Don't Be Afraid of Your Home Loan

It is not uncommon for consumers AND real estate professionals to cringe when they hear certain loan types mentioned. A wall goes up and negotiations and business relationships fizzle.

FHA. USDA. VA.

Listen up. Don't be afraid.

It is important for everyone involved in a real estate transaction to understand that with ANY loan, there are guidelines, rules, criteria, and maybe just as important there are many misconceptions.

With inventory still low at the beginning of 2021's first quarter, buyers will want to make sure sellers are comfortable with their offer. The last thing you want is a seller or their Realtor taking your offer and immediately putting it in the "runner-up" pile when there are multiple offers.

I was successful in getting all of the USDA, VA and FHA deals for my Buyers AND Sellers to settlement in 2020 and the beginning of 2021.

I often have fellow Realtors, friends, enemies (ha!) ask me: "Why did the seller accept your offer? Your client has a VA Loan"? Or, "I don't get it, your listing sold and the buyer used a USDA loan?"

With every real estate deal there is risk. An offer with cash, no inspections, settlement in 14 days can go south very quickly.

Being informed and honest with everyone generally takes the "scare-factor" out of the loans mentioned above.

What's the trick? Communication and education. To go over all of the details isn't practical in a blog post. As a consumer you want to make sure to speak to your Realtor. Make sure they are informed, and maybe just as important --- not AFRAID. If you are a Realtor and think this is silly. Call me. Unless you " ... don't need no education ... ".

Let's Go For A Walk: Meet the Wurbles

When's the last time you opened your front door and walked down the street for a cup of joe or to hit the gym? A number of people, especially those in the "717", can't do that. We live in the suburbs. The country. We drive to work, shop, and play. Some stats and news reports the last two years would have you believe that everyone is moving to the sticks. The truth is, I've never had so many people tell me they want to live in a community where they can walk or bike for shopping, exercise, work, school, etc ... Some things to consider if you find it appealing to be using your car less. This goes for both buying a home or renting. - Flirt with living in town . A novel idea! Take your pick, almost all of them have housing options that allow you to do a number of things on foot or two wheels. If sustainability is important to you, this is a homerun - Live near public transportation . The "717" doesn't have a subway, but options include the CAT bus,

Trails and Parks: Do They "Upgrade" Your Home?

I have a vested interest in the community where I work and live . When hearing about plans for a park or trail, I listen. Not only do I use them, I have seen the positive impact public outdoor space can have in local communities. Honest. Work experience influences how I think parks and walking trails affect a community. A deeper dive into the historical data complements my opinion. Being in the real estate business, I'm often (almost always) thinking about home values . There are many items that affect market value. Negatives may include: Deferred or neglected maintenance Shoddy workmanship Outdated kitchens and bathrooms Crime rate Proven positives: Smart home improvements Updated kitchens and bathrooms Professional landscaping Parks and trails Speaking of crime , the National Association of Realtors reports: " ....recent studies have confirmed living near trails and greenways will likely raise your property value an average of 3-5% and sometimes even as high as 15%. There

Housing Shortage or Thought Scarcity?: A Common Sense Proposal

Photo by Roberto Nickson from Pexels With low inventory, BOTH buyers and renters are having a challenging time getting into a home. A solution, one would think, is creating more available homes. A gut reaction would be to build big developments, with large homes or maybe a condo complex. But what if you could build a home on your current property and rent it out? I see small towns around me push back, and a common reason is "parking" . Meanwhile, a quick drive down their streets will show plenty of parking. And get this, the people that would shop in the now almost empty stores in their town wouldn't need to drive there - they would walk. Another pushback I hear is that a new structure will create too much non-permeable space . It's always an interesting thing to hear from a sector that listens and smiles - but does nothing - when I talk about clean water bills, riparian buffers, and other common sense solutions to a healthy local environment. The more I learn ab

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