A Simple Guide for First-Time Homebuyers

Before you join the ranks, here are some things to do.

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‪#‎EstatesByTheBeach‬ ‪#‎HomeBuying‬ ‪#‎RealEstate‬

Forget The Motivational Quotes: 45 Cardinal Rules You Need To Live Life By

I like 37 and you?

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#EstatesByTheBeach #WordsOfWisdom #CardinalRules

A Selfie for Your Checks?

What You Should Know about Remote Deposit Capture.

Take the following precautions, read more here: http://ow.ly/v0QmE ‪

#‎EstatesByTheBeach‬ ‪#‎CheckSelfies‬ ‪#‎MobileDeposits‬

Will Paying an Old Debt Hurt My Credit Scores?

Remember, to consider the statue of limitations when negotiating the bill.

Totally surprised by what I read...

Read More Here: http://ow.ly/uX2b3

 #EstatesByTheBeach #CreditScores #PayingOffOldDebt

Buyers Turn to 'Pre-Underwriting' to Compete With Cash Buyers

Sure helps prevent wasted time and money later on.

Read More Here: http://ow.ly/uU7hw ‪

#‎EstatesByTheBeach‬ ‪#‎MortgageTip‬ ‪#‎PreUnderwriting‬

Hackers Are Now Targeting Your Router

Easy fix, worth the read... http://ow.ly/uScQZ

 #EstatesByTheBeach #ComputerSecurity #BeSafe

What Is a Good Faith Estimate?

What are the terms of the loan and what can and cannot change?

Read More Here:  http://ow.ly/uR6Sn

#EstatesByTheBeach #GoodFaithEstimate #GFE

Surging Home Prices Are A Double Edged Sword

Affordability troubles grow, especially for first-time buyers. 

With rates reasonably low and the spring time multiple offer buying frenzy about to happen...now is the time.

Read More Here: http://ow.ly/uQdwS 

#EstatesByTheBeach #HomePrices #Affordability 

In Observance of "International Day Of Happiness"

These Spices Make You Slimmer, Smarter, Happier

Raid your spice rack and start using these. Science finds mixing them into meals adds a health boost.

Read More Here:  http://ow.ly/uNtWn

#EstatesByTheBeach #EstatesByTheVineyards #EstatesInTheMountains #EstatesInTheInland #EstatesInTheDesert #InteractiveMapSearch #SchoolRatings #CrimeMapping #Mortgage #SpiceThingsUp #SlimmerSmarterHappier

Five Things You Should Always Do Before You Buy a Home

1) Understand what you can afford
2) Get pre-approved
3) Do your research
4) Find a real estate agent
5) Get the home inspected

Read More Here: http://ow.ly/uJmaE

#EstatesByTheBeach #EstatesByTheVineyards #EstatesInTheMountains #EstatesInTheInland #EstatesInTheDesert #InteractiveMapSearch #SchoolRatings #CrimeMapping #Mortgage #HomeBuyingTips #HomeBuyer #PurchasingAHome

Three Keys to Being Happy, No Matter What Happens

1) Gratitude
2) Self-Compassion
3) Passion

“Look at what you’ve got and make the best of it. It is better to light a candle than to curse the darkness.” ~Proverb.    

Read More Here: http://ow.ly/uIx0U

#EstatesByTheBeach #EstatesByTheVineyards #EstatesInTheMountains #EstatesInTheInland #EstatesInTheDesert #InteractiveMapSearch #SchoolRatings #CrimeMapping #Mortgage #Happiness #Gratitude #Passion

How to get the best deal buying a new house

Housing affordability expected to continue its decline in 2014.  Home buyers, prepare for sticker shock.

Read More: http://ow.ly/uF9Ti

#EstatesByTheBeach #EstatesByTheVineyards #EstatesInTheMountains #EstatesInTheInland #EstatesInTheDesert #InteractiveMapSearch #SchoolRatings #CrimeMapping #Mortgage #BestDeal #BuyingAHouse #TimeIsNow

The “If, Then Trap” and How to Avoid It to Be Happier

“Happiness is the absence of striving for happiness.” ~Chuang Tzu

Watch out for the stories that we tell ourselves.

Read More Here: http://ow.ly/uDEpb

#EstatesByTheBeach #EstatesByTheVineyards #EstatesInTheMountains #EstatesInTheInland #EstatesInTheDesert #InteractiveMapSearch #SchoolRatings #CrimeMapping #Mortgage #Happiness #IfThisThenTrap #SelfTalk

11 Simple Things Anyone Can Do To Live A Healthier Life

Some of these habits are so easy to implement in order to lead a happier and healthier life.

Read More Here: http://ow.ly/uvIAb

#EstatesByTheBeach #EstatesByTheVineyards #EstatesInTheMountains #EstatesInTheInland #EstatesInTheDesert #InteractiveMapSearch #SchoolRatings #CrimeMapping #Mortgage #11SimpleThings #HealthierLife #HappierLife

Ten Truths That Will Help You Through Any Challenge

1. Life is not always how you plan it, no matter how much you force or try to control it.
2. Change is inevitable, so you might as well welcome and embrace it.

Read More: http://ow.ly/ut5gP

#EstatesByTheBeach #EstatesByTheVineyards #EstatesInTheMountains #EstatesInTheInland #EstatesInTheDesert #InteractiveMapSearch #SchoolRatings #CrimeMapping #Mortgage #10Truths #PersonalGrowth #StayStrong

Seven Ways Home-buyers Can Gain An Edge This Spring

In a competitive market, home buying can be a contact sport. Here’s your game plan.

http://ow.ly/urR9R

#EstatesByTheBeach #EstatesByTheVineyards #EstatesInTheMountains #EstatesInTheInland #EstatesInTheDesert #InteractiveMapSearch #SchoolRatings #CrimeMapping #Mortgage #HomeSales #SpringHomeBuyingFrenzy

Ten Painfully Obvious Truths Everyone Forgets Too Soon

You know how you can hear something a hundred times in a hundred different ways before it finally gets through to you? The ten truths listed below fall firmly into that category – life lessons that many of us likely learned years ago, and have been reminded of ever since, but for whatever reason, haven’t fully grasped.

http://ow.ly/uqo4y

#EstatesByTheBeach #EstatesByTheVineyards #EstatesInTheMountains#EstatesInTheInland #EstatesInTheDesert #InteractiveMapSearch #SchoolRatings#CrimeMapping #Mortgage #ObviousTruths #LifeIsShort #LiveTheLifeYouCreate

8 Ways to Improve Your Communication Right Now

Everyone wants to communicate clearly, but little things can create big problems. Try these 8 tips today and you'll see immediate improvement.

#EstatesByTheBeach #EstatesByTheVineyards #EstatesInTheMountains #EstatesInTheInland #EstatesInTheDesert #InteractiveMapSearch #SchoolRatings #CrimeMapping #Communication #KindOfImportant #CommunicateClearly

http://ow.ly/unwga

2013-14 Cost vs. Value: Remodeling Pays Off Big Time

Home improvement projects across the board are giving home owners a greater return on their investment when it comes time to sell. Find out which projects “open the door” to buyers and where remodeling dollars stretch the furthest.

JANUARY 2014 | BY ERICA CHRISTOFFER

As existing-home sales and home prices make remarkable strides upward nationwide, remodeling projects are also continuing to make a comeback in a big way.

This is the second year in a row that all 35 projects inRemodelingmagazine’s Cost vs. Value Report saw more home improvement dollars recouped upon resale of a home than the previous year.

Existing-home sales reached 5.02 million in 2013, a 9.1 percent increase from 2012, according to the National Association of REALTORS®. Home prices also rose in 2013: Existing homes commanded a median price of $197,100, up 11.5 percent from the 2012 median price of $176,800. This is the largest price gain since 2005.

Also for 2013, the cost-value ratio of remodeling projects nationwide averaged 66.1 percent, up 5.5 points over the previous year — which is, like median price, the largest increase since 2005.

Remodels That Payoff

The fan favorite in the 16th annual Cost vs. Value Report, which was released this month, was again the steel door entryway. Topping the list last year as well, this project is ideal for clients considering a quick update to the curb appeal of a home. The survey shows that a new steel door, with an average cost of $1,162, will recoup 96.6 percent of the remodeling cost at resale.

Making the biggest gain in percentage of recouped costs was the addition of a backup power generator. This project, averaging $11,742, jumped 28 percent in estimated resale value, recouping 67.5 percent of its cost in 2013. Usually at the bottom of the list, this project now ranks 25th out of the 35 projects. The increase is attributed in the report to 2013’s “unpredictable weather and multiple large storms.”

Regional Trends

The report also shows where remodeling dollars go the furthest.

Topping the list for remodeling costs recouped upon resale were Honolulu and San Francisco, at 110.8 percent and 109.4 percent, respectively. San Jose, Calif., came in third, with just shy of 100 percent of remodeling costs recouped on average. San Diego came in fourth, with 89.8 percent of costs recouped at resale; and fifth was Bridgeport, Conn., bringing in 85.9 percent of remodel costs at resale.

Also signifying distinct improvements over last year, seven of the country’s nine regions outperformed the nationwide cost-value average of 66.1 percent.  

Holding onto their positions as the top two regions for recouping remodeling costs were the Pacific (Alaska, California, Hawaii, Oregon, and Washington), with an 88 percent cost-value ratio, and West South Central (Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, and Texas), with a 76.4 percent cost-value ratio.

The award for most improved region could go to New England (Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont), which moved from sixth to third this year with an overall cost-value ratio of 74.6 percent.

The two regions that held lower cost-value ratios than the national average were the Middle Atlantic (New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania) and West North Central (Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, and South Dakota), with cost-value ratios of 63.2 percent and 57.3 percent, respectively.

Top Projects

If your clients are considering a home improvement project to boost the quality and appeal of their home, pass on this list of top 10 midrange and upscale projects from the 2013-14 Cost vs. Value Report:

Top 10 Midrange Projects 1. Entry Door Replacement (steel) Job Cost: $1,162 Resale Value: $1,122 Cost Recouped: 96.6% 2. Deck Addition (wood) Job Cost: $9,539 Resale Value: $8,334 Cost Recouped: 87.4% 3. Attic Bedroom Job Cost: $49,438 Resale Value: $41,656 Cost Recouped: 84.3% 4. Garage Door Replacement Job Cost: $1,534 Resale Value: $1,283 Cost Recouped: 83.7% 5. Minor Kitchen Remodel Job Cost: $18,856 Resale Value: $15,585 Cost Recouped: 82.7% 6. Window Replacement (wood) Job Cost: $10,926 Resale Value: $8,662 Cost Recouped: 79.3% 7. Window Replacement (vinyl) Job Cost: $9,978 Resale Value: $7,857 Cost Recouped: 78.7% 8. Siding Replacement (vinyl) Job Cost: $11,475 Resale Value: $8,975 Cost Recouped: 78.2% 9. Basement Remodel Job Cost: $62,834 Resale Value: $48,777 Cost Recouped: 77.6% 10. Deck Addition (composite) Job Cost: $15,437 Resale Value: $11,476 Cost Recouped: 74.3%

Top 10 Upscale Projects 1. Siding Replacement (fiber-cement) Job Cost: $13,378 Resale Value: $11,645 Cost Recouped: 87.0% 2. Garage Door Replacement Job Cost: $2,791 Resale Value: $2,315 Cost Recouped: 82.9% 3. Siding Replacement (foam-backed vinyl) Job Cost: $14,236 Resale Value: $11,124 Cost Recouped: 78.1% 4. Window Replacement (vinyl) Job Cost: $13,385 Resale Value: $10,252 Cost Recouped: 76.6% 5. Window Replacement (wood) Job Cost: $16,798 Resale Value: $12,438 Cost Recouped: 74.0% 6. Grand Entrance (fiberglass) Job Cost: $7,305 Resale Value: $5,163 Cost Recouped: 70.7% 7. Deck Addition (composite) Job Cost: $35,158 Resale Value: $22,881 Cost Recouped: 65.1% 8. (tie) Bathroom Remodel Job Cost: $51,374 Resale Value: $32,660 Cost Recouped: 63.6% (tie) Major Kitchen Remodel Job Cost: $109,935 Resale Value: $69,973 Cost Recouped: 63.6% 9. Roofing Replacement Job Cost: $34,495 Resale Value: $21,731 Cost Recouped: 63.0% 10. Bathroom Addition Job Cost: $72,538 Resale Value: $43,936 Cost Recouped: 60.6%

The data used in the Cost vs. Value Report was collected with the help of REALTOR® Magazine in an online survey between August and October 2013. More than 4,500 NAR members participated from 101 U.S. cities, up from 81 cities included in last year’s survey.

Visit www.costvsvalue.com to find information from the 101 cities included in the survey and download free PDFs that include specific metro-area market data. (Site registration is required.) Also visitHouseLogic.com for a slide show of the report’s results.

Construction cost estimates were generated by RemodelMAX. Cost vs. Value is a registered trademark of Hanley Wood, LLC.

13.1 Million Americans Hit By Identity Theft in 2013

Identity theft is on the rise again.   However, the dollar amount of loss has reduced.  1 out of 3 consumers that are notified of a security breach actually experienced fraud.

#EstatesByTheBeach #EstatesByTheVineyards #EstatesInTheMountains #EstatesInTheInland #EstatesInTheDesert #InteractiveMapSearch #SchoolRatings #CrimeMapping #IdentityTheft #Fraud #SecurityBreaches

http://ow.ly/um19G

Ten Invaluable Lessons That Could Change Your Life

1. Being happy is not about what we achieve.  2. We are all doing our best.  3. We have to know and respect our deal breakers.  4. Other people’s actions aren’t about us. 5. We need to trust our intuition. 6. All the studying in the world will never be enough.  7. Face the scary stuff.  8. Accept that life and people are inconsistent.  9. We can be our own best friends. 10. We are enough.


#EstatesByTheBeach #EstatesByTheVineyards #EstatesInTheMountains #EstatesInTheInland #EstatesInTheDesert #InteractiveMapSearch #SchoolRatings #CrimeMapping #ChangeYourLife #InvaluableLessons #WordsOfWisdom

http://ow.ly/ujcVC

ARM vs. Fixed-Rate Mortgages: What's Right for You?

The Difference, Hybrid Mortgages, Which Mortgage to Choose, Should You Refinance?
To be honest, it all depends upon your short and long-term goals.   We are her to answer any questions, thanks for all of the continued support~


#EstatesByTheBeach #EstatesByTheVineyards #EstatesInTheMountains #EstatesInTheInland #EstatesInTheDesert #InteractiveMapSearch #SchoolRatings #CrimeMapping #ARMVsFixed #AdjustableRevolvingMortgages #FixedMortgages

http://ow.ly/uhCpo

Report: Buying Is 38 Percent Cheaper Than Renting

The rent-versus-buy math is different in each local market, but buying beats renting until mortgage rates hit 10.6 percent (Per Trulia)

#EstatesByTheBeach #EstatesByTheVineyards #EstatesInTheMountains #EstatesInTheInland #EstatesInTheDesert #InteractiveMapSearch #SchoolRatings #CrimeMapping #RentVsBuy #CheaperToBuy #WhyRent

http://ow.ly/uf785

Smart Alternatives To Putting 20 Percent Down

#1 - FHA Loan  #2 - Down Payment Assistance through City and Federal Programs  #3 - Get a Veteran Affairs (VA) Loan  #4 - Get a USDA Loan  (Consider these Tips for a Down Payment: Bank of Mom and Dad, ROTH IRA, 401k, Sub_Savings Acct)

#EstatesByTheBeach #EstatesByTheVineyards #EstatesInTheMountains #EstatesInTheInland #EstatesInTheDesert #InteractiveMapSearch #SchoolRatings #CrimeMapping #DownPayment #LowDownPayment #AlternativeFinancing

http://ow.ly/uceNf