Real Estate


August 25, 2011: 8:33 pm: CraigReal Estate

Many home buyers may get the impulse to go out and search for a new home.  They may be passing an open house and be immediately attracted to it.  An acquaintance may be selling their house which they have always liked.  The reality of this type of situation is that often times these people end up wasting their time and ultimately disappointed because they have do no preparation or figured out how much they can afford before entering the marketplace.

A better (and less frustrating way) to do this is to prepare before you go house hunting.  You need to figure out how much you can afford so that you end up looking at houses that are within your price range.  This will depend on a few factors – the amount you have saved up to cover the down payment and closing costs, the financial terms offered by your lender, and your total gross income.

Generally speaking your down payment can range from 10 to 20 percent of the cost of the home.  However this can be much less if you are looking to take out an FHA loan.  In that instance it can be as low as 3.75 percent of the home cost.  Closing costs vary according to the part of the country that you live in.

The financial terms offered by the lender affects the amount of home you can afford and these constantly change due to market conditions and the economy.  Interest rates, mortgage terms, points etc, are all part of these financial terms.

Your credit score will also affect what you can afford as lenders often use a higher interest rate for people with poorer credit histories.  Items such as collection accounts and delinquencies will adversely affect the report and should be cleaned up well in advance of applying for a home loan.

A useful way to figure out your financial situation is to use a mortgage payment calculator.  You can enter in a variety of options which can be used to give you monthly payments for different interest rates, down payments etc.  This will give you a very good idea of where you stand and what you can afford.

Finally once you are ready to go shopping for a home you should find a good realtor who can advise you and help you with the many aspects of buying a home.

June 10, 2011: 1:03 pm: CraigBusiness, Home & Garden, Real Estate

Property management can seem like a daunting and unclear term. It is difficult to know exactly what a property management company does and if it is worth hiring one to run your rental property.

There are many different reasons why hiring a property management company is a good idea. There are a plethora of companies who offer property management services, for example, TransGlobe Property Management Services. With many to choose from, you can shop around to make sure that you get the best possible company to handle your investment. These companies offer a variety of services and end up taking a load off your shoulders.

Property management companies serve as the moderator between the tenants and the landlord. They collect and deposit rental payments, set competitive rental rates, and inspect the property for damages. Having a company work directly with the tenants is very helpful as it reduces confrontation and allows you to focus on other tasks. A rental property will not be successful if the money is not collected on time and people are not going to want to live there if it is in need of significant repairs.

A huge part of making a rental property successful is securing tenants. The more apartments you have filled, the more money you are making. A property management company will take care of all the marketing, advertising and securing of tenants. A property management company is well versed in dealing with marketing and will save you time and resources.

Overall, the benefits of hiring a property management company outweigh the costs. The fees of a property management company are very small in comparison to how much time you will be saving. Hiring someone to take the responsibilities of the rental property will save time, money, will allow you to focus on other investments or your career.

June 2, 2010: 4:10 pm: CraigReal Estate

Many people move to Canada every year for all kinds of reasons. A main one is to find a better job, but the housing market is also currently better than the housing in America. For some people who would like to be property owners this makes for a good deal. Leaving behind a house in America can be hard too, and it can be recommended that someone who is just coming in to Canada should first find a property manager for the house they already own and rent in Canada for a year to decide if it is really for them.

Once you have decided you are ready to move up to Canada there are a few things you will need to get together before heading up. You will first want to find a job there. If you have not done this you may want to take a look around and get yourself an interview. The reason you want to do this is because you will want to know under what class you will be applying to Canada for immigration status . If you are going to be self employed in Canada it will be a different process than if you are going to be working in an office building.

If you don’t have a job offer right off the bat there is still a way for you to move to Canada once and for all. You have to have a significant amount of experience in a higher level business position, or in a profession that they are looking to offer. This means that if you are a doctor you have a good chance of being able to move to Canada. The only problem with this is that just because you have experience in this profession does not mean that you will be able to continue in your profession of choice. Most people who are doctors who move to Canada can not continue their practice in Canada. You may instead find yourself working at Transglobe Property Management Services or in another industry. This can be very hard for many professionals to understand.

Make sure you speak English and or French fluently before thinking about moving. Even if you do fit other criteria this can be the one that keeps you from being able to move to Canada.

January 9, 2009: 5:39 pm: CraigHealth, Real Estate

Anthem is a development to the north of Phoenix in Arizona. It is close to the town of New River. It is a planned suburb that opened in 1998. It presently has an estimated population of around 40,000 people.

Anthem has many attractions including mountain views, and recreational activities such as hiking, water sports, sports leagues, kids and teen camps, golf and community carnivals. Services include a high school, shops, churches, restaurants, doctor Anthem, dentist Anthem, lawyers, guitar instructor, financial services as well as other amenities such as family dentist Anthem and vets, and other local services.

Access to Anthem is via the I-17 freeway. It was developed by the builder Del Webb to provide affordable housing and services in a beautiful setting out with the city. Many families chose to move away from the hustle and bustle of the big city and live in a friendly community located in a peaceful area.

February 4, 2008: 12:59 pm: CraigReal Estate

The stock market has been on the upswing, but few investors are relaxing just yet. This week’s data on housing, retailers and labor costs will give Wall Street an idea of whether the economy is weakening or inflation is accelerating — or both.

Wall Street had a case of the winter blues in January, and understandably. With banks reporting huge losses, uncertainty brewing about whether the economy is in recession, and Americans struggling to keep up with their debt payments, there was nowhere to go but down. The Standard & Poor’s 500 index recorded its worst January since 1990.  Read more