Buying your first home represents a major moment in your life. It’s a milestone that you’ll remember forever. Your home represents a financial investment to some degree, but it’s also a place that you can call your own — a place where you’ll make important memories. You don’t arrive at your first home-buying experience by accident. Being ready to buy your first home is the result of careful planning and patience. If you’re moving toward purchasing your first home, here are some important things to know as you get started with the process. (more…)
List All of Your Home’s Best Features When Selling
Selling your home is a big decision, and it’s one that you want to make with confidence. When you decide to sell your home, you want to sell it quickly and for a great price. There are many steps that you can take to help yourself accomplish this goal. One of the ways to do this is to put your best foot forward. That means listing all of your home’s best features. You may not even realize what those features are in some cases. That’s why it can help to work with a real estate agent and do plenty of market research before you make that initial home listing. (more…)
Are You Considering Energy Efficient Appliances?
Saving money as a homeowner can help you stay on top of mortgage payments and manage your monthly budget. Who doesn’t like saving money? Sometimes, the route to saving money starts with an upfront cost. Energy efficient appliances can save you money in the long run, if you’re willing to upgrade now. You might actually be surprised by how quickly these types of appliances can pay off. Energy efficient appliances lower the amount of energy needed to work, lowering your monthly utility bills. In addition to saving your money, this also lowers your carbon footprint. (more…)
Can Clean Living Lead to Savings?
Everyone is looking for ways to save money while working toward major goals like homeownership or retirement. The small habitual changes that you make can lead to a steady, positive financial impact. You may not have realized, but your savings goals may actually lineup with your lifestyle and wellness goals. Clean living may actually help you save money every month. By making some small adjustments to your dietary and exercise habits, you could actually be working toward a savings goal as well. (more…)
Don’t Wait for a Mortgage Pre-Approval
Mortgage “pre-approval” is called that because it’s the step that you should take first in the home-buying process. Getting pre-approved for a home loan shows homesellers that you’re a serious buyer, and it gives you the ability to move quickly when you find a home that you love. If you wait to get approved for a home mortgage, you could be left out in the cold when it comes to your dream house. Getting a mortgage pre-approval doesn’t have to be a long, difficult process, but it is certainly one that you’ll be glad you’ve completed when you start your home search. (more…)
Which Home Features Will You Be Paying for?
This is kind of a trick question, because the short answer is, all of them. If you see a feature noted as part of a home listing, then that feature is definitely being considered in the list price. That’s why it’s important to make a list of the home features that you absolutely need, the features you absolutely want, and features that would be nice to have. If a prospective home has quite a few home features that would be nice, but that aren’t exactly essential, you may want to look elsewhere. You don’t want to overpay for your home, and making sure you’re not buying a bunch of frivolous features is a great place to start. (more…)
Check Out These Omaha Area Destinations
Omaha captures the best of city living while retaining a sense of community and calm. That’s what makes this city such an attractive place to call home. Whether you’re new to the area, or it’s simply been a while since you’ve explored your own backyard, you may be surprised by the wealth of awesome activities waiting for you around the Omaha metro. In today’s blog, we explore a few Omaha highlights to get you inspired for your next weekend adventure or day off. (more…)
Holiday Entertaining on a Budget
The end of the year presents an excellent opportunity to spend time with friends and family. If you’re hosting your loved ones for some holiday entertaining, it can be tempting to go all out, but a big holiday celebration can get expensive quickly. That’s bad news if you’re working with a tight budget or you’re trying to stick with your savings goals. The holidays are already an expensive time, so you don’t need entertaining to put you in the hole. Instead, use these easy tips to help you host an awesome holiday celebration on a budget. (more…)
How Valuable Is a Master Suite?
You work hard to be able to afford a home, and as the heads of the household, you deserve a nice place to lay your head every night. A master suite that features a bedroom, bath, and plenty of closet space can be a wonderful feature in your home. If your home doesn’t already include a master suite, you may consider adding one with a remodel or addition. However, before you do so, you should also consider why you’re making the decision. If you’re excited about the lifestyle improvement that comes with a master suite, that’s great, but don’t expect the addition to cause a huge bump in your home’s value. (more…)
Should You Repair or Replace When Staging Your Home?
Preparing to sell your home is all about getting your place in tip-top shape. You want to put your best foot forward during showings and open houses, and you want to do so in a way that has broad appeal. During this preparation phase you may want to make updates and changes to things like fixtures, trim, and landscaping around your home. This process can add up quickly. It’s important to know that not necessarily every dollar you put into these updates equals more dollars out. You need to evaluate whether you should make a repair or a replacement when staging your home. (more…)
Recent Comments