Blogs By Dallas

1. Research before you look. Decide what features you most want to have in a home, what neighborhoods you prefer, and how much you'd be willing to spend each month for housing. 2. Be realistic. It's OK to be picky, but don't be unrealistic with your expectations. There's no such thing as a perfec...

1. Investigate local, state, and national down payment assistance programs. These programs give qualified applicants loans or grants to cover all or part of your required down payment. National programs include  the American Dream Down Payment Fund from the Department of Housing and Urban Develop...

1. What is the assessed value of the property? Note that assessed value is generally less than market value. Ask to see a recent copy of the seller's tax bill to help you determine this information. 2. How often are properties reassessed, and when was the last reassessment done? In general, taxes...

Credit scores range between 200 and 800, with scores above 620 considered desirable for obtaining a mortgage. The following factors affect your score:1. Your payment history. Did you pay your credit card obligations on time? If they were late, then how late? Bankruptcy filing, liens, and collecti...

□ W-2 forms - or business tax return forms if you're self-employed - for the last two or three years for every person signing the loan.□ Copies of at least one pay stub for each person signing the loan.□ Account numbers of all your credit cards and the amounts for any outstanding balances.□ Copie...

A. They don't ask enough questions of their lender and end up missing out on the best deal.B. They don't act quickly enough to make a decision and someone else buys the house. C. They don't find the right agent who's willing to help them through the homebuying process.D. They don't do enough to m...

Make sure your short sale package is thorough.At a minimum, the lender will want to see: The offer to purchase your home, including the buyer's preapproval letter; Your hardship letter; A balance sheet listing your monthly income and expenses; Statements from your checking, savings and other asse...

Making your home pretty is something that a heck of a lot of people overlook.  Did you know that people constantly are looking at homes and I can tell you for sure that curb appeal is something that everyone is looking at.  A garden is a fantastic way to ensure that you get some curb appeal. Ther...

Does your yard have a freshly-painted fence, a smooth, green lawn and a well-trimmed hedge? A well-groomed yard is one of the most important indicators of proud ownership. Neighborhood pride can pay impressive dividends to homeowners.Even if you don't plan to move right away, a well-groomed yard ...