Posts from January 1st, 2017

1.  Taxes - Have you ever wondered why the property taxes on a new-build are so low? It's not because you are getting a deal! It's because taxes are paid one year in the rear. So the property tax bill being paid this year are for last year's taxes.  Why is this important on new construction, you ask? Because your first year owning your new home, you will be paying taxes on the vacant land before it was improved. This used to be one way a builder's preferred lender could approve you for a higher amount. Couple this with an adjustable rate mortgage (ARM) and you've got yourself the perfect recipe for a recession and foreclosure feast.  Does 2007 ring a bell? Year two of owning their new home, property taxes increased and soon after their rate raised as well. Suddenly, mortgage payments became unaffordable. When those home owners tried to sell, they could not compete with the incentives the builder was providing. Not to mention a buyer could build their dream home...

Click Here to Read More...

The answer depends mostly on how you live and who you are sharing your home with. However, there are a few tips that can help jump start the process of figuring out what you REALLY want.

As Realtors, we've seen and heard it all. What you love about your home and what you hate. Over the last 15 years, I not only help people protect their wealth by making a sound real estate investment, I help them find a place that lives the way they live.

Do you know which type of floor plan gets the most complaints about noise travel? What is the most important room in your home is besides the Kitchen and Master Suite? Where is the worst place to locate a half bathroom on the main floor? What upgrades are worth doing now and which can be done later for less?

Let's start your process by answering the questions above.

Many people love the idea of an open floor plan but is there such thing as too open? Absolutely. In the mid 2000's, builders could not build enough 5 Lev...

Click Here to Read More...