4 Common Mistakes Home Buyers Make and How to Avoid Them

Buying a home can be a very overwhelming experience and often times people get so caught up in the home buying process that they lose sight of what is most important to them. It’s like they say “sometimes it is difficult to see the forest Home Buying helpthrough the trees.  When you are shopping for your new home we don’t want you to have to go through any extra hassle than is already involved with buying a home. That is why we put together this list of 4 common mistakes home buyers make and how to avoid them!

Mistake # 1: Purchasing Emotionally

Trying to purchase (potentially) one of the largest items of your life takes a lot of careful planning, this begins with the highest priority. Everyone’s priorities are different and for some people this maybe a better location, closer to work or better schools, for others it maybe upsizing due to family growth or even downsizing because the nest is (finally) empty.  No matter what the reason, it’s important to keep this priority on the forefront of the entire process.  Many times during the exciting search couples or individuals get hung up on the house they feel is “perfect” due to the quaint shutters, large wrap around porch, big colonial style columns or any other reason you fall in love with a house.  This is how people end up purchasing emotionally and stop using their heads.  Granted you need to find a place you like but keep in mind the reason you began your search, if you get too caught up in the emotional roller coaster of the purchase you could end up purchasing a home you never really wanted or end up paying too much.

Mistake # 2: Guesstimating How Much you can Afford

Like they say “numbers don’t lie!” the problem is you have to be sure you add them up correctly.  When deciding how much you can afford, this can turn out to be the most important aspect.  It is always great to have an idea of how much you are willing to spend and what a fixed rate mortgage is going to cost you each month over the term of the loan but what about all of the other costs like insurance, taxes, HOAs, moving costs, extra commute and depending on where you are moving to the change in the cost of living.  Depending on what stage you are at in the home search it may be in your best interest you to sit down with a mortgage broker or other financial guru to discuss all of the costs that will be involved, I would hate to be finalizing the house and find out there is a $6,000 a year property tax under my dream home that I did not budget for.

Mistake # 3: Skimping on the Home Inspection

Most of the time when we receive bad news with a car malfunctioning, air condition system not working or even a high insurance quote the first thing we do is get a second opinion or another estimate. A home inspection is almost the same idea, you were the first inspector (even if you didn’t know it) and there is no reason not to get another professional to look things over.  This still may seem pointless but if the doctor told you that your leg had an internal fracture without performing an X-ray would you take his word for it?  Do yourself a favor, get the home inspection by a reputable professional with a good track record the cheapest is not always the best in this case.

Mistake # 4: No Contingencies With Earnest Money Depostis

In the midst of a buyers’ market much like where we are now, it is important to have everything ready to go with a preapproval letter and the money on hand to make the purchase.  With that said many times there may be other buyers looking at the home you are which can make it interesting when trying to get the home under contract.  After the negotiation is complete, to be sure you are serious about the property sometimes there is an “intent to purchase” that you sign along with an allotted amount of money that must be put down known as “earnest money”.  Depending on the contract you sign you must be aware that this money would be kept if you decide to walk away from the deal.  Of course you assume this would never happen BUT what if there is something unforeseen until the home inspection like termite infestation or even foundation damage.  If you aren’t careful the earnest money could be kept even when these insinuating circumstances arise.  It is important to be sure that this earnest money can be gotten back if things like the home inspection or financing does not go through, that way the $2,000 or more goes back into your pocket and put towards another place.

Everyone can make mistakes but these mistakes tend to have zeroes behind them when making such a large purchase.  With careful planning, not allowing your emotions to get in the way, being honest with yourself and knowing what you are signing up for these issues can be totally eliminated.  From the team at www.Moversatlas.com happy house hunting!

If you enjoyed reading this post you will find the main Mover’s Atlas site even more Interesting! There you can discover important information about what surrounds your current or future Florida home, give it a look: Mover’s Atlas.

7 Expert Tips on Decorating Your New Home

Moving into a new house is an exciting and even liberating experience, providing you with an opportunity to start anew. After you’ve edited and purged many of your old furnishings, art and decor pieces that may have suited your old house, how to decorate a new homeit’s time to come up with some new ideas that will turn your new home into an inviting and welcoming one. Here are 7 tips to assist you when decorating your new home:

1 – Use Warm Colors

It’s no secret that the use of color can provide a distinct feel and aura to a space, and evoke specific moods and emotions in those who are surrounded by them. The colors you choose for your home are essential to creating the feeling of being “home”. Of course, depending on your personal tastes, certain colors may be more appealing to you than others. But to achieve the feeling of a cozy, welcoming space, warmer tones, like browns, oranges and reds work quite well at making a home seem more inviting. Other bold colors can always be used with accent pieces, such as throw pillows, flowers and lamp shades.

2 – Texture Makes a Difference

One of the easiest tricks to creating a welcoming space in your new home is to make use of texture. Surrounding yourself with things that are nice to the touch is a simple decor trick to employ, making a room feel less rigid and more comfy and cozy. Hand-scraped wood furniture, textured wallpaper, fluffy carpets and velvet throw pillows can all be easily integrated into a room and make it stylish and cozy at the same time.

3 – Create an Accent Wall

Once a great decor secret, incorporating an “accent wall” in your new home has become a well-known way to incorporate bold color, texture or pattern without overwhelming a space. If you have a particular liking for electric blue, for example, you can infuse that hue into your space by painting just one wall in this vibrant color. One wall in this color – or any other bold colour or pattern – is enough, and is usually as much as most people have tolerance for. Not only that, but changing just one accent wall is a lot quicker and easier to change if you start getting tired of the color and want to change it some time down the road.

4 – Add a Back Splash in Your Kitchen

You’d be amazed at what a difference adding a few tiles to a small section under your cabinets can make in a kitchen. You can really create drama and style to your kitchen with a back splash, that can be created with any number of tiles, including ceramic, porcelain, glass, or even a combination of these. Considering the small space that back splashes usually cover, such a update in a kitchen is usually quite affordable.

5 – Mix and Match Your Bedding

Unlike old decor rules, you don’t have to be too matchy-matchy when it comes to decorating your home. The mix and match nature of various patterns and textures in a room, as well as the combination of old textiles and more modern fabrics, can make a room feel ‘home-y’ while still maintaining a level of style and sophistication.

6 – “Float” Your Furniture

Walls in a living rooms aren’t necessarily meant to have furniture lined right up against them. Floating your furniture away from the walls can help to create a more intimate setting. If you’re uncomfortable with the backs of sofas facing out, place a console table in the back to conceal any imperfections and add a sense of style. You don’t have to just keep the furniture parallel from the walls – consider positioning them on an angle for a little more of a dynamic look.

7 – Dress Up Your Hallways with Persian Runners

The addition of a narrow, long Persian runner can instantly add vibrance to an otherwise dark and dingy hallway. If you can’t bring yourself to getting an authentic one, you can always find imitation runners that can help add some decor to your hallway.

Employing any one of the above tips into your new home can help make the place yours, and extract some of your own personality to the space. Of course, you can always enlist the help of a professional interior decorator to create a stylish interior to your new home for you. By counting on their expertise and creativity, your new house can be transformed into a space you’ll truly be proud to call home!

If you enjoyed reading this post you will find the main Mover’s Atlas site even more Interesting! There you can discover important information about what surrounds your current or future Florida home, give it a look: Mover’s Atlas.

6 Tips on Buying Your First Home

Buying your first home is a very exciting time in your life but it can also be a very stressful and confusing experience. For that reason we came up with 6 tips to help you through the process of buying your first home!help for first time home buyers

1. Attend a First-Time Home Buyer’s Seminar to learn all the ins and outs of buying and owning a home. You will be able to ask questions about securing loans for payment of your mortgage, what types of things to look for in a home and even learn about maintaining and repairing your home when you get it. The best part about it is that many of these seminars are free.

2. Seek Pre-approval for a Loan. This will allow you to have a better idea of just how much you will be able to borrow. It also lets the seller know how serious and committed you are to purchasing a new home.

3. Find a Right Real Estate Agent. We talked about this in a previous post so be sure to check that out for further details on how to find and pick the right one. This will be very important in the home buying process. Bear in mind that there are Buyer agents and Seller agents.

4. Make Sure You Know What You Can Afford. This is another subject that was mentioned in a previous post. There are numerous affordability calculators available online through many different websites which will be able to help you gauge you price range. This goes hand in hand with calculating your monthly mortgage payments. You want to make sure that you can afford it and that the monthly costs will not be a surprise to you when calculating you budget.

5. Don’t Forget about the Closing Costs. These are charges by the lender and include title and settlement fees, taxes and homeowner’s insurance.

6. Lastly, Look at the Big Picture. Remember that a home is an investment and with it there may be many hidden costs associated. You should take into account possible repairs and renovations prior to purchasing the home. Also remember to try to separate what you want from what you actually need in a home.

Your first time will be very exciting but you want to ensure that you are making a wise decision and the right decision.

If you enjoyed reading this post you will find the main Mover’s Atlas site even more Interesting! There you can discover important information about what surrounds your current or future Florida home, give it a look: Mover’s Atlas.