If you’ve just bought or sold a house, congratulations! Now, of course, comes the moving part. Here are some of our best tips to make the moving process as smooth as possible for you. 1. Purge your stuff! Now that you have to move your things, this is the perfect time to decide if you need to keep or get rid of certain items. Your move will be easier and your life will be less cluttered.
2. Create a schedule Plan ahead! You'll need to organize your moving team, when to clean out cupboards and the fridge, and also delegate when you can move certain items. For instance, out-of-season clothes can go right away and you don't have to wait for moving day. Reserve a day for admin tasks. These tasks include changing your address and updating any subscriptions, bank accounts, and cable and utility bills that are necessary! Also at this time, make it easy on yourself and arrange for a donation center to pick up all your purged items!
3.Plastic wrap your draws- and keep everything inside Unless your dresser is filled with bricks, use plastic wrap to your advantage. When you get into your new home, everything will already be in its place!
4. Make a packing supplies box Keep all your necessary supplies in one place! Don't lose your mind because you can't find the tape! Supplies to keep in this box are:
Packing tape
Sharpies
Labels
Scissors
Trash bags
Ziplock bags
Rubberbands or Zip ties
5. Number Or color code your boxes Devise a color or number system for where boxes belong. You can also use the system to distinguish what needs to be unpacked first and what can wait until you are a little more settled. 6. Pack A first-night box Most people don't think to pack a first-night box, but this is important, especially if you have kids! If you don't want to rummage around looking for pajamas, designate a box that will have a day or two's worth of necessities in it! Items to include:
Toilet paper
Hand soap
Bedding
Pajamas
Toothbrushes
Chargers
Medications and toiletries
Paper towels
Snacks
If you have any other questions about how to make your move easier or you have any other real estate needs, don't hesitate to reach out to us. We'd be happy to help you.
Today we'll be discussing an important distinction among home buyers in Central Illinois. Today I'm with Jamie Berringer from PNC Mortgage and we will be talking about a pre-approval versus a pre-qualification. It's an important difference that you may not know about, but home sellers will surely be scrutinizing you about it.
A pre-qualification and a pre-approval are two entirely different documents. A pre-qualification is a much more basic certification, and it can be obtained in a few hours. You only need a few pieces of information, none of which is really double-checked, and you can then get your pre-qualification letter once a lender has looked over your numbers.
A pre-approval letter is much more desirable, and I highly recommend it to all of my home buyers. This is more time-consuming, but it will designate you as a serious buyer if you can acquire it. You will submit tax returns, pay stubs, insurance information, and more. Once the lender has an opportunity to review these items, you will then be issued an approval letter.
Both buyers and sellers like to see letters of pre-approval, and this is especially true when the real estate market is as hot as it is in Central Illinois.
If you would like to be put in contact with a great local lender, please don't hesitate to contact me!
The
Central Illinois area has a vast selection of different properties
within attractive price ranges. If you're considering buying a home CLICK HERE to perform a Full Home Search, or if you're wanting to place your home on the market, GO HERE to receive a Free Home Value Report.
If you have any other questions about your property's value or the
current market trends, please do not hesitate to reach out to me at (217) 875-8081.
Today my topic is: Should you rent, or should you buy?
When you are making a payment each month, you are either paying your own mortgage off when you own a home, or paying somebody else's off if you rent. After 15 or 30 years, you could own a home, or you could own a stack or rent receipts. I'm going to go through the pros and cons of both buying and renting, so you can make an informed decision on what the best path is for yourself.
First, let's talk about renting. If you plan on living in a place for less than 2 or 3 years, you probably should consider renting. What are some advantages of renting? Well, you have no out-of-pocket expenses, maintenance fees, grass to cut, or snow to shovel. However, people soon get tired of the noisy neighbors, little storage, and no garage that is often true of rental properties. You can also be evicted at any time from a rental property, making it a little bit more of a risky investment. However, your monthly payment will be a little lower than a mortgage payment.
If you can afford it and are looking for a long-term living solution, buying a home is the way to go. For a little higher payment, you can invest in a home, which is an appreciating asset. Buying a home is more affordable now than it has ever been. Interest rates are hovering right around 4% still, but may be increasing soon. This is important to pay attention to, as just a 1% increase in rates means you can afford $10,000 less of a home.
That's all I have for today. If you have any questions in the meantime, feel free to give me a call or send me an email. I'd love to answer your questions!
