What Costs Come with Buying a Jacksonville Home?

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A lot of people have been asking lately, "What are the costs of buying a home?" We'll answer that question in today's video.

First of all, there's the down payment. If you're using a VA loan, this could be nothing. Down payments could be as little as 3% of the purchase price or as much as 20% of the purchase price.

Keep closing costs in mind as well. These range between 3% and 3.5% of purchase price. Closing costs include things like lender fees and appraisals. A lot of the time, the seller will offset those costs. However, you don't want to bank on that happening in a seller's market. If you're going up against multiple offers, it's a good idea to anticipate covering those closing costs.

A binder deposit should be at least 1% of purchase price. Ultimately, this money will go towards your down payment. In a seller's market, you want to show that you are a strong buyer, and a 1% binder deposit is a great way to put your best foot forward. If you cannot hit that 1%, strive for a minimum binder deposit of $1,000.

Finally, there are appraisals and home inspections. In addition to a normal home inspection, you may also need a septic inspection or a pool inspection. It really depends on the property. Inspections are worth your money because you want to make sure that you are buying a safe home for you and your family.

As you can see, there's a lot that goes into buying a home. If you have any questions about today's video, or about the home buying process, give me a call or send me an email. I'd be happy to help you!

The Benefits of Vacating Your Home During a Showing

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Buying a home? Search all homes for sale

Some of my clients have been asking why Realtors prefer homeowners to be away when potential buyers come to view their properties. It may seem a little inconvenient for sellers, but there are a lot of reasons why we do this.

The main reason that we do this is because it allows the buyer to experience the home as they're walking through it. They don't want a seller to show them - it changes the experience of the viewing, and sometimes it is to the detriment of both the seller and the buyer.

Another fairly obvious reason why you should never be present during a viewing is because it makes the buyers uncomfortable. When sellers are present during showings, the buyers will feel reluctant to look around, as if they're intruding on your space.

We know that the longer a buyer is in your home, the higher the chance is that they will purchase it. If you're in your home when the buyer comes inside, they will run in and run right back out.

My only piece of advice for you is to vacate your home during a showing. It will not help you at all to be there, so go grab a beer or a cup of coffee somewhere - just not at your house!

If you have any other questions or concerns about real estate in Jacksonville, please don't hesitate to contact me. I'm always here to help!

What Is Most Important When Renovating Your Home in Jacksonville?

Plan Ahead When Renovating  

Selling your home? Click here for a free home value report

Buying a home? Search all homes for sale

Today, I want to share a video from HGTV to discuss how you can plan ahead when it comes to home renovations. Renovating your home can be an exciting process, but it's important that you don't get ahead of yourself. You can't just go willy-nilly into a major project and expect it to go perfectly. Planning properly for these types of projects can assure a smooth project, and one that may even cost less!

HGTV’s Amy Matthews recommends making a very detailed timeline of your project, including potential things that could go awry and making backup plans in order to prevent these things from happening. Putting your plan onto paper is a good way to start this process.

  
Another major step is choosing a good team of contractors that you can communicate with. If they don't know what you want done, they can't do it.

Just remember, there is no such thing as too much planning! If you plan on renovating your Jacksonville home, please contact us. We know great contractors and could also give you advice on what projects will bring you the highest return on your investment.

We look forward to hearing from you!