3 Ways to Tame Student Loan Debt and Afford a Mortgage

It's no secret that student loans can make buying a home a challenge. But what exactly is the problem, and how can buyers overcome it?  The problem is that student loans can be included in the buyer's debt-to-income ratio, or DTI. Debt-to-income ratio Percentage of monthly income that is spent on debt payments, including mortgages, [...]

By |2017-11-28T23:57:25-04:00June 29th, 2015|House Tips for Buyers & Sellers, Real Estate Broker Information|Comments Off on 3 Ways to Tame Student Loan Debt and Afford a Mortgage

Don’t Forget the Change Orders

It’s just a piece of paper, often only one sheet and different companies write it up different ways. Yet when needed, the change order could prove the only thing that stands between you and hundreds or thousands of dollars’ worth of misunderstanding-or worse, unauthorized work that inflates the price of a project. This addendum to [...]

By |2017-11-28T23:59:32-04:00June 25th, 2015|House Tips for Buyers & Sellers, Real Estate Broker Information|Comments Off on Don’t Forget the Change Orders

Get Smart about Credit Card Debt

Credit card debt is the third largest source of household debt, behind only mortgages and student loans. According to Equifax, the average credit card balance is about $1,244 per card. “Credit cards are a significant source of debt for millions of Americans, and that’s why it’s so important to develop the knowledge and skills to [...]

By |2017-11-29T00:01:33-04:00June 23rd, 2015|House Tips for Buyers & Sellers, Real Estate Broker Information|Comments Off on Get Smart about Credit Card Debt

Brunswick County North Carolina Real Estate Market Update

SUPPLY, N.C. -- The residential housing market in Brunswick, Bladen and Columbus counties saw a slight increase in activity during May 2015 compared to the same period in 2014, according to statistics released today by the Brunswick County Association of REALTORS®. “These latest figures emphasize the fact that the real estate market in Brunswick, Columbus [...]

By |2017-11-29T00:03:57-04:00June 18th, 2015|Market Conditions, Wilmington & Surrounding Areas|Comments Off on Brunswick County North Carolina Real Estate Market Update

Studies Show How Consumers Misjudge Home Values

Encouraged by strong price increases and hot sales this spring, increasing numbers of owners are listing their homes for sale. But chances are good that millions of owners are making wrong assumptions about the value of their homes, according to two new studies. Wrong valuation assumptions can lead to bad decisions about whether to sell, [...]

By |2017-11-29T00:05:41-04:00June 16th, 2015|House Tips for Buyers & Sellers, Real Estate Broker Information|Comments Off on Studies Show How Consumers Misjudge Home Values

Summertime in Southport North Carolina

Next week marks the official start of summer and with it comes a steady stream of activities, festivals and vacationers. Here in Southport, North Carolina summer time is celebrated in a big way. 2015 will be no different and the recent announcement that the “quaint fishing village” won Coastal Living Magazine’s “America's Happiest Seaside Town” [...]

By |2017-11-29T00:32:21-04:00June 12th, 2015|Southport NC, State Information|Comments Off on Summertime in Southport North Carolina

Why Go Solar?

Solar power is finally entering the residential real estate mainstream in America after years in the wilderness. The heady growth conjures up the images of solar rooftop panels sprouting up as a common sight from West Coast to East Coast and points in between. Futurist Ray Kurzweil, a noted inventor and director of engineering at [...]

By |2017-11-29T00:35:45-04:00June 9th, 2015|House Tips for Buyers & Sellers|Comments Off on Why Go Solar?

Summertime Home Maintenance Reminders

Summer begins this month, so it’s time to start your summer home maintenance checklist. Even if you are not considering selling your home, there are plenty of summer home maintenance projects needed to keep your home in optimum condition. These are some of the suggestions provided by Jim Giuffre, a local home inspector. Interior [...]

By |2020-03-23T17:20:53-04:00June 5th, 2015|House Tips for Buyers & Sellers, Real Estate Broker Information|Comments Off on Summertime Home Maintenance Reminders

5 Government Policies You Should Know Before Buying a Home

FOX Business Network’s Trish Regan, host of the Intelligence Report, weighs in the top 5 government policies that everyone should know before buying their first home: Hold on to your home for 2 years. If you sell after 24 months, you’ll be exempt from capital gains taxes up to $250,000 for a single person and [...]

By |2017-11-29T00:39:59-04:00June 2nd, 2015|House Tips for Buyers & Sellers, Real Estate Broker Information|Comments Off on 5 Government Policies You Should Know Before Buying a Home