what it is and why it’s important if you’re looking to buy a home in 2024. What Pre-Approval Is As part of the homebuying process, your lender will look at your finances to figure out what they’re willing to loan you. According to Investopedia, this includes things like your W-2, tax returns, credit score, bank statements, and more. From there, they’ll give you a pre-approval letter to help you understand how much money you can borrow. Freddie Mac explains it like this: “A...

Continue reading