BUY A HOME

Making Major Purchases: Avoid making large purchases, such as buying a new car or furniture, before or during the home buying process. These purchases can increase your debt-to-income ratio, affecting your ability to qualify for a mortgage.

Opening New Lines of Credit: Opening new credit cards or obtaining other loans can negatively impact your credit score and raise concerns for lenders about your ability to manage additional debt.

Closing Existing Accounts: Closing credit accounts can also lower your credit score by reducing your available credit and potentially shortening your credit history. It's generally advisable to keep existing accounts open, especially if they have a long history of on-time payments.

Changing Jobs: Lenders prefer stability when assessing a borrower's income and employment history. Changing jobs during the loan application process or shortly before closing can raise red flags and delay or jeopardize your loan approval.

Missing Payments: Make sure to pay all bills on time, including credit cards, loans, and utility bills. Late payments can significantly impact your credit score and may raise concerns for lenders about your ability to manage your finances responsibly.

Making Large Deposits: Large, unexplained deposits into your bank accounts can raise questions for lenders about the source of the funds. To avoid delays or complications, be prepared to provide documentation for any large deposits, such as gift letters or explanations for windfalls.

Finding the right home can be as quick as same day we meet to months depending on your timeline and needs. Once we find a home you like, the offer can be accepted within days and the closing is typically one month. There are ways to shorten or lengthen your closing timeline.

You can purchase a home for as little as 3% down. You will pay for inspection fee which is typically approx $500-$600. Appraisals are approx $600-800. Termite inspection (if applicable) is approx $75-$150. Survey is approx $400. Other closing costs (which typically make up 2-4% of the purchase price) and prepaid items are paid at the closing table. Prepaid items are insurance, property taxes and prorations. There are programs  

Florida First-Time Homebuyer Programs: These programs are specifically designed to help first-time homebuyers overcome the challenges of purchasing a home. They often offer down payment assistance, closing cost assistance, and other financial incentives to make homeownership more accessible.

Local Government Programs: Many local governments in Florida offer their own assistance programs for homebuyers, including down payment assistance grants, forgivable loans, and tax credits. These programs may vary depending on the city or county.

Federal Housing Administration (FHA) Loans: FHA loans are popular among first-time homebuyers because they offer low down payment options and more flexible qualification requirements compared to conventional loans. FHA loans are insured by the federal government, making them attractive to lenders and borrowers alike.

Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Loans: VA loans are available to eligible military service members, veterans, and their spouses. These loans offer competitive interest rates, no down payment requirements, and other benefits to help veterans and their families achieve homeownership.

 Hometown Heros: These programs may offer various forms of assistance, such as down payment assistance, closing cost assistance, reduced interest rates on mortgage loans, or discounted home prices. Eligible participants often include military service members, veterans, law enforcement officers, firefighters, teachers, healthcare workers, and other first responders or community service providers.

Yes! We will create and confirm the showing schedule with you.

If you see a home that's having an open house, let us know as we want to join to ensure we will represent you in the sale. 

If you see a new build you are interested in, please send it our way first so we can represent you. We will assist with introducing you to the models, negotiations, reviewing documents to make sure you aren't being charged unnecessary fees and explain the process to you.

Our transaction coordinator will keep you informed. You will know all dates for deposits, escrow and inspection periods so you will stay protected.

To estimate your property taxes and insurance in Palm Beach County, Florida, you can follow these steps:

Property Tax Estimation: You can use the Palm Beach County Property Appraiser's website (https://pbcpao.gov/calc-property-tax.htm)  or contact the Palm Beach County Property Appraiser's Office to find the assessed value of the property. Once you have the assessed value, you can multiply it by the county's millage rate (tax rate) to estimate your property taxes. The millage rate can vary depending on the specific area within Palm Beach County and any applicable special taxing districts.

Insurance Quotes: We will connect you to a trusted insurance broker. Factors that can affect the cost of insurance include the location and condition of the property, the coverage limits and deductibles selected, the insurance company's underwriting criteria, and any additional coverage options such as flood insurance.

It's essential to keep in mind that property taxes and insurance costs can vary widely based on factors such as the property's location, size, value, and any applicable exemptions or discounts. 

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Homestead exemption in Florida refers to a property tax reduction available to permanent residents who own and occupy their primary residence as their permanent home. It provides a significant reduction in property taxes by exempting a portion of the home's value from taxation.

Portability, on the other hand, allows homeowners to transfer accrued Save Our Homes benefits from one property to another within Florida, as long as certain criteria are met. This enables homeowners to maintain some of the tax benefits they've accumulated even when moving to a new home within the state. Both homestead exemption and portability are valuable tools for Florida homeowners to reduce their property tax burden.