It’s almost required to get pre-approved for a mortgage when house shopping in many of today’s markets, many realtors will actually ask for a pre-approval in advance.
Its also good for you to know how much you can afford and if there are any issues, you will know in advanced instead of any last minute surprises!
So here are 5 things you’ll need to get pre-approved
1. Proof of Income This is usually W-2 statements but also includes any other sources of income like bonuses or alimony.
2. Proof of Assets This will include bank and investment account statements. If you are receiving a money from a relative or friend you may also need a gift letter from them.
3. Credit Score Your credit score will be an important factor on the down payment and interest rate on the loan.
4. Employment Verification Lenders may call your employer to verify employment, or if you are self-employed you may need to supply additional paperwork.
5. You Verification You may need to supply a copy of your drivers license and social security number as well. Now that you know the basics, use our online prequal and see how much you can get approved for!

As we move from spring to summer, an outdoor room is a great way to enjoy the weather, get fresh air and Vitamin D from the sun, if you’re lucky enough to have the space.
Creating an outdoor room you’ll want to consider what its primarily going to be used for: relaxing, dining or maybe even some working.
First, you’ll want to make sure it has a ceiling! Ok maybe not an actual ceiling if you have a tree for cover that’s great! A pergola is also a great choice but you can always get an umbrella or a trellis and cover that.
Next you’ll want to get furniture! You can furnish similar to the indoors. If you’re going to be relaxing maybe low chairs and don’t forget side tables. If you want to be fashion-forward get throw pillows too 🙂 And of course make sure they are outdoor fabrics that are built to be weather resistant.
Also consider making a floor for your outdoor room – you can everything from an outdoor carpet to wood flooring to crushed shells under your dining area to adding some stepping stones!
Finally don’t forget the lights! You can hang some fun outdoor string lights that will make everyone jealous when you post pics of your new room 🙂

Housing markets are extremely tight and there are often multiple bids and in some markets the asking price is often a starting price. If you find yourself competing with multiple bidders, here are some tips to come out on top and win a bidding war.
Have a preapproval letter. A preapproval letter shows you are serious and there won’t be trouble getting a mortgage. Without this other bidders will be in a much stronger position.
Make a higher offer – Before doing this, make sure you stay within your budget, but a higher offer is (as common sense dictates) often a key to a winning bid. Your real estate agent can be helpful here to get an idea of how many bids are coming in as well as current market prices in the area. Escalate A really good strategy is to add an escalation clause. This helps you avoid overbidding, you can say you will outbid competing offers by a certain amount (for example $5,000) up to a set maximum price.
Backup Offer – if your bid does not get accepted, then its normally time to keep looking, however you can try to make a backup offer if there is a kick-out clause and have your realtor stay in touch to see if there are issues with the accepted buyers offer.
Be sure to contact us and fill out our online pre-qual to get a pre-qualification letter and see how much you qualify for.

With today’s hot real estate market, many people are moving to new areas – sometimes across the country, sometimes across town, either way here are ten things to look for when considering a new neighborhood.
1. Property Taxes – you should look at property taxes and also how much they’ve increased in the last five years and if any increases are planned. It’s a good idea to build this into your budget too.
2. Amenities – check what’s nearby based on your interests, restaurants, groceries stores, houses of worship etc.
3. Future development – it’s a good idea to check and see what future development is planned – it might be a good or bad thing but either way its worth checking.
4. Crime rates – you can check local crime rates online or even contact the local police department to get a better feel.
5. See the area for yourself – its best to hang around the area especially at different times of the day to get a feel for what its really like.
6. Commute times – you probably already thought about this but make sure to check the times during rush hour too.
7. Schools – if you have kids, you already thought about this. But good schools can also be a good sign of a well-kept neighborhood.
8. Housing Values – check the current values and compare them with five and 10 years ago.
9. Walkability and activities – depending on your tastes see what activities are nearby.
10. Personal Fit – everyone has different tastes so try to match the neighborhood with yours – new or old, tight-knit or independent, quiet or bustle, these are individual fits but finding the right one will help you enjoy your home that much more!
And of course reach out to us with questions and if you haven’t gotten pre-qualified yet make sure you do 🙂