Shantay Davies

I love mortgage calculators. They're a great way to start the preliminary pre-approval process. I generally recommend starting the financial process of home buying a year in advance. This allows ample time to fix errors on your credit report, contribute more towards your down payment and reserves and ensure all your bills are paid on time every month (of course you should never pay creditors late. In case you have, a year gives you time to clean things up).

During the year process, you should have an idea of how much you can afford, based on your current finances. This is a great time to use mortgage calculators. They cannot take the place of an experienced loan officer, but can get you started on the right path. They're a handy tool and can calculate different financial scenarios. Here's a list of mortgage calculators that have come in handy:

What Will My Monthly Payment Be? https://www.uamc.com/locator/CalcTwo

What Price Home Can I Afford? https://www.uamc.com/locator/CalcSeventeen

How Much Can I Borrow? https://www.uamc.com/locator/CalcOne

What Will My Closing Costs Be? https://www.uamc.com/locator/CalcNine

Should I Rent or Buy? https://www.uamc.com/locator/CalcTen

Should I Refinance? https://www.uamc.com/locator/CalcEleven

Should I Make Additional Payments? https://www.uamc.com/locator/CalcSixteen

Should I Pay Points? https://www.uamc.com/locator/CalcFive

Which Term Is Better? https://www.uamc.com/locator/CalcSix

How Much Will Adjustable Rate Payments Be? https://www.uamc.com/locator/CalcThree

How Can I Reduce Mortgage Insurance Costs? https://www.uamc.com/locator/CalcThirteen

I hope you find these calculators helpful. If you questions on buying or selling a home, I can help!

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When you decide to sell your home, keep in mind there is competition. Before you put your home on the market, use the following tips as a guideline to make your home stand out from the rest and sell!

1. Clean your house thoroughly. Pay special attention to crevices, baseboards, windows, windowsills, ceiling fans, grout and dust. You want your home to appear well cared for.

2. Stage your home. This doesn't have to cost any money. It's as simple as removing clutter and placing your furniture in each room correctly. Make sure there's a focal point, open walkways, easy access to the room and remember not to block a walkway or entry into a room with furniture. You may need to clear out a few pieces of furniture to make the room appear larger. Make the beds sparkle with fresh linens and fun pillows. After you've thoroughly cleaned your bathroom, place fresh decorative towels.

3. Deferred Maintenance:Take care of any deferred maintenance. Clean the rain gutter, change out the weather strips, make sure the caulking is clean, patch and paint holes etc. Replace light bulbs, fix leaky faucets and broken tiles.

4. Paint: If you can, make sure your paint colors compliment each other and are neutral colors. Neutral doesn't mean boring!

5. Curb Appeal: Make the best of your home's curb appeal. New exterior paint, a well manicured and green lawn and fresh flowers. Don't forget to keep your shrubs in order.

6. Outside Clutter: While we're on the subject of curb appeal, remove clutter from your yard and in front of your house. A broken down car, furniture meant for inside your home SHOULD NOT be displayed as outdoor furniture. Remove it.

7. Kitchen: Clean out your refridgerator. Take out your garbage and recycle everyday. Reorganize your pantry and put fun labels on the shelves as an extra wow factor.

8. Your Home: Make your home feel like the buyers home. Remove most of your photos and anything to aesthetically personal. When a buyer walks into your home, you want them to be able to envision living there.

9. Helpful Tip: Remember, the way you live in your home is not the way you sell it. It may seem like a tedious task to rid your house of a favorite dresser and constantly keep your home in tip top order. The end result is to get your house sold for the highest price in the least amount of time.

If you need to sell your home, call me! I'm here to help you.

Good luck!

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So, you want to buy a home. Great! You're probably wondering if buying a home is the right thing for you. Buying a home is a monumental accomplishment and there are many benefits to homeownership. Here are some of the top reasons:

1. Appreciation: Yes, appreciation. Prices are up and down right now. But in the long run your house will appreciate. Historical data shows that over the long run, you'll benefit.

2. Mortgage interest deductions (MID): This has been one of the motivating factors of buying a home for years. The tax break you get is phenomenal. Talk to your accountant for more information. By the way, there's talk of modifying the current MID. You can read about it here: http://www.realtor.org/articlesandblogposts/homeownership

3. Pride of ownership: It feels really good to own your home. Homeownership is a milestone. Homeownership gives a sense security and stability and you have the ability to personalize your home. Pride of ownership is one of the top reasons people strive to own their home. Plus, it feels great to mow your own lawn!

4. Property tax deduction: Read IRS publication 530 for more information.

If you need help finding a home, or you want to sell your existing home I can help.

Happy home hunting!

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The process of shopping for a home can be glorious---if you are armed with the right tools. Your number one priority should be to have a great Realtor. Even still, there are a few "ah ha" moments you will have if you're not prepared. When I purchased my first home, I was so excited I forgot to look at the finer points. Oh, I loved, LOVED my house, but there were a few details I forgot to check. In retrospect, I would have still purchased the house with the expectation of making changes and excepting the neighborhood for what it was. So here's what went wrong and what I wish I'd known:

1. I'm afraid of and allergic to cats. Had I been prepared to do a thorough examination of my neighborhood, I would have noticed that almost every house on the block had a cat. I went to great pains trying to keep the cats out of my yard (which of course did not work). I still loved the house, and wanted to live there so I had to just get over the cat challenge. I could have prepared for this situation in advance had I done my due diligence.

Check the neighborhood you plan to live in thoroughly. Visit at night, on the weekends, during business hours etc. Take notice of what is going on around you. Is there one house that seems to entertain often? Do you hear the wonderful shrills of children playing? Hear dogs barking? Take into account your how you live and decide if the house and neighborhood are the right fit for your lifestyle. Some things you cannot change. And it is better to know what they are in advance rather than be surprised. Think, would the neighbor across the street that always seems to be entertaining make you bonkers because there's no place for your guests to park? Do you envision a neighborhood with kids playing outside, families taking walks and dogs talking to each other your ideal? Make note of everything you love about the neighborhood and pay attention to the things you don't like. In the end, you have to live with your decision or find another house.

2. I purchased a 1950's charmer with a galley kitchen. Boy was I in for a surprise. Because of the way the cabinets (beautiful by the way) were built, it was impossible to fit a full size modern day refridgerator in the kitchen. I had two choices: live with it or gut my cabinets. I could not bear the thought of demolishing true craftmanship, so I had to live with an apartment size fridge.

Next on the list was the size of breakfast area. I feel really stupid here---the area was so small, I could only fit an ice cream table for two in the nook. Again, I was so excited about the house and so charmed I forgot to "live" in the house before signing on the dotted line.

3. Doing laundry is very important (duh). This was my major ah ha moment. I just assumed the laundry hook up was in the house. I didn't even check. We've become so accustomed to modern day floorplans, that it is easy to take a plan from another era for granted. Long story short, I walked a lot of miles from the back door of my kitchen to my detached garage to do laundry.

So, the bottom line is to slow down. Walk through every room with a checklist. Live in each room. Ask your Realtor lots of questions. Get a second opinion from a friend who is not emotionally involved.

I was too overoyed to see some obvious challenges. House shop objectively first and then emotionally.

If you need help buying or selling a home, I can help. Call me today at 559-790-1905 or email me at shantaydavies@gmail.com

Happy home hunting!

Sincerely,

Shantay R. Davies

PS-I was so excited I didn't even notice the kitchen did not have and could not fit a dishwasher.

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Buying new construction can be fun! Seeing your home built from the ground up are moments to cherish. Your camera will get lots of use during this period. There's approximately 47 steps---each step occurs so quickly, you won't even notice. Keep in mind, this is not a precise list. Just an additional tool for your toolbox. So, here are the steps to building a new home:

1. Plot map: Shows where your home sits on the lot

2. Chalk: A white chalk foundation is drawn to show where your home fits on the lot

3. Trench: the ground is excavated on the chalk line for footings, interior and exterior

4. Rimmed: Wood boards are staked for pouring of the cement foundation

5. Rough plumbing: sewer and waste pipes installed in the perimeter of foundation forms

6. Pouring prep: are inside the perimeter forms is prepared for the pouring of the cement foundation

7. Slab: The concrete foundation is poured

8. Snap & plate: A string with red chalk is placed where the walls are be placed.

9. Walls: wood studs are built for walls and bolted into place

10. Trusses: roof framing trusses are placed on top of the standing walls

11. Sheeting: Sheets of plywood are added

12. Frame pick up: checked for accuracy

13. Shear wall: sheets of plywood is nailed to some areas for reinforcement

14. Roof and shear: framing inspection

15. Windows: windows are put into place

16. Facia painted: this is the horizontal line along the rood perimeter

17. HVAC: heat/air ducting/fireplace goes in

18. Plumbing: plumbing is connected from foundation and aqua pec plumb lines are run

19. Tarp paper/Metal sheeting: moisture retardent sheets is installed before roof material is added

20. Roof: installed

21. Electric: technology (electric wiring, intercom, phone, surround sound) etc is completed

22. Mold: the wood studs are treated for mold

23. Lath: these are outside foam boards and wire mesh added to outside of your home

24. Insulation: insulation batts are installed on the exterior walls\

25. Drywall: installed

26. Tape: drywall is mud is added and taped

27. Texture: interior walls and ceilings have texture added

28. Stucco: exterior stucco

29. Masonry: if applicable brick or stone is added to exterior

30. Plumbing: inside show pan and inside plumbing connectors installed

31. Mill work: door casings, crown molding, baseboards and window sills. Exterior doors

32. Paint: your interior is painted

33. Cabinets installed

34. Flooring and countertops

35. Exterior stucco color coat

36. Cemented areas like sidewalks and driveway completed

37. Electric completed. Light switches, fixtures interior/exterior

38. Air conditioning units are installed

39. Sinks, toilets and plumbing fixtures installed

40. Shower and tub, mirrors, hardware etc

41. Rain gutters

42. Exterior paint/trim/shutters

43. Drywall/paint touch up

44. Carpet

45. Landscaping (drainage, sprinklers, sod/plants)

46. Likely another paint touch up

47. Final cleaning

Well, your new house is complete!

If you have questions on buying a new or existing home, I can help.

Happy home hunting!

Sincerely,

Shantay R. Davies

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