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This time of year can either build you up to new heights, or wear you down into seasonal depression. Between gift shopping, hosting the family gathering, cooking, and decorating; the to-do list is never ending. If you are already yelling, “God bless us, everyone” to strangers, good job. You’re a holiday superstar. If you are part of the other 98% of humanity, read on. Here are a handful of tips to remain calm while spending holidays with the family.
Includes: Arcadia, Bethany, Blanchard, Choctaw, Deer Creek, Edmond, Guthrie, Harrah, Jones, Luther, Midwest City, Moore, Mustang, Newcastle, Nicoma Park, Norman, Oklahoma City, Piedmont, Tuttle, Warr Acres, and Yukon As Oklahomans prepared for the start of a new school year, the housing market saw the tiniest decrease in activity in August compared to July. This tends […]
The word people don’t like to say out loud – Suicide. It’s dark, it’s uncomfortable, it’s socially unacceptable, yet it’s a serious issue across the country with case numbers on the rise. In 2015, suicide was the 2nd leading cause of death for young people aged 15 to 34, and the 3rd leading cause of […]
Dirk and I are proud homeowners in the Helm Farm neighborhood. We recently became friends with one of our neighbors, Cassidy, who has been working diligently to revive our Neighborhood Association. We met Cassidy on a cold and rainy April morning in 2019. She literally HAND DELIVERED invitations to a neighborhood “litter blitz” asking for […]
School may be in session, but the summer’s not over yet! We’re squeezing in every last bit of summertime adventures before the leaves fall and the days become shorter. With temps continuing to hover in the mid-to-high 80’s, there’s still time to make a splash in the Little Niagra Falls at the Chickasaw National Recreation […]
Also known as “Little Niagra,” the Chickasaw National Recreation Area located in Sulphur, OK is one of our very favorite (and FREE) local-ish day trip spots. Just 1 hr south of OKC straight down I-35 to the Davis exit, then head east for another 20 minutes and you land directly at the entrance to the […]
Your settlement statements serves as your final accounting of all the costs associated with your home purchase. It is a standard form produced by the US Government Housing and Urban Development (HUD). You will want to save this statement for future reference and provide a copy to your tax accountant in the year you close […]
Not necessarily. Oklahoma has a lot of clay in the soil, and it is common for the soil to shift during extreme weather, especially our hot summers. This shifting over time can cause foundations to shift, resulting in cracks. In addition, or high winds can cause walls to shift and crack even if the foundation […]
As a busy metro area Realtor, we attend a lot of home inspections with our home buyers. During these inspections we invariably see the same repair items over and over. Here are the top ten items we typically see at a home inspection. These are usually quite easy fixes. 1) Garage door electronic eye mounted […]
There are usually only two times when purchasing a home that you will deal with escrow – funds being held by a third party. Once during closing, and then each month when you make your real estate mortgage payment. Closing Escrow When you make an offer on a home, you will write an earnest money […]
As an experienced real estate agent, I must confirm that I have seen people lose the house of their dreams because they hesitated just one day. Yes, just one measly day. I hate that this market demands that buyers make decisions so quickly, but it is my job to let you know what the market […]
Home Search Begins on the Internet Most home buyers today begin their search for a new home on the Internet. But which site do you use? Sites such as Trulia, Zillow and Craigslist are common places new buyers go for information, but unfortunately those listing are typically stale and are not the most up-to-date. By […]
When you are ready to make an offer on a house, the home seller will want to know whether you are pre-approved for a loan. Why? They want to have confidence in the fact that if they accept your offer, you are able to follow through and actually purchase the home. Without a pre-approval letter, […]
For most home buyers, the most intimidating part of purchasing a home is applying for the mortgage. It is a complex subject with a lot of different options, each of which can cost you a great deal of money over the long term. It is important to understand the basics of what mortgages are and […]
You are tired of paying rent, but can you actually afford to buy your first home? Coming up with a down payment is a big hurdle for any home buyer, and an especially tall mountain to climb for a first time home buyer. Ideally you want to come up with a 20% down payment, but […]
Financial considerations and preparations are central to any home purchase. In addition to helping you make better decisions about what you can afford in a home, a buyer who already has financing in place is in a better negotiating position when it’s time to make an offer to a seller. Getting a jump on your […]
Buying a home has long been a tradition in America. The primary reason has been to build equity, although the pride of ownership is a powerful factor in purchasing your home. The housing crisis of 2008 had a sobering effect on many homebuyers, although the effects in Oklahoma were not nearly as painful as those […]
Looking for a new home can be an emotional time. It is exciting to visit a variety of homes to find one that fits your lifestyle and budget. Yet it can also be a stressful time for inexperienced buyers. In my experience, the more familiar a buyer is with the home buying process, the less […]
PMI Basics When getting a conventional loan, if your downpayment is less than 20% most lender will require you to pay for Private Mortgage Insurance (PMI). This is in order to protect the lender from losses in case you can no longer make payments and default on the loan. PMI is then used to reimburse […]
Oklahoma has always been “Indian Country”. With America’s highest concentration of Native Americans, Oklahoma is home to 35 different tribes. Well over 1/4 of the people now living in Oklahoma have some type of Indian heritage. Because of this high concentration of Native American’s, the HUD section 184K loan is an attractive, yet little known program available […]