Real Estate Blog

With cooler weather around the corner, it is a good time for a little fall maintenance before winter hits. Here are a few great tips you can use to be better prepared.

1) If you like the ambience of a wood burning fireplace - take the time and money to have the chimney and firebox inspected by professionals. Be sure to clean before your first fire of the season. You will enjoy the "safety" of these projects the entire season.

2} Be sure to shut off exterior faucets and drain garden hoses. Move the hoses and other items that may freeze indoors during the cold season to avoid freezing. Check to see that all water is removed from exterior pipes.

3) Cold weather season is not a good time to discover roof problems.  Check your roof (binoculars do this beautifully). Hire a professional if you notice missing or damaged shingles.  Water, ice, snow and even wind will do serious damage to compromised roof and may cause interior problems, too,

4) Call your favorite furnace company and ask for a no-cost inspection to give you peace of mind about receiving warm air when it is cold outside.  

Remember to change the filters to keep things clean and fresh to insure good airflow throughout the entire home.

5) Grab your caulking gun and fill in the gaps around pipes and wiring that enter your home. Seal around doors and windows to create a tight seal that keeps cold air out and warm air inside. This will also discourage mice, insects and water from entering your home.

6) As you enjoy the gorgeous Fall foliage, keep in mind those leaves will fall off. Be sure to keep the gutters on your home free of debris that will block the water flow. Downspouts and gutters are critical for keeping water directed away from your home foundation.

"HAPPY FALL YA'LL"

"You've got a Friend in Real Estate"

Jarod Tanksley 615.403.8265

www.BrentwoodandBeyond.com

Brentview Realty 615.373.2814

Through these unprecedented times, we’ve been hard-pressed to find good news.  I’m pleased to say that here in the mortgage industry we have been blessed with interest rates at all-time lows, allowing us to help a record number of homebuyers and homeowners.

These low rates have fueled a refinance boom and has helped home buyers increase their buying power.  Prior to the drop-in rates, many buyers were locking in the low 4’s and high 3’s.  Now many buyers are able to borrow at rates in the 2’s.

For easy math, let’s look at a thirty-year loan of $400,000.  At 4% interest that would result in a principal and interest payment of $1,909.66.  That same loan at 3% would yield a payment of $1,686.42.  That 1% difference in rate provides savings of over $223 per month.  And a buyer who qualified for a $400,000 loan at the 4% rate would qualify for a $450,000 loan at a 3% rate.  These low rates are also allowing many buyers to consider a 15-year loan where they could not in the past.

Some segments of the buying population may find the terms not quite as attractive, however.  Buyers looking at Jumbo loans may find they need to come up with a larger down payment and the rates on Jumbo loans aren’t as low as those within the conforming loan limits.  Also, buyers with credit scores on the lower end of the spectrum are findings the price adjustments cause their rates to be higher than they would expect considering how low rates are in general.  My advice for buyers in these situations is to seek pre-approval early to see if any action needs to be taken to address credit issues or to free up funds for a larger down payment.  Of course, I always recommend one get pre-qualified in advance of looking at homes.  It really is never too early to research your options and set a plan.

We’ve seen a lot of people who now find that they can work from home.  And many people have found that they can make that home wherever they like.  “Location, location, location” has been replaced by functionality and “room to roam”.  It is less about the commute to the office as it is the walk to the swimming pool.

Whatever moves you to consider a home purchase, make sure to get your loan approval out of the way early so you can shop with confidence and with a plan in place.

Todd Wiggins Loan Originator, NMLS 211744 with FirstBank Mortgage 615-554-1983 mobile

todd.wiggins@firstbankonline.com  https://fbmortgageloans.com/lo/twiggins/

... and remember..."You've Got A Friend in Real Estate"

Jarod Tanksley 615.403.8265

www.BrentwoodandBeyond.com

Brentview Realty 615.373.2814