Oftentimes, I'm asked, "Denise, what steps do I need to take to become a homeowner." Although there are several steps to follow to become a homeowner, here's just a few of them:1. Interview a Realtor2. Get Pre-Qualified by a lender3. Arrange property tours4. Target a home that is "ideal" and write an offer5. Present the offer to the seller6. Counter offer7. Escrow8. Loan application9. Contingency period10. Homeowner insurance coverage11. Signing documents with title company12. Down payment and closing costs13. Funding14. Close of escrowFor more details about each step, send me an email: denise.mccoytilson@rearealtors.com or call me at 916-534-5239. I would love to help.Denise R. McCoyRealtor/Employer Housing Specialistwww.ReaRealtors.com916-534-5239 or 916-852-5100
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Find A Home - SearchAt any time, HomeSteps has thousands of homes available for sale in neighborhoods across the United States. These include single-family homes, condominiums, townhomes and more.Search for your next home by browsing our database of homes for sale. You can search by features such as city, state, number of bedrooms, etc.Or let our Home Detective tool do the looking for you. Just plug in your selection criteriaand sit back and relax. We'll send you e-mail updates when homes matching your criteria become available. And best of all, it's free!Would you like to receive more information from HomeSteps?http://www.homesteps.comDenies R. McCoyRealtor/Home Steps Agent916-534-5239denise.mccoytilson@yahoo.com
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This is not written to entice anger but to make us more aware of our actions.Yes, Guantanamo Bay should be shout down. America has led the world on human rights issues and violations. Guantanamo Bay is our black eye to the world as we have failed in this area. The Arab world is angry with us regarding their treatment and are uniting with Asama Ben laden against us. This puts our young men and women in increasing danger. America must regain the world wide respectability that it has lost.To have detainees locked in a facility without charges is not the American way. What happened to innocent until proven guilty. The word on the street has always been, “you get as good as you give.” I know you are questioning what I am saying, but remember the two young ladies that were captured in Iraq and how inhumane their treatment was. Remember Guantanamo Bay and the inhumane treatment of those detainees were in the news worldwide. Remember we had American Soldiers tried for raping women in foreign countries. Could you take a wild leap of imagination and wonder if our public image in the world had something to do with it. If America doesn’t like what its been getting then America needs to change what its been giving. In the days of slavery this could happen, but not today. In the evolutionary process Guantanamo Bay is a sign of regression not progression. As a nation we are too intelligent and sophisticated for this. I say this not to incite or support terrorism but for us to look closely at ourselves and our behavior. The bible teach us to get the plank out of your eye before you attempt to get the mote out of mine.I support my President 100% on the closing of Guantanamo Bay. I believe that the closing of Guantanamo Bay will help improve our humanitarian image world wide. This will be one step toward walking the walk and not just talking the talk of world peace. In response to what to do with detainees that no country will accept - Italy has stepped up to give America its support. I grant you that it will not be easy, but nothing significant ever is. I challenge America to be the change it wants to see in the world. God Bless America and Everywhere else.Following this memorial day as we remember our fallen soldiers, I remember our soldiers in captivity. Can we expect other nations to treat our soldiers with humanity while we maintain a camp that is inhumane to detainees? THINK ABOUT IT!
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Posted by Yasmin Sabur on January 5, 2009 at 2:19am
Buying a home is not a spur of the moment decision. Taking time to prepare and doing the homework not only makes the process less stressful, but will make homeownership a pleasure.Getting OrganizedStart with a loose-leaf notebook and some sharpened pencils. Manilla file folders are helpful in organizing bills and other documents needed for loan applications. Having a business telephone directory on hand or access to a computer is a good idea. After making calls, record the phone numbers, contact name and a short note on the conversation in the notebook under a reference tab.Rent vs. HomeownershipFor some renting makes more sense than purchasing a home. The only way to determine this is by comparing the costs of homeownership to renting.In addition to mortgage payments (first and second mortgages) taxes and insurance (mortgage insurance and homeowner insurance) must be included in the owning a home column.The next items in the column should be utilities. For a home these include gas, oil, electricity, water, waste disposal (garbage pickup), and optional telephone and cable costs.Condominiums and Co-op FeesSome first time homebuyers decide to purchase condominiums or co-operative units because many of the utility and maintenance costs are included in the homeowners’ association (HOA) fees. Include these fees on the list and remember that all utilities may not be covered. Contact several homeowners’ associations to get an idea of what the HOA fee covers.Mortgage Credit CertificateThe Mortgage Credit Certificate program offers a federal tax credit for mortgage interest paid. Most states participate in this program. The credit can be used to increase the homeowner’s take home pay and offset the costs of owning and maintaining a home. Contact area real estate agents, state and county housing departments and employer payroll departments for information on this program. Deduct the amount of the credit from the cost of owning a home.Maintenance CostsMaintenance costs cover a wide range of items from lawnmowers to roof repair. Trees have to be pruned, lawns mowed, heating systems maintained, windows caulked in cold climates, broken pipes and windows replaced, leaky faucets repaired. Make maintenance costs an item in the homeowner column.Call local utility companies and work with a local real estate agent to establish a good estimate of these costs. Always go with the higher estimate.Home Improvement GrantsMany states and counties offer home repair and improvement grants to homeowners. Homeownership is a requirement for most of these grants. Knowing the eligible areas, property types, and grant uses will assist in determining if the grants can be useful after purchasing a home. Visit myhomedownpayment.com, and contact state and local housing departments for grant information.Intangible costsMortgage payments, utilities, maintenance and repairs are the tangible costs of owning a home. Intangible costs require another list that should include the following questions:Why do I want to purchase a home?Do I have enough time to maintain a home? (Not maintaining a home will decrease the property’s value.)Can I change a light bulb, mow a lawn, paint the front door, replace a lock, caulk a window, repair a faucet, trigger an electrical circuit, recognize mold or termite damage?Do I have a tool kit?Am I willing to make financial sacrifices if owning a home costs more than I am paying in rent now?What am I willing to cut back on financially to own a home?Will a major financial emergency (health, car repairs, or job loss) impact my ability to make my mortgage payment?Do I have a savings account?If I create a budget will I stick to it?If owning a home requires a lifestyle change, am I sure (as much as it is possible to be) I want to change for the long term?How often do I call my landlord to make simple repairs?The author, Yasmin Sabur, is the founding member of My Home Down Payment and myhomedownpayment.com, e-education businesses promoting affordable housing through mortgage down payment assistance programs for low-to-moderate income families.
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