Updated: Saturday, September 26, 2020

Ask the HOA Expert: Counting Ballots, Long-Standing Policies & Club House Remodels
Written By: Richard Thompson

Question: What is the most efficient way to count ballots at an Annual Meeting? Our group has a large membership and vote counting bogs down the meeting.Answer: With many ballots to count, preparation is essential. The ballots should be preprinted with names of all candidates and a checkbox next to each. A couple of blanks should be left for nom...

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When Is “For Sale By Owner” The Right Option?
Written By: admin

When you put your home on the market, one of the first decisions youll make is whether to hire an agent to represent the property or to go the for sale by owner route.While a portion of homeowners initially goes into selling their home on their own, they end up ultimately hiring an agent.Some of the big reasons homeowners decide to try and sell ...

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What Should Your Credit Score Be to Buy a House?
Written By: Ashley Sutphin

What credit score do you need to get a home loan? While specifically, it can vary, there are certain things you should know before you apply for a mortgage to ensure youve put yourself in the best possible financial position.Factors Impacting Your Credit ScoreBefore you explore specific loans, pull your credit report. You can look for errors tha...

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Before You Leap In…
Written By: admin

The world may be on pandemic pause but real estate professionals continue to work hard whether they are in a hot real estate market or a very troubled one.After a careerand, for many, a lifetimeof serving others, its going to take more than a pandemic to keep real estate professionals from finding a way to help home-buying prospects and clients ...

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What Should You Know About Homeowners Associations?
Written By: Ashley Sutphin

If youre thinking about moving, there are a lot of factors to consider aside from the house itself.Homeowners associations are one example. Living in a community with a homeowners association can have its benefits but also its downsides.Its important to be well-aware of the implications of living in a community with a homeowners association befo...

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How Lenders View Installment vs Revolving Debt
Written By: David Reed

One of the more important functions a mortgage lender performs is determining affordability. Primarily, this is accomplished by comparing monthly credit obligations with gross monthly income. Dividing debt by income results in a percentage, or a ratio. Debt ratios fall into two basic categories, a housing ratio and a total debt ratio. The housin...

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Real Estate Attorneys: A Benefit in Home Purchases
Written By: Realty Times Staff

The costs associated with buying or selling a home can add up quickly. Many buyers and sellers opt not to retain an attorney to save the several hundred dollars it costs to have one review the contract, deed and title, respond to inspection issues, and make sure the contract is performed according to its terms.But the cost of an attorney is one ...

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Disaster Preparation To Keep You Safe In a Catastrophic Storm
Written By: Jaymi Naciri

A natural disaster can happen anywhere, at any time. Whether you live in earthquake country, tornado alley, or in a hurricane zone, there are important steps you can take.Get an inspectionIts a given when buying a house, but you can schedule one in your current home, too. An inspection can turn up items that need fixing or replacing, which can s...

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Less Stress – Managing Your Cash Flow As A Real Estate Agent
Written By: Marina Copeland

2020 hasnt been the best year for property sales. The market has experienced its biggest decline in almost a decade, slashing agents earnings dramatically. For many, this has led to cash flow issues as income has dropped or dried up altogether.nbsp;The role that commission plays in the real estate industry means that you need to prepare for unex...

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Move Over She-Shed, Make Room for the Backyard Office
Written By: Ashley Sutphin

March ushered in a new way of life for many people due to the coronavirus pandemic. One of the first things that happened in many states was workers were asked to telecommute from home whenever possible.Now, even though shutdowns are technically over in many places, it seems to be a trend thats sticking around.A lot of companies arent calling em...

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HOA Project Roll-Out
Written By: Richard Thompson

Winter is the time of year that a homeowner association board should be soliciting and reviewing proposals for fair weather renovation projects like painting, fencing, pool replastering, asphalt sealing and roofing. There are several practical reasons for starting the process early:Contractors are more available. Winter is a slow time for many c...

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Must-Know Real Estate Photography Tips
Written By: admin

When youre trying to sell a home, whether youre an owner, or youre a Realtor, the imagery you convey is one of the most important aspects of marketing. People are inherently visual, and if your photos online arent high-quality and visually appealing, youre not likely to garner interest in your property.Even if youre a photographer who wants to b...

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Should You Go Solar at Home?
Written By: Ashley Sutphin

Installing roof solar panels has become an increasingly popular option among homeowners in the United States. Solar panels will convert sunlight into energy, and then you can use that energy to power your home.While the cost of solar panels has gone down over the years, and increasingly people are installing them, its still a significant investm...

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Building a Backyard Hockey Rink
Written By: Connie Adair

Homeowners are looking for ways to keep fit and keep their kids busy this winter, so its not surprising that thoughts are already turning to the backyard hockey rink.The nice thing is that there are options regardless of budget, from the handyman lumber frame rink, to easy-to-assemble kits, to full-blown NHL-size rinks and synthetic ice rinks.Tw...

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What’s an AKA Letter?
Written By: David Reed

An AKA, or Also Known As letter is one where the individual confirms a name variation has been used in the past. Lenders need to know exactly who theyre providing a loan for and during the course of receiving a loan application and reviewing a credit report, there can be more than one name listed on the report. How is that so? Its really very si...

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10 Things That Will Absolutely Kill Your Home Sale
Written By: Jaymi Naciri

When youre selling your home, you need every advantage you can get. And there are few homes that are magically market ready without a little help. If your home needs a touch more than a little help, its time to get focused. After all, listing your home when its not in the right condition to sell will probably only end in frustration. And, in thi...

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Smart Home Improvement Tips To Save You Time, Money, And Aggravation
Written By: Jaymi Naciri

Fixing up your house can bring great joy, and also personal satisfaction when you pitch in and DIY some of the tasks. But proper preparation is key to getting things done right. Take a short cut and youll likely end up with a project that that takes longer, costs more, looks like it was DIYd and hurts more than your bank balance along the way.Me...

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All About Lender Fees
Written By: David Reed

During a phone conversation with a mortgage loan officer for the first time, invariably the question of fees comes up. Yes, rates are at the top of the curious list but so too are lender fees. In addition to the interest rate, lenders can charge loan fees to help offset the cost of origination, processing and other items. But lets take a closer ...

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