Are You Ready To Buy Your Home?

Posted on by Arona A.
Your guide to buying your first home -

Buying a home can be the most exciting time for you and your family. But don’t lose out on the home of your dreams by doing this alone. This is one of the biggest financial transactions of your life, and I want to help you by making this experience less stressful.

As you go through the process you may have questions on –

  1. Downpayment – How much is required as a downpayment of a home?
  2. How do I get a Mortgage for this home?
  3. How do I complete the Mortgage application?
  4. Do I have enough money saved up to buy this home?
  5. Do I have a good credit score?
  6. How do I write up an offer on my dream home?
  7. How do I negotiate to get the best price?
  8. How do I submit an offer on my dream home?
  9. What do I do when the Seller accepts my offer?
  10. How do I get the home inspected?
  11. How do I negotiate repairs?
  12. How do I get a title search?
  13. How do I get a survey?
  14. What are my closing costs?

There are so many things to think about when buying your home. Don’t go through this alone. Call/Text 727-422-9340 I can help you buy the dream home for you and your family.

Start Building Equity!

Posted on by Arona A.
FIRSTTIME HOME BUYERS
Buy a home and increase your wealth. Contact Arona McGinley-Realtor

Are you still renting? Why are you building your landlord’s equity and increasing their wealth?

With mortgage rates being low… this would be a great time to invest in a home. Most people think that they cannot qualify for a mortgage, but you will be surprised. Get with your local mortgage company today and see what options are available to you. Then call me to find you the perfect home that fits within your budget and your lifestyle.

Stop paying your landlord. Every month you pay your landlord, their bank account goes up because they are building equity in their home. Why are you still not a property owner? You could be building equity in your home and increasing your wealth. Don’t hesitate, take the plunge and call me to find your home today.

Leave It To The Professionals

Posted on by Arona A.
COMPARATIVE MARKET ANALYSIS HOMES IN TAMPA FL

Many of us may buy and sell a home maybe once or twice in our lifetime. This is one of the biggest investments that we will make so why leave it to chance. I know many of the DIYs are thinking I can do this job, this is a piece of cake. I can put my listing online and I can get a bunch of great offers. This is a common way of thinking for the average homeowner.

Don’t Make This Mistake

A homeowner may not know the value of their home. They either, undervalue it which they can potentially lose more than what they would have spent on hiring a Realtor who would have priced it correctly. On the flip side, we have the FSBOs that think their home is worth a lot more than it actually is.

Homes that are over-priced tend to sit on the market and get stale over time. Most people would not even call because they think that something is wrong with the home if it’s been on the market that long without a sale. It really isn’t an advantage, having your home sitting on Zillow for over 90 days. Don’t make the mistake of doing this.

Realtors know that homeowners are honest and hardworking people. We want to do our best to sell your home and get you as much as we can in the shortest period of time. We are there to be the buffer, to negotiate for you and your family, to do all the dirty work so you can get the benefit of a stress-free transaction. We strive to make your life remain as normal as possible during this whole process of selling your home.

Keep in mind

Your home will sell for what it is appraised at. It does not matter if you think your home is worth $20,000 more. It’s what the appraiser thinks it’s worth. Get a Comparative Market Analysis (CMA). Some Realtors will do this for free for you, so ask for one.

Tip: If you know you don’t like

  • answering the phone, and talking to strangers
  • is not available to show your home during the day or evenings
  • cannot do open houses
  • hate to negotiate with people
  • already busy with family life (school, sports, work, kids)
  • not computer savvy
  • can’t take good photos

Don’t attempt to sell your own home. You are better off using a Realtor to help you sell your home. Call me if you are selling your home in the Tampa, Seminole, Largo, Clearwater, Pinellas Park, Tarpon Spring, Palm Harbor areas. I am an agent in Pinellas County Florida and can answer any questions you may have about selling your home.

Call/Text: 727-422-9340 Email: arona.mcginley@gmail.com

GET A COMPARATIVE MARKET ANALYSIS —IT’S FREE!



Second Home Buyers

Posted on by Arona A.
Finding homes for investors and second home buyers

Are you thinking of buying a second home or an investment home?

Why Should you Invest In Florida?

Florida is listed as the number one vacation destination. If you have extra cash this would be a great place to invest in a second home or even a home that you can rent out and make some extra cash.

There are many reasons that Florida is so attractive

  • The lifestyle of Florida is an attraction to people living up north. You can enjoy outdoor activities all year round, and even hang out at the beach in December.
  • Waterfront properties are accessible to buyers looking for that water view. You can invest in condos, townhouses, and single-family homes. This is something that can be an advantage if you decide to rent out your home to vacation goers. There is a strong demand for rentals close to the water.
  • Florida is a very popular vacation destination. Whether you are vacationing with your family or you’re single, there is something for everyone here. Buying a home and renting it out when you’re not using it, can give you some extra income. There are many property management companies that can take care of all the day to day services for a very reasonable fee.
  • Here in Florida property taxes is slightly lower than many other states. This depends on what county or city you may decide to purchase your home.

Finding The Right Property in Florida

When considering to purchase your home you will first have to consider what is your intention or the purpose of this home. If you are a snowbird then you will be using your Florida home during the winter months, and you can rent it out during the summer to friends, family or vacation goers. Are you planning on using a maintenance company to oversee everything? Is the income from the rental important, for example, will it be helping to pay the mortgage. These are things you will want to consider if you plan on using your home as a rental.

Some counties and cities have certain rental restrictions. Consider these rental restrictions when searching for an investment property. Some areas have restrictions such as rental agreements that can be no less than 30 days. These restrictions can affect how much rental income you can earn.

If this is an investment property you want to consider a location that is attractive to vacation goers. Think about getting something about 15 mins from the beach or close to popular entertainment districts. Your rental will generate more income if it’s in a popular location with vacation goers.

Make a list of all your must-haves when searching for your property. Don’t rush into something that you may not be happy with in the future. Ask lots of questions and take notes. If you need help with finding your property I am available to help you with buying or selling your property. Contact Arona at 727-422-9340.



Things to Know about FHA Appraisals

Posted on by Arona A.
Arona Mcginley real estate agent seminole florida. FHA Appraisal

In order to use an FHA loan to purchase a home, the property will have to be appraised and inspected by a HUD-approved appraiser. This is to ensure that the property meets HUDS’s minimum property standards.

WHAT IS AN APPRAISAL?

Only an expert can assesses or determine the value of your home. You get an appraisal to determine the value of your home in today’s market. The appraiser usual has a check list of HUDs requirements for FHA.

Things You Should Know About FHA Home Appraisals

  • HAND RAILS – handrails should be installed along open staircases, and in accordance with FHA/HUD requirements.
  • RAILINGS – has to be installed around, decks, patios, porches and balconies.
  • PAINT – all interior and exterior paint should be in good condition. There should be no distressed paint eg. peeling paint.
  • WINDOWS – all windows should be fully operational and not broken. If it is, it has to be replaced.
  • DOORS – doors should be functional and hanging properly.
  • ROOF – If the roof has leaks it must be repaired or replaced.
  • UTILITIES -utilities must be on and functional at the time of the inspection.

These are just some of the things that will be addressed with an FHA Appraiser. To get more information visit FHA APPRAISAL

If you are looking for more information on selling or buying a home please call/text 727-422-9340 or email: arona.mcginley@gmail.com or fill out the contact form.

Buyers Handbook

Posted on by Arona A.
Mortgage application tampa bay florida


Preparing For Your Purchase

How can you benefit from owning your own home?

Posted on by Arona A.
Benefits of owning your own home. call 727-422-9340

It’s pretty much an American dream to own your home. It gives you peace of mind to know that you have something that is truly yours and a place that you can raise your family.

Many of us are intimated by the idea of owning their own home. It means more responsibilities that come with owning your home as well as the daunting process of finding the home, getting a mortgage and closing on the home. Owning your own home is an investment on your future and can save you tons of money. Basically if you’re renting then you are paying someone else’s mortgage. You do not get a return on investment when you rent.

Benefits of owning your own home

  • EQUITY – you are building equity in you home every time you make a mortgage payment.
  • OWNING YOUR HOME IS AN INVESTMENT – when you purchase your home it increases in value unlike buying a car it decreases in value each year. As you pay off your mortgage the amount you owe goes down but the value of your home increases.
  • TAX BENEFITS – there are many tax incentives to homeowners, for example you can get a deduction on the interest you pay on your mortgage. There are many others that are available.
  • FREEDOM – you are no longer a renter but an owner. You no longer have to ask permission to replace or add anything to your home. You can do whatever renovations you want.
  • STABILITY – owning a home allows you to have stability for you and your family. You are now part of a community .
  • SECURITY -a home provides you with a nest egg. If you later want to downsize you can sell your home at a profit and move into a smaller home. You may also decide that you wanted to rent your home, this can give you a steady income for years to come.

There are so many other reasons to own your own home. Whatever your reason is, it is worth it to invest in your own home.

For more information on the real estate market in the Tampa Bay Florida area contact your local realtor Arona McGinley – 727-422-9340 or arona.mcginley@gmail.com.

What is a Pre-Approval letter

Posted on by Arona A.

Why should home buyers have a pre-approval letter before they start searching for homes?

A pre-approval letter is basically a document from a lender that indicates how much the lender would be willing to lend you to buy a home.  By having this letter a seller will view you as being more of a serious buyer when you place an offer on their home.

 

Mortgage Application Tips

Posted on by Arona A.
Mortgage application tampa bay florida

You have made the decision that you are going to buy a home and you are ready to fill out your mortgage application. Here are some things that you will need when filling out your mortgage application

  • W-2s from the past 2 years.
  • Personal and Business tax returns for the past 2 years.
  • Pay stubs from the past 2 months.
  • Bank account statements from the past 2 months.
  • Proof of other income, example child support, alimony income if using for qualification.
  • Proof of other asserts and Income example collectibles, land, real estate.
  • Other investment statements from the past 2 months