May 2018 mortgage

May 2018

4 Techniques

to make the most of a seller’s market

Should you rent or buy?

Ask yourself these 5 questions

Carrie Hughes also featured:

Hope Hall Sean Thompson

contents

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professionals 8

Dollars & sense — Maintaining a budget on commission

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Modern email etiquette for real estate professionals

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4 Techniques to make the most of a seller’s market

t featured cover mortgage pro

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Carrie Hughes

q featured mortgage pro

Hope Hall

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q featured mortgage pro

Sean Thompson

buyers&sellers 4

Bank on it — Home improvements that add value

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Should you rent or buy?

Ask yourself these 5 questions

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Bank on it —

Home improvements that add value There comes a time in every homeowner’s life when home improvement projects take center stage. Whether you’re preparing to put your home on the market, or simply want to spruce it up and make some upgrades for your own enjoyment, there are several improvements that give you a great return on your investment.

Here are the improvements that always add to a home’s value.

Back to Basics — It may not be as sexy as say,

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adding a steam shower (more on that later), but when considering home improvements, it’s always best to start with basic care and maintenance. Repairing or replacing worn plumbing, leaky windows, and faded, ill-fitting exterior doors are great places to start. Consider adding extra insulation and upgrading your HVAC system to keep your home more comfortable and energy efficient. Hunt for cracks and leaks in the foundation and have them repaired. Basically, if it’s involved with the structural integrity of the home, it Copyright Featured Agent Magazine

Upgrades under $100 If you don’t have the time, money, or energy to undertake a major project, these easy upgrades can give your home a fresh new look and feel.

Install Dimmer Switches — Lighting is one of the easiest ways to enhance a room. Installing dimmer switches yields great benefits, including energy savings.

Add Color — It really can’t be said enough.

Nothing changes the feel of a room faster than painting a wall in a dramatic accent color.

Hang Shelves — Whether used for storage, accent décor or a combination of both, adding wall shelves is an easy weekend project.

no tree roots heading for the pipes or overgrown limbs interfering with gutters or drainage. Conversely, if your front or back yard is looking too plain, add plants, trees, ground cover or decorative rocks. No one wants to look at a yard that’s little more than dirt, especially if you’re in the process of trying to sell.

needs to be inspected and fixed (if necessary) before starting any other projects. Doing so not only helps your home maintain its value, it catches small problems before they have a chance to turn into expensive emergency repairs.

Take it Outside — Once you have the basics covered inside, it’s time to do the same outside. Trim trees and hedges, get your lawn looking green and lush and plant flowers to add color. Be sure there are Copyright Featured Agent Magazine

Open Up Space — Whether your family is growing or you’d just like a little more breathing room, creating more space is one of the most meaningful home improvements you can make. The sale price of a home can increase up to 30% for every 1,000 square feet of space added, making it easily worth the investment. If you’re not up for the process or expense of doing an actual addition, strategically removing existing walls can create the illusion of more room and give you much more workable living space.

Create a Beautiful Bathroom — There was a time when a whirlpool tub was considered the height of home bathroom luxury, but those days are long gone. Today’s busy, stressed out homeowners want maximum relaxation with minimal time and effort.

Replacing your seldom-used bathtub with a spacious walk-in shower is an unbeatable upgrade that will always add value, not to mention aesthetic appeal. Extra points if it’s a floor-to-ceiling steam shower for the ultimate spa-like experience.

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Cook Up an Island — Ditch the breakfast nook or high-top bar counter and elevate your kitchen by adding an island. It will bring in extra storage and much-needed counter space, not to mention being the stuff Instagram envy is made of. If a built-in island isn’t in the cards, there are many stylish moveable kitchen islands that can give you the same look and functionality at a fraction of the cost. If you’re not sure an island is the way to go, a portable island can help you decide if you want to follow through with building a permanent one.

Look Under Your Feet — Flooring is an often overlooked aspect of your home that can either detract or add value, depending on what state it’s in. If your tile, hardwood, or bamboo floors are still structurally sound but looking a little worse for wear, have them thoroughly cleaned and polished. If your place is still bogged down in wall-to-wall carpet, it’s definitely time 6

to start doing something about it. If you can’t afford to go all out and replace every room with new flooring, start with largest living area and work your way through the rest of the house.

Get Green — Adding green home features, such as solar panels, super-efficient HVAC systems, or lowflow plumbing instantly increase your home’s value.

Many prospective homeowners are looking for green homes and won’t even consider listings that don’t have at least a few green features. Plus, it won’t take long to reap a return on your investment when you see how much you save on utilities.

These are just a few of the upgrades that can add value and beauty to your home. When choosing what home improvements to pursue, adding value is important, but what’s even more important is that the change you make adds to the love and enjoyment of your home.

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featuredagent Hope Hall magazine

Hope Hall hadn’t anticipated a career in mortgage lending, but after diving into the industry at age 21, she knew it was natural fit. Her prior work experience instilled in her a sense for person-to-person communication and she had a talent for detail work and relationship-building.

Eventually, Hope moved on to a more competitive brokerage where she earned additional experience, ultimately opening her own brokerage in 2007. Initially, Hope worked from her home office while raising her young children. Her diligence and focus allowed her to have success during the tough years following the Recession of 2007, and she opened the doors to her own brick-and-mortar office for Hall Lending Group in 2011. For the past 17 years, Hope has applied her tenacity to build a steadfast reputation for sincerity, industry knowledge, and consistent results.

Today, Hope leads a tight-knit group of mortgage professionals that includes three additional originators and a processor to streamline workflow. While Hall Lending Group is licensed throughout the state of Iowa, Hope primarily serves the Cedar Rapids area, with her colleagues regularly covering the regions of Des Moines, Waterloo, Iowa City, and the many small towns scattered throughout. With 80% of their business stemming from repeat and referral clientele, Hope and her team are guided by the foundational principles of communication, knowledge-sharing, and an authentic investment in their clients’ long-term financial health. “Our clients are more than just numbers to us,” she says. “By the time a transaction has closed with my clients, I can tell you when their daughter’s birthday party is, or the date of her upcoming recital. We take time to get to know who we’re working with and build a relationship along the way.”

What’s more, Hope is dedicated to empowering her clients through a market education. As a result, what can often feel like an overwhelmingly complex process becomes enjoyable, and clients achieve a more holistic

understanding of their financial health. “I never mind a little extra hand-holding,” Hope says. “When we work with clients, we try to take them through every step of the process — explaining what their credit score means, how the lending process will work, and how we’ll achieve that end game together.”

Hope and her team also favor a transparent, straightforward approach when working with clients. Even when bumps in the road arise, Hope and her team always come to their clients with the truth and a solution in hand. Likewise, she and her team are experienced in sourcing unconventional solutions for clients of all kinds. Backed by the largest wholesale lending company in the nation, Hope and her team have access to a range of products — from loan options that serve those with lower credit scores, to jumbo loans up to $680,000, that boast the most competitive rates and can close in just 20 days. In fact, speed and accuracy are Hope’s forte. Considering her near two decades of experience, she has the knowledge and wherewithal to serve clients’ every real estate need. “The fact that we can close a loan in 20 days or less is a big valueadd for our clients,” she explains. “Regardless, I never think of loan closings as a paycheck. I know that the families we work with have their boxes packed and they’re ready to go, so I take my role personally.”

To give back to her community, Hope participates in sponsorships for local little league teams. In her free hours, she relishes time spent with her two children, and enjoys participating in sports, and plays on a year-round recreational indoor/outdoor volleyball team. She also competes in the occasional triathlon or mud run.

All in all, Hope is impressively versatile, and lives by the motto: “You can’t control the wind, but you can direct your sales.” With that proactive, undaunted demeanor in place, Hope plans to continue guiding her business as it grows organically, while staying true to the ‘boutique-level’ service clients have come to expect. Hope has now cemented herself as a community builder and an indispensable guide for the aspiring homeowners of Iowa.

Hope Hall

Hall Lending Group | Cedar Rapids, IA 319.899.3820 | hope.hall@gmail.com | www.HallLendingGroup.com NMLS# 3938 Copyright Featured Agent Magazine

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Dollars & sense —

Maintaining a budget on commission

Most mortgage professional agree, one of their favorite aspects of their career is not having a ceiling on their income potential. However, because mortgage lending is not a traditional job with a predictable paycheck every two weeks, it is important to plan accordingly.

Here are several tips to help mortgage professionals avoid being cash-strapped during slow periods.

Determine your baseline — Total up all your monthly bills and living expenses so you know exactly how much money will be going out every month.

This way you’ll know the minimum you need to make or save to carry over from the previous month to cover the basics.

Start saving for emergencies — Having a cash cushion to fall back on will give you peace of mind.

Start depositing a portion of every commission into an accessible (but not too accessible) savings account reserved exclusively for true emergencies, such as major medical bills, home repairs, or a long lull between commissions. Having emergency funds in place will help you avoid turning to credit cards if you face a tough month.

Plan ahead for expenses — Be sure your monthly budget allows for all types of expenses: fixed, variable and periodic. Fixed expenses are the ones you can count on month after month, such as rent and your car payments. Variable expenses may also occur monthly, but they will be different each time; think utilities and groceries. Periodic expenses are the 8

ones that only happen once or a few times a year, such as car registration, property taxes or purchasing birthday and holiday gifts. Place these on the calendar and start saving for them in advance so you’re not caught off guard when they inevitably come up.

Avoid relying on credit — When you’re waiting for that big commission to come in, it’s tempting to charge up your credit cards with the intention of paying them off once you get the funds. But a lot can happen between now and then. If you end up with credit card bills you can’t pay off right away, you will be accruing interest charges and always chasing that next big payday to try to catch up. Keep credit card use to a minimum and if you do use them, have a plan in place to pay them off quickly.

Keep expenses and spending in check — When commissions are rolling in regularly, it’s tempting to overspend. But remember, the market depends on a number of factors, many of which are outside your control. If you spend every last penny of each commission, you’re setting yourself up for financial hardship down the road. Go ahead and treat yourself now and then, but be sure you’re saving with an eye on the future.

Budgeting for an unpredictable income can sometimes be challenging, but it’s worth it when you consider the many incredible benefits of a career in lending. With some planning and care, you will be able to enjoy the good times and sail through the challenging ones.

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Modern email etiquette

for real estate professionals In today’s tech-savvy landscape, we’re regularly flooded with emails, evites, blasts from social media, and constant newsletter updates. Whether you’re a real estate agent refining your practice, or a loan officer brushing up on the digital basics, how do you stand apart from all that noise in your client’s inbox?

For starters, there are plenty of modern ways to update your email etiquette for the 21st century. From email plug-ins to social media crossovers, take a look below for a few ideas that can revolutionize the way you communicate with your clients via email.

Cater to mobile devices — Studies indicate that nearly 80% of Americans check their phones within 15 minutes of waking up in the morning — though it doesn’t take much research to recognize the prevalence Copyright Featured Agent Magazine

of mobile devices in our lives. In fact, most emails are accessed on the go, using a phone or tablet. With that in mind, it’s essential to tailor your email communications to be viewed and interacted with on a mobile phone. Here’s an idea: style your communications using paragraph breaks and bullet points for utmost readability on limited screen space. Also, keep in mind that graphics or links within your email should be streamlined and optimized for mobile consumption. If you’re not sure how mobile-friendly your emails are, BCC yourself on your next email blast and cross-check your communications using your phone.

Stylize your subject line — Too often, agents and loan officers forget the importance of the subject line and instead focus all their energy on an email’s content. If you’re sending out a promotional email, the

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subject line is just as important as all the information within. A well-crafted subject line can entice readers to open your email and (ideally) click-through to your site or social media pages. Inviting subject lines are short, sweet, and use less than 50 characters. Personalizing subject lines also helps, so try adding the name of the email’s recipient. Also, being straightforward about your subject matter is shown to be a plus when it comes to open-rates. When it comes down to it, if you want recipients to read on, you’ll need to make the most of the subject headline.

Expand your online presence — There is no shortage of communication channels — text messages, downloadable apps, social media, video chatting, and more. When you reach out to a client or lead through email, think of it as a chance to bolster your other portals. For instance, include clickable badges that allow clients to find you on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, or LinkedIn. If you include links to any of these pages, or to your site, in your email signature, make sure these are activated hyperlinks, and that they’re streamlined for readability. This makes it easy for recipients to extend their engagement with you and your 10

brand by easily clicking-through to your social media pages, website, or testimonial page.

Utilize email-enhancing add-ons — Just a download away, you can incorporate helpful widgets and add-ons to your email communications, such as spellcheck or a built-in URL shortening feature.

There’s even a plug-in that holds onto email for an extra 90 seconds in case you’d like to “unsend” and edit your correspondence. How many times have you sent an email without the attachment included? Or perhaps you’ve messaged the wrong client, or accidentally pressed send just as you spotted typos in your text?

These often-free features professionalize your email voice without any added work on your part.

Sure, email is one of the older tech tools in your arsenal, but it’s also one of the most effective. Modernize this workhorse and you’ll be reaping the benefits with just a few keystrokes. The best agents and loan officers stay ahead of the curve when it comes to business-boosting tech tools, so keep these tips in mind as you turn your email correspondence into high-class, contemporary communications.

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Carrie Hughes Copyright Featured Agent Magazine

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Carrie Hughes Carrie Hughes received her first taste of the real estate industry back in high school, working as a part-time receptionist at a Century 21 office in her hometown.

After learning firsthand the industry’s ins and outs, she became the office manager and went on to earn her license. In 2000, Carrie found herself working alongside a mortgage broker connected to her office, helping with day-to-day duties and getting a sense for the industry along the way. In short order, she fell in love with the creative problem-solving and puzzle work of the mortgage business and decided to make a pivotal transition to a new sector of the real estate world. Today, Carrie has crafted a masterful reputation for client-centered service focused on communication, advocacy, and relationships built to last.

Carrie and her team at Peoples Mortgage Company are based in Peoria, Arizona, though she is licensed in

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both Arizona and California, and serves clients across both states. Her business is 98% driven by repeat and referral clientele within her ever-growing network — a model track record of success. What keeps business booming? Carries cites an abiding commitment to proactive communication and the ability to think outside the box no matter a client’s circumstances.

“We’re always available and able to be reached, seven days a week. We also try to give everyone the opportunity to get into a home. Even if a certain case isn’t straightforward and requires a little extra work — we will do our best to find a way,” she explains. “We strive for exceptional customer service and go the extra mile to explain the whole process to our clients, with a focus on education. We want our clients to feel good about the process and not encounter any surprises — that’s why we commit to full disclosure and work really hard to maintain a referral-based business.”

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“I love helping my clients get from start to finish.

There’s nothing more rewarding than helping people achieve that dream of homeownership and witnessing their excitement when they’re handed those keys.”

Considering her nearly two decades worth of experience in the industry, Carrie has learned to be undaunted by a challenge. Backed by Peoples Mortgage Company, she has access to an impressive range of loan products that cater to the varying needs of the aspiring homebuyers she serves. “We’re creative, ethical, and always do what we can to get things done,” she says. “We take on a lot of different types of files — even the difficult ones. Because we have access to so many products, we specialize in files that a lot of mortgage brokers aren’t willing to look at.”

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Carrie and her team go beyond the transactional details to connect with their clients on an interpersonal level. From round-the-clock accessibility to empowering her clients through education, Carrie’s primary focus is on meaningful relationships that outlast the closing. As a result, many of her earliest clients remain close friends and continue to enlist her services today. “Each client and their circumstances are different, but I like to get personal,” she says. “I make sure that whatever product we’re looking into meets my clients’ long-term goals, in addition to being 13

right for their particular situation. I try to foster a nurturing relationship built on empathy and care.”

To extend her spirit of service to her community, Carrie gives back through her work with the Veterans Association of Real Estate Professionals (VAREP), the Phoenix Children’s Hospital, and through sponsorship at her children’s local elementary school. In her remaining free hours, Carrie most enjoys quality time spent with her family and loved ones, cheering on her kids at their baseball games and other sporting events, and enjoying Arizona’s great outdoors.

Looking toward the future, Carrie plans to continue growing her business, steadily expanding her

network while delivering the same high-caliber service her clientele has come to rely upon. Considering what she enjoys most about her career, Carrie says, “I love helping my clients get from start to finish. There’s nothing more rewarding than helping people achieve that dream of homeownership and witnessing their excitement when they’re handed those keys.”

Now, with nearly 20 years of experience behind her and an unrelenting eye on the years to come, the road ahead is bound to yield continued prosperity for Carrie Hughes.

Carrie Hughes Peoples Mortgage Company | Peoria, AZ 480.360.0563 | chughes@peoplesmortgage.com | www.chughes.loans.peoplesmortgage.com NMLS# 240551 | Company NMLS# 6274 | Equal Housing Lender 14

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4 Techniques

to make the most of a seller’s market These days, demand for homes seems at an all-time high. List prices are up, multiple bidders are the norm, and homes are flying off the market faster than they have in years. If you’re representing a buyer, it may appear that your work has already been done for you. However, don’t miss out on the opportunity to make the very most of today’s seller’s market and capitalize on this uncommon upswing.

A few words go a long way — As you craft a written description of a home for sale, you’ll want to keep in mind the key phrases that research tells us are among the most popular searches. For instance: fenced backyard, natural light, open concept, and updated kitchen, are all top-of-the-list descriptors that buyers desire most. On the other hand, consider a few Copyright Featured Agent Magazine

phrases that are worth nixing as you compose a home’s details: custom-built, gourmet kitchen, and golf course, surprisingly rank lower on search results.

Why? While you might yield a specific type of buyer seeking these luxury amenities, the average buyer considers these features too over-the-top to be taken seriously as an affordable, bang-for-your-buck property. Other positive words and descriptions that go a long way are: well-maintained, renovated, move-in condition, landscaping, and beautiful. These may seem obvious, but parse your words carefully and you may source the ideal buyer in the process.

Be strategic in the showings you offer — While common knowledge dictates that agents should offer showing opportunities at every possible turn 15

when a buyer is interested, it may actually behoove you to limit the number of showings you offer. The rationale behind this choice? In a seller’s market, demand is already high. If you create limited showing times that cause potential buyers to overlap, you may inspire a sense of healthy competition that can boost the number of bids and up the price-point of offers.

The added upside is that potential buyers won’t be traipsing through your clients’ home at all hours of the day and evening.

Preparation is everything — Don’t make the mistake of assuming that a seller’s market means a home will sell itself. Take the proper time and steps to prepare a home for market. From staging and video, to virtual tours and professional photography, showcasing a home in its best light will directly impact the number and nature of the bids you receive. Selling a home is not an everyday occurrence, and a seller’s market isn’t an open-ended guarantee. To make the most of this limited 16

window, do your homework, execute accordingly, and you’ll exceed even your own expectations — while fetching top dollar.

Debut on a Friday — A good trick to boost your listing’s visibility is to debut it on a Friday. For ultimate placement in searches, set your listing to debut at midnight between Thursday and Friday — this will ensure top placement in new results. Interest in homes for sale will spike as the weekend draws closer, so set up your listing to shine and the momentum should carry you through to the next week as you reap interest and showing appointments.

Don’t rest on your laurels as a seller’s season blows by. Once it’s gone, you’ll wish you had made the most of it in any way you could. Keep these tips in mind as you strategize in the current selling climate and your clients will be singing your praises in the seasons to come.

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featuredagent Sean Thompson magazine

When musician Sean Thompson was in his 20’s, he began seeking out industries that would help finance the recording of his album.

It was then that a friendly representative from a small mortgage company reached out and offered to show him the ropes of the lending industry as a way to empower his ambitions. While his record was ultimately shelved, new aspirations began to emerge.

“The good news is, I’m all the better for it,” Sean remembers. “I ended up becoming passionate about the industry and my career really took off.” Today, Sean has been in business for close to 20 years, and over the course of his career, he’s fine-tuned his service to focus on a niche loan offering that’s enjoying renewed growth: renovation financing. All the while, he’s built a reputation for visionary service, creative problem-solving, and helping clients and agents alike think outside the box when it comes to customizing property.

In today’s HGTV-influenced landscape, the potential to customize a property to a buyer’s liking is an ideal endeavor. While knowledge of renovation financing isn’t as widespread as other loan products, Sean believes that his specialty service taps new potential for buyers, sellers, REALTORS,® and contractors alike.

“We’re creating a market around a need,” he says. “I find this type of service really rewarding. People want that customization when it comes to the place they’re going to settle in and call home. More than ever, buyers want to make their homes uniquely their own, and it’s our job to help REALTORS® guide customers through that process and make it available as a valuable service.”

“Clients put down a small percentage of the combined cost to buy the home and to renovate it. They get one payment, one loan, one closing,” Sean explains. “At the time of closing, we pay off the seller, and hold the money identified as renovation funds, in an escrow account. Those funds are then distributed to the contractor of the borrower’s choosing once the work is completed after closing.” For sellers and REALTORS,® this process allows less-than-perfect properties to move off the market, since the renovation is built into the home’s purchase. Likewise, buyers searching for the perfect home that have come up fruitless, or who want to create a nest that’s precisely customized, can source a property with potential and make it their own.

Looking ahead, Sean has plans to continue growing his business and crafting the renovation financing department of Caliber Home Loans. He also plans to embark on a home tour in the Tri-State area in the months ahead, in an effort to educate REALTORS® and contractors on the benefits of renovation financing and the opportunities it can provide. In his free hours, Sean most enjoys time spent with his family and loved ones. All the while, he still manages to find time to perform his music in Manhattan, cook gourmet meals, and cheer on his daughter’s gymnastics team. Now, with close to two decades of experience behind him and a commitment to visionary thinking, the future is bound to yield continued success for Sean Thompson.

Primarily serving the Eastern US, today Sean works as the Manager for Renovation Lending with Caliber Home Loans, one of the nation’s largest non-bank mortgage companies. Thus far, he’s trained over 5,000 REALTORS® and contractors in the use of renovation financing, while his influential thinking continues to inspire more and more industry professionals.

Sean makes a mindful effort to educate industry colleagues on the advantages of renovation financing. “By learning how to add renovation financing into your arsenal, you can get more homes sold,” he explains.

“Technology is on our side and right now, we have an opportunity to seize the moment. I want our group to be considered the place to go for renovation financing.”

Sean never loses sight of the interpersonal component of buying a home and sees his work as a way of giving others a chance at limitless potential. “We spend most of our time making sure clients are getting value — that’s what I live and work by,” he says. “Our team is knowledgeable about a concept that can seem pretty intimidating. Even though breaking ground on a renovation project looks fun on TV, when you’re going through it yourself, it really helps to have someone like us on your side.”

Sean Thompson

Caliber Home Loans Inc. NMLS ID 15622 | Bridgewater, NJ 908.300.5709 | Sean.Thompson@CaliberHomeLoans.com | www.FindRenovationFinancing.com Copyright Featured Agent Magazine

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Should you rent or buy?

Ask yourself these 5 questions

Any milestone life event, such as getting married or divorced, having a baby, relocating for a new job, or sending adult children out into the world, can put you in the position of having to choose whether to rent or buy your residence. There was a time when conventional wisdom dictated that buying was always the better choice, but the ’08 housing crash changed that.

Now, experts advise that people make the decision to rent or buy based on more than whether or not they can afford a mortgage payment, and take several other factors into account as well. Here are five questions to ask yourself when deciding whether to rent or buy the next place you call home.

How Stable is Your Life? — None of us can

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predict the future, but before choosing to buy a home, you need to have a general idea of where you see yourself in the next five years. Do you have a good job that you enjoy and plan on keeping? Is your relationship status likely to change? Will you be adding to your family — or will it be shrinking when kids move out?

Are you making plans to travel extensively? The way you answer all these questions will factor into your decision to buy or rent. Bottom line: If your life is reasonably stable and you foresee it staying that way, buying a home may be the way to go. If not, continue to rent until things settle down.

Have You Saved for a Down Payment?

While in some cases it’s possible to purchase a home Copyright Featured Agent Magazine

You may find that as your life changes, you end up being both a renter and homeowner at different points along the way.

a larger space and using more water. Making sure you’re financially prepared before buying a house will help ensure you get to enjoy your new home and not struggle with being “house poor.”

Are You Prepared to Furnish and Decorate?

Furnishing and decorating a home takes vision, time, effort and, of course, money. Even the most committed minimalist doesn’t want to live in a space that’s devoid of personality (or furniture). And really, at least half the fun of owning a home is making it your own with paint, décor and furnishings. When you’re working out your financials, don’t forget to factor in the cost of decorating the home.

without a down payment, most financial experts advise against it for a number of reasons. For one, buying a home without a down payment means a higher mortgage payment and will also require private mortgage insurance. Additionally, sellers are more likely to accept an offer that includes a down payment, especially in competitive markets.

Can You Afford the Monthly Costs? — As a renter, monthly housing costs are generally limited to rent, utilities and perhaps, renter’s insurance.

When you buy a home, your monthly costs on top of the mortgage payment can include property taxes, HOA fees, yard maintenance, and higher utility bills than you’re used to because you’re heating or cooling Copyright Featured Agent Magazine

Do You Really Want to Own a Home?

This may seem like an obvious question, but it’s worth doing some soul searching to figure out if you’re really ready to be a homeowner. Many people buy a home because they feel it’s the logical “next step,” or because friends and family pressure them into making an investment, only to find it wasn’t what they really wanted. Spend some time really thinking about your needs, your goals, and the life you want to live. If you come out of it feeling energized and excited about the prospect of owning your piece of the American Dream, go for it! If not, keep renting until you feel differently.

Ultimately, there’s no right or wrong answer for whether anyone should rent or buy their home. It’s a decision entirely based on each person’s unique set of circumstances. And remember, nothing is forever. You may find that as your life changes, you end up being both a renter and homeowner at different points along the way.

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