Investment Properties

Many people often ask us if investing in rental property is a wise investment. For long term investment purposes real estate has long been a wise financial investment for people. Unfortunately the economy over the last 2 years has had a tremendous effect on folks and many of the effects are negative resulting in a record number of foreclosures and short sales. As a result of this misfortune there are a number of real estate opportunities that make purchasing a second home or an investment property doable when once before many people could not have afforded such an investment. This is a personal decision and one that folks have to give careful thought and consideration to before taking the plunge. We ourselves recently purchased a condo in Myrtle Beach that we are going to fix up and put into a resort rental program. Our hope of course is that the condo will be rented for several weeks throughout the year especially the summer and hopefully will prove to be a wise investment. Before making the decision to purchase the condo we did the research and considered several options including the pros and cons of investing in rental property at the beach verses purchasing property in the town where we live. Again, the options were very viable, but with the deal we were able to negotiate at the beach it is the route we ultimately decided to invest in. Our hope and goal is to have a successful investment and hopefully in the next several years possibly purchase another investment property. Today the rates are at an all time low and with the assistantance th of real estate professionals there are a number of tremendous deals on the market, but consumers must be well informed and in some cases ready to act quickly. We would love to help all our clients and friends achieve their real estate dreams and it would be our pleasure to help you so give us a call today and let us be your partner in helping all your real estate goals be met.

Call Us For Your Relocation

It is amazing the number of people that continue to relocate to our area with their jobs and to get closer to their family. Many folks relocating to the area are trying to figure out where to live which is typical of anyone moving to a new area. When looking to purchase a home folks should consider distance to work, schools, convenience to many amenities such as shopping, restaurants, hospitals and proximity to interstates. Many newcomers coming to the area will try to figure out on their own even though they don't know much about the area. Since the purchase of a home is one of the largest purchases a person will make it is important to make the right decision. This is where the expertise of a Realtor can be your best bet. Find a fulltime Realtor that is familiar with the area, knows the housing market, knows the available inventory and can even help with referrals to lenders and mortgage companies. We have helped a number of people from all over the country and we have even assisted with several international relocations. It would be our pleasure to meet with you and understand the needs of you and your family and be part of helping you find your perfect home. Give The Guilliams Team a call today.

Time To Get Off The Fence?

If you think you are ready to become a homeowner ask yourself the following questions.

1. Have you researched the market? Knowing what homes are selling for in the area can help you determine how much you should plan to spend.

2. Do you have sufficient savings to cover down payment and closing costs? Expect to have 3% - 20% of the sale price in the bank to cover your down payment, plus another 2% - 7% to cover closing costs.

3. Do you know how much home you can afford? A mortgage payment should not exceed 25% of yur gross monthly earnings. A home that sucks up more than a quarter of your income may lead to financial difficulties.

4. Is your credit report accurate? Inaccuracies on a credit report can cost you higher interest rates. Request your credit report from all three nationwide credit bureaus and report mistakes immediately.

If you answered yes to all these questions - you're ready to consider buying!

Let The Guilliams Team help you find your dream home today!

Remodel and Makeovers for the New Year

As people start out the new year they often visualize changes they want to make in their lives whether it is a remodel of the body, the mind or the home. Sometimes a makeover of the body and mind can be quite challenging, however, a remodel or makeover of a home can be much more simple. First thing is to determine what kind of budget you have to work with on your home remodel. One of the biggest changes you can make to your home with the least expense is paint. Changing and updating paint colors can give your home a brand new look. Don't be afraid to experiment with color because if you don't like the paint color remember it is not permanent and you can always re-paint.
Another great way to change the look of your home without putting out a lot of cash is to update the lighting. We always keep a lookout for stores including the big box stores that have clearance sections on lighting because it is a terriffic way to find deals. Changing out lights can be a great way to update your home and a great tip when buying lamps is to purchase lamps that you can use in different rooms. By doing this you can change out lamps from the bedroom to the den and everyone will think you have done more updates than you really have.
Just like with lamps buy furniture that you can move from room to room. One time I remember wanting to buy a chaise lounge for my bedroom and I remember being advised that a better investment might be a club chair and ottoman. This ended up being smart because I could use the chair and ottoman in the sunroom, den, kitchen or bedroom. Be smart when making purchases and try to purchase to use for multiple purposes.
As you can see there are simple changes that you can make that are inexpensive and there are other changes that can be made that are more of an investment. Be smart, be brave and have fun with the changes you want to make. It is your home and it should reflect your style and taste and what brings comfort to you and your family.

This Month in Real Estate

We thought you would want to see the latest in a series of news reports on real estate trends. It’s called “This Month in Real Estate.” We understand how hard it is to escape the national media’s dire predictions for home buyers and sellers in today’s market. But there’s another side to the real estate story: this market offers amazing opportunities for buying and selling real estate right now — in your area! We’re not missing those opportunities, because we’re in the market every day, working for our clients to make the most of this market. And we can’t wait to do the same for you!

November 2009www.youtube.com/watch

October 2009http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Oq3bdOA2J8

September 2009www.youtube.com/watch

August 2009http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6O-UFD5q-HI

July 2009 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j_-yXOLd1Xk

June 2009http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_lnrH0WhCNo

May 2009http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pyql9Q5fzII

April 2009http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xunqXonuQbc

March 2009http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mA4zE2vUK-U&feature=player_embedded

Feb 2009http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YI1pp51JvrI

Jan 2009http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p7Dh3rZTEyg

Tips to improve your credit

1. Review your current credit report for accuracy. Everyone is entitled to one free credit report per year from each of the three credit bureaus-Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion. Get a copy of your credit report and look at it for accuracy. First, make sure that the information in your file is about you and only you, not someone who has a similar name or a similar Social Security number. It is very common for your credit reports to have mistakes or incorrect information. At a minimum, make sure that the information you are being evaluated on is current and correct.

2. Repair credit report mistakes. If you find something on your credit report that is incorrect or missing, you should dispute the mistake by contacting the credit bureaus directly. All credit bureaus have their dispute procedures on their website. They are also required by law to investigate any disputed items and these investigations will usually be done within 30 days of your request.

3. Pay your bills on time. Sounds like a no-brainer, right? Payment history accounts for roughly 35% of your credit score. Paying bills on time is the most important thing to do. If you’re struggling to catch up, contact your creditors to work out a payment schedule.

4. Increase the length of your credit history. This accounts for about 15% of your score. Don’t cancel your old card or get a lot of new ones in a short time span because this can hurt your score.

5. Keep credit card balances low. It’s a good idea to keep the balances below 25% of your available credit. Even if you pay off your credit cards every month, a high average balance will impact your score. This accounts for about 30% of your credit score.

6. Keep new credit requests to a minimum. This accounts for 10% of your score. Every time a lender runs your credit, an inquiry is recorded. If you are trying to get a loan, don’t apply for new credit cards first.

7. Be aware that paying off a collection account will not remove it from your credit report. It will stay on your report for seven years.

8. Pay off debt rather than moving it around. The most effective way to improve your credit score in this area is by paying down your revolving credit. In fact, owing the same amount but having fewer open accounts may lower your score.

9. Beware credit-repair scams. By all means, don’t pay someone to wipe away the negative items in your file. If they don’t follow through, the damaging items will reappear in two or three months.

Do you know the market value of your home ?

In today's economy it is important to know the market value of your home and this is a question we get almost every week. Many of us would like to believe that we know what our home is "worth" and many potential sellers know what they want to sell their home for, but in most cases the perception of what a home is worth to the seller is not reality with today's market. Investing in real estate is still a solid long term investment strategy, however, owners need accurate and reliable information at their fingertips to really understand and weather today's market conditions. There are a number of outstanding websites that are free to people to go and receive this type of information. Information truly is power so utilize these tools that are right at your fingertips. If you have questions with any of this information or you are having trouble accessing these websites please give us a call and let us help you better understand the value of your home and the value of homes on the market or feel free to use our free link below.
Free Home Value Market Research