When Is The Best Time Of Year To Buy Things For A Home

When Is The Best Time Of Year To Buy Things For A HomeFor those who are trying to buy things for their home, it is important to think carefully. Nobody wants to overpay; however, reaching for something cheap may simply end up getting replaced quickly. There are a few highlights that everyone should consider purchasing for their home in January!

Purchase Some Furniture In January

First, everyone has to make sure they think about buying furniture either in January or July. A lot of furniture manufacturers provide retail stores with new pieces in February and August. Therefore, a lot of furniture will go on sale starting either in January or July.

Storage Items Go On Sale In January

Again, a lot of stores will roll out sales in January for storage essentials such as baskets, shelves, and organizing systems. There are a lot of student’s who are looking for inexpensive items before the start of the new semester and what’s leftover after Christmas will often go on sale in January.

Major Appliances Go On Sale During January And The Holidays

One of the most expensive items that people purchase for their home is a new appliance. These tend to go on sale during the holidays and shortly after Christmas. With new versions coming out at the start of the new year, the prior year’s models need to be cleared out and retail stores will slash their prices in January.

Flooring And Paint Will Go On Sale In January

A lot of homeowners will take breaks from remodeling projects during the holiday season. Therefore, paint manufacturers and flooring specialists are often desperate for business during the winter. For this reason, a lot of paint and flooring essentials will go on sale during January, providing homeowners with a chance to save some significant money on their next renovation projects.

Linens And Towels Go On Sale In January

Finally, anyone who is looking for new linens and towels should try to wait for January. These are common gifts during Christmas so retail stores will be looking for ways to clear out the leftover inventory after the holidays. As a result, a lot of linens and towels will be marked for major discounts following Christmas.

The Top House Appraisal Tips For Home Buyers And Sellers

The Top House Appraisal Tips For Home Buyers And SellersThere are a lot of steps that come with buying or selling a home. One of the routine steps that have to be accomplished is called a home appraisal. When it comes to a home appraisal, this is something that can cause both buyers and sellers to pause for a second. For those who might not know, a house appraisal is where a trained professional will take a look at the fair market value of the home. It is important to understand what happens when a home appraisal is conducted. 

Compare The Home To Similar Properties

When a home appraisal is conducted, its value is usually compared to homes in the area that are similar. The value of a home is always determined by what similar homes in the area have sold for recently. This is what the lender is going to look for. For example, if someone is selling a condo, and the value of that condo is going to be compared to other condos in the building that have sold recently. Even though there might not be identical houses in the area, the same process is going to happen for free-standing homes. 

Make Improvements To The Home

For those who are going to be selling their home in the near future, one of the easiest ways to drive up the value of the home is to make improvements. If the countertops, floors, or cabinets have not been updated recently, then performing these updates can drive up the value of a home. In some cases, homeowners might be able to get a bigger increase in the value of their home than the amount of money they spent on the improvements. 

Get A Second Appraisal

In some cases, home buyers might not like the appraisal that came in on the home. In this case, they might be able to challenge this first appraisal by getting a second appraisal. Even though this might cost a bit of money, if the home comes back at a significantly reduced cost, then there might be opportunities for the buyer to renegotiate the price of the home. Everyone wants to make sure they are getting a fair deal when a home changes hands.

Tips For Getting A Mortgage Application Approved

Tips For Getting A Mortgage Application ApprovedRight now, mortgage rates have fallen to rates that haven’t been seen in years. This opens the door for many people to apply for a mortgage that they previously may not have been able to afford. Sadly, not everyone who applies for a mortgage is going to be approved. There are a few steps that applicants can take to increase their chances of getting their mortgage application approved.

Increase The Credit Score

Applicants need to make sure that their credit scores are as high as possible when they apply for a mortgage. The greater the credit score is, the more trustworthy they look to lenders. In general, applicants are going to need a credit score of 620 or higher to qualify for a home loan; however, those who want to get the best interest rates possible need to make sure their credit score is as high as possible. Try to ask for a free copy of the credit report from one of the major credit bureaus and correct any inaccuracies that might be present. Then, pay down as much debt as possible before applying for a mortgage.

Add More To Savings

Those who want to qualify for the best interest rates will need to be willing to put more money down. The only way to make this happen is to increase the amount of money in the savings account. Lenders are more willing to provide people with a home loan if they know the potential homeowner is supplying some of the capital as well. Delaying the home search by a month or two to collect more money in a savings account can dramatically improve someone’s chances of getting approved.

Increase Employment History

The longer someone has been employed, the better the chances of the application being approved. Lenders want to make sure that the potential homeowner is going to be able to pay back the loan. The longer the applicant has been employed, the greater the chances that he or she is going to remain in that position. A longer employment history could help someone qualify for lower interest rates.

Get A Mortgage Application Approved

These are a few steps applicants can take to improve the strength of their application. That way, they can get the home of their dreams.