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Showing posts with the label Home Buying Tips

7 Tips to Help You Save for a Down Payment

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If you are planning to buy a home for the first time in the near future, you may want to start planning now. Preparing to buy a home in Mid-Missouri early can help to make the process easier. Now is the time to start saving and thinking about what you, as a first-time home buyer, should do. To learn some tips on how you can start preparing and saving for a down payment, take a look below to find some pointers from the expert team at Devine & Associates . 1. Figure Out How Much You Will Need Before beginning to set goals surrounding your finances, figure out how much you will need for a down payment.  Typically, 20 percent of the home cost is a good goal for down payment savings, although it can range as low as 3.5 percent.  Many new homebuyers today are putting down closer to 5 or 10 percent.  Talk to your agent about how much you will need before beginning to budget for your future home. 2.  Open a Savings Account Specifically for Your Down Payme...

First Time Home Buyer? Here’s Some Questions to Ask!

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Buying a home is not only a financial investment, it is an investment in your future!  Here at Devine & Associates , we want to make your home buying process as simple as possible.  Especially if you are a first-time homebuyer, there are important questions you should be asking yourself and your realtor before you purchase.  We have compiled a list of the top five questions you should be asking when in the market for a home for sale at the Lake of the Ozarks .  If we can answer your other questions, please give us a call at 573-286-6216. What is the Offering Price Based On? As a first-time homebuyer, you may think that you don’t have a lot of control over the selling price.  You actually do, and using a knowledgeable and experienced real estate agent can help you greatly.  Do your own research on similar homes in the area; a good rule of thumb is that the offering price should be based on comparable homes that are also within your desired home-buy...

5 Ways to Improve Your Credit BEFORE Buying a House

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If you plan to buy a home near Eldon, MO , credit score is an important factor. When you buy, you are likely going to seek a loan for the purchase of your home. A mortgage lender will need a number of documents to approve your loan, including your credit score information. If you want to help better set yourself up for homeownership at the Lake of the Ozarks , it's time to make improvements to your current credit situation. Take a look below to learn how you can start making improvements now! 1. Keep Credit Card Balances Low Lower credit card balances help to lower your score. This proves that you can keep your loans paid off and don't let them get out of control. If you have high balances on your cards right now, try to make larger payments to get this number back down to a safe level. You don't want to max out a credit card - it may seem like you can't handle credit and may not pay back your loans, therefore lowing your credit score. 2. Make Payments On Time...

FAST Ways to SCARE off Home Sellers

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As you conclude your home search at the Lake of the Ozarks , you've likely found the PERFECT space for you and your family. Now's the time to get the process rolling! Although it's not a requirement for buyers and seller to see eye-to-eye, it's important that you don't scare a seller with strong buying tactics. After all, the goal is for the sellers and buyers to agree in order to keep the ball rolling with the Lake of the Ozarks house sale . As your trusted real estate agents in Eldon, MO , we've provided some items that you should avoid, when negotiating with home sellers. No Mortgage Pre-Approval Although a pre-approval letter is not required to put in an offer on a home, your offer will likely be taken more seriously by sellers if you have one. If a home sale comes down to two offers, the sellers are more likely to choose the buyer with a pre-approval. It's best to have your pre-approval process completed before you even start looking for homes t...