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Showing posts from August, 2019

3 Tips For Buying A Second Home

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Already own a home and thinking of buying another? Make sure to keep the following things in mind before jumping into any decision. 1. You will still need a savvy agent. Yes, you read that right. Even though this will not be your first time in buying a home, getting a real estate agent who's plugged into your desired location and any other preference is still a must. If you are thinking that not getting a buyer's agent can save you, you are mistaken. In fact, the buyer does not pay for the buyer's agent, the seller does. It does not mean that you are going to save that commission if you are not using a realtor. 2. Make sure you can afford a second home mortgage. Keep in mind that mortgage financing will be calculated on top of any other mortgage debt you have on your primary home. You will still also need to make a down payment and all the other things needed to be able to qualify for a mortgage just like what you did on the first one. Also, mortgage rates may

Alaska Real Estate Market Update as of August 17th to 23rd 2019

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  Here's Alaska real estate market update of August 17th to 23rd 2019. Still, on the top of our list is the Anchorage market . During this week, 636 are currently active listings where 63 of which are new listings. 51 listings were pending and 50 were sold. Next is Wasilla market , 437 are active where 20 are of which are new, 25 pending and 27 were sold. See full report:
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  What is a Foreclosure? It is a process where the lenders have to seize a property as collateral when the previous homeowner failed to make mortgage payments. Why do people buy foreclosure? Some buyers look to foreclosure hoping to get the best possible deal which is the potential savings they can get compared to buying similar non distressed property. Purchasing it can be more complicated than an ordinary real estate deal. Being unprepared can cost you greatly. Here are the things to know if you are planning to buy a foreclosure. 1. Get some help from the professionals Getting a Realtor can be one of the best decisions you can make when shopping for a foreclosure. Professional guidance can make a big difference. A realtor who has a background in buying and selling these types of properties in your target local market will make the process smoother than when you do it alone. Getting some legal advice from a real estate attorney to understand your s

Alaska Real Estate Market Update as of August 10th to 16th 2019

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Here's Alaska real estate market update of August 10th to 16th 2019. Still, on the top of our list is the Anchorage market. During this week, 618 are currently active listings where 64 of which are new listings. 63 listings were pending and 40 were sold. Next is Wasilla market, 442 are active where 41 are of which are new, 51 pending and 50 were sold. See full report: If you want to know more on the latest real estate market update and is interested in buying or selling, give me a call (907) 570-6757 or 907-720-4663.

Do You Need A Home Appraisal

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Buyers can opt not to get a home appraisal but it is generally useful for all parties in a home buying process. What is a home appraisal? A home appraisal is the determination of a property's fair market value by an unbiased licensed professional appraiser. It is a chance of someone not involved in the transaction to give the property's real market worth. The appraiser's opinion is objective based on facts about the property's age, square footage, market conditions, location etc that are considered stable value-generating features of the home. Who needs it? It is generally required to get a home appraisal for buyers who will be financing their purchase through a lender. Cash buyers may opt-out of getting an appraisal but it may be a risky move not to do so. Who pays for it? The buyer usually pays the appraisal but this upfront cost can be negotiated to be paid by the seller. Why do you need it? 1. It helps you protect your investment. 2. It

Alaska Real Estate Market Update as of August 3rd to 9th 2019

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Alaska Real Estate Market Update as of August 3rd to 9th 2019 Here's Alaska real estate market update of August 3rd to 9th 2019. Still, on the top of our list is the Anchorage market . During this week, 628 are currently active listings where 70 of which are new listings. 52 listings were pending and 41 were sold. Next is Wasilla market , 458 are active where 34 are of which are new, 30 pending and 18 were sold. See full report: If you want to know more on the latest real estate market update and is interested in buying or selling, give me a call (907) 570-6757 or 907-720-4663.

Down Payment Assistance For Alaskans Homebuyers

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Saving enough money to pay for the down payment is one of the reasons why many delay their homeownership. If you are one of them, this program may be for you. The NeighborhoodLIFT Program The neighborhoodLIFT program, a collab between one of the world's largest bank Wells Fargo and a nonprofit organization NeighborWorks America promises thousands of dollars home buying help for eligible Alaskans to help working families achieve their American dream of owning a home. This has been launched in 2012 and has been in operation around the country but this will be the first year it will be available in Alaska.  Funds will be provided as a five-year forgivable loan program for owner-occupied properties and will be forgiven at 20% each year as long as the buyer resides in the property. What's in it for me? In Anchorage, there will be a limit of $104,900 for a family of four. Buyers who can qualify will get $10,000 assistance to use for the down payment and closing

Alaska Real Estate Market Update as of July 27th to August 2nd 2019

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Here's Alaska real estate market update of July 27th to August 2nd 2019. Still, on the top of our list is the Anchorage market . During this week, 625 are currently active listings where 55 of which are new listings. 50 listings were pending and 58 were sold. Next is Wasilla market , 460 are active where 28 are of which are new, 32 pending and 31 were sold. Compared to the previous market update,   active, pending and sold listings were up by a few while new decreased in the Anchorage market.  In Wasilla, active and new listings decreased while pending and sold were up by a few numbers. See full report: If you want to know more on the latest real estate market update and is interested in buying or selling, give me a call (907) 570-6757 or 907-720-4663.

Pros and Cons of Co-Buying A Home

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From our previous blog, How Co-Buying Can Help You Become A Homeowner , we discussed well, as what the title says, how co buying can help you become a homeowner. With that being discussed, there are also pros and cons of doing so. Pros 1. It makes owning a home more affordable because you have someone to split the down payment with. 2. It can help you build equity earlier in life. 3. Help you share and save money on utilities and other maintenance expenses. 4. You have the option to predetermine how the asset will be divided in the event of a split. 5. Income pooling with your co buyer can help you shop in a higher price range than you can normally afford alone. Cons 1. The interest rate will be determined from whom who have the lowest credit score between the buyers. 2. If your co buyer can't make the share of the payment, the entire burden will fall on the other buyer. 3. If you chose TIC for the title, your co-owner can sell the ho