Longview TX Realty

Homebuyers often follow their hearts, and they should. Sometimes just going with a gut feeling is the best indicator. But when it’s house-touring time, it’s important to set those emotions aside and replace them with clear-headed thinking and a critical eye. Otherwise, your potential dream house might just turn into a money pit.

Although you should always hire a professional inspection before you complete the sale, you can spot the more obvious trouble signs early in the process simply by… Continue Reading When Checking out a House, Leave Your Emotions at Home

Three elements are crucial to the purchase of a home—the down payment, closing costs, and qualifying for a mortgage.

Here is a quick rundown of what you should know:

Down payment

Typically, conventional lenders will require a 20% down payment, although you may be able to find loans with down payments of as little as 5% (perhaps less in some cases). With down payments less than 20%, you likely will have to pay private mortgage insurance, which guarantees the lender wi… Continue Reading How to Secure Home Financing The Smart Way

Most people probably only think of one or two questions to ask a home inspector: “How much is your fee?” and “When can you be there?”

But these only scratch the surface.

Here’s a list of suggested questions you might ask:

• What types of licenses do you hold?

• What kind of training do you have?

• Do you belong to a professional inspectors’ association?

• How long have you been licensed in Texas?

• Are you a full-time home inspector?

• How much do… Continue Reading A Home Inspection is Well Worth the Cost

Save on homeowners insurance
Here are seven ways to cut the cost of your home insurance from helpinsure.com, a Texas consumer-friendly Internet site:

1. Shop around – and do it early!
Check with several different home insurance companies to get rate quotes. (An independent insurance agent can provide rate quotes from a variety of companies.) And definitely do it well before your policy expires, just in case you run into any snags along the way.

2. Raise your deductible
The deductible … Continue Reading Homeowners Insurance: 7 Tips for Texans

A $200,000 home costs more than a $185,000 home, right? Well, yes and no. Assuming the same type of financing for both homes, the $200,000 home does cost more initially. But many factors contribute to the overall long-term cost of a house.

Here are some things to keep in mind when trying to determine the true cost of purchasing a particular home:

• Does it have a pool or hot tub that requires maintenance?

• How much yard maintenance is required and who will perform it?

• Are t… Continue Reading How Much Does That Home Really Cost?

Homebuyers often follow their hearts, and they should. Sometimes just going with a gut feeling is the best indicator. But when it’s house-touring time, it’s important to set those emotions aside and replace them with clear-headed thinking and a critical eye. Otherwise, your potential dream house might just turn into a money pit.

Although you should always hire a professional inspection before you complete the sale, you can spot the more obvious trouble signs early in the process simply by… Continue Reading When Checking out a House, Leave Your Emotions at Home

Credit problems can seem like an insurmountable barrier to getting a home loan. It’s not an easy task, but with patience and some insight you can turn things around. Here are four ways you can get on the road to credit repair—and put yourself in a better position for homeownership.

1. Develop a budget
Stop all credit transactions right now. It might sound harsh, but you should hide or destroy all of your cards if necessary! Now you can manage your inflow of cash and, more importantly, yo… Continue Reading Four Ways to Fix Bad Credit

There is a lot more to the mortgage process than getting a good rate. High costs in fees and poor service can come as very unhappy surprises.

Here’s a list of suggested questions you might ask a lender:

• How large is your company, and how long has it been in business?
• Are you a licensed mortgage broker or loan officer in Texas?
• Is your company a mortgage banker or a mortgage broker? (A banker lends its own funds; a broker searches mortgage sources and arranges for you to rec… Continue Reading Questions Buyers Should Ask A Mortgage Lender

If you just moved to Texas, you’ll soon learn plenty about the culture, customs, and history of the state. In the meantime, here are a few items to consider as you get acclimated.

Get legal on the road
As a new Texas resident, you have 30 days to register your vehicle and get your driver’s license. Before you register your vehicle, though, it must pass the state inspection process. In order, here are the three steps to follow:

1. Take your vehicle to a state inspection station. You ca… Continue Reading New to Texas?