Your VA loan statement of service letter is vital to starting the VA loan process if you are an active service member, a reservist or a member of the National Guard. It is literally one of the first documents you need to put together, and it’s not always easy. It can take some work on your part and the availability of your commanding officer to get this thing done. Fortunately, there are some shortcuts.
Category: Buying a House
When Will Housing be a Buyer’s Market?
As 2023 kicks off, the question many would-be home buyers are asking is will mortgage rates and home prices shift in their favor? So the really important question is when will housing become a buyer’s market? The answer is “now.” if you can be ready to strike while the iron is hot.
Military First Time Home Buyer | 5 Helpful Tips and 3 Resources to Save You Money
If you are a military first time home buyer, it can be difficult to know where to begin. Should you start searching online listings, or call a real estate agent, or start watching HGTV or investigate mortgage options? The good news is: you don’t have to know everything about this entire process, and some of the resources
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“Military First Time Home Buyer | 5 Helpful Tips and 3 Resources to Save You Money”
Should I Buy a House in 2023?
The answer to the question “should I buy a house in 2023?” is another question: Can you ignore the forecasts? If you can ignore the industry experts, and the numbers, and go back to the fundamentals of why a person buys a house; 2023 might be a good time to make the jump. If you are waiting for the numbers to support your decision, there’s good news and bad news on whether you should buy a house in 2023.
Tax Benefits of Owning a Home | Potential Home Purchase Tax Deductions
The tax benefits of owning a home can be a tipping point for you if you are on the edge of deciding to begin hunting for a new home. If you are a first time home buyer, some of these deductions and tax credits will surprise you. If you are a long-time homeowner, you know that a new home mortgage can help you with your tax burden for years. And if you’re a seller, there’s something in the tax laws for you too. Here we cover two main tax benefits of owning a home: tax credits and tax deductions.
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New Home Budget | Budgeting for New Homeowners
A new home budget can be sobering. You’re in your new house, you went through all the financial anxiety of getting approved for a loan, making offers, making counter-offers and sitting through the final closing. Now that you’ve got your new home, the reality of creating a new monthly household budget is setting in. Don’t panic. You certainly have some new expenses, and if this is your first home, a lot of expenses will be totally new. Don’t let them intimidate you. We can help.
Home Maintenance Tips for New Homeowners | The Essential Checklist
If you are moving into a new house, the last thing you need is a list of home maintenance tips for new homeowners. You’re tired, you’re overwhelmed, you’re excited and you’re tired. Yes, we said that twice. Nevertheless, there’s more to a new house than just moving all your stuff into it. So a few days after you move in, pick up this new home maintenance checklist and look it over. It could save you some money and expensive repairs down the line.
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What is Radon Testing and What is a Safe Radon Level?
If you are asking yourself “what is radon testing?” followed by “what is a safe radon level?”, you are probably in the final stages of selling your home (or buying one). Radon testing has become a standard for all home inspections, so if you are the seller, you’re going to need to pass this test. If you are a buyer, pay close attention to the results because it could affect negotiations with the seller.
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How Long Does it Take to Close on a House? | 7 Steps to Get to Closing Day
You’ve secured a loan and found the home of your dreams. Now it’s time to get ready for the next edge-of-your-seat moment in the home buying process: closing. The big question is: How long does it take to close on a house?
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5 First Responder First Time Home Buyer Tips and Ways to Save
It’s easy to get overloaded with information when entering the real estate market, especially if you are a first responder first time home buyer. You are probably very good at handling stress, because that’s part of your job. But the stress that comes from diving into the housing market for the first time is a different brand altogether. It involves loan applications, reams of paperwork, negotiating skills, a basic financial understanding of how loans work and more. None of this is intuitive. Very little of it calls on the skills you use to be successful first responders. So, let’s take a step back for a minute.
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