Brownington Pond in Brownington Vermont     My sister in Vermont reminded me today about being careful on the ice. She lives with and takes care of our dad on a small pond in Vermont. A couple of teenagers were out fishing on the pond and fell through the ice. Berrien County has a lot of lakes for ice fishing, snowmobiling and ice skating.  I thought that it might be a good idea to touch on some ice safety info .   When ice fishing or snowmobiling on frozen water you should have 2 ice picks or they are sometimes called ice claws with you at all times. Ice varies from area to area on lakes and ponds. It is never the same thickness. Temperature, underwater springs and water currents can affect the thickness and stability of the ice. Stay off the ice if it is covered in snow or slush on top. Snow on top of the ice insulates the ice and slows its freezing.  If there is slush it means that the ice is no longer freezing from the bot...

  Home Inventory With the hurricanes, floods and earthquakes happening weekly, I thought it might be a good time to share about how important having an home inventory is for everyone. My sister and I put together a fact sheet on home inventories for our clients about five years ago.  Remind your family and friends so they are prepared if necessary.  Having  your home contents insured is very important. Having a detailed record of everything that you own is a must. Should you ever need to file a claim; the insurance adjuster will expect you to submit a list of all damaged belongings, complete with purchase dates, purchase prices, brand names, model numbers, receipts and photos. If you can't provide this information, your claim may be denied, and that's not what you've been paying those hefty premiums for! Protect yourself (and your belongings) by completing a full home inventory and updating it annually.  Having an up-to-date home inventory will help you get your...

Hidden Costs of Buying a Home You’ve saved and planned, and you are finally ready to buy your first home or move up to a larger one. It is easy to figure out how large a mortgage you can fit into your budget. Your real estate agent has tables and formulas that can determine the percentage of your income that’s reasonable for a home. However, be aware of the numerous other costs that must be considered, both for the home purchase and for the monthly payment. Loan Origination Fee This is the fee paid to your lender for the work involved with making the loan. It can be a large expense, depending on the lender and the size of your mortgage. Figure it will be between a half and one percent of the total mortgage. The loan origination fee must be paid to the lender up front, so budget accordingly. Inspections Your first big expense after your offer on the home is accepted will be inspections . Your lender will likely require a thorough inspection, but it will be money well spent for you to fi...

  Buyers ask me all the time what the difference is between Pre-qualification and Pre-approval. If you are considering the purchase of a new home or selling your home, you may be concerned with the issue of finance. If you are a buyer obtaining the right mortgage is a key step in the home buying process, but it does not have to be a stress inducing one. Talk to your lender before you make an offer. Most lenders offer pre-qualification, pre-approval, or both to help you know where you stand. Get Prequalified and be up front about the source of your down payment money. A good lender will explain the true costs of borrowing to you so you can comfortably afford the home you want as well as the monthly payments. Sellers should always ask if a buyer that wants to see their house is already pre-qualified. Pre-qualification: Is a preliminary estimate of how much you can afford to pay for a home based on information you provide. Because credit and employment information are not validate...

Buying a house is not as easy. Here are 12 reasons why you need an agent , whether you are Buying or Selling a Home.   There is a mountain of paperwork and legal issues that need to be dealt with. Using professional assistance from a Realtor is the only way to go.   1.       Your agent can help you determine what you can comfortably pay for a home. They    can get you in touch with a mortgage specialist.   2.      Your agent  has many resources to assist you in your home search. Sometimes the property you are seeking is available but not actively advertised in the market, and it will take some investigation by your agent to find all available properties.    3.      Your agent can assist you in the selection process by providing information about each property. Agents who are Realtors have access to a variety of informational resources. Your Realtor can provide local c...

  Should I Hire a Buyer's Agent? Yes.     Real estate agent is a professional in a field where most buyers and sellers are novices. This is likely the largest single purchase you will ever make. After all, how often do you drop a quarter of a million dollars or more on a shopping spree? Home buying and selling is full of pitfalls that can be avoided with an agent to provide you with expert assistance, knowledge of the market and negotiation skills. Your agent is the unbiased voice of reason who brings objectivity to the table. An agent helps sellers see past their emotional connection to their home and helps buyers deal with a multiple bid situation. Your agent can recommend a good independent home inspector who can provide a list of repair needs. Then, the agent will help evaluate which repairs are reasonable and which are excessive as you get your home ready to sell. Your agent also has contacts with excellent contractors to make the necessary repairs. Det...