5 Must-do Home Improvement Projects to sell your home in 2020

Posted on by Arona A.
5 home improvement projects to sell your home in 2020

You’re ready to sell your home, and although you’ve always kept your home in great condition you still need to do some extra maintenance. When selling your home your property has to be in tiptop shape if you’re going to get top dollar when you sell. If you’re selling your home you still want to have your home looking good on the inside as well as the outside. Even if your home is on the market for 3 months or more, you have to keep giving that home your love, even if you have already vacated the home. When your home looks like its well cared for, you get more people interested in looking at it and even get top dollar. Here are some tips that you may already be doing or neglecting.

  1. Landscaping – your lawn should be mowed, trees and shrubs trimmed, flower beds should look lush. Your driveway and walkways should be well lit without weeds and leaves on it.
  2. Gutters – people tend to forget that you get all sorts of debris in your gutters. Make sure that your gutters are cleaned out. By not doing this you can have all sorts of issues with your roof, walls of home and drainage issues. You don’t want to deal with overflowing drains if it rains, or damage walls or foundation issues or drainage issues when selling your home.
  3. Fix Broken things – Buyers tend to check to make sure the doorbell works. It’s one of the things that people tend to forget when getting their home ready for the sale. Lots of times it doesn’t work. This may be something small to you, but to buyers, this can be a big deal. Fix leaky faucets and running toilets.
  4. Critters – go around your home and make sure you don’t have squirrels or other critters living in your attic or other areas of your home.
  5. Clean Windows and Doors – If your home is on the market for more than a month you will have to get those windows and doors cleaned up. Get rid of cobwebs or spiderwebs that may have built up around them. Not doing this will make the home look neglected.

Get your punch list made up, and make sure you’ve got all of these little things taken care of. By doing these small things you can get more return on your investment.


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.

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.

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.

Home Ownership for 1st Time Home Buyers Tips

Posted on by Arona A.

Are you a first time home buyer?

When you are ready to buy your home a lender will basically evaluate your overall financial picture as well as other financial factors to see if you qualify for a mortgage. Here are some tips to help you get your loan.

  • Do not quit your job while you are in the process of getting a mortgage, nor change jobs or decide that this is a great time to become self employed.
  • Don’t go out and spend money on huge ticket items like a new car that you would need financing for. If you do this it will increase your debt to income ratio and this then decreases your chances of getting approved for your loan.
  • Do not go on a shopping spree for new furniture to decorate your new home before you close on your home. You maybe tempted if you found the perfect furniture but please hold off on buying any major purchase until after the closing.
  • Do not ….do not lie on your loan application. Do not omit any debts, if you do this it is considered to be fraud to lie on your loan application and you will be denied the loan.
  • Don’t use your credit cards excessively during the process. And please do not forget to pay your bill. Any changes to your spending habits may just prevent you from getting your loan.
  • Put aside money for your closing costs. You can contact the closing company to find out what your closing costs will be.
  • Do not go out and co-sign loans for anyone. This means that you are assuming debt, even if it is someone else that is making the payments. This will also increase your debt to income ratio.
  • Do not make large deposits into your bank account. You may have had an estate sale to get rid of things in your home before you move and made a good chunk of change. Talk to your lender before you deposit that money into your account or any large deposits while you are in the process of getting a loan.
  • Do not change bank accounts during the process of getting a loan. The lenders are looking at your financial stability.

If you are unsure about anything please discuss it with your loan officer

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.