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Tips for a Spring-clean home all winter long!

October 20, 2016

Get the dirt out of your home before you hunker down for winter’s worst.

You know, when you think about it, we should be obsessing over fall cleaning instead of spring cleaning. After all, you’re about to shut yourself inside for months with all the dust and dirt your home has collected during the hot, dusty, open-window days of summer. And who wants to inhale that?!

The EPA even estimates that indoor air quality can be five times more polluted than outdoor air. So here’s a checklist to help you breathe easy all winter long in your home.

Wash and Disinfect Garbage Cans and Wastebaskets:

You’re going to be shut in all winter with these germ havens, so now’s a good time to clean them thoroughly. Take them outside where you can blast the insides with a garden hose, then add disinfectant.

For an environmentally safe way to sterilize these nasty grime collectors, use undiluted hydrogen peroxide or vinegar mixed 50/50 with water. Caution! Don’t mix hydrogen peroxide with vinegar — the result is harmful peracetic acid. Regular bleach is an effective disinfectant (one part bleach to six parts water), but we much prefer environmentally safe.

Let the garbage cans sit for an hour, then pour out the contents and scrub the insides with a stiff bristle brush to remove any residue. Rinse and, if possible, let the wastebasket dry in direct sunlight, which helps eliminate bacteria.

Spend Oh-So-Wisely on a Kitchen Remodel:

Wash and Disinfect Toilet Brush Holders:

Take the holder and the brush outside, and spray wash thoroughly with a garden hose. Immerse the holder and brush in a bucket of hot water mixed with one of these solutions:

1 part bleach to 6 parts water
2 to 3 cups of environmentally friendly washing soda crystals
A 50/50 mixture of vinegar and water

Let everything sit in the solution for a couple of hours, then rinse the holder and brush with a hose and place in direct sunlight to dry.

Turn Over Furniture and Vacuum the Bottoms:

You might shift furniture around so you can vacuum the floor, but there’s another side to the story — the underside.

Tilt upholstered chairs and couches all the way back (much easier with two people) to expose the bottoms. The dustcovers tacked underneath furniture can catch dreck and dust bunnies, so vacuum them off, being careful not to press too hard on the fabric.

Clean the Tops of Doors, Trim, and Artwork:

Tables and countertops aren’t the only household items with horizontal surfaces. In fact, just about everything in your house except Rover’s tennis ball has some kind of horizontal surface where dust and dirt will nestle, often unnoticed. You’ll want to clean the top horizontal edges of:

Interior doors
Trim, including baseboards and chair rails
Artwork and mirrors
Electrical wall plates
Wall-mounted smoke detectors, CO detectors, and thermostats
Upper kitchen cabinets
Light bulbs and light fixtures
Computer monitors
Books on shelves

Vacuum Behind the Fridge:

Your fridge needs to be cleaned periodically so that it operates at peak efficiency. Ignore this chore and face another $5 to $10 per month in utility costs. Worst case: a visit from an appliance repair pro who’ll charge $75 to $150 per hour!

The object is to clean the condenser coils. Here’s how:

If the condenser coils are on the back of the refrigerator, then pull the unit out completely, and unplug it while you work on it. Brush or vacuum the coils to clean them, and clean up any dirt and dust on the floor.

Also, check to make sure your freezer vents are clear. Freezers circulate air to reduce frost, but piling up too much stuff in front of the little grill-like vents inside your freezer blocks their business.

If the condenser coils are on the bottom of the fridge, then you’ll need to clean them from the front of the unit.

Take off the bottom faceplate to expose the coils.

Clean dust using a condenser-cleaning brush ($8) or a long, thin vacuum attachment made for cleaning under refrigerators ($14).

You should still pull your refrigerator all the way out and vacuum up dirt and dust that accumulates in back of the unit. Unplug it while you work on it.

Put down a piece of cardboard so that grit under the wheels doesn’t scratch your flooring.

Winterize Your Entry:

Keep winter’s slush and gunk at bay by making your entryway a dirt guardian.

Get a boot scraper ($19 to $35).
Add a chair or bench for taking off boots, and have a boot rack for wet footwear.
Put down a tough coir outdoor doormat ($30 to $190) for cleaning footwear.

Clean Windows:

By some estimates, dirty window glass cuts daylight by 20%. That’s a lot less light coming in at a time of year when you really need it to help chase away winter blues.

Clean windows inside and out with a homemade non-toxic solution:

1/4 cup white vinegar
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon eco-friendly dish detergent
2 cups water

Wipe clean and polish using microfiber cloths.

Clean Ceiling Fan Blades:

Those big blades on your ceiling fan are great at moving air, but when they’re idle they’re big dust magnets — dust settles on the top surfaces where you can’t see it.

Out of sight maybe, but not out of mind. Here’s an easy way to clean them: Take an old pillowcase and gently cover a blade. Pull it back slowly to remove the dust. The dust stays inside the pillowcase, instead of all over the floor, the furniture, your hair (ugh!).

Change Furnace Filters:

Yeah, this is a no-brainer, which is why it’s last on this list. But everything else you do could be moot if you’re not changing your filters at least once every 60 days (more if you’re sensitive to allergies).

Air filters for furnaces are rated by level of efficiency. The higher the rating, the better the filter is at removing dirt, mold spores, and pet dander.

Filters are rated one of two ways (you’ll see the ratings on the packaging); higher numbers mean better efficiency, but there’s a point of diminishing returns — some filters with extremely high ratings also restrict air flow, making your HVAC work so hard that the system heats and cools inefficiently.

Minimum efficiency rating values (MERV) for filters range from 1 to 16, but 7 to 13 is typical for households (14 and up are used in hospitals).
Microparticle performance rating (MPR) range from 300 to 2,400.

Cheap filters cost about $2, but won’t do you much good. You’re better off paying $12 to $17 for a pleated filter with a 1250 MPR, or $20 to $25 for a filter rated 2,400.

Happy cleaning (and breathing!) this winter.

Worcester rental!

October 17, 2016

Available NOW! Single family home for rent in the Greendale area of Worcester! This renovated antique home offers a great flexible floor plan with plenty of general living space and large bedrooms. The first floor features an eat-in kitchen, dining room, living room with an abundance of natural light, full bath and laundry. The second floor has two spacious bedrooms with double closets and a very large master bedroom with hardwoods and accessory bonus room for a total of three bedrooms. Full basement is available for storage. Pets allowed at owner’s approval! Come check out this unique opportunity to rent! Credit check and application with references required. Tenant to pay all utilities. No smoking. Listed at $1,800.00/month!

What to do a year before buying your first home!

October 14, 2016

The ultimate timeline ensures the smoothest of transitions to home ownership.

A real yard. Closets bigger than your average microwave. The freedom to decorate however you darn well please! Making the switch from renting to owning is exhilarating, but many rookie homebuyers find the process trickier to navigate than they expected.

This is why we created our First-Time HomeBuyer Checklist. The 12-month timeline will help you sidestep common mistakes, like paying too much interest or getting stuck with the wrong house. (Yep, it happens!).

12 Months Out:

Check your credit score.Get a copy of your credit report at annualcreditreport.com. The three credit bureaus (Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion) are each required to give you a free credit report once a year. A Federal Trade Commission study found one in four Americans identified errors on their credit report, and 5% had errors that could lead to higher rates on loans. Avoid last-minute bombshells by checking your score long before you’re ready to make an offer. And work diligently to correct any mistakes.

Determine how much you can afford. Figure out How Much House Can You Afford?Lenders are happy to lend you as much as your debt load allows. But will that amount make you house poor? Ask yourself, how much house do I really want to afford?Read More In5 Ways You Didn’t Know You Could Save for a Down Paymenthow much house you can afford and want to afford. Lenders look for a total debt load of no more than 43% of your gross monthly income (called the debt-to-income ratio). This figure includes your future mortgage and any other debts, such as a car loan, student loan, or revolving credit cards.

There are plenty of calculators on the web to help you determine what you can afford. If you’re pushing the limits, start reducing your debt-to-income ratio now. To get a reality check on what you may actually be spending every month, use this worksheet.

Make a down payment plan. Most conventional mortgages require a 20% down payment. If you can swing it, do it. Your loan costs will be much less, and you’ll get a better interest rate. If, however, you’re not quite able to save the full amount, there are many programs that can help. FHA offers loans with only a 3.5% down payment. But they require mortgage insurance premiums, which will drive up your monthly payments. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) provides a list of nonprofit homebuying programs by state. Also check with credit unions; and your employer might even have an assistance program.

As you’re planning your savings strategy, keep in mind that banks like you to “season” your money. That is, they like to see that you’ve had stable funds in your account for 60 to 90 days before applying for a loan. Don’t worry: You can still use a financial gift from a family member or bonus received near the time you buy.

9 Months Out:

Prioritize what you most want in your new home. What’s most important in your new home? Proximity to work? A big backyard? An open floor plan? Being on a quiet street? You’ll make a much better decision on what home to buy if you focus on your priorities. If it’s a joint decision, now is the time to work out any differences to avoid frustration and wasted time. Perhaps most important: Know what trade-offs you’re willing to make.

Research neighborhoods and start visiting open houses. But now’s when the fun begins, too. Use property listing sites, such as realtor.com, to find out about neighborhoods, public transport, and cost of living.

Start visiting open houses to get an idea of what kind of homes are in your price range and what neighborhoods appeal the most. Seeing potential homes will also keep you motivated to continue reducing your debts and saving for your down payment.

Budget for miscellaneous homebuying expenses. Buying a home has some miscellaneous upfront costs. A home inspection, title search, propery survey, and home insurance are examples. Costs vary by locale, but expect to pay at least a few hundred dollars. If you don’t have the cash, start saving now.

Start a home maintenance account. Speaking of saving, start the good habit now of putting a little aside each month to fund maintenance, repairs, and home emergencies. It’s bad enough to have to call a plumber. It’s worse if you’re paying credit card interest on that plumbing bill.

6 Months Out:

Collect your loan paperwork. Banks are very particular when it comes to mortgage loans. They demand a lot of paperwork. What they’ll want from you includes:

W-2 forms — or business tax return forms if you’re self-employed — for the last two to three years
Personal tax returns for the past two to three years
Your most recent pay stubs
Credit card and all loan statements
Your bank statements
Addresses for the past five to seven years
Brokerage account statements for the most recent two to four months
Most recent retirement account statements, such as 401(k)

If you start collecting these documents now, it’ll lessen the stress when it’s time to get your loan. Bonus: Looking closely at your loan documents each month will also help you stay focused on saving for your down payment and keeping your debt-to-income ratio low.

Research lenders and REALTORS®. Start interviewing REALTORS®, specifically buyers’ agents. A buyer’s agent will work in your best interest to find you the right property, negotiate with the seller’s agent, and shepherd you through the closing process. Your agent also can be instrumental in finding a lender who’s familiar with first-time home buyer programs.

Even better, look for a mortgage broker, who will shop for a competitive loan rate for you among multiple lenders, unlike a bank, which can only offer its own products.

3 Months Out:

Get pre-approved for your loan. At this point, if you’ve been following this timeline, your credit score, paperwork, and down payment should be on track. You’ve done your research on lenders and buyers’ agents. Now it’s time to start working with them. First you’ll need to get pre-approved for a mortgage.

Make an appointment with your lender or mortgage broker and bring all your paperwork. He’ll run a credit check on you and tell you how much of a loan you’re approved for. It often makes sense to borrow less than the maximum the lender allows so you can live comfortably. Draft a budget that accounts for mortgage payments, insurance, maintenance, and everything else you have going on in your life.

Start shopping for your new home. One you’re pre-approved, the buyer’s agent you’ve chosen will be able to target homes that meet your priorities in your price range. This way you won’t be wasting time looking at homes you can’t afford.

2 Months Out:

Make an offer on a home.It usually takes at least four to six weeks to close on a home. So if you have a firm move-out date, allow enough time to deal with any hiccups that can delay closing.

Get a home inspection. One of the first things you’ll want to do after an offer is accepted is have a home inspector look at the property. If the home inspector finds something that needs repair, that’s a common example of something that can delay closing.

In the Last Month:

Triple-check that all your financial documents are in order and review all lending documents before closing. You’re in the home stretch! If you’ve been keeping your documents up to date, and your down payment is in reserve, these final steps are the easiest. Reviewing the mortgage documents is probably the most difficult. Your agent can help guide you through them.

Get insurance for your new home. Don’t forget to secure insurance before closing. You’ll need to bring proof of insurance to closing.

Do a final walk-through. Do a final walk-through of your new home, usually a day or two before closing, to make sure the home is in the shape you and the seller have agreed upon.

Get a cashier’s check or bank wire for cash needed at closing. Make sure you get an exact amount of cash needed for closing. You’ll get that number a few days before closing so you can secure a cashier’s check or arrange to have the money wired. Regular checks aren’t accepted.

That’s it. Congratulations!

Worcester rental available!

October 10, 2016

New rental available in Worcester!

October 8, 2016

Available NOW! Single family home for rent in the Greendale area of Worcester! This renovated antique home offers a great flexible floor plan with plenty of general living space and large bedrooms. The first floor features an eat-in kitchen, dining room, living room with an abundance of natural light, full bath and laundry. The second floor has two spacious bedrooms with double closets and a very large master bedroom with hardwoods and accessory bonus room for a total of three bedrooms. Full basement is available for storage. Pets allowed at owner’s approval! Come check out this unique opportunity to rent! Credit check and application with references required. Tenant to pay all utilities. No smoking. Listed at $1,800.00/month!

How to choose the right pet door!

October 5, 2016

By: Julie Sheer

There’s nothing quite as safe and comforting for household pets as our cozy homes. When nature calls, however, dogs rely on us to get outside. And even the laziest couch potato (animal or human) needs a daily dose of the great outdoors. Having a pet door makes getting out easier for everyone.

A pet passageway can be a simple frame with a flap or a high-tech electronic opening. It can be installed in a door, inserted in a slider track or built into a wall. Some are easy to install yourself, while others are best left for professionals. We’ll sort through the possibilities here — and reveal some design-forward options.

A Clever Custom Tunnel:

Before we look at some of the standard types of pet doors, here’s a custom pet portal to drool for. This passageway for two French bulldogs was part of a renovation in a 1906 Seattle home. “These funny little French bulldogs are very important to our client, so their happiness was considered throughout the design,” says Kit Kollmeyer ofRobert Edson Swain Architecture and Design.

The exterior dog door leads to a tunnel under the kitchen’s lower cabinet behind the kitchen counter. The tunnel is carpeted inside, which helps clean paws before dogs enter the kitchen and “is really fun for them,” Kollmeyer says. The top lifts so the tunnel can be vacuumed.

Installed in a Door:

A simple pet door meant to be installed in a home’s exterior door has a frame of aluminum or plastic and one or two hard or soft flaps that pets pass through. Of all the pet doors, this is usually the easiest to install yourself.

Consider that plastic can be flimsy and break; flaps and aluminum tend to expand and contract with changing temperatures, eventually becoming warped. Most pet door companies sell replacement flaps.

Models with dual flaps tend to be more energy-efficient; some extreme-weather models utilize three flaps. Some have lock-out panels that can be slid into place for security when the door is not in use.

This dog door conveniently leads to a laundry room in a contemporary home near Seattle. The floors are stained concrete. The raised dog bed is from an Australian company called Coolaroo that also makes sun shades.

Built-In Pet Doors:

Some companies sell doors with pet pass-throughs already built in. This version from Larson Storm Doors has a pet door built in and a strong pet-resistant screen. A dog door leads directly into a screened room in this St. Louis home.

Installed in a Wall:

Sometimes a pet door installed in a wall leads exactly where you want your pet to be in the house — for example, a utility room, kitchen or laundry room. This can be an unobtrusive way to get a pet in and out of the house. It involves cutting a hole in a wall and installing a pet door frame, flap and sometimes a tunnel for deeper walls. Do not attempt this yourself unless you have the right tools and some mad wall-cutting skills. This is a project best taken on by a carpenter or trusted handyman.

This handsome dog door in Denver was custom-built through a wall using a standard pet door mount. HighCraft Builders framed the door with a rubber flap for the pet to pass through. It’s air- and weather-tight, says Hannah Hill of HighCraft. The wooden door closes and locks like a normal door.

A basic pet door from PetSafewas installed in the wall of this three-season porch in Indianapolis.

Here the door is in the porch, where it’s barely noticeable.

You can build a pet door through a wall yourself if you’re super handy, but there are major considerations to watch for, such as what’s behind the walls. “I wouldn’t ever suggest that a homeowner cut into their exterior walls without knowing what they’re doing,” Kollmeyer ofRobert Edson Swain says. “All sorts of things are packed into walls, like electrical or plumbing that could certainly ruin someone’s day if they were cut into. Also, any openings in exterior walls need to be well waterproofed so that rain doesn’t leak into the stud bay.”

This tiny pet door is tucked under the window in a wall of a Philadelphia kitchen.

Cramer the bulldog gets a primo through-the-wall dog door and ramp that matches the surface of this Charlotte, North Carolina, deck.

Electronic Pet Doors:

Electronic pet doors allow only pets wearing sensor tags to enter or exit through the door. The door and tags can be programmed to allow pets in and out at certain times of the day, and the door remains locked at other times. Some electronic doors can be programmed to work with an animal’s microchip. An added bonus: The Humane Society says pet doors with sensors are the best way to keep out raccoons, skunks and other unwanted wildlife.

This streamlined passageway in San Francisco shows that dog doors can be stylish as well as functional. Shown here, Wainwright passes through a sleekly designed dog door that unlocks when he gets close, thanks to a sensor on his collar.

The cedar door leads from the home’s renovated dining room — which used to be an unused laundry room — to an outside deck. “We wanted a hinging door that matched up with the finish wall surface — the owner can close it and it ‘goes away,’” saysCraig O’Connell, whose architecture firm oversaw the renovation and creation of the unique dog door. “It looks seamless and very streamlined.”

Designer Doors:

A custom dog door mimics an adjacent Dutch door at the entrance to this farmhouse mudroom in Philadelphia.

Here’s another take on a custom through-the-wall dog door. This one goes well with the wood trim around the window and door in a mudroom in New York state.

Sliding-Glass Door Panels:

Some companies sell panels with built-in pet doors for sliding glass doors. They slide in next to a partially open sliding glass door. Few tools or skills are required for installation. Make sure there’s a locking mechanism if you plan to leave the panel in place. Some models come with weatherstripping that adheres onto the side of the panel. The version shown here has three height adjustments and fits most sliding glass doors. PetSafe also sells a variety of sliding door inserts.

Doors for Cats:

Pet doors are a no-brainer for dogs, as long as they’re exiting to a safe, enclosed space such as a backyard. But for health and safety reasons, some discourage the use of pet doors for cats, unless it’s to an enclosed outdoor playhouse, or “catio,” such as this one built by Zeigler Homestead Services in Georgia.
If you have an indoor-outdoor cat, keep in mind that cats prefer to travel through doors with hard flaps they can see through rather than soft flaps that brush against their backs, according to PetSafe.

Somerville investment property!

October 3, 2016

Attention Investors! Grab this quick! Fully-rented three-family in the hot market of East Somerville! Just steps to Sullivan Square T, Assembly Square Shops, Restaurants & Route 93 you will always have tenants! First floor has individual entrance with central air and basement access. All units have separately metered gas heat. Maintenance free vinyl siding and newer roof. Great private fenced back yard. Each level has 2 bedrooms and 1 bathroom with great details such as hardwood floors and built-ins. Realize over a 5% cap rate with market rate rents! Listed at just $944,999!

Do you really need to clean your air ducts?

September 21, 2016

Typically not unless you’ve got one of these super-gross issues.

Do you really need to pay good money to have your air ducts cleaned? The short answer is “probably not.” But before you call up dad to chant “I told you so,” it’s important to understand why you probably don’t need to do it — and why we just italicized “probably.”

Clean Air Claims!

In order for your forced-air furnace or HVAC to deliver warm and cool air into your rooms, that air has to go through a system of ducts. So technically, you’re breathing in any dust, cobwebs, pet hair, and dander that line those ducts. Sounds harmful, right?

Not according to the experts. Dan Stradford, National Air Duct Cleaners Association treasurer and CEO for Action Duct Cleaning in Los Angeles, says there are no conclusive studies saying that duct cleaning will improve your home’s indoor air quality.

Asa Foss, LEED residential technical director for the U.S. Green Building Council, concurs. “I’ve never seen any data that suggests duct cleaning has a positive impact on indoor air quality and human health,” he says.

But Foss also says that’s only true when your ducts are airtight. Leaky ducts can pull in dirty air and allergens from basements, crawlspaces, garages, and attics — and blow it all around your house, Foss says.

So unless your ducts are leaky (easily fixed with foil-backed duct tape and insulation), or you have a special need, like a compromised immune system, nasty allergies, or you just did major construction, you probably don’t need to worry about air quality when it comes to the state of your air ducts. Woo!

Special (Super Gross) Circumstances!

Of course, there are always exceptions to the rule. Both the EPA and the National Air Duct Cleaners Association recommend professional duct cleaning if you have mold growth, vermin (vermin!), or excessive amounts of dirt and debris in your ducts.

Ahh! How do you know if you have vermin in your ducts? You can actually look yourself. Do a visual inspection by pulling off the register grill and looking around with a flashlight, or stick your arm in and take a photo with your phone. (Finally, an excuse to use that selfie stick you got stuck with at your work’s white elephant gift exchange.)

If you see mold, or a dead mouse, or any run-of-the-mill nasty stuff like droppings (ew, we’re so sorry), go ahead and call in a pro. Get those ducts cleaned.

Another situation that calls for cleaning, says EPA spokesman Mark MacIntyre, is right after lead paint remediation. “You wouldn’t want to have that being dispersed into the house when you turned on the heat.”

And finally, if you’re just finicky, you just be you. Be your own special circumstance.

“We have customers [for whom] just the thought of dirty ducts is upsetting to them,” says Stradford. “It’s individual preference.”

Scam Alert!

OK, so you’re gonna clean your ducts. Your dad will be proud. But be wary of scams. Stay away from companies willing to clean your ducts for $49 or another lowball figure, Stradford says. Often they’ll do a quick inspection and some vacuuming, tell you there’s mold growth and charge you thousands for clearing it out. It’s common enough that the National Air Duct Cleaners Association has an anti-fraud task force.

Look out for duct cleaners claiming they will sanitize your system. “We can’t legally use the words ‘sanitize’ or ’disinfect,’” Stradford says. “By definition sanitizing or disinfecting requires extremely high kill rates and there’s no way we can guarantee 100 percent saturation.”

Also, cleaning your ductwork alone is not going to make a difference. A real professional knows that, and should do annual maintenance on your entire system, including the air handler (that’s what they call that big metal box outside that cranks out the noise). Otherwise, it’s the same as dusting your ceiling fan after you’ve vacuumed.

So how much will it cost, and how long is it going to take? Typically, duct cleaning takes two to five hours, but it can go on for two days if you have a large house with lots of ducts, Stradford says. On average you should spend $300 to $700.

8 tips for finding your new home!

September 17, 2016

A solid game plan can help you narrow your homebuying search to find the best home for you. House hunting is just like any other shopping expedition. If you identify exactly what you want and do some research, you’ll zoom in on the home you want at the best price. These eight tips will guide you through a smart homebuying process.

Know thyself!

Understand the type of home that suits your personality. Do you prefer a new or existing home? A ranch or a multistory home? If you’re leaning toward a fixer-upper, are you truly handy, or will you need to budget for contractors?

Research before you look!

List the features you most want in a home and identify which are necessities and which are extras. Identify three to four neighborhoods you’d like to live in based on commute time, schools, recreation, crime, and price. Then hop onto realtor.com to get a feel for the homes available in your price range in your favorite neighborhoods. Use the results to prioritize your wants and needs so you can add in and weed out properties from the inventory you’d like to view.

Get your finances in order!

Generally, lenders say you can afford a home priced two to three times your gross income. Create a budget so you know how much you’re comfortable spending each month on housing. Don’t wait until you’ve found a home and made an offer to investigate financing.

Gather your financial records and meet with a lender to get a prequalification letter spelling out how much you’re eligible to borrow. The lender won’t necessarily consider the extra fees you’ll pay when you purchase or your plans to begin a family or purchase a new car, so shop in a price range you’re comfortable with. Also, presenting an offer contingent on financing will make your bid less attractive to sellers.

Set a moving timeline!

Do you have blemishes on your credit that will take time to clear up? If you already own, have you sold your current home? If not, you’ll need to factor in the time needed to sell. If you rent, when is your lease up? Do you expect interest rates to jump anytime soon? All these factors will affect your buying, closing, and moving timelines

Think long term!

Your future plans may dictate the type of home you’ll buy. Are you looking for a starter house with plans to move up in a few years, or do you hope to stay in the home for five to 10 years? With a starter, you may need to adjust your expectations. If you plan to nest, be sure your priority list helps you identify a home you’ll still love years from now.

Work with a realtor!

Ask people you trust for referrals to a real estate professional they trust. Interview agents to determine which have expertise in the neighborhoods and type of homes you’re interested in. Because homebuying triggers many emotions, consider whether an agent’s style meshes with your personality.

Also ask if the agent specializes in buyer representation. Unlike listing agents, whose first duty is to the seller, buyers’ reps work only for you even though they’re typically paid by the seller. Finally, check whether agents are REALTORS®, which means they’re members of the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®. NAR has been a champion of homeownership rights for more than a century.

Be realistic!

It’s OK to be picky about the home and neighborhood you want, but don’t be close-minded, unrealistic, or blinded by minor imperfections. If you insist on living in a cul-de-sac, you may miss out on great homes on streets that are just as quiet and secluded.

On the flip side, don’t be so swayed by a “wow” feature that you forget about other issues — like noise levels — that can have a big impact on your quality of life. Use your priority list to evaluate each property, remembering there’s no such thing as the perfect home.

Limit the opinions you solicit!

It’s natural to seek reassurance when making a big financial decision. But you know that saying about too many cooks in the kitchen. If you need a second opinion, select one or two people. But remain true to your list of wants and needs so the final decision is based on criteria you’ve identified as important.

Keep your home purchase on track!

September 15, 2016

By: G. M. Filisko

You’ve found your dream home. Make sure missteps don’t prevent a successful closing.

A home purchase isn’t complete until you make it to the closing. Until then, the transaction can fall apart for many reasons. Here are five tips for avoiding mistakes that cause a home sale to crater.

1. Be truthful on your mortgage application!

You may think fudging your income a little or omitting debts when applying for a mortgage will go unnoticed. Not true. Lenders have become more diligent in verifying information on mortgage applications. If you fib, expect to be found out and denied the loan you need to fund your home purchase. Plus, intentionally lying on a mortgage application is a crime.

2. Hold off on big purchases!

Lenders double-check buyers’ credit right before the closing to be sure their financial condition hasn’t weakened. If you’ve opened new credit cards, significantly increased the balance on existing cards, taken out new loans, or depleted your savings, your credit score may have dropped enough to make your lender change its mind on funding your home loan. Although it’s tempting to purchase new furniture and other items for your new home, or even a new car, wait until after the closing.

3. Keep your job!

The lender may refuse to fund your loan if you quit or change jobs before you close the purchase. The time to take either step is after a home closing, not before.

4. Meet contingencies!

If your contract requires you to do something before the sale, do it. If you’re required to secure financing, promptly provide all the information the lender requires. If you must deposit additional funds into escrow, don’t stall. If you have 10 days to get a home inspection, call the inspector immediately.

5. Consider deadlines immovable!

Get your funds together a week or so before the closing, so you don’t have to ask for a delay. If you’ll need to bring a certified check to closing, get it from the bank the day before, not the day of, your closing. Treat deadlines as sacrosanct.