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Sears, used to sell homes in DIY kits. They actually sold between 70-75,000 homes between 1908 and 1940.
Real Estate Fact of the Day
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Tag Archives: Delta County
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Providing proof of funds, could strengthen your offer
Throughout the home purchasing process, you may be asked to provide proof of funds. What does this mean? It refers to something tangible that can be offered as evidence that you, the buyer, can follow through with the purchase. It’s a type of validation that you have the money available at your disposal to complete the home purchase. It can come in a couple of different forms like a certified letter from your financial institution or an official document from a 3rd party providing an assurance that you have the funds needed at your disposal. This letter or documentation provides the seller with a piece of mind and as a result, they may be more willing to accept your offer. Keep in mind, this is different than a pre-approval from a bank. It would typically be utilized in a “cash purchase” or for your down payment or closing costs if requested.
Check out this article from realtor.com to learn more information about proof of funds.
Choosing which Colors to Paint with
Can the color of a room influence your mood? According to HGTV “color can make rooms feel bigger or smaller without the time and expense of actually moving walls”. This might be something you want to consider when trying to sell your home. Anything that will make your home inviting is going to be worth considering and painting interior rooms is usually done as a DIY project for homeowners.
In the past, our family has tried out different colors in our home as an experiment to see how it worked out. We had some success with reds and blues and not the best luck with yellow. If you’re struggling with what each color means, check out this article for some clarification. If you don’t like the color, you can always repaint it.
Quote of the Day
“You change the world by being yourself”
Yoko Ono
Real Estate Fact of the Day
Home Buying with Furry Friends
One of the advantages of owning your home is the freedom to have pets in your house. According to the American Pet Product Association 68% of American households have pets. That’s about 85 million people.
Our family had a dog for nearly the last decade and the freedom to let our dog out and have a place for her to roam around was very crucial. At some times over those years we rented and at some times we owned. When renting, it proved especially difficult trying to find a place that would work for our family and our dog as well. With home ownership, you get to decide if you want to add add a pet as a family member to your home without needing it to be approved by your landlord.
Questions to consider if you do have pets and are buying a home:
1.) How much space do you need?
2.) Does the home have a fenced in yard?
3.) Do you need to register your pet with the city?
4.) Is there somewhere you can put your pet in the home if they can’t be out when visitors are over?
5.) Is there enough space to accommodate your family and your pet?
Once we finally purchased our current home, our dog truly seemed more at peace than ever. She knew she was finally home.
Location, Location, Location!
One of the most important factors when buying a home is location. Anyway you slice it, this has to be part of the equation when buying. After all, this is something you can’t change. Possible questions to consider before purchasing that next home are:
1.) Do I like this area?
2.) What do I think of the neighborhood?
3.) What schools will my kids be going to?
4.) How far is the closest grocery store, restaurant, hospital, etc?
5.) How far is my commute to work, school, etc?
The exact questions will vary for everyone, but the concept remains the same, where your piece of real estate is located will matter and needs to be a determining factor.
Quote of the Day
“To be nobody but yourself in a world which is doing its best day and night to make you like everybody else means to fight the hardest battle which any human being can fight and never stop fighting.”
By: E.E. Cummings
Ideas to increase the value of your home to potential buyers
There are multiple ways to increase your home value from minor tweaks to major upgrades. What are some ways to add value to your home without breaking the bank?
1.) Installing new knobs and pulls on your kitchen cabinets.
2.) Painting the rooms in your home to present a fresh, new look to potential buyers.
3.) Change out the front door to make your home “pop” with curb appeal.
4.) Upgrade or change out light fixtures if they are dated or don’t go with the property.
5.) Add crown molding
6.) Upgrade appliances
For more ideas to increase the value of your home, check out the following links:
1.) Realtor.com
2.) HGTV
3.) DIY Network
How much house can I afford?
What we want and what we can afford may sometimes be a different story. We may want the most expensive lake home in our neighborhood or the log cabin of our dreams, our budget may not be on the same page with us. So, when looking for that next piece of property to purchase, a necessary question to ask is, “How much can I afford?”
According to bakrate.com your monthly payments should not equal more that 36% of your monthly income. This figure doesn’t only factor in your mortgage payment but all payments, like credit card, student loans, car loans etc. Taking on too large of a payment will put a strain on your budget and make other things, like saving for retirement or your kids college education more difficult. Take a look at these articles for more info on helping you determine how much home you can afford for your next purchase:
1.) Bank Rate
2.) Dave Ramsey
3.) Zillow
4.) Consumer Reports
Upper Peninsula Homes 