Place a fully-charged iPad or other iOS device in a box to track your move Hiring a moving company to handle your long distance move? Depending on how far you’re moving, it could be a week or more until your belongings are delivered to the new house. To keep track of where your stuff is at all times, try placing an iPad inside one of the boxes that’s loaded onto the truck. You should be able to use the “Find My iPhone” tool to track where your iOS device is at all times, which will also tell you where your belongings are located.

Check out this blog by 719Lending During the search for a new home, many homeowners ask about the neighborhood that particular properties are in. The neighborhood location is a very important factor when it comes to finding the right home, understanding its value, and recognizing what amenities it offers. What exactly makes a “good” neighborhood? A few factors that many real estate agents, homeowners, and potential buyers consider include: School district: Looking for a neighborhood with a highly rated school district isn’t just for families with kids. While these families will benefit directly from top schools to send their kids to, even buyers without children can enjoy the increased resale value that homes in great school districts often have. Walkability: As more and more people recognize the value of walkable neighborhoods, especially in urban areas, these areas become more and more desirable. Look for parks, walking paths, or natural areas. Many cities are embracing Greenways, paths designed for residents to walk and enjoy the outdoors. Crime rate: Not many people want to live in high-crime areas. You can look up all kinds of crime statistics in potential neighborhoods using public records. Your real estate agent is another great resource for this kind of statistical information. Proximity to landmarks: If you are moving to a beach town, you likely want a neighborhood that is close to the beach. The same can be said of a mountainous area or even cities with well-known landmarks. Keep in mind that proximity to landmarks can mean more tourists in your neighborhood, a factor that may lead you to look further away, depending on your preferences. Ease of transportation: Neighborhoods that are decently close to the interstate or public transportation hubs can be highly sought out in large cities where the majority of residents rely on commuting to and from work. Neighborhoods that are often congested or prone to traffic backups can be frustrating for many residents. Buyer’s Neighborhood Preferences Every buyer’s home search is tailored to their exact needs, so what makes a neighborhood a good fit for one buyer may not be the right thing for another. Make a list of the things you want in a neighborhood and discuss them with your real estate agent to find the perfect one. The post What Makes a Good Neighborhood? appeared first on 719 Lending.

Check out this blog by Keeping Matters Current. Over the past year, our homes have become an integral part of our lives more than ever. They’re much more than the houses we live in. They’re our workplaces, virtual schools, and safe havens that provide shelter, stability, and protection through the evolving health crisis. Today, 65.8% of Americans are fortunate enough to call their homes their own. As we continue to think about the future, our goals for the year, and what we want to achieve well beyond 2021, it’s a great time to look at the benefits of owning a home. Below are some highlights and quotes on the benefits of homeownership shared by the National Association of Realtors (NAR). From feel-good motivations to economic and social impacts on the local community, these items may give you reason to believe homeownership stretches well beyond your financial investment. Non-Financial Benefits Owning a home brings a sense of happiness, satisfaction, and pride. Pride of Ownership: It feels good to have a place that’s truly your own, especially since you can customize it to your liking. “The personal satisfaction and sense of accomplishment achieved through homeownership can enhance psychological health, happiness and well-being for homeowners and those around them.” Civic Participation: Homeownership creates stability, a sense of community, and increases civic engagement. It’s a way to add to the strength of your local area and drive value into your neighborhood. Financial Benefits Buying a home is also an investment in your financial future. Net Worth: Homeownership builds your net worth. Today, the median household net worth of all homeowners is $254,900, while the median net worth of renters is only $6,270. Financial Security: Equity, appreciation, and more predictable monthly housing expenses are huge financial benefits of owning a home. Homeownership is truly the best way to improve your long-term financial position. Economic Benefits Homeownership is even a local economic driver. Housing-Related Spending: An economic force throughout our nation, housing-related expenses accounted for more than one-sixth of the country’s economic activity over the past three decades. Entrepreneurship: Homeownership is also a form of forced savings that can provide entrepreneurial opportunities. “Owning a home enables new entrepreneurs to obtain access to credit to start or expand a business and generate new jobs by using their home as collateral for small business loans.” Bottom Line The benefits of homeownership go well beyond the basics. Homeownership is truly a way to build financial freedom, find greater satisfaction and happiness, and make a substantial impact in your community. If owning a home is part of your dream this year, contact a local real estate professional to begin the homebuying process today. The post 6 Foundational Benefits of Homeownership Today appeared first on Keeping Current Matters.

Colorado Springs is one of the most competitive housing markets around. In this “very competitive” real estate market, homes typically sell in around 23 days of being on the market and they sell for 0.9% above their list price.

Check out this blog by Keeping Matters Current. Some Highlights A real estate professional is an expert who can advocate on your behalf throughout the process when building a home. Agents help you understand key steps, like choosing upgrades and managing negotiations, while staying within your budget from start to finish. If building is the right choice for you, work with a trusted real estate professional who can help you successfully navigate the path to your dream home. The post Thinking about Building a New Home? Your Agent Is Critical. [INFOGRAPHIC] appeared first on Keeping Current Matters.

EXIT Realty Corp. International is on the cutting edge of all things real estate. Please enjoy these blogs available exclusively from EXIT Realty Corp. International. EXIT Realty Corp. International is pleased to announce that NetSheet™ has become its newest Premier Partner. NetSheet™ is a company that provides brokerages and their […] The post NetSheet™ Becomes EXIT Realty’s Newest Premier Partner appeared first on Real Estate Industry Leaders.

EXIT Realty Corp. International is on the cutting edge of all things real estate. Please enjoy these blogs available exclusively from EXIT Realty Corp. International. MooveGuru Inc. today announced the launch of EXIT CONCIERGE through its Premier Partnership with EXIT Realty Corp. International.    EXIT CONCIERGE is the single source […] The post EXIT Realty Launches EXIT CONCIERGE Powered by MooveGuru appeared first on Real Estate Industry Leaders.

Check out this blog by Keeping Matters Current. In today’s housing market, there are clear financial benefits to owning a home: increasing equity, the chance to build your net worth, and appreciating home values, just to name a few. If you’re a renter, it’s never too early to think about how homeownership can propel you toward a stronger future. Here’s a dive into three often-overlooked financial benefits of homeownership and how preparing for them now can steer you in the direction of greater financial security and savings. 1. You Won’t Always Have a Monthly Housing Payment Personal finance advisor Dave Ramsey explains: “Every payment brings you closer to owning the house. When you pay your rent, that money is spent. Gone. Bye. Not returning. But when you pay your mortgage, you work toward full ownership.” As a homeowner, you can eventually eliminate the monthly payment you make on your house. That’s a huge win and a big factor in how homeownership can drive stability and savings in your life. As soon as you buy a home, your monthly housing costs begin to work for you as forced savings in the form of equity. When you build equity and grow your net worth, you can continue to reinvest those savings into your future, maybe even by buying that next dream home. The possibilities are truly endless. 2. Homeownership Is a Tax Break One thing people who have never owned a home don’t always think about are the tax advantages of homeownership. The same article states: “You have tax advantages. Many of the costs of owning a home—like property taxes—are tax deductible. And if you’re paying off a mortgage, you’ll get to count your mortgage interest as a deduction when you file your tax return.” Whether you’re living in your first home or your fifth, it’s a huge financial advantage to have some tax relief tied to the interest you pay each year. It’s one thing you definitely don’t get when you’re renting. Be sure to work with a tax professional to get the best possible benefits on your annual return. 3. Monthly Housing Costs Are Predictable A third benefit is the fact that monthly costs start to become more predictable with homeownership, something that doesn’t happen if you’re renting. Ramsey also notes: “Rent rates will go up. Even if you found a killer deal in a hot area, inflation, competition, and rising property values will cause your rent to go up year after year.” With a mortgage, you can keep your monthly housing costs relatively steady and predictable. Your monthly costs are most likely based on a fixed-rate mortgage, which allows you to budget your finances over a longer period of time. Rental prices have been skyrocketing since 2012, and with today’s low mortgage rates, it’s a great time to get more for your money when purchasing a home. If you want to lock-in your monthly payment at a low rate and have a solid understanding of what you’re going to spend in your mortgage payment each month, buying a home may be your best bet. Bottom Line If you’re ready to start feeling the benefits of stability, savings, and predictability that come with owning a home, reach out to a local real estate professional to determine if buying sooner rather than later is right for you. The post Why Owning a Home Is a Powerful Financial Decision appeared first on Keeping Current Matters.

Set the right Goals ~ The rich and wealthy people that you see and aspire to be are not always born with a silver spoon. But they do believe in setting the right goals. The first and foremost step to wealth creation is to set goals. Whether it is your retirement plan, estate plan, savings plan, or even an emergency fund, setting the right goal is the first step towards creating wealth. To ease the process, you can use a savings goals calculator.

Check out this blog by 719Lending Having the keys to your own home in your hand is a huge milestone. Home ownership is something that many people dream about for years and requires hard work to find the perfect house and make your dream a reality. Now that you have a place to call home, what comes next? Here are a few tips that will make your move as stress-free and enjoyable as possible. Before Your Move One of the best things you can do as you prepare for a move is to group and label boxes according to the location they will go in your new home. That random set of wrenches that was somehow shoved to the back of the Master closet? Put them with garage items so that they find their way back to their proper place after you move. This small step can save a lot of searching later. If you are moving into a smaller home, take some extra time to go through your belongings and give away or sell ones that won’t be useful in your new space. Depending on your moving timeline, you can begin this task weeks or even months before you plan to move. On Moving Day It can be tempting to want to hurry and power through your moving work, but make sure to build in time for breaks and meals. This will keep spirits up and energy at the level it needs to be to accomplish the hard work of moving. Set a box aside for furniture parts and tools needed to disassemble and reassemble anything that you take apart. Make sure to label this box, put it someone specific, or use a brightly colored packing tape to set it apart from the others. Unpacking Don’t feel like you need to get everything unpacked in one day. Not only will you get burnt out quickly, you’ll probably end up putting things in a temporary place. This creates chaos later and may even result in you buying duplicates of items that you already have. Choose one room, such as the master bedroom, to make your peaceful sanctuary when you need a break from the hustle and bustle of moving. The post Getting Ready for a Stress-Free Move appeared first on 719 Lending.

EXIT Realty Corp. International is on the cutting edge of all things real estate. Please enjoy these blogs available exclusively from EXIT Realty Corp. International. by Tami Bonnell, CEO, EXIT Realty Corp. International Once when I was admitted to the hospital, a janitor asked if he could come into my […] The post Company Values Matter appeared first on Real Estate Industry Leaders.

Check out this blog by Keeping Matters Current. Is the idea of saving for a down payment holding you back from buying a home right now? You may be eager to take advantage of today’s low mortgage rates, but the thought of needing a large down payment might make you want to pump the brakes. Today, there’s still a common myth that you have to come up with 20% of the total sale price for your down payment. This means people who could buy a home may be putting their plans on hold because they don’t have that much saved yet. The reality is, whether you’re looking for your first home or you’ve purchased one before, you most likely don’t need to put 20% down. Here’s why. According to Freddie Mac: “The most damaging down payment myth—since it stops the homebuying process before it can start—is the belief that 20% is necessary.” If saving that much money sounds daunting, potential homebuyers might give up on the dream of homeownership before they even begin – but they don’t have to. Data in the 2020 Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers from the National Association of Realtors (NAR) indicates that the median down payment actually hasn’t been over 20% since 2005, and even then, that was for repeat buyers, not first-time homebuyers. As the image below shows, today’s median down payment is clearly less than 20%. What does this mean for potential homebuyers? As we can see, the median down payment was lowest for first-time buyers with the 2020 percentage coming in at 7%. If you’re a first-time buyer and putting down 7% still seems high, understand that there are programs that allow qualified buyers to purchase a home with a down payment as low as 3.5%. There are even options like VA loans and USDA loans with no down payment requirements for qualified applicants. It’s important for potential homebuyers (whether they’re repeat or first-time buyers) to know they likely don’t need to put down 20% of the purchase price, but they do need to do their homework to understand the options available. Be sure to work with trusted professionals from the start to learn what you may qualify for in the homebuying process. Bottom Line Don’t let down payment myths keep you from hitting your homeownership goals. If you’re hoping to buy a home this year, contact a local real estate professional to review your options. The post Do I Really Need a 20% Down Payment to Buy a Home? appeared first on Keeping Current Matters.

Declutter, depersonalize. Remove family mementos from the main living areas. Clear surfaces of daily detritus. Clean out closets, too. Overstuffed closets, no matter how large, give the impression of a lack of storage. Taking those simple, cost-free steps could add 3 percent to a home’s value.

EXIT Realty Corp. International is on the cutting edge of all things real estate. Please enjoy these blogs available exclusively from EXIT Realty Corp. International. RISMedia recently announced its 2021 Real Estate Newsmakers and named EXIT Realty Corp. International’s US Divisional President, Lori Muller among its Thought Leaders. “As John […] The post Lori Muller Named Among RISMedia’s 2021 Thought Leaders appeared first on Real Estate Industry Leaders.

Check out this blog by Keeping Matters Current. Every year, households across the country make the decision to rent for another year or take the leap into homeownership. They look at their earnings and savings and then decide what makes the most financial sense. That equation will most likely take into consideration monthly housing costs, tax advantages, and other incremental expenses. Using these measurements, recent studies show that it’s still more affordable to own than rent in most of the country. There is, however, another financial advantage to owning a home that’s often forgotten in the analysis – the wealth built through equity when you own a home. Odeta Kushi, Deputy Chief Economist for First American, discusses this point in a recent blog post. She explains: “Once you include the equity benefit of price appreciation, owning made more financial sense than renting in 48 out of the 50 top markets, with the only exceptions being San Francisco and San Jose, Calif.” What has this equity piece meant to homeowners in the past? ATTOM Data Solutions, the curator of one of the nation’s premier property databases, just analyzed the typical home-price gain owners nationwide enjoyed when they sold their homes. Here’s a breakdown of their findings:The typical gain in the sale of the home (equity) has increased significantly over the last five years. CoreLogic, another property data curator, also weighed in on the subject. According to their latest Homeowner Equity Insights Report, the average homeowner gained $17,000 in equity in just the last year alone. What does the future look like for homeowners when it comes to equity? Here are the seven major home price appreciation forecasts for 2021:The National Association of Realtors (NAR) just reported that today, the median-priced home in the country sells for $309,800. If homes appreciate by 5% this year (the average of the forecasts), the homeowner will increase their wealth by $15,490 in 2021 through increased equity. Bottom Line As you make your plans for the coming year, be sure to consider the equity benefits of home price appreciation as you weigh the financial advantages of buying over renting. When you do, you may find this is the perfect time to jump into homeownership. The post Want to Build Wealth? Buy a Home This Year. appeared first on Keeping Current Matters.

Prepare a clear plastic storage bin in advance for moving day. This kit should contain things you may need after the moving truck is loaded or before it’s unloaded at the new place, like cleaning supplies and toilet paper.

Check out this blog by Keeping Matters Current. As we approach the anniversary of the hardships we’ve faced through this pandemic and the subsequent recession, it’s normal to reflect on everything that’s changed and wonder what’s ahead for 2021. While there are signs of economic recovery as vaccines are being issued, we still have a long way to go. It’s at times like these we want exact information about anything we’re doing. That information brings knowledge, and this gives us a sense of relief and comfort in uncertain times. If you’re thinking about buying or selling a home today, the same need for information is very real. But, because it’s such a big step in our lives, that desire for clear information is even greater in the homebuying or selling process. Given the current level of overall anxiety, we want that advice to be truly perfect. The challenge is, no one can give you “perfect” advice. Experts can, however, give you the best advice possible. Let’s say you need an attorney, so you seek out an expert in the type of law required for your case. When you go to her office, she won’t immediately tell you how the case is going to end or how the judge or jury will rule. If she could, that would be perfect advice. What a good attorney can do, however, is discuss with you the most effective strategies you can take. She may recommend one or two approaches she believes will be best for your case. She’ll then leave you to make the decision on which option you want to pursue. Once you decide, she can help you put a plan together based on the facts at hand. She’ll help you achieve the best possible resolution and make whatever modifications in the strategy are necessary to guarantee that outcome. That’s an example of the best advice possible. The role of a real estate professional is just like the role of a lawyer. An agent can’t give you perfect advice because it’s impossible to know exactly what’s going to happen throughout the transaction – especially in this market. An agent can, however, give you the best advice possible based on the information and situation at hand, guiding you through the process to help you make the necessary adjustments and best decisions along the way. An agent will lead you to the best offer available. That’s exactly what you want and deserve. Bottom Line If you’re thinking of buying or selling this year, contact a local real estate professional to make sure you get the best advice possible. The post Turn to an Expert for the Best Advice, Not Perfect Advice appeared first on Keeping Current Matters.

Colorado Springs real estate appreciated 48.37% over the last ten years, which is an average annual home appreciation rate of 4.02%, putting Colorado Springs in the top 10% nationally for real estate appreciation.

Check out this blog by 719Lending We’re taking a detailed look at how to use an LE form to compare lenders. Need a home loan? Apply Today Have a real estate or mortgage question? Contact Us   How do you compare rates between mortgage lenders? One lender may decide to give you an Excel spreadsheet, and another might give you a good-faith estimate or an itemization fee worksheet. If you want to make it easy on yourself, get a LE (loan estimate) directly from their system that tells you exactly what their costs are. An LE allows you to compare apples to apples, and today I’m going to show you how. On page one of the LE, first look at your loan amount and interest rate. Then ignore everything else on that page, including the estimated closing costs at the bottom. On page two, you will see where the rubber meets the road. Go to box A in the top left corner, and you’ll see underwriting, origination fees, and bank fees. This info will let you see what this specific bank charges. Box B and Box C can be ignored.   Focus your attention on Boxes A, B, and J.   In Box E, you have your taxes, Box F gives you your prepaids, and Box G has your escrow account. You can ignore all of those too because the costs for these are all the same regardless of the lender. Down on Box J, you’ll see a line for lender credit. Check that to see if they’re giving you a credit that offsets any of your costs. So to recap, pay attention to your interest rate, and Boxes A, B, and J on the first two pages. On the third page, you’ll see your APR and other things to help you know where you’re getting the best deal. Finally, there’s one more little trick. Call your lenders, and ask them if they use a software called Mortgage Coach. If they do, you can use that software to make comparisons of many different lenders and break it down to what’s the best deal right now or what the best deal is in 10 years. If your closing costs are high but the interest rate is low, it’s probably a better deal in the long run and a bad deal in the short run. If you have any questions or would like us to help you compare lenders via Mortgage Coach, don’t hesitate to reach out via phone or email. We look forward to hearing from you soon. The post VIDEO: Comparing Rates Between Lenders appeared first on 719 Lending.

EXIT Realty Corp. International is on the cutting edge of all things real estate. Please enjoy these blogs available exclusively from EXIT Realty Corp. International. Parise Cormier, Broker/Owner of EXIT Realty Associates in Dieppe, New Brunswick, started a fundraiser called EXIT Associates Give Back to raise money for the New […] The post EXIT Realty Associates and the Spirit of EXIT Give $30K that Turns Into $60K for New Brunswick Food Bank appeared first on Real Estate Industry Leaders.