credit-score-fico-improvementFor home buyers in Coastal Delaware and nationwide, credit scores can change low mortgage rates and alter home loan approvals. Borrowers with high credit scores get access to lower mortgage rates, for example, and can find the mortgage approval process to be more smooth that borrowers with low credit scores.

If your credit score is low, here are some basic ways to help improve it. 

Get The Reports

Download an updated version of your credit report from each of the three major reporting bureaus -- Equifax, Experian and TransUnion. The reports may mirror each other, but credit accounts -- especially derogatory ones -- sometimes don't appear on all three. Ordering reports from all three bureaus is a safety step. Note that the credit bureaus each use…

2055 Views, 0 Comments

when-does-a-reverse-mortgage-make-senseEveryone sees those TV commercials featuring sincere celebrities pitching reverse mortgages. If you are 62 or older, chances are you’re also subjected to glossy mailers (and even DVDs!) that show up in your mailbox at regular intervals.

Latest stats show that approximately 83% of baby boomers plan to stay in their homes during retirement. That may be why some Coastal Delaware homeowners who have built equity in their homes may be paying attention.

You can’t blame them if they have one overriding question -- is this some kind of scam?

Essentially, a reverse mortgage is just one way to tap into a home’s equity regardless of the owner’s credit score or income. Under a reverse mortgage, borrowers receive a monthly payment, line of credit, or lump sum.…

3053 Views, 0 Comments

30-year mortgage ratesMortgage rates rose last week nationwide during a week of sparse economic news. Thursday's weekly jobless claims report showed 371,000 new claims, which was 1,000 fewer jobless claims than for the prior week. Wall Street expectations of 365,000 new jobless claims turned out to be too optimistic.

The semi-quarterly statement released Thursday by the European Central Bank (ECB) announced that the region's inflation remains below its 2 percent ceiling as established by central banker. Economic weakness in the Eurozone is expected to persist into 2013 with signs of recovery becoming evident toward the end of this year.

ECB cited financial and structural reforms as essential to economic recovery, and noted that national governments within the Eurozone have…

2181 Views, 0 Comments

Bathroom remodel tipsFull-scale bathroom remodeling can be expensive and, in today's Rehoboth Beach housing market, you won't likely get all of the money back that you put into it at the time of sale.

Knowing that bathroom projects tend to have a low return on investment, therefore, here are a few inexpensive changes which you can make to spruce up bathrooms in a home for sale.

Fixtures
Most sellers will notice if the fixtures in a bathroom are old, and it can have a negative effect on their view of your home. Buy a new set of bathroom fixtures at a home improvement store. Most stores have matching towel racks and bathroom tissue holders, too. There is a wide selection of stainless steel, wood or ceramic fixtures available at most stores, too.

Paint
A fresh coat of…

2115 Views, 2 Comments

Oceanfront CondosPurchasing an oceanfront condominium for full time residency or investment property should not be done on a whim. The financial considerations should be studied and weighed before making such a purchase. Each party has its obligations.

For you, can you afford the monthly maintenance fees without stressing your wallet in the event your rentals are on the slow side? Can you afford a condo facelift every five years or so to freshen up your place to make it a desirable unit? 

For the condominium, do you have sufficient insurance coverage in place in the event of a catastrophic event, such as a hurricane? Does the condominium have adequate reserves to repair roofs, pave parking lots and paint the buildings when it’s needed? 

Here are 5 tips to purchasing…

2333 Views, 1 Comments

Home LoanThe holiday décor is down; neighborhood kids are back in school; January’s social calendar looks amazingly clear (compared with the previous two months, anyway)… so, what now? One suggestion I might offer: put some serious thought into acting on those financial New Year’s resolutions – at least the ones dealing with your Rehoboth Beach real estate plans.

Doing so would dovetail nicely with my own New Year’s prediction, one I share with many credible real estate watchers: 2013 is the year buyers and sellers are going to really get serious about real estate.

According to Money Magazine on CNN’s website, the housing market rebound is here. Among other sources, they site the Mortgage Bankers Association forecast that “more and more house hunters will…

3108 Views, 2 Comments

Antique Lewes HomeIf you live in a home built in the early 20th Century (or before), cold winter evenings can send visions of new homes dancing through your head. With floors that creak and windows that barely slow the icy gales of January, even the antique charm of your original wooden banisters can wear thin (most noticeably after your sister’s kid knocks another handrail loose).

But don’t despair. While new homes in Lewes may be a preferred investment for some buyers, duplicating the authenticity of your hand-hewn, turn-of-the-century Victorian is, quite simply, not possible. With the right specialists to help, keeping your original home in top repair might not be as time consuming or costly as some fear.

Original windows, for example (the kind famous for letting…

2033 Views, 0 Comments

There are advantages to buying a home during the winter months, aka "off season" here at the beach.

1. Less Competition. There is less competition from other buyers. Many buyers do not want to brave the icy roads where they live to venture south to the beach areas of Sussex County. This could translate into a good deal for you. 

2. More Time With Your REALTOR®.  Typically your Real Estate Agent is not as busy this time of year which translates into more time for you!

3. Ugly Ducklings. Some houses that are still on the market in January & February may have been on the market for a long time. This long market time could be for a variety of reasons including that the house was priced incorrectly or it could be that the house simply does not show very…

1746 Views, 0 Comments

It may be a fundamental element in nearly two-thirds of every residential real estate transaction, yet when you think about buying or selling a Coastal Delaware home, it’s not likely to be your major focus. Important though it may be, for most people, the appraisal process seems like a mere formality. After all, haven’t the seller and buyer already agreed to the deal? What’s left to do, other than dot the I’s and cross the T’s?

Of course, if you are a cash buyer, you can choose to skip the appraisal altogether. If so, congrats - you are ready to buy as soon as you find the right property! But for the rest of us, if a loan is involved, so too is the lender’s appraisal – or appraisals.  Yet many real estate agents are not a part of this element.

The…

2001 Views, 0 Comments

Help pets adjust to a new homeMoving to a new home can be a difficult transition for everyone in the family, including the furry, four-legged members. Dogs and cats develop a strong bond with their environment so when they are relocated from their territory it can cause them stress.

Here are some tips to ease your pets' transition to a new home:

Keep Your Mood Calm
Pets are very tuned-in to your emotions and will sense your mood. If you are stressed throughout the moving process, your cat or dog will pick up on this and it will make him anxious. Try to remain calm and give your pet plenty of attention and reassurance during the process of moving.

Transporting Your Pet
A few weeks before the move, introduce your pet to his pet carrier so that he becomes familiar with it. It will…

26623 Views, 0 Comments