» What we can do for you
Services
Comparative Market Analysis
Before putting your home on the market and setting a price it is important to first have an estimate of your house's value. This can be easily accomplished by having an experienced real estate agent provide you with a Comparative Market Analysis.
Providing a Comparative Market Analysis, or CMA, is a valuable service for home sellers but can also be beneficial to home buyers.
A comparative market analysis, or CMA, is an evaluation of a home's value based on available local market data including:
- How much homes similar to yours have sold for recently.
- How long these homes were on the market before they sold.
- How fast you can expect to sell your home at your desired asking price.
- What your "competition" would be should you decide to put your home on the market right away.
The real estate agent or agents that will provide your CMA do this with the anticipation they will be given the opportunity to list and sell your home if and when you decide to place it on the market. In addition, your CMA will provided to you at no cost and without obligation.
Lender Recommendations
When buying a home, your Casa Scuderia agent will often
recommend a lender for you to use to get your loan. We like
to be straight forward with our customers, so we have listed
some reasons why we recommend using our known lenders. Is
this a recommendation that you should trust, or should you
disregard your agent's advice? Here are our reasons:
Reliability
A big reason for a recommendation from your real
estate agent is reliability. A reliable lender is just
as important for you, the borrower, as it is for the real
estate agent. A reliable lender helps to put a good
taste in the borrower's mouth, whereas a bad experience with
a lender could leave you with a bad experience to tell
others about. Being able to rely on a mortgage lender
helps the home-buying deal close, and helps to give the
borrower a strong level of confidence with the whole
process.
Influence
There are times during the course of home buying
that your agent will need to cut through all the bureaucracy
and get something done swiftly. It is in these times
that it is nice for your agent to have a certain amount of
influence with a lender. When an agent recommends and
is familiar with certain lenders, that agent can often use
his or her influence to get things done quicker and more
efficiently.
Familiarity
Sometimes people who search for their own lenders
go with one who may have nice rates & terms, but may be
unfamiliar with the type of loan they need. For
instance, you may be buying a new home, but the lender you
choose is not familiar with new home loans. This can
cause setbacks in the loan process. Real estate agents
should be able to recommend a lender to you who is familiar
with the type of loan you need, which can save you from any
unnecessary periods of waiting.
Lack in Competitiveness
Because the recommendations of real estate agents
may bring many customers to lenders, these lenders may not
be as competitive as other lending companies. The reason
for this is that they feel they have captured your business,
and don't need to offer you the best rates. While it is
nice when your real estate agent recommends a lender to you,
you should still consider shopping around to find out where
you can get great rates and terms. It is always a smart
idea to know what other lenders are offering before
committing to a certain lender, because then you have
leverage to get yourself low costs, good rates, and great
service.
The Home Ownership Path
The way things are going, you'd think that by this time next year no one in America will still own a home.
Yes, housing markets have slowed. Sure,
plenty of borrowers got burned by overextending themselves
in hope of cashing in on the housing boom. Homebuilders like
D.R. Horton and Pulte have to offer incentives to coax buyers out of the woodwork. But does that mean people will stop buying houses? Is this the end of the American dream of home ownership?
Of course not. In fact, it's a unique opportunity for those who had been priced out of their housing markets. So if the idea that the sky is falling hasn't dampened your interest in owning your own home, read on.
Gimme shelter
Buying a house is as simple as it ever was. You just need discipline, hard work, and time. Here's your blueprint for your next home.
Start Saving
The best time to start putting money away for a down payment isn't while scouting out neighborhoods and visiting open houses. To set aside enough to handle any credit conditions, the sooner you start, the better.
Know what you can afford.
The mistake many people made during the housing boom was in assuming the market would turn a risky financial decision into a gold mine. If you could count on home equity loans to get more cash, it didn't matter if you earned enough to cover your payments every month. Plenty of people got away with that early on, but those left holding the bag now face losing everything. You can avoid that mistake at the start by figuring out how much you can spend and sticking to your limit.
Beware of gimmicks
Do those monthly payments sound too good to be true? They probably are. Many unscrupulous financing methods have disappeared under close scrutiny and tighter credit terms. But with Wells Fargo having exited the subprime market, and E-Trade Financial looking to get out of mortgages entirely, you can still find risky mortgages from the remaining players that could threaten your ability to keep up with your payments in a few years.
Negotiate like a pro
With desperate sellers and a glut of inventory on the market, buyers have the best conditions for good deals in years. Take full advantage -- consider making low offers. You have the leverage, and time is on your side, so consider all your options.
Don't jump the gun
You may be tempted to take a shortcut through these steps. If you find the perfect house, you probably won't want to wait until you've saved enough for a sizable down payment, or you might want to go beyond your housing budget.
The key to financial security is to know your limits. Giving up an opportunity that jeopardizes not just where you live but also your entire financial livelihood isn't the worst thing in the world. And even if that opportunity would have been profitable, there will be others. You don't have to time the housing market perfectly.
So if you're not ready to buy yet, don't fret. Get your financial house in order, and then start shopping. And for those of you who already have your ducks in a row, get ready. Your dream is about to come true.
Start
looking for that home here!
