The following is a guest post from Jessica Thiefels. Becoming a first-time homeowner is one of the most exciting and stressful times of your life, even after the closing papers have been signed and the key is in hand. Suddenly you’re faced with a whole new set of challenges: how to manage a home that’s [...]
Written by NorthStar Moving Co-Founder Laura McHolm We are all trying to be more mindful. No reason to “try;” instead, relax and be. Easier said than done, right? We all strive to be mindful: aware of emotions, present in the moment, attentive to the needs of others, conscious of our planet and calm. But, in [...]
Why Buying a Home is Better than Renting Conventional wisdom used to state that buying a home is always a great investment. But after the housing crisis, many people who saw their equity sliced in half began questioning this logic. That’s unfortunate. In most parts of the U.S., home buying is still a better decision [...]
A dear seller letter is one thing that can give the buyer a distinctive edge in a seller’s market. When competing for a home, there are many ways to make your offer attractive to the seller. When a seller is reviewing multiple offers on their home that may be very close in price and terms, [...]
In 2015, real estate sales sharply shifted toward the Millennial buyer and there are many ways sellers in Mendocino County can prepare their home to attract this buyer. Here are ten things Millennials look for, and how to implement them in your home. MELINA GILLIES In 2015, real estate sales sharply shifted toward the Millennial [...]
There’s always a lot of news around housing numbers. Whether home sales are up or down, hot or cold, when they’re released, housing numbers grab headlines. According to the most recent numbers from the National Association of Realtors, nearly 5 million homes will be sold in 2014. That’s a lot of homes! One thing that [...]
I know, you were thinking you would just Google “moving company.” Sure, you will find a zillion moving companies, but are you ready to handover your prized possessions into any stranger’s hands? So, how do you choose the mover you can trust? Here are some handy tips on what to look for when hiring a [...]
It's easy to get caught up in credit scores when considering a home purchase. But as lenders continue to loosen requirements, the need to have money in the bank doesn't get any less acute. Getting prescriptive about how much you need in savings to satisfy a mortgage lender is tough business. The answer can depend [...]
I bought a house for a bit under $2 million in Los Altos, Calif., (about average for around here). The seller and I were both represented by (different) agents from the same local branch office. I was encouraged by my agent to bid aggressively for the house as “several disclosure packets had gone out” and [...]
The average down payment for 30-year fixed rate mortgages dropped to 15.73 percent of the home's value in the third quarter this year, down 2.74 percent from the second quarter, according to a report from LendingTree. A news release about report, which detailed the average down payment percentages by state, highlighted the relationship between down [...]
