Cindy Hartman, REALTOR®,e-PRO®, AHS™

  Your lender decides what you can borrow but you decide what you can afford. Lenders are careful, but they make qualification decisions based on averages and formulas. They won’t understand the nuances of your lifestyle and spending patterns quite as well as you do. So, leave a little room for the unexpected – for all the new ...

RISMEDIA, November 27, 2010--  Despite the continuing challenges facing the U.S., nearly eight out of 10 respondents believe buying a home is a good financial decision, according to NAR's eighth annual Housing Opportunity Pulse Survey. The survey, which measures how affordable housing issues affect consumers, also found job security ...

This article from the Florida Board of Realtors today peaked my interest - I like the idea of listing the best features from the Male vs Female point of view - in my experience, the Garage is king for most husbands...as is a walk in closet is for the wives...anyway...I like the article below...  His and hers lists help market ...

House hunting begins at home - with a little planning, this is the first step towards buying a house.  Contact a lender, your credit union, your bank or your financial advisor and ask them to "pre-qualify" you.  Simply, to be pre-qualified is determining how much house (mortgage payment) you can afford to buy.  Knowing ...

The economy is stabilizing. Home prices are holding. It's not just as good a time as ever to buy a house. It's one of the best times ever. ForSaleByOwner.com presents five overlooked reasons why now is a great time to buy a house. 1. Low mortgage rates serve as an equity shock absorber. When buyers borrow at today's record-low rates, ...

September 1, 2010--The Federal Housing Administration (FHA) is giving homeowners and buyers until October 4 to lock in a low monthly insurance premium, according to Gibran Nicholas, chairman of the CMPS Institute, an organization that trains and certifies mortgage bankers and brokers. “After October 4, the monthly insurance premiums on FHA ...

As you clean and organize, you'll probably notice a growing stack of clutter left in your wake. Decluttering is a hefty task, but essential to a quick sell. Learn how to differentiate amongst the things you need to put in storage, pack up or donate to the trash can. Start with a Pile. Go through a room and remove anything you find distracting ...

 There are many factors to consider when selecting a neighborhood that is right for you. Think about the location in terms of commute time to work, distance from leisure-time activities, and proximity to shopping, schools or any other places you frequent. You may think of others factors that are important to you. Please take some time to ...

When shopping for a home, the natural tendency of any buyer is to want to pay the lowest price possible. It's important to keep in mind, however, that the sales price is not the only factor that determines what the monthly payment will be. In fact, the impact of higher interest rates can easily nullify any benefit of waiting for a lower ...

REO stands for “Real Estate Owned”.  These are properties that have gone through foreclosure and are now owned by the bank or mortgage company.  This is not the same as a property up for foreclosure auction.  When buying a property during a foreclosure sale, you must pay at least the loan balance plus any interest and ...