Deborah Ward – Page 30

Tips For Buying and Selling A Home At The Same Time!

October 27, 2021 By Deborah Ward

You own a home and for whatever reasons; need for more or less space or job transfer or whatever, you decide you need to sell your current home and buy a new one. You’ve been told that buying and selling simultaneously is impossible, but you also know you need to do it.

The good news is that it is possible to buy and sell at the same time, it just takes some juggling and good decision making. Here are some tips to make it work for you.

Your financial situation

First, have a good knowledge of your financial situation. Have your current home appraised not just for value, but for a realistic selling price. Get a payoff balance on your mortgage. The payoff figure isn’t the same as the balance shown on your mortgage statement. The mortgage company will charge certain fees or amounts of interest. Your escrow balance is normally either refunded to you at settlement or after, so it won’t affect your payoff figure.

Knowing these figures will give you your equity in your current home. It won’t be an exact figure but should give you a better idea of what you will bring to the table in a purchase. It will also give you information to tell your new mortgage company about money down possibly getting you a better rate.

Knowing your finances will also tell you if you could afford a month or two of double mortgage payments if the sale and purchase don’t coincide and what updates you can afford on your current home.

Next, as with any sale, pack, declutter and update

Pack up your things, which by default declutters the space, leaving only what you really need to use for the next 30 to 90 days. Repair any issues and paint the space if it needs it to make it look fresher for potential buyers. Make any necessary updates, especially to baths and kitchens.

Money spent wisely now will pay off at sale.

Now start your new home shopping

Whether you have listed your home or not this can give you an idea of what the current market is for both sellers and buyers. If you are moving to another city or state, take a weekend to go and look. It can help you make decisions about updates needed on your current home and give you an idea of what you will need to buy in the new area.

Lastly, rely on your Realtor

If you are staying local, he or she can help you in both transactions. If you are moving out of state he or she can help you find a buyers agent in your new location. One or both can help you make the best decision for your situation.

What You Need To Know About Financing Your First Home

October 27, 2021 By Deborah Ward

Want to be a home owner? You need to be aware if a few things financially before you get started. Here are a few.

As with any big purchase, knowing your credit score is important. You can get a free copy of your credit report from one of the big three reporting companies, or purchase a 3-in-1 credit report which will give you a report from all three. The three major credit bureaus are Equifax, TransUnion and Experian. If you find anything that is inaccurate, you should immediately start the dispute process.

Remember that the higher your score, the lower your interest rate will be. If there are no inaccuracies, you can move onto making sure you stay credit responsible.

So what, exactly, is being credit responsible? Start with don’t use your credit cards if you can help it. If you have balances on any credit cards, work on paying them down or off. Don’t make any big purchases while working on house hunting or while in the process of settling on a home.

So why is this important?

Most lenders want to see that you have a debt-to-income ratio that’s no more than 36 percent consistently.

Part of the process of applying for a mortgage involves providing financial documents. These documents will include: the last two paycheck stubs for all who are applying for the mortgage; W-2s for each applicant; tax returns for each applicant for the last two years; bank statements; proof of any income from any investments; and if anyone, such as friends or relatives, is gifting you money to help with a down payment, you will need letters from them documenting the gift.

If you are self-employed or work on a commission basis, the mortgage company will advise what they need, but you will need to provide proof of at least two years of income history.

Lastly, be realistic about what you can really afford to pay each month, keeping in mind that your mortgage payment will also include the monthly amounts of real estate taxes and homeowner’s insurance. Don’t mortgage yourself to the hilt and risk losing everything.

5 Fun Florida Decorating Ideas

October 27, 2021 By Deborah Ward

Whether you live in Florida or not, enjoying that Florida feeling in your home every day is possible. Decorating to bring in the sun, surf and beach can make you feel relaxed without having to travel to get it. Here are some ideas for you.

Small touches

If you want to start small think about adding small touches. Things like shells here and there, wooden plaques with beachy sayings such as “A good day at the beach ends with sand in your toes and sunburn on your nose” or “The beach is my happy place” or Memories made at the beach stay in our hearts forever.”

Other touches could include glass holders with sand, shells and candles and photo frames decorated with shells, starfish etc. The option are endless. Not sure what to get? Visit a beachfront shop on your next vacation for ideas or opportunity to get some things.

If you wanted to go a few steps further try changing colors

A sunny, bright color palette for your home will make it feel like a home at the beach. Use of aqua accents in items like pillows, throw blankets and rugs will bring the feeling of the sea inside.

Color Series Seaglass - A Shade Of Teal — source… A Shade of Teal

Then add pops of bright yellow or orange to remind you of bright sunny days. Or paint a room in shades of these colors. Want to take an ever bigger chance? Then think of the bright colors of South Beach or Key West: turquoise, fuschia, orange… again, either add them in pops of color to your existing color scheme or paint those colors.

You could also incorporate architectural details into your home

Adding whitewashed shiplap for a Gulf coast feel, adding a beach themed sunroom can make your home feel open, airy and like a vacation. Add louvered doors to doorways and painting them in aqua or one of the other beach themed colors adds that kind of flair as well.

There are tons of ideas online and you can be as sparing or over the top as you want. Remember, it’s your beach home, so decorate to make your home yours.

Tampa Bay Real Estate Agents : Why Hire The Deborah Ward Team

October 27, 2021 By Deborah Ward

Looking to buy or sell real estate in the Tampa Bay or Clearwater Beach area? Using real estate agents for either buying or selling is smart. Finding one that is experienced, backed by the resources of a national firm, and able to handle whatever size home you need to buy or sell,well, that means hiring The Deborah Ward Team.

Deb, the Irish Realtor, and her team will make you their priority, no matter where you want to look or what your budget.

Deborah Ward Team Is Here To Help You

The Tampa Bay area has all kinds of real estate, from condos to single family homes, in any size. Whether you are looking for beachfront, Gulf view or your dream home wherever it may be, The Deborah Ward Team will be there to help. No matter where your home for sale may be, Deb and her team will lend you their expertise in preparing it for sale and finding buyers who want it.

Affiliated With Keller Williams Realty

The Deborah Ward Team is affiliated with Keller Williams Realty, and while she is an independent Realtor, having the resources of Keller Williams at her fingertips means success for you. The team is comprised of Deb Ward, Robert Cancelli, Shelly Crosson, Nathalie Probst.

Deb And Her Team Specialize In You

This team of experts are selling Florida living from the beaches to the intracoastal waterways and everything in between. They know how to buy and sell no matter if the home is a single family home, condo, townhouse or villa.

Upsizing or downsizing? Deb and her team will help you no matter your budget or lifestyle. Whether you are buying or selling big or small, their expertise is selling your home, or finding your dream home. Some Realtors specialize in expensive real estate. Deb and her team specialize in you and what YOU need.

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Shelly Crosson

In A Clearwater Real Estate Transaction Who Pays For What?

October 27, 2021 By Deborah Ward

In a Clearwater real estate transaction (sale), who pays what?

The real estate closing, the end of a real estate transaction, is an exciting and confusing time. Closing costs are a concern whether you are a buyer or a seller of real estate.

Buyers and sellers each have certain closing costs they are responsible for, although who pays what in a real estate transaction is negotiable. If you’re trying to get an idea of what you will be on the hook for, here are the general guidelines.

Closing Costs For Buyers

If you’re buying a home, you will pay more than just the purchase price of the home. Buyers are responsible for several fees as follows:

fees charged for obtaining a mortgage
inspection fees for pest inspections and home inspections
homeowner’s insurance which typically has to be prepaid for a year at closing
title insurance (either owners title insurance, mortgagee title insurance or both)
title search fees
transfer taxes
title insurance and escrow fees
document stamps (a tax paid to record the documents with the county or state)
condo or HOA estoppel fees
Intangible Tax on Mortgage
survey fees
appraisal fees
attorney or title company fees

Most buyers either bring money they’ve saved, or they roll those costs into the mortgage loan.

Closing Cost the Seller Pays

Sellers, you’re not off the hook. You have fees as well. Starting with fees or penalties to pay off your mortgage:

real estate commission
any repairs (if an FHA or VA inspection requires it)
all or part of transfer taxes and escrow fees
attorney’s fees where applicable

Of course, the balance of your mortgage will also be due as well. All of these fees are usually paid from the proceeds of the sale, so you won’t have to bring cash with you, but it will eat into how much you walk away with.

Clearwater Real Estate Transaction

A Clearwater real estate transaction is probably the biggest transaction that people will have in their life. Knowing what closing costs will be when you are buying or selling real estate is essential to a good outcome.

Clearwater Referral Real Estate Agent – Deb Ward, the Irish Realtor

October 27, 2021 By Deborah Ward

Any good Realtor will tell you that a lot of their business comes not from people who drop in the office or call on a whim, but through referrals. Referrals come from a lot of sources, past clients, current clients, and also from other Realtors and agents. In fact, referrals should be the biggest part of your new listings. If you’re looking in Clearwater for a good example of how to get those referrals, Deb Ward the Irish Realtor, is a great example.

So how do you go about getting other Realtors and agents to refer you to others for listings? Be the best! Deb is a great example of how to be the best and get those Realtor and agent referrals.

Deb has a thriving business in sunny Clearwater, Florida

She is the lead listing Realtor at Deb Ward & Associates, a Keller Williams Realty affiliate. That’s one way to start getting Realtor or agent referrals, be affiliated with a nationally recognized firm. It gives you an automatic referral source from affiliated agents from other areas who may have clients moving to Clearwater.

Deb is also a great example because she specializes in the great water front homes and communities in the Clearwater area. Being specialized and knowing your area well will give other agents or Realtors the confidence they need to refer people to you. Deb’s years of experience helping people to buy and sell is well known. She is well known for helping buyers find their dream waterfront home or sellers help in selling for the best price quickly.

Deb is also a relocation specialist

When it comes to helping out of town buyers or sellers, no one is better than Deb. There are a lot of ins and outs to helping out of town buyers and sellers, from what specialized documents could be necessary to helping them move. Again, being a specialized Realtor will help you get the referrals you need.

Find out more The Deb Ward Team 727-410-0336!