Should You Buy First, or Sell First?

Atlanta Real Estate Agent Melida Potts reviews the pros and cons for both buying before selling, and vice versa.

There are many great Atlanta area homes for sale. Click here to perform a full home search, or if you're thinking of selling your home, click here for a FREE Home Price Evaluation so you know what buyers will pay for your home in today's market. You may also call me at (678) 488-8927 for a FREE home buying or selling consultation to answer any of your real estate questions.

Recently, a lot of buyers have entered our market. It seems that they are all asking the same question, "Should I buy before I sell, or should I sell before I buy?" Well, let's go through the options, spelling out the advantages and disadvantages of each, and you can decide for yourself which to do. Let's get to it!

If you choose to buy before you sell, you have the advantage of getting to choose your home very deliberately. There's no pressure for you to buy, because you still own your current home. The disadvantage of this route, of course, is that you may end up owning 2 homes at once for a period of time. However, if you aren't married to your price, and prepare your home correctly, you shouldn't have any problem selling.

Now, if you choose to sell before you buy, the huge advantage here is never having to worry about paying for 2 homes at once, because you can make an offer on a home that is contingent on the sale of your current one. The disadvantage here is that the pool of homes you are choosing from may not be as large. You may also feel a little pressure to buy, especially if you have to be out of your home by a certain date. However, you should still see plenty of options to choose from in our market, especially this spring.

So, which one should you do? It depends on your own tastes. If you would like my thoughts as to what you personally should do, please give me a call or send me a quick email. After helping people buy and sell homes for 30 years, I have done everything and I have a lot to share with you.

When is the Best Time to Sell Your Atlanta Home?

There are many great Atlanta area homes for sale. Click here to perform a full home search, or if you're thinking of selling your home, click here for a FREE Home Price Evaluation so you know what buyers will pay for your home in today's market. You may also call me at (678) 488-8927 for a FREE home buying or selling consultation to answer any of your real estate questions.

Thanks again for taking a look at my blog. Today's topic is all about home selling, more specifically, when the best time to sell a home is.
 
We have two major seasons here in Atlanta, spring/summer and fall/winter. The spring/summer market always has a lot more activity, but also a lot of competition for your home in a market that can become crowded. On the other hand, the fall/winter season does have fewer buyers, but also far less competition. Your home is more likely to stand out in this market.

So with neither season having a distinct advantage, when is the best time for you to sell? Well, we have 3 questions for you to answer before you make the decision.

1. When do you need to sell your home? 
2. Do you know what your next step will be after you sell?
3. When will the house be ready to sell?

Once you have answers to those 3 questions, you know it's time to sell. Don't wait too long, however. Interest rates on mortgages are expected to rise this year, and could affect what kind of buyers are out there in the market for your home.

If you have any questions, feel free to give us a call. We'd be glad to help you out however we can.

What's the Easiest Way to Get Approved for a Loan?

There are many great Atlanta area homes for sale. Click here to perform a full home search, or if you're thinking of selling your home, click here for a FREE Home Price Evaluation so you know what buyers will pay for your home in today's market. You may also call me at (678) 488-8927 for a FREE home buying or selling consultation to answer any of your real estate questions.

In the past year, we have seen historically low interest rates and a ton of brand-new, low-down payment financing options for mortgages. While the rates are still low and affordable, the biggest hurdle some people have to overcome is actually getting qualified for a loan.

We want to make sure you get approved from the start, so we have compiled a list of 3 fundamental requirements that you will need to qualify for a loan. If you take care of these 3 things, there is a great chance that you are on your way to buying a new home. Here they are:

1. You must have a steady income, and no job changes in the last 2 years. 
2. Your credit score must be high. Generally, a score over 650 is good, but a lot of programs require scores in the 700's.
3. You need to be able to afford a down payment, which can be anywhere from 3% to 20% of the home price.

If you have any questions for us, be sure to give us a call or send us an email. We look forward to hearing from you!