What are some tips every home buyer should know to get started?

If you think it's about time you bought a home instead of renting, a little homework before you start looking will increase your odds of finding the best buy for you. Here's how:

• Dig up your down payment

Know where your down payment cash will come from. If it's coming from stocks, go ahead and sell them. If Aunt Jessie is loaning the money, get it in hand so you are ready to go.
• Nail down your financing

It's tough to home shop if you don't know what you can afford. Together with a reputable lender, we can help you determine how much home you can afford and which loan program willread more....

Dear Future Customer

Dear Future Customer

I sincerely appreciate you for considering me to be your Realtor and for anyone you may recommend me to.

My Goal

My Goal is to provide you with a level of service that makes it very comfortable for you to refer people you care about to me.

I am not Superman

When I get cut I bleed. Yes, I do make mistakes, but I committed to continuing growth and progress. I am a work in progress. When I do stub my toe I will not run and hide. I will face the challenges and concerns specific to your transaction.  I will admit when I am wrong and apologize.

Old School

I believe in the golden rule - treat others as you would like to be treated.  I strive for a "Baker's dozen" mentality. I want to provide services of great value. The customer read more.....

Thank You Greg and Caron for the recommendation!!

Congratulations. Adam Sellars and Nate Orme won a $50 gift certificate to Target in this months drawing!!

This house rocks.

Click here to find more outrageous houses. 

My credit rating isn’t so good. What do you advise?

One of the most common hurdles to getting a mortgage or refinancing your home can be a less-than-stellar credit rating. But it isn't always a stop sign on the road to homeownership. To overcome this problem, credit counselors advise you to come clean with potential lenders and offer a good explanation. 

Having two or three late payments on your credit report isn't going to stop most lenders. But if you've had a number of 30-day late payments, or you've been more than 60 days late on any payments, or you've defaulted on a loan within the past two years, you need to be ready to do some serious explaining. 

Tell the loan officer about any credit problems when you apply for the loan. By candidly volunteering the information and offering an explanation – perhaps a layoff, unexpected medical bills, divorce, or unanticipated emergency home repairs – the lender may still consider you a good risk. If this approach doesn't work, you might consider using a mortgage broker who specializes in helping poor credit risks Read more....

How to Use An Extra $50 (From the newsletter)

How to Use An Extra $50

A $50 bonus may not seem like much, but these days
every extra dollar can help you maintain your financial
stability. Here are three ideas for making the most of a
small bonus:
 Cut credit card debt. If you put $50 toward a $2,000
credit card balance, you’ll cut your payback time by
four months if you usually pay a minimum of $40
month. Using the $50 toward the debt can save you
$103 in interest (at 16 percent).
 Buy financial management software. Use the $50 to
help you manage your money better by putting it
toward some financial software like Quicken. It’ll help
you keep better control of your checking account and help you identify other areas
where you can save money.
 Look around the house and purchase or repair something that's been nagging at you. Bugged by a broken latch? Tired of your old shower curtain? Wish you had different pulls on your kitchen cabinets? Maybe that $50 can give you a whole new look.

Why Rent When You Can Buy?

Real Estate 101 

Real Estate 101

Why rent when you can buy?

Invest Your Rent In Your First Home
The only one who benefits from your rent check is your landlord. As a renter, you never see that money again. But as a homeowner you can profit when you sell. In addition, as a renter you can't use any of your rent payments as a tax deduction, like homeowners can. If you or someone you know is renting, it's time to put that rent check... continue reading....

Half in Illinois and Connecticut Want to Move Elsewhere

Half in Illinois and Connecticut Want to Move Elsewhere