Ashley Bryant, Author at blog.allentate.com

22 Jan 2019

Regardless of whether or not you plan to sell anytime soon, it’s a good idea to keep a pulse on how much your home is worth relative to the market around it. How do I determine what my home's worth? For your most accurate assessment of your home, it's best to contact a Realtor that will conduct a comparative market analysis based on the local real estate market, as well as trends specific to your area and neighborhood. What factors affect my home's value? In typical market conditions, home values tend to appreciate, granted you maintain it well. Here are some factors that can affect your home's value one way or another: Market conditions, i.e., how much inventory is on the market at any...

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9 Jan 2019

Pre-approval vs. pre-qualification: What’s the difference, anyway?

by Ashley Bryant

First-Time Homebuyer, Mortgage

Make sure when speaking to your lender that you get their definition of prequalification and preapproval . Not everyone has the same definition. ...

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4 Jan 2019

Buying a home? Learn about your down payment options now

by Ashley Bryant

Mortgage

Lack of savings and the inability to outlay any cash for a down payment continues to be the biggest hurdle facing first time home buyers. Unfortunately, many would-be buyers incorrectly assume they must come to the closing table with a hefty amount of money, and as a result, they continue to delay homeownership. Yes, lenders love to see buyers put 20% down, but they also know that amount of money is very difficult for first-time buyers to amass. Just to give you a baseline, in 2018, the median down payment was 13% for all buyers and 7% for first-time buyers, according to the National Association of Realtors. So if you’re considering buying your first home but stopped your search when you came...

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13 Dec 2018

How much house can I afford?

by Ashley Bryant

First-Time Homebuyer, Mortgage

Shopping for homes before realistically evaluating your monthly capacity to service a mortgage is like falling in love with a golden retriever puppy before you’ve read the rental property contract clause about pet ownership. And that’s no fun, my friends. “Many times we see buyers falling head-over-heels in love with a home only to realize it’s way over their budget," says Vice President of Loan Origination for Allen Tate Mortgage, Lisa Green. So for all of us who’ve been told not once, but maybe more than a few times that we have champagne dreams on a beer budget, this process is for you. Don’t hit the panic button just yet— here’s how to make sure your new home doesn’t break the...

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22 Oct 2018

Kitchen cleaning hacks

by Ashley Bryant

Homeownership

As a self-proclaimed neat freak, I can appreciate a good cleaning tip or two. And with Thanksgiving exactly one month away, I’m kicking up my cleaning game. Looking for ways to deep clean your kitchen before you invite the masses over to feast on turkey and sweet potato pie? You can be sure to impress even your most OCD family member with these tips. Vent hood Go ahead find the vent hood in your kitchen. Chances are you’ve never even seen this thing, let alone attempted to clean it. This one’s easy: Just grab some borax and treat the vent hood to a nice relaxing soak in hot water. It’ll be as good as clean in an hour or so. Oven Nobody...

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16 Aug 2018

How to get pre-approved for a mortgage

by Ashley Bryant

Mortgage

If you’re seriously considering purchasing a home, one of your first steps is to get pre-approved for a mortgage. The process is relatively painless and when you’re finished you can shop for homes with confidence. Don’t know the first thing about getting pre-approved and what’s needed to move forward with the process? Here’s everything you wanted to know about getting pre-approved. How does a pre-approval differ from a pre-qualification? I’m so glad you asked! It’s important to first understand the difference between the two terms, as they’re actually very different and you’ll want to make sure you understand what you’re getting into. A pre-qualification is an approximation based on info you verify as to how much you’re able to borrow from the bank. Approximation is...

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13 Jul 2018

4 ways to be a competitive buyer in a sellers’ market

by Ashley Bryant

First-Time Homebuyer

Feel like looking for a home these days is akin to gearing up for battle? You’ll need thick skin and a game plan to conquer today’s real estate market. Quell the competition and declare victory over your next offer submission when you arm yourself with these four tips. 1. Get pre-approved Getting pre-approved is quite possibly the most important step you can take in the beginning of the home buying process. You should do this before you ever step foot in a Realtor’s office and before you even browse for properties online. Unlike a pre-qualification, which is traditionally an automated review of your credit report, credit score and stated application information, a pre-approval scrutinizes every aspect of your creditworthiness. A pre-approval determines exactly how much...

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3 Jul 2018

10 things you must do after closing

by Ashley Bryant

Buying, Homeownership

From decluttering to packing to labeling and organizing your belongings, there’s a lot that goes into packing up one home and moving to another. But what about all the items that need to be accomplished after you sign your name on the dotted line? Overwhelmed with odds and ends? Use our complete guide to make sure no task is left undone. 1. Turn on the lights Don’t get caught in the dark. Make sure to transfer power, water and gas (if applicable) to your new address. It’s a good idea to go ahead and get on the schedule for cable and internet service, too. 2. Plan for moving day If you have small children or pets, you’ll need to do some planning ahead of time...

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5 Jun 2018

Benefits of shopping local when it comes to a mortgage lender

by Ashley Bryant

Buying, First-Time Homebuyer, Mortgage

In today’s fast-paced, blink-and-you’ll-miss-it real estate market, buyers need all the help they can get. Many prospective buyers exasperated from losing bidding war after bidding war are looking for something—anything—that will help their bid stand out. So if you’re about to pick up a pen to compose a heart-wrenching letter to the seller of your dream home, read this first. Would it surprise you to find out that shopping locally for a mortgage is actually one of the best things you can do when it comes to having your bid accepted? “A lot of people think that the highest bid is the one the seller automatically chooses— and ultimately there’s a lot more to it than that,” says Allen Tate Mortgage’s...

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3 May 2018

5 mistakes sellers make

by Ashley Bryant

Selling

If you thought the 2017 housing market was hot, get ready for a scorcher in 2018. And while this year’s market will continue to be a warm day at the beach for sellers, there’s still mistakes to be made. Receive top dollar for your home when you avoid these five most common (and costly) missteps. Not working with a Realtor Often times a seller’s market fools people into thinking they can make even more money by selling their home without the help of an expert. “Not so fast,” says Allen Tate Realtors President, Phyllis Brookshire. “Don’t underestimate the value of letting a professional sell your home. Realtors know the housing market and understand how to correctly price your home; in fact, the...

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Older Posts

Author: Ashley Bryant

How much is my home worth?

Pre-approval vs. pre-qualification: What’s the difference, anyway?

Buying a home? Learn about your down payment options now

How much house can I afford?

Kitchen cleaning hacks

How to get pre-approved for a mortgage

4 ways to be a competitive buyer in a sellers’ market

10 things you must do after closing

Benefits of shopping local when it comes to a mortgage lender

5 mistakes sellers make

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