The Best Breeds for First-Time Homeowners

If you are newly free from the landlord’s restrictions on pets, there is a good chance a pooch is in your future!

If you’re looking for a pet that suits you and your lifestyle, the pooch experts at Petbreeds.com suggest breeds that are low maintenance, shed minimally, are easily trainable, and get along well with kids and other dogs:

• Labrador retriever. There’s a reason these dogs are among the most popular breeds in the country. Known to be loyal, intelligent, obedient, and easy to train, they are deservedly a top choice, especially if you have, or plan to have children.
• German short-haired pointer. These favorites are also low maintenance dogs that are easy to train. However, they’re also very active and require a lot of exercise to stay healthy, so they’re a good choice for active owners.
• Brittany spaniel. These loyal, intelligent pups are popular favorites among first-time pet owners because they’re loving, obedient, and great around children.
• Vizslas. Originally a Hungarian sporting dog, Vizslas are great exercise companions who are affectionate, friendly, and easy to train—and they don’t shed much.
• Boston terrier. If you’re a couch potato, a Boston terrier may suit you well. These pups are friendly and loyal. They don’t require a lot of exercise, and they won’t shed much on your couch.
• Australian cattle dog. If you’re into cuddling, this breed will greet you with open arms at the end of a long day. They’re a wonderful first dog, easy to train, although they do enjoy regular exercise and require regular grooming.
• German Pinscher. These dogs are active but very obedient, and are especially adorable as puppies. They rarely shed and training them is usually easy and fun.
• Bichon Frise. These fluffy, adorable little dogs are one of the most loving and sociable breeds. They may take a little more time to train, but their cheerful demeanor will turn first-time pet owners into dog owners for life.

Are you interested in learning more about real estate? Feel free to contact me directly.

Thinking of Buying a Place? Ask These Questions Before You Make An Offer

Whether you are buying your very first condo or your fifth house, read on for some very important questions to have answered before putting in an offer on a place.

Getting ready to put an offer on a home? Before you do, ask these questions to make sure you’re moving ahead on the best possible deal.

Were there any renovations to the home? The sellers may have made improvements over the years that weren’t recorded at City Hall. Make sure you have a full run-down of all the changes that have been made, both to ensure structural safety and legal compliance, and to fully assess the home’s value.

How old is the roof? Just because the roof is currently in good condition doesn’t mean it’s not soon on its way out. Make sure you know how old it is and if repairs or a replacement may be in your near future.

How long have the appliances been here? You’ll also want to know how old the appliances are and what shape they’re in. Many home sellers update the appliances before putting their home on the market, so find out if this is the case. Make sure all manuals and warranties are left behind as well.

What are the neighbors/neighborhood like? You’ll have to drill down to avoid getting general responses, so ask if there are families with young children on the block vs. retirees, what traffic is like, what amenities are nearby, etc. For further intel, take a stroll around the neighborhood and chat with someone out walking their dog or doing some yardwork. Their friendliness – or lack thereof – could be an indicator in and of itself.

What’s included in the sale? Many sellers will include certain items in the sale of the home to help sweeten the deal, such as select pieces of furniture, lighting fixtures or outdoor appliances, like a lawn mower or hedge trimmer. On the flip side, you may be assuming certain items will be included that aren’t. Seller’s exclusions should be outlined in the listing description, but sometimes they’re not so be sure to ask.

Reprinted with permission from RISMedia ©2020. All rights reserved.

Millennials Buying Big in the ‘Burbs

While most people associate the ‘hip younger crowd’ as living in cramped apartments and condos in the heart of the city, a recent study suggests that today’s millennial generation is going for amenity rich neighborhoods in the suburbs!

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Millennials are calling. They want the suburbs back.

Like generations before them, millennial homebuyers are beginning to shy away from city life, taking up residence in the suburbs—with one key difference.

According to a report by Zillow, millennial homebuyers are passing over starter homes, paying up for square footage typical of older generations: roughly 1,800 square feet.

Their preferences, however, reflect those of their older counterparts—specifically, an appetite for community amenities and townhouses.

“Millennials have delayed home-buying more than earlier generations, but don’t underestimate their impact on the housing market now that they’re buying,” says Jeremy Wacksman, CMO at Zillow. “As members of this huge generation start moving into the next stage of life, expect the homeownership rate to tick up and suburbs to change to suit their urban tastes. We’re constantly learning about this young group of homebuyers—we’re finding that they are more similar to older generations than many thought. Their views on community and homeownership are pretty traditional, and they don’t all fit the urban stereotype you might have in your head.”

Millennial homebuyers are also putting down roots like older generations—64 percent of those who moved in 2016, in fact, stayed within the same city, and only 7 percent relocated to another state, according to the report.

Half of millennial homeowners are in the suburbs, while 33 percent are in urban areas and 20 percent are in rural areas. Forty-two percent of homebuyers in 2016 were millennials.

Source: zillow.com.

Reprinted with permission from RISMedia. ©2017. All rights reserved.

Purchase Your First Home with Confidence

This is a little article I had published in the Alexandria Times a while back… the information is still as relevant today as it was when the paper featured the story.

If you are considering purchasing your own home, your timing is great. Interest rates are still at historic lows and the market has shifted to favor the buyer. Now is a great time to buy a home! While purchasing a home and making one of the largest investments of your life can easily be a daunting and overwhelming undertaking, if you go into the process well prepared and with the right support, your first home purchase can be a great experience. Here are some tips from a seasoned professional that should get you off one the right footing.

Get Educated – Before starting out, educate yourself a little bit on the process. Believe me, it is a whole lot less daunting when you at least have an idea of what to expect. Check your local bookstore, or go online, to find one or more many good “how to” instruction guides on buying a home. For example, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development has an entire section on its website (www.hud.gov) devoted to homebuyers. It has a list of common questions from first-time homebuyers, information on mortgage and home-buying programs, access to housing counselors, downloadable tools such as a wish list and home-shopping checklist, tips on selecting a real estate professional, etc. Other informative sites to check out are http://www.Realtor.com and one of my personal favorites, iAlexandriaHomes.com. In addition to printed resources, you should also consider some face-to-face education, which you could find by checking your local newspaper for homebuyer seminars that you can attend. And, of course, you should expect to receive no end of information and education from your real estate agent.

Your real estate professional is also a great resource. Your agent’s job is not only to help you find the right house but to educate you on the home buying process. Do not hesitate to let him or her know that you are new to the process. Your agent will walk you through the steps of the home buying process and help you navigate what would otherwise be a very confusing maze. Your agent expects you to have questions at each step-from house hunting, to making an offer to the closing.

Money Matters – The finances involved in the purchase of a home can be overwhelming to first-time homebuyers and seasoned purchasers alike. Buying a home is often the largest purchase someone will ever make… until he or she goes through the whole process again and buys his or her second, or third, or even forth home. There are questions of affordability, mortgage costs, down payment, closing costs, and making offers to think about.

Affordability – There are mortgage costs, the down payment, and closing costs to think about. By looking at your income and debt ratio, your sales professional can help you calculate how much you can afford each month in mortgage payments. But before determining your price range, you should also take into consideration other factors that will affect your monthly budget once you are a homeowner, such as property taxes, insurance, utilities, and maintenance.

Pre-Approval – Fear of being rejected for a home loan is one of the main concerns for first-time homebuyers and not something you want to be worrying about when looking at homes. To lessen the stress and to make you a more effective negotiator, you will want to get pre-approved for your loan before looking at prospective homes. This pre-approval process is quick and painless and usually only takes a few minutes of your time. Being pre-approved by a lender will not only help you feel more confident, it will also give you an advantage during negotiations. In addition, the fact that your loan has already been approved is of great value to the seller because it shortens the purchase process, and there is less of a chance that the buyer will back out of the sale. If you don’t have a specific mortgage lender in mind, ask your sales professional for a recommendation or two.

Down payment – The down payment amount varies depending on the value of the home you choose and your mortgage lender. The traditional 20% down payment rule is not so much the norm anymore for homebuyers. Often times it is closer to 10% down, and in some a home can be purchased with no money down. Your real estate agent and mortgage lender will be able to explain the different options available to you and help you figure out what makes the most sense for your situation.

Take Your Time – Do not feel pressured into making an offer on the first home you see but do not pressure yourself into looking at every single house for sale. These two extremes are common mistakes of many first-time homebuyers. You want to make sure you view enough homes that you are able to get a feel for the marketplace but you do not want to view so many that you skip over the perfect home. Your agent knows and appreciates the fact the process takes time and should encourage you to move at a pace with which you are comfortable. With the right support and professional resources, and a little invested time and energy on your part, the American dream will come true for you too.

Above all, remember there are no silly questions. Make sure you understand and are comfortable with every aspect of the transaction. Your real estate professional can be an invaluable asset in helping you make educated decisions so that your first home purchase is a rewarding experience.

Questions?  Please feel free to ask.