Louisville Real Estate Blog | Brad Long Real Estate Group | Keller Williams Louisville East

Top 10 Credit Don'ts

THINGS NOT TO DO DURING THE LOAN PROCESS

1.       Don’t Do Anything That Will Cause A Red Flag To Be Raised By The Scoring System. This may include adding new accounts, co-signing on a loan, changing your name or address with the bureaus. Generally, the less new activity on your reports during the loan process, the better.

 

2.       Don’t Apply For New Credit Of Any Kind. Including those “You have been pre-approved “credit card invitations that you receive in the mail or online. Every time that you have your credit pulled by a potential creditor you could lose points from your credit score. Depending on the elements in your current credit report, you could lose anywhere from one to twenty points for one hard inquiry. For lender inquiries as of Jan. 2007, any indicial inquiries count as one incident through...

Seven Steps for First Time Home Buyers

SEVEN STEPS FOR FIRST-TIME HOME BUYERS

 

Home buying is exciting and the joy one feels walking into their first home is incomparable. First time homebuyers need to follow certain steps to get on the pathway to homeownership. Following these steps will make your dream of becoming a homeowner in Louisville, Kentucky (or surrounding area) a smooth process.

 

1               Get Pre-Approved? The first step is to talk to a lender.  If you are serious about buying a house, get pre-approved instead of just pre-qualified, that will show buyers that you are serious.  Your lender should be able to tell you what you need to do, give you advice on your credit score, and explain all the details. If you...

5 Considerations for Valuing Your Home

If you're thinking of selling your home or refinancing your mortgage, you'll first need to value your property as accurately as possible. Inexperienced sellers might be tempted to head straight for the nearest and most convenient estate agent, and while they might have a vested interest in selling your property for as much as possible, it is still important to do some research for yourself.

An accurate valuation will help you to find a more realistic asking price while also making your home easier to sell. Every home should be valued on an individual basis, and there are far more considerations to take into account than the size alone. Additionally, you may want to increase the value of your property by carrying out some repairs and giving it a facelift.

1. Size
Size is the obvious first consideration when valuing your home, particularly in the case of apartments where values are largely determined by floor space....

In lieu of Black Friday and Cyber Monday, check out these great 'deals' on Louisville homes!

Many people love the holidays because of the great deals that they can find while shopping, especially on Black Friday and Cyber Monday. These deals usually pertain to hot ticket items such as TVs, appliances, movies, etc. Does real estate cross your mind when you think of deals during the holidays? Probably not...but that's because there are deals on homes for sale in Louisville KY nearly every day of the year!

Louisville homes experience price reductions all the time, which is a great opportunity for you to find the perfect home at a great value. Below are 10 of the most recently price reduced homes in the Louisville area...give my team a call at (502) 509-6812 when you would like to schedule a private showing!

    1. 9106 Terry Rd, Louisville, KY 40258 - $109,900

    ...

    Getting Your Money's Worth - Home Renovations Paying You Back

    Many homeowners look for ways to improve the appearance and value of their properties. While small investments can bring increased value, conversely large investments may not bring the return you expect. Several factors weigh in on these decisions; if you plan to continue to live in First Impressionsthe home, investments should be practical and improve upon daily living. If you plan to sell your home, only go as far as needed to gain a sizable return. It’s smart to focus on the details that buyers focus on; and you don’t want the highest priced home in the neighborhood. If the other homes are set in a certain price bracket, no number of improvements can transcend it by very much. Here are some basic tips to follow when planning home renovations or improvements, and how...

    2013 Louisville Family Halloween Events

    Halloween is not just a holiday, but a complete holiday season beginning on October first. The leaves begin to change and the weather begins to cool, setting the scene for a spooky Halloween. Throughout the month of October, the Louisville area is filled with a variety of local Halloween events to thrill and excite the entire family. While residents already know about the World’s Largest Halloween Party at the Louisville Zoo during October, there are many other family focused events during the Halloween season! Be sure to grab your calendar to mark the dates for your favorite Halloween events!

    Corn Mazes

    Corn mazes are a basic staple of the Halloween season. Most are suitable for the whole family, with some labeled as ‘haunted,’ they may be more suitable for the older kids.

    FFA Field of Terror is a 6.5-acre corn maze located behind Thomas Nelson High School in Bardstown, Ky featuring scary haunted scenes. Hayrides...

    Are You a First Time Home Buyer?

    Are You a First Time Home Buyer?

    As of 2013, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, 64.5% of Americans own their own home. However, only 29% of those people own their home "free and clear," meaning they no longer owe the bank, or anyone else, for a home mortgage. According to Real Estate ABC, average home costs range from $159,500 to $282,000, depending on the region you are looking to settle in. Wherever you go, it is clear that buying a home will be a huge financial decision that will affect decades of your life. If you are looking for first time home buying tips, here are three of the best.

    • Do Not Bite Off More Than You Can Chew

    One of the contributing factors to the economic collapse beginning in 2007, now known as the Great Recession, was unfair and predatory lending practices on the part of banks to homeowners,...

    The Time Is Nigh. Have You Considered Buying a House Yet?

    Your First HouseThe time has never been better for buying a home first time. Rates are at historical lows. And prices still remain 30% below peak from before the crash. With how cheap things are, and all of the first time home buyer assistance programs available, first home buying steps can be short and sweet. To make things easier, all one need do is follow a few first home buying tips.

    Of course, before you should even be looking for first time home buying tips, you should be saving money for a deposit. The deposit is often one of the most important things to have, because it is necessary for the buying process. The more that you put down, the less you need to borrow, which means the less you pay interest on.

    Before you begin looking at homes, and getting your hopes up, visit a few banks. Talk to them about how much you can get, how much they charge in...

    Why Louisville Should be Your Next Home

    Louisville, Kentucky is a great place to visit, but an even greater place to live. Whether you are a single person looking for a place to start the best years of your life, or a married couple looking for an established and wonderful place to raise your kids, Louisville definitely fits the bill. He when you think of calling Louisville home.

    The Louisville Zoo

    You don’t have to be a kid to enjoy seeing the different animals at the zoo. There is no greater attraction than nature and seeing the animals in their habitats. The Louisville Zoo has won multiple awards over the years, and is conveniently, yet remotely nestled on 135 acres. It is close to I-264 (the Watterson Expressway) and the Poplar Level area in Louisville. The zoo is open to the public 362 days a year, and is also referred to as the Louisville Zoological Gardens. There are always multiple exciting exhibits to check out while you are there, including the award winning, amazing Glacier Run; an Artic location featuring...

    Curb Appeal- It Is Really That Important!

    Though hundreds of Louisville real estate professionals’ aid in the buy and selling of a home, there are tips that can improve the likelihood of potential homebuyers making the purchase on your home. Oftentimes, all it takes is low-cost improvements and/or maintenance that you can apply each day or week. The ‘curb appeal’ of a home is the general first impression given to anyone taking a quick look at the interior or exterior of a home for sale. The potential homebuyer will be more likely to place a bid on a home if the upkeep is noticeable; most buyers are not looking for fixer uppers, they are going to want something that’s worth their investment and move in ready. Following are several tips you can use to spruce up the inside and the outside quickly and cost efficiently before potential buyers come to look at the home in Louisville for sale.

    Dressing up the door

    When a potential homebuyer walks up to the home, the front door will be the one of first things...