01 Monday May 2017
Posted in News you can USE!
Read the article and tell me what you think?
http://www.bestrealestateblog.com/shopping-home-heres-best-day-go-looking?m=udCZmggHkHGZnenPmQzg
20 Monday Mar 2017
Posted in Helpful Information, News you can USE!, Who New?
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Will – this document specifies the way a person wants to manage and distribute his/her assets after their death. When a person dies without a will, the laws of the state where the person resided will determine the distribution of the property.
Durable Power of Attorney – this document grants to a designated person the authority to act on behalf of the principal in in legal affairs should the principal become incapacitated. Among other things, this would allow the attorney-in-fact to buy and sell property on the behalf of the principal.
Healthcare Proxy – this document grants that a designated person can legally make healthcare decisions on behalf of the principal when they are incapable of making and executing specific decisions stated in the proxy.
Living Will – this document directs physicians with respect to life-prolonging medical treatments in case they become unable to communicate their decisions.
Hippa Release – this document allows heath care providers to release your health care information to a designated person. Otherwise, they are required by federal law to protect the privacy of your health information.
Letter of Instruction – This document contains information and instructions about a person’s wishes upon death. It is intended to offer details on whom to contact and where to find important documents about personal and financial matters.
Requirements of these documents can vary from state to state and legal advice should be obtained. If you need a current estimate of value on real estate that may be involved, usually a price opinion from a licensed real estate professional will suffice. It would be my privilege to assist you with this at no cost or obligation.
10 Friday Mar 2017
Posted in Helpful Information, News you can USE!
Tags
Debt Free, home financing, home ownership, Mortgages, paying cash, Real Estate Listings, Real Estate News
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Before paying cash for a home, a buyer should decide if they might put a loan on the home in the near future. It may affect the ability to deduct the interest on a mortgage placed on the home at a later date.
Homeowners can currently deduct the interest on up to $1 million of acquisition debt which are the borrowed funds used to buy, build or improve a home. Paying cash for a home establishes acquisition debt at zero. The only deductible interest to the owner would be home equity debt which is limited to $100,000 over acquisition debt.
Paying cash certainly seems like a simple decision but it may limit a homeowner’s ability to deduct interest on a future mortgage. You can get more information about this from IRS Publication 936 or from your tax professional.
30 Monday Jan 2017
Posted in News you can USE!, Who New?
Tags
baton rouge homes for sale, Home Inventory, Insurance claims, News you can USE!, Proof of Purchase, safety
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Even the most organized people might find it challenging to find receipts for all the valuables in their home. If the inventory isn’t up-to-date, a homeowner might forget to add some items to the claim and may not recognize the omission for long after the claim is settled.
The inventory can serve as a guide to make sure a homeowner gets compensated for all the loss.
Photographs and videos can be adequate proof that the items belonged to the insured. A series of pictures of the different rooms, closets, cabinets and drawers are helpful. When video is used, consider commenting as it is shot and be sure to go slow enough and close enough to things becoming recorded.
For your convenience, download a Home Inventory, complete it, and save a copy off premise. Good places for your inventory could be a safety deposit box or digitally, in the cloud if you have server-based storage available like Dropbox.
09 Monday Jan 2017
Posted in Helpful Information, News you can USE!
Tags
baton rouge homes for sale, credit report, first time home buyers, home financing, home ownership, homes for sale in baton rouge, homes for sale in prairieville, Real Estate Listings, Real Estate News, rentals, renting vs buying, renting vs buying a home, smart investing
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Mortgages, whether held by an owner-occupant or an investor, are usually amortized so that each payment reduces the principal amount owed so that the loan will be repaid totally over the term. A tenant is inadvertently retiring the landlord’s mortgage with his monthly rent.
In most cases, the mortgage payment including taxes and insurance will be lower than the rent tenants are paying. Some experts are saying that we may never again experience the incredibly low mortgage interest rates currently available.
Renting precludes a person from enjoying the advantage a home has as a leveraged investment. When the borrowed funds cost less than the investment is returning, the rate of return on the down payment grows much faster. As you can see from the chart, a 2% appreciation on a home could result in big returns on the down payment. In most cases, there are very few or no alternative investments that offer homeowners similar returns.
Even if a buyer agrees with all of these things but doesn’t have the down payment or cannot qualify for a loan, they still need to investigate further. To find out exactly what types of loans are available and the specific down payment required which can be a whole lot less than 20%, they need to consult with an experienced, trusted loan professional (an Internet lender or a “BIG” bank may not be the best choice.) Call for a recommendation.
19 Monday Dec 2016
Posted in Helpful Information, News you can USE!
19 Monday Dec 2016
Posted in News you can USE!
Tags
Baton Rouge Real Estate, homes for sale in baton rouge, homes with acreage, luxury homes, mallard lakes
Rare Gem located in serene Mallard Lakes. You can come home to a custom built beauty just minutes away from the city & enjoy living in a luxury retreat every day. Take time to visit this exquisite listing in the upscale neighborhood of Mallard Lakes that offers 6227 sq. ft. with 5 bedrooms, fame room, 4 full baths, & two half-baths, room for the family & guests.
Wake up each morning to the glorious view retreat-like setting with salt water pool, waterfall, Jacuzzi, & quartzite deck that overlooks one of the three contained ponds. You can cuddle up with a good book by the double sided fireplace inside, or take advantage of the outside kitchen and fireplace when you are ready to entertain. The custom finishings in this home are extensive. Let’s start with an elevator that will take you to the media room, or the attic if needed, take the time to go to the man cave above the garage. If that wasn’t enough to keep you busy, take solace in the complete private master retreat and bath. Total indulgence with the custom designed double walk through rain shower, Jacuzzi tub, marble counters, & custom designed mirrors, along with ample counter and storage space included in the adjacent MASSIVE walk in closet. You will love the over-sized island where you can store everything imaginable in this 14’ x 17’ space, along with a wall of a hanging room that accommodates attire for every season of the year. Step right into the detailed laundry room where there is more storage, shelving, and unique features. With three beds, 2 baths, & media room on the second level, there is still plenty of room for your guests in the private mother-in-law suite on the main floor that has its own private bath, custom shower & private entrance to the pool. Covered parking for 5 …ample parking space for more with plenty of land to take quiet peaceful walks in the morning or afternoon.
Schedule your private tour soon and be one of the first to take advantage of this amazing property.
28 Monday Nov 2016
Posted in Helpful Information, News you can USE!
Tags
conventional mortgage, entertainment, FHA mortgage, home loans, interest rates 2016, mortgage qualifications, Mortgages, Refinance mortgage, Today's Mortgage Rates
Mortgage approval isn’t final until it’s funded. Things can change prior to the loan being closed that can affect a pre-approval such as changes in the borrowers’ financial situation or possibly, factors beyond their control like interest rate changes.
Good advice to buyers is to do nothing that can affect your credit report until the loan closes. Opening new credit cards, taking on new debt for a car or furniture or changing jobs could affect the lender’s decision if they believe you may no longer be able to repay the loan.
The benefits of buyer’s pre-approval are definitive: it saves time, money and removes the uncertainty of knowing whether the buyer is qualified. The direct benefits include:
It is a very common practice for mortgage lenders to require income and bank verifications and to re-run the borrowers’ credit one final time just prior to closing. Mortgage approval isn’t final until it’s funded.
14 Monday Nov 2016
Posted in News you can USE!
Tags
credit report, Debt Free, ecomony, home financing, interest rates 2017, Mortgages, principal and interest on loans
Most people think they’ll have a house payment and a car payment for the rest of their lives but it doesn’t have to be with a plan and a little discipline. The plan is to make additional principal contributions to a fixed rate mortgage to shorten the term and save tens of thousands in interest.
If a person were to make an additional $100 payment each month applied to principal on a $175,000 mortgage, it would shorten the loan by five years six months. If the person were to make $200 a month additional payments, it would shorten the loan by 9 years. $459 additional payment would shorten it to 15 years.
If a person does make a decision to regularly pre-pay their mortgage, it will be their responsibility to verify that the lender is applying the money to the principal each time as opposed to being placed in the reserve account for taxes and insurance.
In today’s market, a savings account pays around 0.5% or less. Even with the low mortgage rates available, there is still a considerable savings. People who might need the funds in the near future should carefully consider this option due to the difficulty to access equity easily from one’s home.
Make your own projections using the Equity Accelerator.
05 Saturday Nov 2016
Posted in News you can USE!
Tags
ACREAGE WITH HOME FOR SALE, COUNTRY HOME, HOMES FOR SALE IN LIVINGSTON, homes with acreage, LIVINGSTON HOMES FOR SALE, Maurepas, Real Estate, Springfield
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