Judy Sells The Shoals

Buying a new home is exciting and confusing. There are a lot of steps to buying a home, and people have questions. These are the most common questions home buyers have, and the answers. 1.  How do I get started? –  The first step is to speak with a lender and get a pre-approval. This will tell you, and potential sellers, how much you can afford. 2.  How long does it take to close on a home?  – Typically, it takes about 30-45 days once contracts are signed to complete the lending, appraisal, and inspection processes. 3.  What does my agent do?  – A buyer’s agent will negotiate terms and manage the closing process from start to finish. 4.  How much do I pay for a buyer’s agent?  – Nothing. The seller’s agent gives the buyer’s agent a portion of their commission from the seller. 5.  What credit score do I need to qualify?  – A 620 FICO score or higher is required for most home loan programs. Talk to a lender for other options for lower scor...

Homebuyers have had a rough time lately. First, the frenzied housing market stymied so many offers and caused frustration due to lack of inventory. Now that the pace and prices are starting to drop, interest rates have ticked up to alarming levels. While some buyers are postponing their purchase, those still in the market are starting to consider more creative financing, including an ARM (Adjustable-Rate Mortgage). What is an ARM? Unlike a 30-fixed mortgage, as the name suggests, the interest rate of an ARM can change over the course of the loan. The interest rate is based on an index, such as the one year T-Bill. Additionally, the timing of adjustment is fixed in the loan documents, so the borrower knows how to plan for changes. For example, a 5/1 ARM means that the initial interest rate is fixed for the first five years and then can adjust once a year for the remaining 25. Likewise, a 7/1 ARM has a fixed period of 7 years. There are also built-in protections to ensure that the adjust...

  Buy now or wait! This is the question on all potential homebuyers’ minds this fall. Over the past few weeks, the mortgage interest rates have soared to a 14-year high. Excessive government spending combined with surging energy costs and rising inflation has caused many would-be homebuyers to lean toward the wait side of that argument. But is this really a bad time to purchase a new home? Maybe not. First, there is no way to predict the bottom of home prices for any recession. If the economy continues to struggle, it’s likely that home prices will continue to drop, offering better sales prices. But at the same time, inflation is still rising, and the Federal Reserve has clearly indicated they will raise interest rates as needed to cool this trend. This means that while home prices may come down some, the cost to borrow money will also rise; for homebuyers on the fence, they are hoping that the lower sales price will outpace the rising interest rates. The truth is there is no way t...

Home Issues That Shouldn’t Be Deal-Breakers – and a Few That Are!   Finding the right home can sometimes feel like hunting for a needle in a haystack. Unless you’re buying brand-new construction, every home has some drawbacks, whether it’s style or real maintenance issues. If you’re looking for your next home, understanding the difference between minor issues and true deal-breakers can help you evaluate your options and make the best possible choice.  Manageable Annoyances    • Cosmetic – All aesthetic concerns can be fixed –for a cost. The key is to understand the difficulty and level of effort or money involved. A dying lawn can be addressed with new sod. Is the kitchen dated? A new backsplash is relatively inexpensive. With some fresh paint and new lighting fixtures, you can easily brighten a room and make a small space seem more expansive.   • Healthy Homes – Many homes have older carpet, drapes, and other elements that can irritate allergies. Ho...

 “I’m so sorry, they went with another offer.” It’s a shocking thing to hear; you’ve already moved into that dream home in your mind. It’s common to start second guessing yourself, even condemning yourself for not offering more money or better terms, but the truth is sometimes it just doesn’t work out. The next step is to figure out how to move on. • Go Ahead and Mourn – It’s perfectly reasonable to mourn the loss of the “perfect” home. • Take a Break – This might not be as easy as it sounds if you need to move, but even a short weekend off to regroup and refresh will allow you to continue the search. • Understand What Went Wrong – It may be that you did nothing wrong and the seller got an all-cash offer 20% over asking, but it’s still a good idea to talk with your agent about your offer, make sure you truly offered a fair price with reasonable terms and if not, make adjustments next time. • List What You Liked About the Home – Make a list of the features you liked about ...

There are so many questions and concerns amid the Covid-19 coronavirus outbreak. The real estate market is especially hard hit and sellers are concerned. Real estate at its core is a people business. It relies on person-to-person interaction and the coronavirus necessarily limits this contact. As the spring selling season gets started, home sellers will have questions and it’s important to acknowledge concerns and offer practical advice and concrete information to help sellers make the best decision for themselves and their families. 1. Should I still try and sell my home?   Of course, there are many aspects to this question. First and foremost, the health concerns of the sellers’ family have to be taken into consideration. Unless absolutely necessary, the elderly and those with underlying health issues should not allow unnecessary people into their homes; including buyers and agents. If the household is essentially healthy and not considered high-risk, then this could be...

It's been difficult to adjust to a new normal during the past few weeks. With most residents being asked to stay at home, there are many who have recently lost their jobs or been asked to work remotely. The mortgage industry has also taken a big hit that has directly affected homeowners, renters, and investors alike. There are many who are in the final stages of closing on their homes, and the current pandemic has made it difficult to efficiently move forward with the process. To help, desktop and exterior- only appraisals are being accepted as long as there is sufficient property information available online. Potential borrowers can also now submit their verification of employment via email, paystub, or bank statement to help streamline the process. Significant changes have been made during the recent outbreak of COVID-19 to help homeowners get through this trying time. Those who have lost their jobs may be eligible for reduced or suspended mortgage payments for up to 12 mo...

It’s that time of year again when resident fashion designer, Billy Reid, transforms downtown Florence, Alabama into a hip fashion, food, music, and art festival that is a delicious mixture of local cuisine and brilliant artists taking over popular homegrown venues along the tree-lined streets that make up our charming city. With the Billy Reid store located downtown on North Court Street, you can expect the restaurants, bars, and shops to be filled with visitors from across the country, taking in the sights and sounds of Florence as Shindig No. 11 begins August 23.   Here is a brief summary of some of the events.   There are events that are free to the public and other events that require tickets. August 23 - Shindig in the Park - Free Event Bring your blankets and lawn chairs to the center of Florence at Wilson Park, for a free outdoor concert featuring music by Erin Rae , Devon Gilfillian , and Dirty Dozen Brass Band .    Enjoy delicious food, cra...