Posts

Showing posts from November, 2017

5 Finance Tips for First-Time Homebuyers

Image
Buying a home at the Lake of the Ozarks can be a fun and exciting experience. But finding the right home is just one step in the process. Getting approved for a home loan is just as important. So to help you get on the right track to be approvable for your first home loan, the best real estate team at the Lake of the Ozarks wants to offer 5 finance tips to help the first-time homebuyer get approved for a home loan! Start Saving for a Down Payment Depending on your lender and the type of loan you choose, your required down payment can range from 2.25% to 20% of the purchase price of the home. Consider coming up with a monthly budget and putting back money automatically from your paycheck into a savings account. There are loan options out there, such as an FHA loan, which helps home buyers who can only afford to make a small down payment, so be sure to look into all of your options. Check Your Credit Score Having a lower credit score doesn't necessarily prevent you from ge

Should You Rent or Buy?

Image
Owning a home is the American dream. But it isn't always right for everyone. If you're considering whether buying or renting is best for you, there are several factors you need to be considering. While  Team Andy Gibson  wants to help make your dream of  buying a home at Lake of the Ozarks  a reality, we also know that it may not be the right time. So this week, we're taking a look at the advantages and disadvantages of renting vs buying to help make your decision making easier: Advantages of Buying Unlike renters, homeowners build equity over time. Several tax benefits cater exclusively to homeowners, saving money every year just for owning. When you own, you're free to get creative with your home. You can paint walls, add new bathroom fixtures, update your kitchen, finish your basement, or build a patio or deck to your heart’s content. Since homeowners tend to stay in their homes for longer than renters, they’re more likely to put down roots in their communiti

7 Advantages to Hiring Team Andy Gibson to Manage Your Rental Property

Image
While real estate is a large part of what we do, we also offer  property management services at the Lake of the Ozarks . Andy began his real estate career as a long-term leasing manager in 2010. Andy’s extensive experience as a property manager at the Lake of the Ozarks makes him the logical choice when choosing a property manager to care for your investment property. Here are 7 advantages of hiring  Team Andy Gibson  that can benefit your investment goals. 1. Marketing Your Property When you decide to rent out your home or condo, part of the process of finding a tenant is marketing the property. When hiring a property manager to handle this process for you, you can be sure the advertising used will be crafted to draw in interest to reach prospects more quickly. There is also a certain strategy to marketing properties to avoid scams or unwanted visitors from showing up to your property and causing damage. Our experience in knowing how to word advertising and what information

5 Tips to Help You Purge Before Moving into Your New Home

Image
Buying a home at the Lake of the Ozarks is a very exciting time! However, moving can feel like an overwhelming process when you're looking at all the things you need to move into your new home. But it really doesn't have to be stressful if you take the time to purge what you no longer need. So, where to start? Well, we've got some helpful tips to make purging before you pack easy. Check it out.  1. Clean Out Your Closets This is probably the toughest purging task you're going to have to go through, so we suggest starting here first to give yourself plenty of time. Chances are you've been holding onto some clothing items for quite some time in hopes that you'll one day be able to wear them again. Before you know it, you're rifling through your closet and stumble across items you haven't worn in years. What do you usually do in that instance? Keep it because now that you remember it, you might wear it one day... or not. Now's the time to be

Understanding How Your Home's Value is Determined

Image
There comes a time in many people's lives when they must consider selling a home at the Lake of the Ozarks . Whether it's to upsize or downsize, or because they've accepted a new job, or simply because they just want a change of scenery, one question is always the same: How much is my home worth? Team Andy Gibson can help you determine the best price to market your home for by conducting a comparative market analysis. But the best and surest way to know your home's value is to get it professionally appraised. Now, there are many factors that determine the value of a home. So let's take a look at some of these factors and see why they affect your home's value. The Current Real Estate Market The current real estate market has a large influence on how your home is appraised. Homes appraised during a “seller's-market”, or a market that’s saturated with a ton of buyers and not enough inventory to accommodate all of them, will be appraised higher. On the