Should you pay points when financing?</h1> <article> <h1>Should you pay points when financing?</h1> <div style="font-family:arial, geneva, lucida, sans-serif;">Numerous closing costs come with any mortgage. There’s a fee for an appraisal and a fee for a credit report… and the lender has its fees, too. And don’t forget about the attorney fee, title insurance and escrow charges. Closing costs can vary from state to state and province to province, but you really don’t have much choice of whether you want a survey or if title insurance is right for you. There will be a variety of services performed and records searched by different companies, and none of these come free of charge. But there is one closing cost that you can control: discount points or, more simply, points. A discount point reduces the interest rate on your mortgage. One point is equal to 1 percent of your loan amount, so on a $200,000 loan one point equals $2,000. Why do some lenders charge points? In reality, all lenders pretty much have the same rates; it’s just that sometimes a lender will advertise a rate with a point or a rate without a ..<span style="font-size:90%;margin-left:5px;color:#0000FF;vertical-align:baseline;"><font size="-3" color="gray">(</font><a style="text-decoration:none;" href="http://tallahasseehomesource.com/blog_post.asp?post=15084">read more</a><font size="-3" color="gray">)</font></span></div> </article> <article> <h1>Another great addition to the Eastside of town!!</h1> <div style="font-family:arial, geneva, lucida, sans-serif;"> I have to say that as an East side resident every time a new business opens up on the East side of town I get really excited about the new growth to the side of town in which I call home. Whether it's a Wal-Mart like the new, huge and beautiful one on Mahan, or Costco, or even a new restaurant, I get really excited to have a more convenient place to be able to grab food or necessities in a timely manner. So as I am driving through the Publix parking lot last night to quickly pick up a couple of last minute items for dinner I could not understand why the parking lot was so crowded and cars were lined up back to back. I thought Hmmmm, maybe there is some new amazing movie that just came out at Block Buster that I obviously don't know about? Well, in checking out my favorite site last night Tallahassee.com I found the answer! Tijuana Flats restaurant grand opening was yesterday! A new Tex-Mex spot on the East Side of town. You can check out the article from ..<span style="font-size:90%;margin-left:5px;color:#0000FF;vertical-align:baseline;"><font size="-3" color="gray">(</font><a style="text-decoration:none;" href="http://tallahasseehomesource.com/blog_post.asp?post=14967">read more</a><font size="-3" color="gray">)</font></span></div> </article> <article> <h1>Using collectables as down payment money</h1> <div style="font-family:arial, geneva, lucida, sans-serif;">In the search for funds to close, there is an oft-overlooked source that could be right under your nose — or at least somewhere safely tucked away inside your closet. How about that 1952 Mickey Mantle rookie baseball card? Sound silly? It’s not. That baseball card has real value and can be readily sold to a collector. But what if you did not want to part with your card or your prized PEZ collection? Could you access the equity in such items in order to buy a home? You bet you could. Be it an antique, a piece of artwork, car, collectable or any other asset. The principle in such a transaction applies to any asset that can be independently appraised by a third party. To make this work, you need to be careful in both documenting the value of the asset as well as documenting the funds received should you sell it. For example, let’s say you have a first edition autographed copy of In Cold Blood by Truman Capote that’s worth $2,000. You would first have the ..<span style="font-size:90%;margin-left:5px;color:#0000FF;vertical-align:baseline;"><font size="-3" color="gray">(</font><a style="text-decoration:none;" href="http://tallahasseehomesource.com/blog_post.asp?post=14829">read more</a><font size="-3" color="gray">)</font></span></div> </article> <article> <h1>Get Hooked up in Tallahassee; getting your connections, utilities, water, garbage, and gas!</h1> <div style="font-family:arial, geneva, lucida, sans-serif;">I have to say that lately I have been asked by many that are new to the Tallahassee area, how they go about hooking up their utilities, water, garbage, gas, etc.. and how to get these services taken care of. There has also been many questions as to if the utilities and water are together or separate and then questions about garbage and gas arise too. So, in m y search of my favorite website, Tallahassee.com. I came across a great article "Getting Connected" from Tallahassee.com. This article is full of valuable information of not only how to get your utilities in your new home turned on, but where to go, info on paying your bill, garbage removal and recycling. Thanks again Tallahassee.com for another great and full of information article. You can view this article by clicking on the link below http://tallahassee.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070901/LIVINGHERE/109170004 Thanks for reading the info and if you have any other questions about the Tallahassee ..<span style="font-size:90%;margin-left:5px;color:#0000FF;vertical-align:baseline;"><font size="-3" color="gray">(</font><a style="text-decoration:none;" href="http://tallahasseehomesource.com/blog_post.asp?post=14684">read more</a><font size="-3" color="gray">)</font></span></div> </article> <article> <h1>A recent survey and a rate increase could mean more competition for homes</h1> <div style="font-family:arial, geneva, lucida, sans-serif;">Recent indication is that first time home buyers are getting tired of sitting on the sidelines. According to a recent online poll taken by the National Apartment Association, 17 percent of renters plan to make the jump to home ownership in the next year; 41 percent of the 2,041 respondents planned to be home owners within two years. Only 31 percent planned to still be paying rent five years from now. Another factor that could very soon contribute to an increase in home buying could be rising mortgage costs. Fixed-rate mortgage rates rose to 6.32 percent, the highest it has been since October. After months of aggressively dropping interest rates, many lenders are worried that the Fed will be forced to raise rates back up. As interest rates rise, so do mortgage rates. According to a press release on freddiemac.com, Frank Nothaft, Freddie Mac vice president and chief economist said that, "Mortgage rates jumped this week after a number of Federal Reserve officials, most notably ..<span style="font-size:90%;margin-left:5px;color:#0000FF;vertical-align:baseline;"><font size="-3" color="gray">(</font><a style="text-decoration:none;" href="http://tallahasseehomesource.com/blog_post.asp?post=14644">read more</a><font size="-3" color="gray">)</font></span></div> </article> <article> <h1>All about Tallahassee....Great information for anyone planning on relocating to the area!</h1> <div style="font-family:arial, geneva, lucida, sans-serif;">Hey Guys!! O.K. So I figured this week I would not only find a great article from my favorite Tallahassee Site, Tallahassee.com, but that I would find some good and beefy information to inform those that are planning on moving to the Tallahassee area! I think that this article that I found hits right on the spot! The article " Through the looking glass: Tallahassee at a glance" by Andy Lindstrom addresses everything from population to restaurants to events to labor force, to income.....I could go on and on but you should definitely read it for your self. Even if you are local to Tallahassee and already think you know the area, I bet that after reading this article you will have not only learned something new, but will probably have picked up some very useful and interesting information! You can read this article from Tallahassee.com by visiting the link below http://tallahassee.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070901/LIVINGHERE/109170005 Thanks for ..<span style="font-size:90%;margin-left:5px;color:#0000FF;vertical-align:baseline;"><font size="-3" color="gray">(</font><a style="text-decoration:none;" href="http://tallahasseehomesource.com/blog_post.asp?post=14545">read more</a><font size="-3" color="gray">)</font></span></div> </article> <article> <h1>The best time to lock in your mortgage rate</h1> <div style="font-family:arial, geneva, lucida, sans-serif;">“What do you think about rates … should I lock in now or wait to see if they fall further?” Think I’ve been asked that a time or two over the past 18 years? You better believe it. It’s a good question—one that goes through every single buyer’s head at some stage. A quoted interest rate is no good unless you’ve confirmed, in writing, that your loan is indeed “locked,” or guaranteed for a designated period of time. You need to be proactive with your locked rate as well and don’t assume that your loan officer already locked you in. In fact, your loan officer shouldn’t lock in your rate without your specific instructions. If it was locked in and rates went down you’d be pretty mad, wouldn’t you? While neither real estate agents nor loan officers are in the business of predicting the future, it’s still possible to make a prudent choice in the face of uncertainty. Would you rather lock ..<span style="font-size:90%;margin-left:5px;color:#0000FF;vertical-align:baseline;"><font size="-3" color="gray">(</font><a style="text-decoration:none;" href="http://tallahasseehomesource.com/blog_post.asp?post=14518">read more</a><font size="-3" color="gray">)</font></span></div> </article> <article> <h1>Add Value to Your Outdoor Area</h1> <div style="font-family:arial, geneva, lucida, sans-serif;">Add Value to Your Outdoor Area Do you have a back patio that is lacking luster? Have you had people over on cool nights and everyone would rather stay inside? Do you walk outside and think, “This space needs something”? If you can relate to any of the above, this article is for you. A back patio can really increase and extend the living area in your home. If utilized, a back deck or patio can become an extra dining room, a late night lounge, or a reading area for lazy afternoons. According to HGTV.com it can be really easy to add value to your outdoor areas. One easy tip would be to add benches for extra seating. If you are on a budget see if your city has a raw furniture outlet. I know here in Tallahassee we have a store called “WOOD YOU”. Wood You sells solid wood un-stained or painted furniture. This is a great option if you want to match the stain to your ..<span style="font-size:90%;margin-left:5px;color:#0000FF;vertical-align:baseline;"><font size="-3" color="gray">(</font><a style="text-decoration:none;" href="http://tallahasseehomesource.com/blog_post.asp?post=14486">read more</a><font size="-3" color="gray">)</font></span></div> </article> <article> <h1>Landscaping your Home to make your outdoor spaces beautiful!!</h1> <div style="font-family:arial, geneva, lucida, sans-serif;">Hey guys, It's Julie again!! O.K. so I will admit that I do not have a green thumb at all and am not very good at the whole visual thing when it comes to landscaping and outdoors. I decided that since it was now summer time and absolutely beautiful outside I should do a little research on how I can make my outdoor spaces look as amazing as my indoor spaces do. While looking through Tallahassee.com one of my favorite sites to visit, I came across the article that I have provided with the link below. You have to read this article "Take Time To Linger" provided by Tallahassee.com. How cool is it that you can now go somewhere to see the way that the plants you buy will grow in your flower bed or yard. Great for those of us who know nothing about plants huh!! http://tallahassee.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080529/LIVING02/805290317/1016 Great Article...Thanks again Tallahassee.com</div> </article> <article> <h1>Sheila Decamp The Rivers Team Residential Sales and Trends for Tallahassee</h1> <div style="font-family:arial, geneva, lucida, sans-serif;"> This report shows the total number Single Family Detached, Townhouses & Condo properties listed in the TBR MLS that are New Listings, Active Listings, those currently Contingent, and Closed residential properties for the previous month. The percent changes given are in relationship to the previous month’s data. The first number given for Active Single Family and Townhouse/Condo listings include properties that are under Contingent contract and the second figure is the number of those listings that are Contingent. Closed periodic totals are for the past previous 12 months. MONTH NEW LIST SF LIST T/C ..<span style="font-size:90%;margin-left:5px;color:#0000FF;vertical-align:baseline;"><font size="-3" color="gray">(</font><a style="text-decoration:none;" href="http://tallahasseehomesource.com/blog_post.asp?post=14379">read more</a><font size="-3" color="gray">)</font></span></div> </article> <article> <h1>Another Great Tallahassee Neighborhood!!!</h1> <div style="font-family:arial, geneva, lucida, sans-serif;"> So I will admit I love to visit Tallahassee.com!! I think that it is one of the best sites to go to to catch up on our cities news and current events. If you have not visited this site before you should definitly take a look, tons of great information. Every time I visit this site I amke sure to visit the Eastside chronicle to catch up with the happenings on the side of town in which I call home. I will say that I came accross an article that made me proud to call this side of town home! Avondale wins neighborhood honors again!! So that is now 2007, 2006, 2004, and 2000. Good Job Avondale! I can personally say that I have been in this neighborhood before and it is absolutly beautiful! What a wonderfull place to reside on the East side of Tallahassee. Please read more about Avondale winning this great 4th time honor by clicking on the link below. Article written by Kent Wimmer at ..<span style="font-size:90%;margin-left:5px;color:#0000FF;vertical-align:baseline;"><font size="-3" color="gray">(</font><a style="text-decoration:none;" href="http://tallahasseehomesource.com/blog_post.asp?post=14290">read more</a><font size="-3" color="gray">)</font></span></div> </article> <article> <h1>What your sphere of influence means in a buyers market</h1> <div style="font-family:arial, geneva, lucida, sans-serif;">Hello again! As I was reading the article's on inman news this morning something jumped out at me that really struck a cord. In this market, your sphere, meaning the people that you know on a personal level, play an elevated role in your business now more than ever. It's important to not forget your biggest allies. The article below is a great read on this subject. Kierston Schultz 294-0777 Inman News: Kris Berg "Fellow agent and Inman News columnist, Alison Rogers, recently spoke of the friends-and-family plan when it comes to buying and selling real estate. This made me chuckle knowingly, for I have been burned more times than I am willing to admit by the "I have a friend" rejection. Occasionally, this friend will turn out to be a very competent, even proficient agent. Unfortunately, this is not always the case. Licensed agents in my state alone total 87 quadrillion to the 12th power. Every one of them is the friend or family of someone, yet ..<span style="font-size:90%;margin-left:5px;color:#0000FF;vertical-align:baseline;"><font size="-3" color="gray">(</font><a style="text-decoration:none;" href="http://tallahasseehomesource.com/blog_post.asp?post=14265">read more</a><font size="-3" color="gray">)</font></span></div> </article> <article> <h1>Financial Solutions</h1> <div style="font-family:arial, geneva, lucida, sans-serif;"> Everyone knows the jumbo loan market has been out of whack for nearly 18 months. “jumbo” loans, those amounting to more than $417,000, took it on the chin when mortgage investors stopped buying subprime and alternative loans. For that reason, jumbo rates can be as much as 1.50 percent higher than conforming rates. Historically, jumbo rates were only about a quarter of a percent higher than a conforming rate, but this new spread has kept many out of the housing market: especially those that I call, “just jumbo.” So what exactly is “just jumbo?” It’s a loan amount that just exceeds the conforming limit of $417,000 and typically reflects a sales price in the $500,000–$600,000 range. Many local markets offer homes in this price category, but the marked difference in rate from conforming to jumbo is slowing down sales. What is the difference in payment between a conforming loan at 6 percent and a jumbo loan at 7.50 percent? ..<span style="font-size:90%;margin-left:5px;color:#0000FF;vertical-align:baseline;"><font size="-3" color="gray">(</font><a style="text-decoration:none;" href="http://tallahasseehomesource.com/blog_post.asp?post=14241">read more</a><font size="-3" color="gray">)</font></span></div> </article> <article> <h1>25 BIGGEST REAL ESTATE MISTAKES</h1> <div style="font-family:arial, geneva, lucida, sans-serif;">25 Biggest Real Estate Mistakes Get insider secrets to avoid costly blunders on the most important investment of your life. Special Presentation : Episode H25RE-S08 -- More Projects » HGTV has brought together some of the top real estate experts to compile the definitive list of the biggest mistakes we all make when buying and selling our homes. <br /> <br /> Do not buy a house based on its current decor. 25. Buying a House for its Decor Remember that you are buying the house, not the stuff inside of it, so make sure you see beyond the decorations and look at the bones of the home. Focus on the floor plan and the square footage. You also might want to measure the dimensions and graph out how that's ..<span style="font-size:90%;margin-left:5px;color:#0000FF;vertical-align:baseline;"><font size="-3" color="gray">(</font><a style="text-decoration:none;" href="http://tallahasseehomesource.com/blog_post.asp?post=14061">read more</a><font size="-3" color="gray">)</font></span></div> </article> <article> <h1>How to Make that Open House Work!</h1> <div style="font-family:arial, geneva, lucida, sans-serif;"> Hello All! Our team has been in dialogue regarding open house - the traditional "do they really work" conversations. In this competitive market I am finding that the sellers are yearning for that "touch." On the flip side, statistically open houses rarely sell that house and at best are lead generation tools for the agent to find prospects for other homes. We have put into place a strategy to increase traffic to our open houses and have championed the idea that if we can drive traffic it is a win-win for us and for the seller. After all, no one will likely buy or tell their friends, family or co-workers to buy the house until they have seen the home! The plan begins on Monday before the open house and wraps up the Friday after the open house. When done consistently traffic increases as well as the quality of the prospects -- that's definitely a win-win. Highlights are as follows: Monday: Call Seller ..<span style="font-size:90%;margin-left:5px;color:#0000FF;vertical-align:baseline;"><font size="-3" color="gray">(</font><a style="text-decoration:none;" href="http://tallahasseehomesource.com/blog_post.asp?post=10298">read more</a><font size="-3" color="gray">)</font></span></div> </article> </main></body></html>