A home loans - Benefits of applying (and qualifying) as a veteran 


As a veteran who has served our country, when time comes to purchase your home, a VA home loan is one of the many viable options you should look into. Why not apply for a loan which is specifically targeted to veterans, and is intended to help make your purchase costs lower, and out of pocket expenses lower when the time comes to invest in a new home? So, what are the many benefits of having a VA home loan? 

Low cost - 
The most common and sought after benefits is that of 0 down payment, and no monthly mortgage insurance requirements. In addition to these benefits, if you apply and are approved for a VA home loan as a veteran you will realize: 
- 0 down at closing costs. 
- No closing cost option (the seller can pay the full 6% at closing with some purchases). 
- No insurance on your monthly mortgage. 

The initial, and monthly savings to follow, are truly astonishing ...

Professional Photography - Why you need to hire the pros when selling your home 


Sure, you think listing your property with a few photos you've uploaded on your phone will suffice. But, in today's competitive market, this simply isn't the case. Check out some of these reasons why you need to hire a professional to photograph your home, when listing it for sale. 

1. Photos sell - According to the Wall Street Journal, buyers spend 60% of time reviewing photos of homes for sale, versus only about 20% of time online reading seller or agent descriptions of the property. 

2. CBSnews.com reports that homes which have higher quality, high resolution photos, receive up to 47% higher offers than the listed asking price on the property. 

3. On investordeails.wordpress.com, about 83% of buyers reported that photos were extremely important when they were viewing properties for sale online. 

4. Marketleader.com reported that sellers only have about 2 seconds ...

Buy or rent? - Why ownership trumps renting in today's market 
written by: aless23 

Buy, rent, sub-lease? If you are looking for a home, you might be debating whether you should purchase now, or continue to rent a home. So, let's take a look at the benefits of ownership, and why you should take that plunge if you are on the fence of whether or not you should buy. 

1. Tax implications - 
Owning a home comes with many positive tax implications. Write-offs, deducting mortgage interest payments, tax-incentives for new appliances (and energy efficient appliances). If there is a tax write-off you can take, ownership has far more benefits than renting a home does. 

2. The returns - 
Think of your home as an asset to your portfolio. As it appreciates, you are earning returns. But, unlike stocks or bonds, you aren't making a couple thousand dollars in returns. Rather, if you buy a home for $300,000, which appreciates in value by 3% in a 3 year period, y ...