Club Chaos Agents - All Things Hollish, Wacked, and Jacked

Original article source: Massachusetts Real Estate Blog

                                                                                                                                                              

When looking to take money out of an existing home or other Real Estate borrowers often have a decision to make on what is the best method to do so.

There are basically three financing options that are available to home owners. These include a cash out re-finance, home equity loan or a home equity line of credit (HELOC). Determining which of these type of loan options will work best basically comes down to what purpose the money is going to be used for.

Unfortunately being in the Real Estate field, I often come across folks who have over extended themselves and find that they have created undue hardships. Going back ten years ago this was not so much of a problem as Real Estate markets around the country were booming and a home was an investment windfall.

Every few months the value of homes would continue to rise and did so for over a decade. Of course all good things must come to an end eventually and now we are left with property values decreasing in most areas.

When the economy and Real Estate values are soaring it is hard not to look at a home as a giant piggy bank from which you can tap at a moments notice. When times are tough however, you may regret taking your equity for granted by pulling it out of the home.

Below is a guide to help you determine whether borrowing against the equity in your home via a home equity line of credit (HELOC), home equity loan or a cash out refinance makes the most sense.

To continue reading see home equity loans over at the Massachusetts Real Estate news blog where an in depth analysis is given on the three types of home equity loans including a cash-out refinance, home equity line of credit (HELOC) or straight home equity loan.

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About the Author: The above Real Estate information on Home equity mortgage loan options was provided by Bill Gassett, a Nationally recognized leader in his field. Bill can be reached via email at billgassett@remaxexec.com or by phone at 508-435-5356.

Have a home to sell in Metrowest Mass? I have a passion for Real Estate and love to share my marketing expertise!

For Massachusetts Real Estate information see Massachusetts Real Estate. Want to have MLS access to beat other buyers to your dream home? Sign up with no obligation at my MLS Property Finder Site.

I service Real Estate short sales in the following towns in and around Metrowest Massachusetts: Hopkinton, Milford, Upton, Bellingham, Southboro, Westboro, Ashland, Holliston, Mendon, Northboro, Shrewsbury, Hopedale, Medway, Grafton, Northbridge, Uxbridge, Franklin, Framingham, Natick, Sutton and Douglas MA.

 

Building lasting relationships by helping people move in and out of Metrowest Massachusetts for the last 25 years.

Original article source: Massachusetts Real Estate Blog

 

There are not many things that can negatively impact your credit score more than a foreclosure or short sale. In fact one of the more common untruths you will hear from many Realtors is that short sales don’t impact your credit scores like foreclosures do. This is absolutely WRONG!

If you fail to pay your mortgage during a short sale the credit score impact will be nearly identical to a foreclosure according to My FICO the governing body for credit scoring.

Being a Realtor myself for the last twenty five years it does not surprise me when I hear this misinformation being spewed in person or around the internet.  Some Real Estate agents will paint a short sale as your ticket to the promised land and a foreclosure as a ticket to financial misery for the rest of your life.

They do this of course because they want you to list the property with them as a short sale. A true Real Estate professional should be going over all possible financial options with you and not just looking to put money in their wallet.

There are of course advantages to doing a short sale but a better credit score is not one of them unless you are able to complete a short sale without missing mortgage payments. The sad truth is that most but not all of the time a lender is not going to grant short sale approval unless you are behind in your mortgage payments. From a lender’s perspective if you are able to continue paying your mortgage why should they grant you a short sale?

The advantages of a short sale vs a foreclosure center around the time you will be able to purchase a home again in the future. You will be able to buy a home after completing a short sale much quicker than a foreclosure.

For a complete breakdown of how quickly you can get financing after both of these events see getting a mortgage after short sale or foreclosure. If you can show extenuating circumstances of why you had to do a short sale or lost your home to foreclosure you may be able to get a loan sooner. Some of the acceptable hardships that could factor into a lenders decision are divorce, loss of a job and unexpected medical expenses.

To continue reading see Improving finances after short sale

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About the Author: The above Real Estate information on Improving finances after short sale or foreclosure was provided by Bill Gassett, a Nationally recognized leader in his field. Bill can be reached via email at billgassett@remaxexec.com or by phone at 508-435-5356.

Have a home to sell in Metrowest Mass? I have a passion for Real Estate and love to share my marketing expertise!

For Metrowest Massachusetts Real Estate and homes see Massachusetts Real Estate. Want to have MLS access to beat other buyers to your dream home? Sign up with no obligation at my MLS Property Finder Site.

I service short sales in the following towns in and around Metrowest Massachusetts: Hopkinton, Milford, Upton, Southboro, Westboro, Ashland, Holliston, Mendon, Northboro, Shrewsbury, Hopedale, Medway, Grafton, Northbridge, Uxbridge, Franklin, Framingham, Sutton and Douglas MA.

Click here to view Bill Gassett's Real Estate profile.

 

Subscribe in a reader

 

SUBSCRIBE TO MY METROWEST HOMES BLOG via email.

Building lasting relationships by helping people move in and out of Metrowest Massachusetts for the last 24 years.

Original article source: Massachusetts Real Estate Blog

As a Realtor who has been heavily involved closing Massachusetts short sales over the last five years, one of the questions that I get asked quite often from home sellers is how long will it take before I will be able to buy a home again.

Of course what people really mean is how long before I will be able to get another mortgage.

The answer to this question does not have any clear cut and dry answer. There are quite a few variables involved when trying to figure out when someone will be able to purchase a home after a foreclosure or short sale.

Going through either a short sale or a foreclosure has the potential to seriously impact ones credit.  Government entities Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac and FHA do not directly loan money to individuals but are the governing body that work with lenders to guarantee loans and free up money to provide mortgages.

Banks typically have the authority to lend to whoever they want but will generally follow the guidelines set forth by these entities. There are some lenders of course that will take greater risks with some borrowers than others.

In the link provided below the general guidelines that FHA, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac follow when considering a loan after a short sale or foreclosure are discussed.

See Getting a mortgage after short sale and foreclosure for a complete understanding of how your credit will be impacted, as well as the time period before a borrower will be able to get financing to purchase another home under these scenarios.

The credit impact of both short sales and foreclosures are explained in depth. There is also a comparison between FHA, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac loans. There is a lot of misinformation online about the difference in credit impact between a short sale and foreclosure.

There are many that try to paint a picture that the credit impact of a short sale is far less damaging to ones credit when that is in fact not the case. The benefit in a short sale lies more in the fact that you may be able to get a mortgage quicker in the future. Credit scoring with missed payments is nearly identical when comparing short sales and foreclosures according to MY FICO.

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About the Author: The above Real Estate information on Getting a mortgage after a short sale was provided by Bill Gassett, a Nationally recognized leader in his field. Bill can be reached via email at billgassett@remaxexec.com or by phone at 508-435-5356.

Have a home to sell in Metrowest Mass? I have a passion for Real Estate and love to share my marketing expertise!

For Massachusetts Real Estate information see Massachusetts Real Estate. Want to have MLS access to beat other buyers to your dream home? Sign up with no obligation at my MLS Property Finder Site.

I service Real Estate short sales in the following towns in and around Metrowest Massachusetts: Hopkinton, Milford, Upton, Bellingham, Southboro, Westboro, Ashland, Holliston, Mendon, Northboro, Shrewsbury, Hopedale, Medway, Grafton, Northbridge, Uxbridge, Franklin, Framingham, Natick and Douglas MA.

 

Building lasting relationships by helping people move in and out of Metrowest Massachusetts for the last 25 years.

 

 

Got RainCamp?

The cool thing about having a virtual family is when we find reasons to come together for a visit. RainCamp is going to be mad fun in Boston. I flipped out about missing DC. When you have wee people some things just can't be helped (LOL).

The only way you are going to find out if the Life With Wee People crew are going to be there is if you go to RainCamp yourself. Am I a tease? Um... er...yeah (LOL).

BTW, here's Jeka's b-day song I was chatting about yesterday. Told you I'd find an excuse to use it.

Got RainCamp? No? Hmm... Go get some... Seriously... It will blow your real estate mind. ;-)

Original Source: Massachusetts Real Estate Blog

                                                                                                                                                           

Credit scores are one of the largest factors that lenders use in evaluating whether or not to lend money to a borrower. Credit scores are designed to measure the risk of someone defaulting by taking into account various factors in a person’s financial history.

If you are considering purchasing a home one of the things you want to be sure of is the accuracy of your credit report.  The economic down turn of the last five years has vastly changed the mortgage landscape all across the country.

If you ask any mortgage broker they will tell you that things have changed in the mortgage industry on a monthly basis. Given the increase in foreclosures and short sales lenders have increased their standards when evaluating the potential for default of every borrower.

One of the tools that lenders use to evaluate the borrower to repay a loan is what’s know as their FICO score. The FICO score was developed by the Fair Issac Corporation. The company was founded in 1956 and their scoring programs are often used to assist lenders in managing credit accounts, detecting credit fraud and automating lending decisions. The FICO score is a standardized approach that helps lenders deliver decisions on loans in an efficient manner.

FICO scores can range from 300 to 850 with 850 being the maximum possible score. According to the FICO scoring system there are five factors that determine a borrowers score:

• 35% — A borrowers payment history carries the most weight – Late payments on bills including  a mortgage, credit card or automobile loan, can cause a consumer’s FICO score to go down. Paying your bills according to the contract you signed will over time help improve a consumer’s FICO score.

• 30% — The borrowers credit utilization – The ratio of current outstanding debts such as credit card balances to the total available revolving credit ( your credit limit). You can improve your FICO score by paying off  debts and lowering your utilization ratio. The closing of existing revolving accounts will typically adversely affect this ratio and therefore have a negative impact on your FICO score.

• 15% — The length of credit history – As your credit history gets longer, assuming you pay your bills on time, it can have a positive impact on your FICO score.

• 10% — The types of credit used (installment, revolving, or consumer finance) – There is some credit given to having a history of managing different types of credit.

• 10% — A recent search for credit or amount of credit obtained recently-  If you have multiple credit inquiries as a consumer seeking to open new credit, such as credit cards, retail store accounts, or personal loans, it can hurt an your score. Applying for lots of new credit in a short period of time is also viewed as risky and can cause a drop in an individual’s score. What should be noted however is that if you are shopping for a mortgage or auto loan over a short period of time you should not experience a decrease in your scores as a result of these types of inquiries. So if you are buying a home and apply to multiple lenders and they all do their credit checks you are not supposed to be penalized.

FICO scores do not take into account a borrowers salary, employment history, where they work, rental agreements, child support or other such obligations or interest rates on any current loans.

Generally speaking a credit score that is over 720 is often considered an excellent credit score.  A score of 680 – 719 is considered good. A score that falls between the range of 620-679 will usually make the lender scrutinize the file further. Having a score that falls between 585-619 will typically disqualify you from getting the best rates. A score below 584 will make many lenders question whether or not they want to do business with you.

There are actually three companies that report credit scores to lenders. They are Equifax, Experion and Transunion. The scoring of these agencies can often vary quite a bit. Each of the bureaus collects different information on the borrowers which can change the final score. Given how the credit scores can differ from the various agencies if you are falling on the edge of one of the credit ranges it may be prudent to apply to more than one lender. For example if you had a score of 675 at one agency it is quite possible you could be 700 somewhere else which could give you a better rate!

It should be noted that the credit scoring model was slightly altered in 2009 and could effect your score either up or down by 20 points.

In the new model credit problems and issues are ranked according to number and magnitude more specifically than before. The new FICO scoring system also focuses less on how many accounts a borrower has and more on the amount of balances carried.

The statistical models that are used for generating credit scores are subject to federal regulation. The Federal Reserve Board’s Regulation B (implementing the Equal Credit Opportunity Act), expressly prohibits a credit-scoring model considering “prohibited biases” such as race,  national origin, sex, religion and marital status. The law also states that credit-scoring models must be empirical and statistically sound. In addition, if a borrower is denied a loan based on credit, the lender must state to the specific reasons for the denial. A statement that the person did not score high enough is not acceptable. Thee reasons for denial must be specific. For example  there were too many late payments of 60 days or longer.

                                                                                                                                                       

So how does one go about improving a FICO credit score to purchase a home and get the best rates that lenders offer? The answers are actually pretty simple! 

• Pay all of your bills on time every month.
• Pay off all of your existing debt.
• Unused credit cards should not be closed. This can sometimes lower your credit score.
• Do not open a bunch of new credit card accounts in a short period of time.

A few years ago it was not uncommon to hear of mortgage brokers or credit repair companies doing what was known as “doctoring” a persons credit.

A major portion of the FICO score is set by the ratio of credit used to credit limit.  What was happening was they would increase the score by simply increasing your credit limit. Some of the credit-repair agencies, for a fee, would report to the credit bureaus that they have opened an account with a high credit limit. The customer could not actually use this account but it would improve the customer’s FICO score due to lowering the balance-to-credit-limit ratio. This is no longer allowed!

When you are starting your home search and getting your pre-approval from a lender one of the other things you should do is get a copy of your credit report from each of the three report bureaus. As a consumer you are allowed to get one free credit report each year from Equifax, Experion and TransUnion.

With this knowledge is hand you should be well armed to position yourself for the best mortgage rate possible!

If you enjoyed this article please drop by my Wordpress Massachusetts Real Estate Blog to see other helpful Real Estate articles and news.

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About the Author: The above Real Estate information on increasing FICO credit scores to purchase a home was provided by Bill Gassett, a Nationally recognized leader in his field. Bill can be reached via email at billgassett@remaxexec.com or by phone at 508-435-5356.

Have a home to sell in Metrowest Mass? I have a passion for Real Estate and love to share my marketing expertise!

For Metrowest Massachusetts Real Estate and homes see Massachusetts Real Estate. Want to have MLS access to beat other buyers to your dream home? Sign up with no obligation at my MLS Property Finder Site.

I service the following towns in and around Metrowest Massachusetts: Hopkinton, Milford, Upton, Southboro, Westboro, Ashland, Holliston, Mendon, Northboro, Shrewsbury, Hopedale, Medway, Grafton, Northbridge, Uxbridge, Franklin, Framingham and Douglas MA.

Click here to view Bill Gassett's Real Estate profile.

 

Subscribe in a reader

 

SUBSCRIBE TO MY METROWEST HOMES BLOG via email.

Building lasting relationships by helping people move in and out of Metrowest Massachusetts for the last 24 years.

Original source: Sell a home in 70 days.

Have you ever seen the Massachusetts Real Estate advertising that says “We will sell your Massachusetts home in 70 days guaranteed” and wondered what the heck that was all about?

This is just another marketing gimmick that in some respects is no different than value range pricing. The difference being is that more times than not the list price is under the current market value of the property. In some cases WAY under!

I have to hand it to the Realtors that use it as part of their marketing plan because there are quite a few home sellers that actually believe there is something special going on.

To read the rest of the article please visit my New Wordpress blog at Massachusetts Real Estate News.

I would love you to stop by and make a comment on one of my blog articles!

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About the Author: The above Real Estate information on sell a home in 70 days was provided by Bill Gassett, a Nationally recognized leader in his field. Bill can be reached via email at billgassett@remaxexec.com or by phone at 508-435-5356.

Have a home to sell in Metrowest Mass? I have a passion for Real Estate and love to share my marketing expertise!

For Metrowest Massachusetts Real Estate and homes see Massachusetts Real Estate. Want to have MLS access to beat other buyers to your dream home? Sign up with no obligation at my MLS Property Finder Site.

I service the following towns in and around Metrowest Massachusetts: Hopkinton, Milford, Upton, Southboro, Westboro, Ashland, Holliston, Mendon, Northboro, Shrewsbury, Hopedale, Medway, Grafton, Northbridge, Uxbridge, Franklin, Framingham and Douglas MA.

Click here to view Bill Gassett's Real Estate profile.

 

Subscribe in a reader

 

SUBSCRIBE TO MY METROWEST HOMES BLOG via email.

Building lasting relationships by helping people move in and out of Metrowest Massachusetts for the last 24 years.

If you have ever read my blog articles you know that I am proud of the fact that both my Massachusetts Real Estate website and blog can be found in most local Real Estate searches. Some of the content I provide my readers is also much more broad in nature and will also be found for more national related topics like Real Estate capital gains for example.

When we create content online sometimes the places people find you can be VERY far reaching. What has to be the most bizarre piece of mail I have ever received arrived today in my work mail box!

The letter came from a jail in Kentucky and was clearly marked so on the front of the envelope with "Inmate mail not responsible for the content". I have provided the letter below for your enjoyment with the gentleman's name crossed out. 

Apparently I am this inmates Realtor of choice for finding a nice piece of land up in Maine! I know my Real Estate friends up in Maine are probably salivating over the chance to land this referral since I am not licensed in Maine - LOL

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

            

Just to be clear the gentleman did not indicate when he will be out of the slammer. Because of my generous nature I am willing to pass this on to any Maine Realtor for a very low referral fee of only 5% - LOL

Of course I am going to request that you bring mace, Ginsu knives, and take a few lessons in karate. After all I will be expecting to be paid and that will not happen if you don't make it out of the woods alive:)

 

 

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About the Author: The above Real Estate information on Strong internet presence leads to letter from jail was provided by Bill Gassett, a Nationally recognized leader in his field. Bill can be reached via email at billgassett@remaxexec.com or by phone at 508-435-5356.

Have a home to sell in Metrowest Mass? I have a passion for Real Estate and love to share my marketing expertise!

For Metrowest Massachusetts Real Estate and homes see Massachusetts Real Estate. Want to have MLS access to beat other buyers to your dream home? Sign up with no obligation at my MLS Property Finder Site.

I service the following towns in and around Metrowest Massachusetts: Hopkinton, Milford, Upton, Southboro, Westboro, Ashland, Holliston, Mendon, Hopedale, Medway, Grafton, Northbridge, Uxbridge, Franklin, Douglas, and Framingham MA.

Click here to view Bill Gassett's Real Estate profile.

 

Subscribe in a reader

 

SUBSCRIBE TO MY METROWEST HOMES BLOG via email.

Building lasting relationships by helping people move in and out of Metrowest Massachusetts for the last 24 years.

 

The Obama Administration has announced new U.S. Department of the Treasury guidelines to enable servicers to begin modifications of eligible mortgages under the Administration's Homeowner Affordability and Stability Plan.

The release of detailed requirements for the "Making Home Affordable" program facilitates implementation of the critical provisions that will help bring relief to responsible homeowners struggling to make their mortgage payments, while preventing neighborhoods and communities from suffering the negative effects of foreclosure such as lower property values, increased crime and higher taxes.

You can see the complete Home Affordable Loan Modification Program Guidlines here.

Here are the highlights of the loan modification program:

• Mortgages for single-family properties that are worth more than $729,750 are excluded from the provisions of this bill. For two families the amount is $934,200. For three families the amount is $1,129,250 and for four families the amount is $1,403,400.

• Interest rates can be lowered to a minimum of 2 percent and then if necessary, the term of the loan can be extended to a maximum of 40 years.

• The home must be a primary residence and verified as such with a tax return, credit report, and other documentation such as a utility bill. The home may not be investor-owned property.

• The home may not be vacant or condemned.

• Borrowers must provide their most recent tax return and two pay stubs, as well as an "affidavit of financial hardship" to be qualified.

• Borrowers in bankruptcy are not automatically eliminated from consideration for a modification in this program.

• Borrowers in active litigation regarding the mortgage loan can qualify for a modification without waiving their legal rights.

• Borrowers are only allowed to have their loans modified once, and the program only applies for loans made on Jan. 1, 2009 or earlier.

• Eligibility is restricted to loans originated on or before January 1, 2009.

• Incentives are provided to extinguish second liens on loans modified under the program.

• Homeowners are eligible for up to $1,000 of principal reduction payments each year for up to five years.

• Separately, up to 5 million borrowers who have mortgages held by government controlled mortgage finance giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac should be eligible to refinance through June 2010.

This loan modification home affordability program should stem the tide for quite a few folks who would otherwise end up in foreclosure.

I applaud the fact that the government has finally started to take some meaningful action. This new bill comes on the heels of the 1st time buyers incentive program.

While these are great steps to get the nations housing back on track, there are some that are so far in over their head that even a loan modification is not going to help.

There are still options available that can be taken to avoid foreclosure. A short sale is one of the means that may allow you to sell your home and get rid of your debt.

See these articles for further details:

Foreclosure avoiding it through a short sale

Short sales and deed in lieu of foreclosure

Massachusetts Short Sale

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About the Author: The above Real Estate information on making home affordable loan modification program was provided by Bill Gassett, a Nationally recognized leader in his field. Bill can be reached via email at billgassett@remaxexec.com or by phone at 508-435-5356. 

Have a home to sell in Metrowest Mass? I have a passion for Real Estate and love to share my marketing expertise! 

For Metrowest Massachusetts Real Estate and homes see Metrowest MA Real Estate. Want to have MLS access to beat other buyers to your dream home? Sign up with no obligation at my MLS Property Finder Site.

I service the following towns in Metrowest Massachusetts: Hopkinton, Milford, Upton, Southboro, Westboro, Ashland, Holliston, Mendon, Hopedale, Medway, Grafton, Northbridge, Uxbridge, Franklin, Douglas, and Framingham MA.

Click here to view Bill Gassett's Real Estate profile.

 

Subscribe in a reader

 

SUBSCRIBE TO MY METROWEST HOMES BLOG via email.

Building lasting relationships by helping people move in and out of Metrowest Massachusetts for the last 23 years.

I get great pleasure sitting on the beach spending hours watching the birds go about their business.  Whether standing on a rock, digging for food or taking off and landing.

There is truly a lot to be learned from simple observation of the  creatures around us.

Jennifer Fivelsdal - Keller William Realty Team - 845-758-6842 -Jennier@jfivehomes.com

The following Real Estate articles cover a variety of topics including short sales, loan modifications, deed in lieu of foreclosure, USDA Loans, tips on selling your home, tax deductions, internet and social marketing, plus many others.

I hope a few of them you may find useful for your particular circumstances. Hopefully some of the articles may teach you a good tip that you may not have thought about or even cause you to think differently.

Working as a Metrowest Massachusetts Realtor for the last twenty three years I have learned quite a bit. Real Estate is a field where you can learn something new almost every week! Real Estate is one of my passions...enjoy.

 

 

 

Top 10 Mistakes to Avoid When Selling Your Massachusetts Home

There are a miriad of mistakes you can make when selling a home in Massachusetts. This article details some of the top mistakes and offers suggestions on how you can avoid them. Topics include pricing your home properly, selecting an excellent Realtor, and staging your home to sell among others.

 

 

 

Assessed Home Values Rarely Fair Market Value

This article details one of the top misconceptions in Real Estate. Assessed Home values rarely are the same as fair market value! In fact assessed values are nothing more than a yard stick for a municipality to collect an appropriate amount of taxes to sufficiently cover the state a local appropriations to the city and town.

 

 

Best Remodeling Projects Cost V.S Value For Your Home

There are many improvements that you can make to your home that have very little return. Other home improvements can have a real impact. This article details the average rate of return from around the country for various remodeling projects. The statistics are taken from the annual National Association of Realtors report.

 

 

 

Tax Deductions To Remember When Getting A Home Loan

When getting a mortgage to buy a home there are certain deductions that you are afforded by the Internal Revenue Service that you should be aware of come tax time in April. The article details some of the deductions you may forget about when buying a home.

 

 

 

Selling Your Home In A Buyers Market

There are quite a few people who have thought about selling their home but have not due to the steep decline in market values over the last few years. This is understandable UNLESS you are going to be buying another home under the same market conditions! Sure you will lose some of the equity that was in your home but you will make it up on the other end. Read further for an example as well as some tips on making your home sale go smoother.

 

 

Social Marketing, Blogging, Short Sales and the seller I Never Met

A run down of picking a Realtor with a social media marketing strategy combined with a strong internet presence, can be a tremendous assistance in getting a home sold in today's challenging Real Estate market. Covers an important tip on why your should "Google" the agents names you are interviewing to sell your home.

 

 

Energy Saving Tips For The Winter Months

In this article you will find a number of tips in order to make your home more energy efficient especially in the Winter months. Who doesn't want to save money on their home? Come and take a peak.

 

 

 

Foreclosure Avoiding It Through A Short Sale Or Loan Modification

The last thing anyone wants is to lose their home to foreclosure. There are other options available including a Short Sale and loan modification. Each of these concepts are explained in detail. There are advantages for both the home owner and the bank. Find out why short sales have become a common term in Real Estate.

 

 

 

Deed In Lieu Of Foreclosure And Short Sales

The terms deed in lieu of foreclosure and short sales are both explained as a means for a home owner to avoid the costly and embarrising foreclosure proceedings. Banks are not in the business of owning Real Estate and would prefer not to be a home owner.

 

Selling Your Home Does Not Have To Be A Mystery

Selling your home should not be a mystery when you have it priced properly and have selected a Realtor that knows how to create an online presence for you. A proper price according to comparable market data and a coordinated marketing effort are the two most important factors that will lead to a successful sale. Come in and take a look....let me read your mind.

 

 

USDA Loans Mortgage Option For Low To No Down Payment

With a USDA loan a borrower can do 100% financing! These loans are given to those that live in a rural area. The term "rural" has loose definitions but generally speaking areas with under a population of 20,000 qualify. USDA loans (US Department of Agriculture) aka Section 502 loans are an excellent mortgage vehicle for those who do not have money to put down but have decent credit ratings

 

 

Real Estate Capital Gains When Selling Your Home

There are many who do not realize the current capital gains laws when selling a home. The current capital gains tax law when selling your personal residence allows for an exclusion of up to $250,000 in profit if you are single and $500,000 if married. In order to be eligible you must have lived in your home for two of the last five years. The property must be your personal residence and can not be an investment property. As of January 1st 2009 there is a new modification that eliminates a tax loop hole for the rich. Read further to see how the law has changed.

 

When To Lock Your Mortgage Interest Rate

One of the considerations when applying for a home loan is when to actually lock the mortgage rate. Of course those that do not lock right away are gambling with their future loan payment. More often than not the best time to lock a rate is right away.    

 

 

 

Massachusetts FHA Morgage Loans

An explanation of FHA mortgage loans and why they can be beneficial to those that do not have a large down payment. Currently you need a down payment as low as 3.5% with an FHA loan.

 

 

 

Buying a Bank Owned Home

The opportunity to buy a bank owned home is one that many buyers often consider due to the fact that there is a prevailing belief that you can buy them for 50 cents on the dollar or less. While as a general rule many bank owned properties do represent a good Real Estate value, you are more likely to be able to purchase one for around 5-20% less than the going rate for a similar comparable property.

 

Buying a Foreclosed Home or Potential Foreclosure Property

Are you considering buying a foreclosed property? Why not after all there are plenty of them all around the country and they can typically be bought at a discount to the present market value.

Buying a foreclosed home however, is not for the timid at heart and there are many things that buyers need to consider.

 

 

   Massachusetts Title V Septic Systems and Selling a Home

When selling a home in Massachusetts and your property is being serviced by a septic system, one of the most important considerations is getting your Title V certification done. The last thing you want is a problem with your septic system!

 

 

  Massachusetts Short Sales Realtor

For those that have been hearing the term "short sale" and don't quite understand what it means, a short sale is a legal lender approved solution designed to assist those home owners who are financially strapped to get out from under their mortgage debt.

A short sale is negotiated through the mortgage holder of an owners home where by the mortgage holder agrees to take less than what home owner owes on the property.

 

 

 

***Comments are welcome and can be done within each individual post at the comment box on the bottom of each article.

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About the Author: The above Real Estate articles worth reading was provided by Bill Gassett, a Nationally recognized leader in his field. Bill can be reached via email at billgassett@remaxexec.com or by phone at 508-435-5356. 

Have a home to sell in Metrowest Mass? I have a passion for Real Estate and love to share my marketing expertise! 

For Metrowest Massachusetts Real Estate and homes see Metrowest Mass Real Estate. Want to have MLS access to beat other buyers to your dream home? Sign up with no obligation at my MLS Property Finder Site.

I service the following towns in Metrowest Massachusetts: Hopkinton, Milford, Upton, Southboro, Westboro, Ashland, Holliston, Mendon, Hopedale, Medway, Grafton, Northbridge, Uxbridge, Franklin, Douglas, and Framingham MA.

Click here to view Bill Gassett's Real Estate profile.

 

 

 

 

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Building lasting relationships by helping people move in and out of Metrowest Massachusetts for the last 23 years.