First Blog Posts

 About Loan Origination FeesWhen you are looking to buy a new home or refinancing the current mortgage, it comes at a cost. Multiple charges are included in a property purchase or a refinance transaction. Most of the fees are standard. However, there are a few which could affect the cost of borrowing. One of them is loan origination fees. In this post, we will learn what is an origination fee in detail.What is the Loan Origination Process?Property purchase or refinance is funded with a mix of debt and equity. To secure debt funding, borrowers go through a multi-step process called loan origination. This process begins with the borrower submitting financial information to the bank or the lender for a purchase or refinance of the property and getting the loan.What is a Loan Origination Fe... 02/14/2022

A number of mortgage companies are now able to impose various default and late payment overlays on your credit scores.Lenders must provide mortgage requirements that are above and beyond the federal HUD minimum lending guidelines. It is not illegal or discriminatory for a bank or mortgage company to refuse to follow the minimum FHA lending guidelines. Lenders need more standards to be required. Borrowers who meet FHA Guidelines but are told they do not qualify with the bank or mortgage company. The FHA guidelines on under 620 credit scores and debt to income ratio requirementsFHA guidelines have set a lower debt to income ratio cap for borrowers with credit scores under 620. If your credit scores are at least 620 and higher, the maximum debt to income ratios allowed on FHA Loans is 46.9... 02/14/2022

https://blueskiesrealty.com/search/combined?share=activerain#?q_limit=36&mlsId=141&price=450000:600000&multi_search=Bend,%20OR%7CRedmond,%20OR&multi_cat=CityState%7CCityState&status=1%7C3&q_sort=createdAt-&q_offset=0&ssa=1 02/14/2022

Why Now is a Great Time to Buy a Hi-Rise Condo in Downtown CalgaryAccording to Calgary Economic Development's  Calgary Head Offices - Fact Sheet 2021, Calgary contains the highest concentration of head offices in Canada with 71% of them being oil and gas companies.Boom and Bust Leads to Head Office ReductionThe Calgary economy has been tightly tied to the oil and gas industry. When oil prices are high, the city and province reap the rewards. When prices are low, it is just the opposite. It has been a constant cycle of boom and bust.The last seven years however have seen an unprecedented exodus of head offices from the downtown core. This started with the sudden reduction in WTI crude prices from $93.17(USD) in 2014 to $48.66(USD) in 2015. This caused many oil and gas companies to re-eva... 02/12/2022

How and Why to Use Real Estate Direct Mail Postcards Agents are constantly bombarded with new ways of reaching potential clients, and most of these marketing gimmicks are just that: gimmicks. Why do the latest fads always get the most attention? The truth is pretty simple. You can’t trick someone into working with you, and there are no shortcuts to getting consistent results. Proven marketing tactics, like farming postcards for realtors, still work incredibly well. When consistently used with other reliable farming techniques, direct mail can be one of the best ways to keep your brand, messaging, and contact information directly in front of qualified prospects. Here are a few stats about real estate direct mail postcards that you might find surprising:  Response rates for real estate ca... 02/11/2022

Whether it is the cute 2BHK or the seemingly spacious 3BHK flats in electronic city, the decision is never going to be easy as a lot of questions need to be answered first before you zero on your choice. This is a question that plagues every new homebuyer. Unfortunately, there is no straight answer to this question as it depends on several factors. A lot depends on your objectives and present as well as future requirements. But, worry not for we here are there to help you clear your confusion and assist you in making an informed choice.Primary ObjectiveFirstly, get a clear idea of the purpose behind buying the flat. Is it for residing in it yourself or purely for a rental purpose? Or are you looking to residing in it for now and thinking of reselling it later? Too confusing right! Let’s... 02/09/2022

 For most people, retirement feels like a long way off. But, if you don’t start preparing as early as possible, you may find yourself in a place of financial insecurity when the time does come. To avoid this, consider implementing the following tips. Calculate your target savings. In general, it’s recommended that you save between 10 to 15 percent of your income for retirement. However, you can always use an online savings calculator to determine the amount you need to save for your specific needs and goals. Contribute to your employer’s retirement savings plan. Does your job offer a 401(k), traditional IRA, or Roth IRA? Sign up and start saving as soon as they allow you to. It’s recommended to set up automatic paycheck deductions and, once the money is in your retirement fund, don’t to... 02/08/2022

Now a days honesty is the key to everything. Dishonesty in the real estate community is very dangerous and will always turn around and hurt you. That may sound harsh at first, but if you practice honesty and integrity you will have more success with clients. If you plan on being in this industry you repuatiuon spreads very quickly. The best thing you can do for yourself and your buisness is to show your honesty, hardwork, and passion towrds real esate. I work in property management... I am working on my license right now, and going over this in school reminds me of when im in the office and everyone I am surronded by has a great reputition and are always honest. I have seen people lose their license for lying about things that are very important. Honesty is just a great trait to have in... 02/07/2022

It seems straight forward to provide copies of documents to your clients, but with a millions other tasks in your daily que it makes sense you may forget, or something else comes up. However, a friendly reminder this transaction may be the most important (and largest) transaction of your client's life and it is critical you don't drop the ball on such a simple assignment. So below are some ideas on how to get things done once and done right. Tip 1:  Establish your clients preferred method of sharing. Luckily we live in a digital age and PDFs are an acceptable form of sharing. So as soon as you get the document create the PDF copy and share. Also ensure the digital method of sharing is a secure one. If they want it as a hard copy, create the copy and stick it in envelop, folder, whatever... 02/07/2022

It's been a while since I've written a blog post.  I think Facebook killed the blog for many of us.  FB made it so easy to quickly post a thought with a few photos or words which took the fun and enjoyment and thought process of writing a blog and putting in some deeper thoughts and meaning.  I'm back and ready to give it another try.  I think there are 2 kinds of people out there when it comes to social media and sharing thoughts; those that create content and those that only share other peoples content.  I feel like a person who has SO MANY thoughts day and night, I need to write them down and share with others.  Maybe it'll help you to read them and maybe it'll help me to write them!I'll keep this first post short as I ease back into it, but I have so many thoughts, words, phrases sa... 02/05/2022

Our world is like many other small businesses where you have ups and downs.  I once was shown a small business graph where the line goes from I'm going to be rich, to oh, no! I'm going to be broke.  Well, it's not that extreme, but the uncertainties are there.  If you are somehow feeling this in your business, trust me, it's normal, especially in the building stages which is a volatile time.  I have built a successful real estate team and business.  I am working on the investing and flipping side, as well as starting my Airbnb journey.  There are days like I’m on top of the world and constantly in the zone, and some days like nothing is working out as planned.  Yesterday, I had a flip, finished and listed on the market that will earn significantly more than I anticipated.  Yay! Today is... 02/04/2022

I ran across an unethical example of misrepresentation. I was personally selling my own home and I had a local real estate agent who contacted me telling me he had several clients interested in purchasing my home. I'm not a licensed real estate agent yet, so this other agent won't bring over any of his "buyers" until I signed a listing agreement with him.  About a week later I hired another real estate agent to sell my home. The other agent with 4 buyers waiting to see the house contacted me and was very disappointed that I already hired an agent. He proceeded to tell me the names of the buyers that he had in the area. It turns out 1 of the buyers if a friend of mine who had not signed an agreement with this agent to represent him. The other 3 "buyers", through a little research, had re... 02/03/2022

Opening the mailbox and finding a letter from the IRS is frightening, but what happens next can be even scarier. The tax agency wields incredible power, and if they claim you owe additional taxes they have many different options for forcing you to pay. When the IRS claims you owe additional money, they will act quickly, and that could leave you reeling, and trying hard to preserve the money you need to pay your bills, feed your family and keep a roof over your head. If you are employed, the IRS can reach into your paycheck, forcing the company you work for to withhold part of what you are owed until the tax debt has been satisfied. The IRS can also hold onto any refunds and government payments you would otherwise be due. If you have been waiting for that big fat refund check to arrive, ... 02/01/2022

There are many ways to lose a real estate license. In fact, there are 21 ways to lose a license. The one I have decided to talk about today is dishonesty. It is true what they say when they say honesty is the best policy. When it comes to real estate, there are many ways to be dishonest. The one I want to focus on today is uploading expired listings. If a realtor is dishonest, he or she can upload an expired listing in hopes that they will attract potential home buyers. This is not a good practice because it immediately creates that level of disrespect between the home buyer and the realtor. In doing a dishonest act, you run the risk of potential clients not wanting to work with you because they have heard from others that you are listing expired properties only to get clients to contac... 01/31/2022

Honesty is key to anyone’s success. When an agent is dishonest, it will hurt the client, the agent, and the brokerage’s reputation. Honesty also falls in doing your fiduciary duties. There needs to be complete trust and disclosure or chances are, it will come back and bite you in the rear later on. When being honest about structural integrity, it opens a door to having an inspector or contractor come in and fix an issue. Discussing things with your client will let you know their deal breakers or the things they are willing to have worked on. Trust is needed to build loyalty. When you do well and earn their trust, your client can become your referral and your future client as well. 01/31/2022

Hello! It's my first post on active rain and I'm so excited to be here! I live right outside of Athens, Georgia, and wanted to share why I love this town so much! As a real estate agent, this town will impress.It's hands down, one of the coolest cities around Georgia. Not only do we have the University of Georgia in Athens, but we are also known for our music! We are home to many famous bands like the B-52's, Drive by Truckers, WIdespread Panic, and REM. Athens has a very vibrant music scene with so many cool venues to visit. It's very unique with its southern charm and hospitality and doesn't feel like anywhere else in the world. We have several award-winning breweries like Terrapin, Southern Brewing Company, and Creature Comforts Brewing. This town is filled with character and has som... 01/27/2022

Queen Creek Arizona is growing by leaps and bounds. I am always looking for those hidden gems in the community. So I suggest that you try Baci Italian Bistro, The food is amazing and my personal favorite is the Fettuccini Calamari. Here is a link for you to check it out.http://www.baciitalianbistro.com/    01/26/2022

Long Beach Property Management Got you Down?—                                           Are you frustrated with your tenants not paying rent during Covid?          Have you been dealing with maintenance issues while getting little to no rent to support those efforts?Do you resent your tenants? Are you consumed with anger every time those tenants light up your phone? Have you lost sleep, or even worse… is your blood boiling because of those tenants? Are you at the end of your rope?                              If you answered YES to any of those last few questions, it might be time to consider hiring a property management company to step in and take things off your hands.Over the last two years, the laws affecting rent collection during Covid have changed about every eight weeks. There a... 01/18/2022

Are you curious about the worth of your home in Albemarle, NC? As of November 2021, Albemarle, NC homes’ current median listing price is $222,400. That's about $135 per square foot. The median price for homes that have sold is a little lower at $212,000. The value of your home will depend on the historical sale price and the market conditions. The home's location, size, appeal, age, and shape play a role as well.Because of these varying factors, it’s best to get an appraisal to get the actual value of your home. Let’s explore these details - and how they affect the cost of your home. Albemarle, NC Housing Market TrendsThe current Albemarle, NC housing market is booming. It remains a seller’s market. That means there’s a high demand for multi-family homes for sale in Stanly County, NC. A... 01/09/2022

All real estate agents want their listings to stand out and get the attention of buyers, but is there is such a thing as going over the top or misrepresenting a property?  If you've used any of these phrases, you might be pushing it.Extremely small lot touted as a"no maintenance lifestyle".Changing "Needs a new roof" to "open concept".Adding an extra zero to the square footage "accidentally".Counting a coat closet as a "bonus room".Using a picture from your favorite Fixer Upper episode in the listing photos.Before you write that next listing, think about what you are are saying and remember  that honesty is the best policy when it comes to the real estate and your reputation.      01/07/2022