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 Modern White Kitchens?  Tips to Clean and Maintain Your White Cabinets  Sleek, white kitchens are one of the most popular trends in interior design. Bright and cheery white tiles, sinks, cabinets and even appliances are replacing the dark and heavy wood and granite of the past couple decades. White or off-white makes kitchen spaces seem large and airy, creating a sense of tranquility and freshness.  However, white cabinets and surfaces are less forgiving than their dark counterparts and need to be carefully maintained and cleaned to retain their sparkling appearance. These high-traffic areas can retain their beauty with some simple maintenance tips.  Tips to Clean and Maintain White Cabinets and Surfaces  • Avoid Direct Sunlight – Design your kitchen to avoid direct sunlight on white cabinets. Watch for ways to incorporate natural light without direct sunlight, which can turn white cabinets and appliances yellow over time – making them seem dingy.  • ...

  Be Prepared for Closing Costs   Saving for a down payment in preparation for buying a new home is pretty common knowledge. With the mortgage meltdown, most mortgages that allowed zero down payments disappeared. While FHA and VA loans still offer little to no money down, most potential home buyers will need to save at least 5-20% of the home value.  Unfortunately, many first-time home buyers are dismayed to learn that in addition to the large down payment, they also owe thousands of dollars in closing costs that they might not have expected. The national average for closing costs ranges from 2-4% of the purchase price, which adds considerably to the amount of savings needed to buy a home. In addition, while not a closing cost, most lenders also require a savings reserve equal to at least two months of the mortgage payment. Needless to say, it adds up.  Let’s break these costs down. C losing costs include fees charged by the escrow or closing attorney, as well as cos...

  5 Refinancing Mistakes to Avoid  Mortgage interest rates are the lowest they’ve been in years and perhaps you’re wondering if it’s time to refinance your loan. Lenders advertising their refinancing services make it sound as easy as filling out a form and paying less each month. While refinancing does not need to be complicated, here are 5 common mistakes that could cost you thousands of dollars over the course of the loan. Refinancing can be a great experience if you can avoid making these mistakes.  1. Not Shopping Around – Not all loans are structured the same. It’s important to compare your options. Even loans with the same interest rate can have different costs, fees, and terms.  2. Shopping for Too Long – Interest rates change quickly and, in this volatile market, it’s possible to lose a great interest rate by looking for too long. Consider getting three different loan options at the same time and choosing the best option out of those three to work with....

Understanding the Back-Up Offer  “When can I consider my home sold? This is one of the most common questions real estate agents are asked. While the laws vary in different states, generally the contract is binding once both parties sign the offer. At that time the closing process begins. This is also the time when sellers must stop considering other offers, but they can accept back-up offers.  What is a back-up offer? This is when the seller accepts an offer contingent upon the first one falling through. There are many reasons why the home purchase might not close—the buyer may fail to secure the loan, the home inspection may find issues the two parties can’t resolve, it could even be that the Homeowner’s Association has rules that the buyer is unprepared to accept. Whatever the reason, real estate agents know that the deal isn’t done until it closes.  A back-up offer should be carefully executed. Both buyer and seller must be able to pursue other options. Unless the buye...

There is a TON of attention paid to first-time home buyers. Most real estate agents and lenders have some kind of guide to help first-time home buyers navigate their first home purchase, but what about the first-time seller?  Selling your home for the first time can be just as confusing as a home purchase, so here are a few things to remember as you navigate your home sale.  Before that first showing, it’s important to prepare. This involves not only cleaning, de-cluttering, and staging the home, but also learning about your local real estate market and finding the best agent for your needs.  Interview more than one agent and ask lots of questions. Learn about the services they offer: do they include professional photography, video, or virtual tours? Ask for a comprehensive market analysis (CMA) and ask each agent their suggestion for the listing price and their method for arriving at that number. Use this information to determine the best agent to assist you.  Once ...