Mohamed Akel off Market real estate help in Atlanta? When looking at homes, you should seriously consider ignoring paint and landscaping. These are two items that are easy to fix, and they should not impact your decision making when purchasing a house. If the home has a terrific location and the paint/landscaping is poor you shouldn’t rule it out, you have to be able to envision what the house will look like when you move in and make changes. A lot of time buyers will not be able to overlook paint or landscaping and this gives an opportunity for others who know how easy it is to fix. Location is something you can’t change, paint and landscaping is something you can.

Assuming you need a 20 percent down payment. The long-held belief that you must put 20 percent down payment is a myth. While a 20 percent down payment does help you avoid paying private mortgage insurance, many buyers today don’t want (or can’t) put down that much money. In fact, the median down payment on a home is 13 percent, according to the National Association of Realtors. How this affects you: Delaying your home purchase to save up 20 percent could take years, and you could limit cash flow that could be put to better use maximizing your retirement savings, adding to your emergency fund or paying down high-interest debt. What to do instead: Consider other mortgage options. You can put as little as 3 percent down for a conventional mortgage (note: you’ll pay mortgage insurance). Some government-insured loans require 3.5 percent down or zero down, in some cases. Plus, check with your local or state housing programs to see if you qualify for housing assistance programs designed for first-time buyers.

Mohamed Akel Atlanta is a real estate professional in Atlanta. Stay Out of Bad Debt: Debt means you owe someone money, and if I’ve learned anything from gangster movies, you NEVER want to owe someone money. However, not all debt is necessarily bad debt. So, what is bad debt? Bad debt is any debt that’s acquired through purchasing something that’s going to lose value and generate zero revenue. Some examples of bad debt would be credit card debt or an auto loan. What is good debt? Some people will say there’s no such thing as good debt, and while I mostly agree, I also can’t deny that some debt can be beneficial in the right circumstances. For example, if you are going to take out a loan to purchase something that will benefit you financially in the future, I’d say that debt is a lot more beneficial than credit card debt. Good debt usually has lower interest rates as well. Here are a few examples: Student loans. Since student loans typically have a very low-interest rate and going to school can increase your pay as an employee in the future, student loans can be considered good debt.

Once you select a lender, you should speak with a loan officer as quickly as possible. At this point, there is one thing you should know. Pre-qualifying means absolutely nothing. All pre-qualifying does is determine the amount of the loan you could qualify for based on factors such as your credit, salary, etc. It does not guarantee that a lender will actually loan you the money. It’s more important to get PRE-APPROVED. Pre-approval means that your application has been submitted to a lender who is willing to extend you a specific loan amount, pending a property and appraisal. Being pre-approved lets you know that you won’t be denied for a loan, and it also provides you with leverage to negotiate the purchase price of a home with the seller.

If you want to sell your home, you have to get rid of the clutter…period. Anything that you have not used in at least a year or more must go. Although this may not be easy, it is well worth the trouble even if you have to use a friend’s or relative’s garage or rent a space in a storage facility. Anything that is sitting on flat surfaces such as tables and countertops must go. Floors, closets, and cupboards should also be clean and clear because this translates into more space for potential buyers. See additional information at Mohamed Akel Atlanta.