Posts with tag 'wagner realty'
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Right on the Money | Getting Your Finances in Order to Buy a Home
Getting Your Finances in Order to Buy a Home
Preparing to purchase your first home starts long before you choose a REALTOR® or fill out a loan application form. You've probably started the process without even knowing it by graduating from school, accepting your first job, and financing a car.
There's something you should know before we get started: lenders typically base their loan approval on two things:
- a buyer's ability to make an acceptable down payment and
- the buyer's credit profile. A good credit profile shows the person's ability to make timely, ongoing monthly payment.
Before you begin the loan application process, it's important to get your finances in order to buy your first home.
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Spend Sunday Evenings in Siesta Key at the Drum Circle
One of the perks of living near Siesta Beach in Sarasota (apart from enjoying the beach itself) is the weekly drum circle held every Sunday. Here, you will be treated to a beautiful sunset while listening and dancing to drummers in a festive-like atmosphere. Our REALTORS® in Sarasota have all the details of this exciting local phenomenon as well as all other to-do things in the area.
The Siesta Key Drum Circle starts one hour before the sun sets every Sunday and continues into the night. The popular tradition attracts large crowds of onlookers and participants for dancing and drumming on Siesta Beach. Drum circle regulars sporadically perform with fire, swords, or even hula hoops. They are also dressed in beautiful colors and offer flowers to onlookers.
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Baby Boomers are Landing in Sarasota
It happens every year as sure as the change of the seasons: Folks from the North and even into Canada travel south to find a warm, mild climate to spend the winter. The name given to those who happily engage in this annual practice: Snowbirds.
Snowbirds are typically established professionals or retired people who want to enjoy a change of scenery and a slower pace for winter. There'll be no worries about keeping the furnace hot or digging the car out of the snow when you decide to bask in beautiful Sarasota.
Just how welcoming is Sarasota? Its winter temperatures run from about 51 degrees at night to 70 or so during the day. Air conditioning is ubiquitous throughout Florida, so virtually any place you plan to spend your time will also be equipped with central heating.
It should come as no surprise some people decide to finally settle down here. In recent years, Baby Boomers have flocked to Florida like never before!
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Selling Your Home? Don't Be Surprised by Closing Costs
Selling your home can be a profitable venture, particularly if you invested a large down payment, have built up equity, updated the home as needed, and have benefited from rising market values here in Florida. But it isn't as simple as getting a check from the buyer, paying off what you owe and pocketing the rest. There are costs associated with selling, and it's important to familiarize yourself with them so that there are no surprises at the closing table.
Most of a seller's closing costs are based on the sales price of the home, and some costs may vary depending on where you live. Our REALTORS® can help you estimate costs based on an expected sales price. Doing those calculations at the start of your sales process will help you evaluate offers with complete information. Here's a list of typical closing costs for sellers:
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Buying Your First Home May Not Be Out of Reach
These days, it seems like there are more barriers than ever between first-time home buyers and their dream homes. One of the most challenging is coming up with a down payment. Conventional wisdom suggests that home ownership might be out of reach for someone who can't put up a down payment on a home – but that might not be the case.
We asked our REALTORS® to share some tips on how to buy a home with no money down. As it turns out, there are several options that could help you become a homeowner without having to come up with a down payment.