PARKER  REALTY ASSOCIATES

Unfortunately, our homes don’t always grow with us. What may have initially worked fine for a single person, a young couple’s starter home, or a family with a newborn can quickly become too small as families expand and multiple generations live under one roof. Remodeling and adding to your home is one option for creating more space, but it can be costly, and the size of your property may be prohibitive. That’s when moving to a bigger home becomes the best solution. WHERE DO Y

If you dread the negotiating process when buying a home, never fear. Your real estate agent is an experienced negotiator who helps keep the bargaining from becoming emotional and veering off track. Your agent must know your desires by heart and have quick access to you if a negotiation point needs to be made. It's important to stick to the strategy you and your agent have agreed upon -- showing the seller how strong your offer is. First, get preapproved for a mortgage loan. T

Buying a house is a big investment, and you don't want to pay more than you have to. If you have a mortgage, you'll be living with that payment for a while. It's tempting to offer a much lower price than the asking price, especially if the house you want has been on the market for a while, but there's an art to that. Here’s what you should know before deciding just how low you can go. Are you in a buyer's or seller's market? Ask your real estate agent to explain the market co

Between student loans, credit card debt, and struggling to save, it might seem like you'll never have enough for a down payment for a house. The good news? There are plenty of programs out there to help you become a homeowner. FHA Loans FHA loans are great for first-time buyers because they require a much smaller down payment than most other loans. With this program, you're only required to have 3.5% for a down payment instead of the usual 20%. That means if you're buying a $

If you want to take out a mortgage or another type of loan, your credit score can play a big part in what interest rate you get, how much money you get to borrow, and whether you're approved at all. But there are some things a credit score can't do. Well, there are a lot of things. But you knew it couldn't wash your car, give you a haircut, or get you pregnant, right? Right. While we think you should always know your credit score, and take steps to improve it if necessary, he

 Adjustable Rate Mortgage (ARM) — The interest rate is tied to a financial index making the monthly mortgage payment go up or down over time.  Annual Percentage Rate (APR) — The percent of interest the will be charged on a home loan.  Appraisal — A report highlighting the estimated value of the property completed by a quali-fied 3rd party. This is typically done for the benefit of the buyer to ensure the property is worth what they are paying.  Association Fee/HOA Fee — I

Home warranties are a popular way for home owners to protect themselves against the high cost of unexpected repairs or replacement of home appliances and systems. They are available to all home owners as an affordable way to get peace of mind for your home and excellent service from trusted local technicians.With a home warranty, covered items are repaired or replaced for just the cost of the annual service contract fee plus an affordable servie call fee. Trusted, professiona

How Does a VA Loan Work? VA loans are a great benefit, but about a third of veterans don't know it's even available to them. And in the two-thirds that do know about the benefit, many avoid it because they've heard all the myths and they're misinformed about how they actually work. So, how does a VA loan work? If you've served in the military or National Guard, chances are you're eligible for a VA Loan. Despite the name, you don't actually work with the Veterans Administratio

Like-kind exchanges help keep our economy rolling. That’s why the political change-up coming to Washington could have significant ramifications for real estate, investors, low-income workers, and more. On November 8, the Republican Party won the presidency and retained majority control over both houses of Congress. This means that federal tax reform in Washington is imminent. Since the news of this electoral sweep broke, I’ve been working — alongside a group of similarly dedi

When you're ready to get a mortgage, you face a dizzying array of choices: Fixed rate or variable? Points or no points? Mortgage broker or mortgage lender? That last decision - mortgage broker or mortgage lender - involves a simple but easily misunderstood distinction. Simply put, a mortgage broker is an independent professional who can shop around to find deals from a variety of lenders. A mortgage lender is represented by a loan officer who can speak only for that instituti