The process of buying a home can be overwhelming at times, but you don’t need to go through it alone.
You may be wondering if now is a good time to buy a home…or if interest rates are projected to rise or fall. The free eGuide for BUYERS or SELLERS will answer many of your questions and likely bring up a few things you didn’t even know you should consider when buying a home.
It’s difficult to know when is the best time to sell, or how to get the most money for your house, but you don’t need to go through the process alone.
You may be wondering if prices are projected to rise or fall…or if you should rent your house instead of selling it. The free eGuide below will answer many of your questions and likely bring up a few things you haven’t even thought about yet.
Check it out here and feel free to get in touch if you have any questions.
The process of buying a home can be overwhelming at times, but you don’t need to go through it alone.
You may be wondering if now is a good time to buy a home…or if interest rates are projected to rise or fall. The free eGuide below will answer many of your questions and likely bring up a few things you didn’t even know you should consider when buying a home.
Check out the Home Buying Guide here, and feel free to get in touch if you have any questions.
If you’re in the market for a home, you’re probably in the market for a mortgage. With the exception of all-cash buyers, most buyers will find out soon what their FICO score is and what banks think about it.The FICO score has a huge impact on whether or not lenders consider you an acceptable credit risk, and yet there are more than 53 million Americans out there who don’t have a credit score at all. This doesn’t mean they’re a bad risk, necessarily… it just means they haven’t used credit cards, held a previous mortgage, or had an auto loan. They may be perfectly responsible financial citizens. So how do they apply for a mortgage?
In an attempt to broaden access, FICO has begin to factor new data sources. Announced in April, 2015, FICO will now include two additional sources: A national utility database, presided over by Equifax, and LexisNexis, which relies on public records.
The idea behind the change is this: First, the timeliness of utility payments can be used as month-to-month evidence of financial health. Second, FICO will be looking at LexisNexis address changes to determine how often people have relocated. In theory, frequent moves may be an indication of increased risk.
Though the impulse may be good, the changes are not without some controversy. Some argue the accuracy of the Equifax database may be a concern. It also adds one more credit reporting database which must be monitored. There’s also a worry that the “frequency of move” may unfairly punish people and provide a disincentive for relocations, downsizing, and upsizing of homes, provided FICO only uses the LexisNexis information in a punitive way.
More details are sure to emerge, but one thing is for sure: The era of Big Data in the cloud will be sure to cast their shadow on the way financial institutions assess risk in the years ahead. One hopes that they ultimately let in more sunshine than shade when it comes to helping buyers attain the dream of homeownership.
Are you ready to explore the dream? Contact us today. We’d be happy to help you navigate the home buying or selling journey and help you find a great mortgage lender:
The NicholasTeam, Barbara and Gregg you can call out office at: 973-509-2222 or email us at: realestate@TheNicholasTeam.com. Visit our website for more information and to start your home search!
“What’s my home worth?”
This simple question is often answered three different ways. Ask your public tax assessor, and you’ll get one number (usually low). Look up your house on Zillow and you’ll get another number (usually too high). The third answer is market value, and if you’re selling your house, you’ll usually figure out what that number is (for good or bad) in 30 to 90 days.
Many people are confused about assessed value versus market value. Assessed value is a number placed on a property by a public tax assessor for the purposes of taxation. Some percentage of your assessed value is used to determine your annual tax bill. The rules for the assessment vary, but typically the assessed value has more to do with how much money the municipality needs to raise than it does the number you’d arrive at after putting your home on the market.
Assessed values can lag behind true market values in both directions. They can vary widely from home to home in the same neighborhood, especially if a neighbor has appealed an assessment (usually for the purposes of lowering their tax bill). And by the way: assessed values don’t automatically adjust for you when someone else appeals their assessment.
Market value is the price at which a specific house in a particular location in current condition will sell, typically within 30 to 90 days. Your real estate agent will try and predict the market value of your home based on all of these factors. In a hot neighborhood? It can elevate your home’s value. Have significant repairs to do or other condition issues? It can bring that value back down. The number one reason a home doesn’t sell is often related to a disparity between listing price and true market value. (Overbidding occurs when a home is priced below market value.)
Generally, assessed value tends to be below market value. Sometimes a buyer will attempt to negotiate a lower price on a home by citing assessed value, but this only underscores their lack of understanding about assessed value versus market value.
The best way to understand what your home is worth? Contact me today, and I’ll get to work on helping you determine the right price for your house in today’s market: Barbarahughes@remax.net or follow The Nicholas Team on Twitter @thenicholasteam
Making Moves With The Nicholas Team 
You must be logged in to post a comment.