Monday, May 1, 2017
Wowsers!
This one just hit a few minutes ago and it's already getting showings!
https://plus.google.com/+NicolaHughesHomesRealty/posts/8cXDtuPAWiH
Wednesday, April 26, 2017
Check This Out!
Check this listing out! A 4 bedroom home in Brantley Harbor with a pool, over ¼ acre of land AND access to Lake Brantley!
https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/100-Hillcrest-Dr-Longwood-FL-32779/47632264_zpid/?view=public
https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/100-Hillcrest-Dr-Longwood-FL-32779/47632264_zpid/?view=public
Thursday, June 18, 2015
HOW TO SCREW up your loan in just a few easy steps...
Buying a house is awesome. I mean, really who doesn't want to own their
own home? All you need to do is get pre-qualified for a mortgage and
start shopping (with Hughes Homes Realty of course).
I can't begin to tell you how many times we have had a buyer who has found their dream home only to have the deal go down the toilet right before closing. Now that doesn't sound so awesome does it? Yeah, well it happens more times than I care to remember and for the stupidest reasons.
So buyer's, pay attention. I'm going to give you some tips that may save your sale. And though they may seem simple, you would be surprised how many people's brain cells start to diminish once they have a new home in their sights...
1) Big Spender - Don't buy anything. I'm serious. Buy your everyday stuff i.e. groceries, lunch, beer whatever you do in a "normal" day. Don't go out and buy a new car to match your new garage. Don't go and buy all new furniture for the new house you didn't close on yet. Don't go to Best Buy and finance a fancy new washer and dryer or even a crappy new washer and dryer. Your lender will pull your credit report right before closing to double check everything. They don't care that you got an amazing financing deal of 0%, they care that now your debt to income ratio is screwed up which just may kill the deal. Just DON'T buy anything!!!
2) Give Me Some Credit - Or don't. Don't open/close/charge up credit cards. You got approved for a mortgage for a reason. They like the look of your credit card balance and your debt to income ratio as it stands. Don't put anything outrageous on your credit cards. Don't open OR close any accounts. When you try an open a new card, they pull your credit report. Don't do it. You leave that credit report alone. Also don't pay off huge chunks of your balance unless your mortgage broker tells you to.
3) Keep Your Green And Just Be Mean - Be a meanie. We recently had someone who decided to give a family member a $5,000 loan. It was a nice gesture and I'm sure the family member was overjoyed at the generosity of my buyer. However, it was a mad scramble at the last minute to get around the fact that he had $5,000 of cash missing from his account. Oops. Also, don't co-sign for anyone. That too will be a problem and go against your debt to income ratio. It doesn't matter if your son wants a new Toyota, it will not bode well for your debt to income ratio. So just don't give your money away.
4) Don't Quit Your Day Job - Really don't quit it. In the past I have had buyers that decide to make a career path change right in the middle of a deal. I understand that you may feel like mixing it up and quitting your career as a CPA to pursue being a rock star. But it's just not the best timing. Keep your job, you can quit and be Jon Bon Jovi after we close.
5) You Gotta Pay To Stay - Pay your bills. Just because your closing is on the 10th of the month and your car payment is due on the 1st doesn't mean you shouldn't pay it. Once again, your lender will pull your credit right before closing and if you have late payments on there, you can kiss your new home goodbye. Then hopefully you have a nice car cause you might be living in it... So yes, pay your bills, water, power, phone, credit cards, cars etc. etc.
Lastly, when you are filling out the paperwork to apply for a mortgage, be honest. You need to let us know if you pay child support, or you're getting a divorce, or you robbed a bank, or you're in the middle of a bankruptcy. No one will judge you but we do need to know. It's much easier for us to help you if you're straightforward from the get go rather than the week before closing. I mean we're good but not good enough to magically make you a millionaire on paper an hour before we close.
So what did we learn here? Don't buy anything at all. Treat your credit like a box of scorpions, just don't touch it. Don't be nice, keep your money. Don't be a rock star. Pay your bills, all of them. And just ask us before you do anything that may mess up your financing. Chances are we are going to tell you no but its for your own good...
If you have any questions about Mortgages you can contact my own personal Mortgage Guru:
Brad Siebert
The Mortgage Firm
407-353-3750
bsiebert@themortgagefirm.com
I can't begin to tell you how many times we have had a buyer who has found their dream home only to have the deal go down the toilet right before closing. Now that doesn't sound so awesome does it? Yeah, well it happens more times than I care to remember and for the stupidest reasons.
So buyer's, pay attention. I'm going to give you some tips that may save your sale. And though they may seem simple, you would be surprised how many people's brain cells start to diminish once they have a new home in their sights...
1) Big Spender - Don't buy anything. I'm serious. Buy your everyday stuff i.e. groceries, lunch, beer whatever you do in a "normal" day. Don't go out and buy a new car to match your new garage. Don't go and buy all new furniture for the new house you didn't close on yet. Don't go to Best Buy and finance a fancy new washer and dryer or even a crappy new washer and dryer. Your lender will pull your credit report right before closing to double check everything. They don't care that you got an amazing financing deal of 0%, they care that now your debt to income ratio is screwed up which just may kill the deal. Just DON'T buy anything!!!
2) Give Me Some Credit - Or don't. Don't open/close/charge up credit cards. You got approved for a mortgage for a reason. They like the look of your credit card balance and your debt to income ratio as it stands. Don't put anything outrageous on your credit cards. Don't open OR close any accounts. When you try an open a new card, they pull your credit report. Don't do it. You leave that credit report alone. Also don't pay off huge chunks of your balance unless your mortgage broker tells you to.
3) Keep Your Green And Just Be Mean - Be a meanie. We recently had someone who decided to give a family member a $5,000 loan. It was a nice gesture and I'm sure the family member was overjoyed at the generosity of my buyer. However, it was a mad scramble at the last minute to get around the fact that he had $5,000 of cash missing from his account. Oops. Also, don't co-sign for anyone. That too will be a problem and go against your debt to income ratio. It doesn't matter if your son wants a new Toyota, it will not bode well for your debt to income ratio. So just don't give your money away.
4) Don't Quit Your Day Job - Really don't quit it. In the past I have had buyers that decide to make a career path change right in the middle of a deal. I understand that you may feel like mixing it up and quitting your career as a CPA to pursue being a rock star. But it's just not the best timing. Keep your job, you can quit and be Jon Bon Jovi after we close.
5) You Gotta Pay To Stay - Pay your bills. Just because your closing is on the 10th of the month and your car payment is due on the 1st doesn't mean you shouldn't pay it. Once again, your lender will pull your credit right before closing and if you have late payments on there, you can kiss your new home goodbye. Then hopefully you have a nice car cause you might be living in it... So yes, pay your bills, water, power, phone, credit cards, cars etc. etc.
Lastly, when you are filling out the paperwork to apply for a mortgage, be honest. You need to let us know if you pay child support, or you're getting a divorce, or you robbed a bank, or you're in the middle of a bankruptcy. No one will judge you but we do need to know. It's much easier for us to help you if you're straightforward from the get go rather than the week before closing. I mean we're good but not good enough to magically make you a millionaire on paper an hour before we close.
So what did we learn here? Don't buy anything at all. Treat your credit like a box of scorpions, just don't touch it. Don't be nice, keep your money. Don't be a rock star. Pay your bills, all of them. And just ask us before you do anything that may mess up your financing. Chances are we are going to tell you no but its for your own good...
If you have any questions about Mortgages you can contact my own personal Mortgage Guru:
Brad Siebert
The Mortgage Firm
407-353-3750
bsiebert@themortgagefirm.com
Thursday, December 18, 2014
Don't Forget To Use Protection...
Hi! It's been awhile. I've been busy selling houses so haven't had
much time to write one of my super exciting blogs. But, I'm back and
this time I have some tips for securing your home for the holidays.
Many of us travel during the holiday season. We travel to see family, we travel to get away from family, we are gone doing our shopping for gifts and groceries. In all that hustle and bustle, the simple things like securing your house can fall to the wayside.
Here are some handy dandy tips that I have come across that may help.
1) Lock the doors - You would think it would be a simple task. However, with all the craziness of family, travel, shopping, kids, pets, gift lists, parties and all the other things that come along in the holiday season, you would be surprised on how easily you might forget. Get into the habit of double checking all of your doors before you leave the house. Better to check twice than leave the door unlocked for Mr. Burglar to come on in and have a cup of coffee.
2) The Lights are on but no one is home - Again another simple one. Leave your lights on. If you're leaving for the night or a holiday trip, leave a few lights on. If you're worried about the expense on your power bill, don't. It would be a lot more expensive to replace stolen goods, broken windows and the hassle of being burglarized than the few extra dollars it may cost you on your monthly bill.
3) Put it in the hole - Sliding glass doors are a burglars best friend. This is the number one place that homes get broken into. It's pretty easy to lift a sliding glass door off its rails and get it open. (I've even had to do it myself, don't ask). Get a security pin. You can pick them up at Home Depot, Lowes, Wal-mart etc. for a few dollars. Definitely worth it!
4) Out of sight, out of mind - Put your crap away. Don't leave the keys to your car visible on a table. Don't leave your laptop out. Put your jewelry away. Anybody could come along and look through your windows. Personally, unless it's Mark Wahlberg or Channing Tatum, I don't want anyone peering through my windows checking out my goods. Put away all of your valuables somewhere out of sight and keep your blinds closed.
5) Locking up your junk - Garages and sheds. Those places where you keep your hammers, ladders, axes and anything else that would be helpful to your friendly neighborhood burglar. What a messed up story if the guy burglarizing your house uses your tools to do it. That's almost as crazy as forgetting to take your son on your family Christmas trip and he has to stay home by himself and defend the house against 2 burglars...
6) Like a good neighbor... - If you will be gone for more than a few days, let your neighbors know that you're leaving. Not the annoying neighbor that you maybe don't get along with but the other ones (unless you're the annoying neighbor that nobody likes then you're SOL with this one). If your neighbors know you'll be gone, they will know that nobody is supposed to be at the house. Then if they see someone around, they can report it.
7) Facebook is not your friend - I find it amazing how many of my Facebook friends update their status with the fact that they are leaving to go on vacation or are "checking in" from some awesome beach resort. You are basically letting everyone on earth know that you are not home and that your house is free and clear for a visit. Sure, you want to brag to your friends that you're on an awesome trip to an awesome place and they aren't, but don't forget, anything you put online is out there for all to see. Oops.
Anyways, these are the tips that I came across that stuck out as important and easy to do. You can never be too careful if you ask me. Some of them may seem like common sense and ridiculous but again, with all the craziness that surrounds the holiday season, you may not be thinking about things like this. If you are and your house is locked up tight like Fort Knox, well then I'm sorry you just wasted several minutes reading this blog. If not, then you're welcome and Happy Holidays :)
Many of us travel during the holiday season. We travel to see family, we travel to get away from family, we are gone doing our shopping for gifts and groceries. In all that hustle and bustle, the simple things like securing your house can fall to the wayside.
Here are some handy dandy tips that I have come across that may help.
1) Lock the doors - You would think it would be a simple task. However, with all the craziness of family, travel, shopping, kids, pets, gift lists, parties and all the other things that come along in the holiday season, you would be surprised on how easily you might forget. Get into the habit of double checking all of your doors before you leave the house. Better to check twice than leave the door unlocked for Mr. Burglar to come on in and have a cup of coffee.
2) The Lights are on but no one is home - Again another simple one. Leave your lights on. If you're leaving for the night or a holiday trip, leave a few lights on. If you're worried about the expense on your power bill, don't. It would be a lot more expensive to replace stolen goods, broken windows and the hassle of being burglarized than the few extra dollars it may cost you on your monthly bill.
3) Put it in the hole - Sliding glass doors are a burglars best friend. This is the number one place that homes get broken into. It's pretty easy to lift a sliding glass door off its rails and get it open. (I've even had to do it myself, don't ask). Get a security pin. You can pick them up at Home Depot, Lowes, Wal-mart etc. for a few dollars. Definitely worth it!
4) Out of sight, out of mind - Put your crap away. Don't leave the keys to your car visible on a table. Don't leave your laptop out. Put your jewelry away. Anybody could come along and look through your windows. Personally, unless it's Mark Wahlberg or Channing Tatum, I don't want anyone peering through my windows checking out my goods. Put away all of your valuables somewhere out of sight and keep your blinds closed.
5) Locking up your junk - Garages and sheds. Those places where you keep your hammers, ladders, axes and anything else that would be helpful to your friendly neighborhood burglar. What a messed up story if the guy burglarizing your house uses your tools to do it. That's almost as crazy as forgetting to take your son on your family Christmas trip and he has to stay home by himself and defend the house against 2 burglars...
6) Like a good neighbor... - If you will be gone for more than a few days, let your neighbors know that you're leaving. Not the annoying neighbor that you maybe don't get along with but the other ones (unless you're the annoying neighbor that nobody likes then you're SOL with this one). If your neighbors know you'll be gone, they will know that nobody is supposed to be at the house. Then if they see someone around, they can report it.
7) Facebook is not your friend - I find it amazing how many of my Facebook friends update their status with the fact that they are leaving to go on vacation or are "checking in" from some awesome beach resort. You are basically letting everyone on earth know that you are not home and that your house is free and clear for a visit. Sure, you want to brag to your friends that you're on an awesome trip to an awesome place and they aren't, but don't forget, anything you put online is out there for all to see. Oops.
Anyways, these are the tips that I came across that stuck out as important and easy to do. You can never be too careful if you ask me. Some of them may seem like common sense and ridiculous but again, with all the craziness that surrounds the holiday season, you may not be thinking about things like this. If you are and your house is locked up tight like Fort Knox, well then I'm sorry you just wasted several minutes reading this blog. If not, then you're welcome and Happy Holidays :)
Wednesday, June 25, 2014
How Big is Yours?
Your homeowners insurance policy that is! How many people think to
check their policy each year? I do, I do! I started doing this a few
years ago. I would call up my wonderful insurance agent and have her
check and see if I could get a lower rate or if I had the right amount
of coverage. One year I actually saved $800 by doing this. Granted, I
had to get a 4 point inspection which cost me $99 but I was still ahead
of the game after that.
There are so many factors that can affect your insurance that you may not even think about. Did you know that if you do any renovations or remodeling, you may need to increase the replacement cost on your policy? Or that you can get a discount for having a security system? Or that your insurance carrier can cancel your policy if they find out you have a certain breed of dog? One of my insurance pros even told me that in the insurance "slow season," which apparently is in the fall, insurance companies send out their employees to do random drive-bys of your house to check on things. They are looking for that cute little puppy you adopted a few months ago who is now an 80 lb "vicious breed." Or the big one, the dreaded trampoline (dun, dun, dun, duh!). If you want to get your home owners insurance policy canceled faster than you can say "jump," go ahead and get one of those things. You may see fun times in the yard watching your kids bounce around like kangaroos, but your insurance company sees a bunch of broken necks and lawsuits.
So my advice to you is, have your insurance agent check your policy once a year. Be sure to tell them you are looking to get a lower rate and have them shop it for you. Feel free to contact me if you need a good agent. I work with several that are excellent and would be happy to help you review your policy.
As always, you can reach me at:
Nicola Hughes
Hughes Homes Realty
407-557-8775
nicola@hugheshomesrealty.com
HughesHomesRealty.com
There are so many factors that can affect your insurance that you may not even think about. Did you know that if you do any renovations or remodeling, you may need to increase the replacement cost on your policy? Or that you can get a discount for having a security system? Or that your insurance carrier can cancel your policy if they find out you have a certain breed of dog? One of my insurance pros even told me that in the insurance "slow season," which apparently is in the fall, insurance companies send out their employees to do random drive-bys of your house to check on things. They are looking for that cute little puppy you adopted a few months ago who is now an 80 lb "vicious breed." Or the big one, the dreaded trampoline (dun, dun, dun, duh!). If you want to get your home owners insurance policy canceled faster than you can say "jump," go ahead and get one of those things. You may see fun times in the yard watching your kids bounce around like kangaroos, but your insurance company sees a bunch of broken necks and lawsuits.
So my advice to you is, have your insurance agent check your policy once a year. Be sure to tell them you are looking to get a lower rate and have them shop it for you. Feel free to contact me if you need a good agent. I work with several that are excellent and would be happy to help you review your policy.
As always, you can reach me at:
Nicola Hughes
Hughes Homes Realty
407-557-8775
nicola@hugheshomesrealty.com
HughesHomesRealty.com
Monday, April 21, 2014
Paying Junk Fees? I Pity The Fool...
Ever go to the store to buy something for $5 only to take it to the
register and it rings up for $10? No? Don't like to be overcharged and
price gauged? Then why would you put up with it when buying or selling
a house!?
Here's what I mean: Most real estate companies whether they are big or small charge junk fees. A lot of the time they won't let you know this in advance until it's too late and you're at the closing table, surprise!
They'll tell you that it's an "Administration Fee" or "Processing Fee" or I've even heard "Filing Fee" cause you know, it takes a lot of work to file something in your filing cabinet, I mean I'm exhausted when I get up and take 2 steps, open a drawer and place a file in my filing cabinet...
They should be called BS fees because that is basically what they are. It's the greed of most real estate companies tricking their clients into paying extra for absolutely no reason. I've seen the amount range anywhere from $200 to $600 and I don't know about you but I don't like to be ripped off.
I'm proud to say that my company, Hughes Homes Realty DOES NOT charge these fees. We never have and never will. We are one of the few companies I have seen that doesn't. So next time you are thinking about buying or selling a home, try not to get scammed. Call Hughes Homes Realty where we work 7 days a week, always answer the phone and don't steal your money...
Nicola Hughes, Broker/Owner
Hughes Homes Realty
407-557-8775
nicola@hugheshomesrealty.com
Here's what I mean: Most real estate companies whether they are big or small charge junk fees. A lot of the time they won't let you know this in advance until it's too late and you're at the closing table, surprise!
They'll tell you that it's an "Administration Fee" or "Processing Fee" or I've even heard "Filing Fee" cause you know, it takes a lot of work to file something in your filing cabinet, I mean I'm exhausted when I get up and take 2 steps, open a drawer and place a file in my filing cabinet...
They should be called BS fees because that is basically what they are. It's the greed of most real estate companies tricking their clients into paying extra for absolutely no reason. I've seen the amount range anywhere from $200 to $600 and I don't know about you but I don't like to be ripped off.
I'm proud to say that my company, Hughes Homes Realty DOES NOT charge these fees. We never have and never will. We are one of the few companies I have seen that doesn't. So next time you are thinking about buying or selling a home, try not to get scammed. Call Hughes Homes Realty where we work 7 days a week, always answer the phone and don't steal your money...
Nicola Hughes, Broker/Owner
Hughes Homes Realty
407-557-8775
nicola@hugheshomesrealty.com
Monday, March 10, 2014
How To Improve Your Property Value
When someone asks me how to improve their home value for the purpose of selling, refinancing or just because, I always offer the exact same tip: Start small. What I mean by that is don't go ripping out your kitchen and bathrooms and redoing them. Chances are you won't get your money back. Here is the list of things that are most important and what is most noticeable to someone entering your home whether it be a potential buyer, an appraiser or a friend coming to visit:
1. Trim trees and bushes. Let's be real, no one likes an overgrown bush. This will give the exterior a cleaner, fresher look, make the house look bigger, and give it a manicured appearance. Also, plant some colorful flowers out front. It is spring time so it's the best time of year to do so. Curb appeal is what attracts a buyer to the house from the get go. It's kind of like dating. First impressions count!
2. Clean and De-clutter. Ever see the show "Hoarders"? if not, look it up. Clean your house people! When I walk into a house and it's dirty and cluttered and looks unkempt, I immediately think that if the people that live here don't care what a mess it is, then they probably don't care about the rest of the house either. They probably don't care that the sink leaks a little and that little leak will eventually lead to mold. They probably don't care that there is a small brown spot on the ceiling and that spot means the roof is leaking, and so on and so on. When I say clean, I mean really clean. Don't just dust and vacuum. Make an effort to clean everything. I'm talking blinds, baseboards, fan blades, EVERYTHING! I do not want to see an inch of dust sitting on every blade of every fan in every room.
3. Wash your windows inside and out. This will make everything look cleaner and brighter. The cleaner the windows, the brighter a room will look.
4. Replace your light bulbs. Again with the brightening thing. Rooms that have a bulb or two out are going to look dim. Not the romantic kind of dim either, just dull and ugly.
5. Paint. Paint goes a long way when you are trying to spruce up a house. To me, it is one of the cheapest yet effective things you can do. You may be able to get away with just doing touch up in certain areas. If not, pick neutral colors. Yes I know, that really cool color you saw at such and such's house, the deep red looks great on their walls and you absolutely love it. Stop, think and reevaluate. Just because you like it, is not a guarantee that everyone else shares your love for that shade of red. The most appealing color palette to most buyers are calm and neutral. Shades that are easy to match with furnishings, beige, off white, taupe etc. Yes it's boring, yes everyone else has it and yes, obviously there's a reason for that! Oh and don't forget the baseboards. I just painted them at my house and it made a HUGE difference in the overall appearance. It's one of those spots that you don't typically clean but you do notice the scuff marks, dings and dirt.
6. Fix the little things. All of those little nagging things that you have been meaning to get around to fixing but haven't had the time to. The broken doorbell, the cracked window on the back door, the drywall where little Timmy who's now in high school rode his tricycle into when he was three. These are usually inexpensive, small things that are going to make a difference when someone looks at the house and particularly when the inspection takes place. It will be the difference between a few things that come up on an inspection report and a whole page of things!
All of these items are inexpensive and easy to do. Just tackle each one at a time, go room by room so you don't get overwhelmed. Think about what you would like or not like to see in a house if you were out looking at properties.
As always, you can call or e-mail me at my office anytime with questions or tips!
Nicola Hughes, Broker/Owner
Hughes Homes Realty
407-557-8775
nicola@hugheshomesrealty.com
www.HughesHomesRealty.com
1. Trim trees and bushes. Let's be real, no one likes an overgrown bush. This will give the exterior a cleaner, fresher look, make the house look bigger, and give it a manicured appearance. Also, plant some colorful flowers out front. It is spring time so it's the best time of year to do so. Curb appeal is what attracts a buyer to the house from the get go. It's kind of like dating. First impressions count!
2. Clean and De-clutter. Ever see the show "Hoarders"? if not, look it up. Clean your house people! When I walk into a house and it's dirty and cluttered and looks unkempt, I immediately think that if the people that live here don't care what a mess it is, then they probably don't care about the rest of the house either. They probably don't care that the sink leaks a little and that little leak will eventually lead to mold. They probably don't care that there is a small brown spot on the ceiling and that spot means the roof is leaking, and so on and so on. When I say clean, I mean really clean. Don't just dust and vacuum. Make an effort to clean everything. I'm talking blinds, baseboards, fan blades, EVERYTHING! I do not want to see an inch of dust sitting on every blade of every fan in every room.
3. Wash your windows inside and out. This will make everything look cleaner and brighter. The cleaner the windows, the brighter a room will look.
4. Replace your light bulbs. Again with the brightening thing. Rooms that have a bulb or two out are going to look dim. Not the romantic kind of dim either, just dull and ugly.
5. Paint. Paint goes a long way when you are trying to spruce up a house. To me, it is one of the cheapest yet effective things you can do. You may be able to get away with just doing touch up in certain areas. If not, pick neutral colors. Yes I know, that really cool color you saw at such and such's house, the deep red looks great on their walls and you absolutely love it. Stop, think and reevaluate. Just because you like it, is not a guarantee that everyone else shares your love for that shade of red. The most appealing color palette to most buyers are calm and neutral. Shades that are easy to match with furnishings, beige, off white, taupe etc. Yes it's boring, yes everyone else has it and yes, obviously there's a reason for that! Oh and don't forget the baseboards. I just painted them at my house and it made a HUGE difference in the overall appearance. It's one of those spots that you don't typically clean but you do notice the scuff marks, dings and dirt.
6. Fix the little things. All of those little nagging things that you have been meaning to get around to fixing but haven't had the time to. The broken doorbell, the cracked window on the back door, the drywall where little Timmy who's now in high school rode his tricycle into when he was three. These are usually inexpensive, small things that are going to make a difference when someone looks at the house and particularly when the inspection takes place. It will be the difference between a few things that come up on an inspection report and a whole page of things!
All of these items are inexpensive and easy to do. Just tackle each one at a time, go room by room so you don't get overwhelmed. Think about what you would like or not like to see in a house if you were out looking at properties.
As always, you can call or e-mail me at my office anytime with questions or tips!
Nicola Hughes, Broker/Owner
Hughes Homes Realty
407-557-8775
nicola@hugheshomesrealty.com
www.HughesHomesRealty.com
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