Category: Buyers

The Best Apps To Help With Your House Hunt

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In today’s increasingly mobile world, there’s usually an app for that – and house hunting is no exception! Want to see homes for sale nearby? Find out what you can actually afford? Keep track of the pros and cons of the homes you’ve seen? Here are our top picks of apps to simplify the home buying process:

Buyer AppsBankrate Mortgage App: Lusting over million dollar properties? Perhaps it’s time to get realistic and see what that new home will cost you. This app is great for calculating monthly mortgage payments with easy-to-use sliders to adjust the loan amount, term, and interest rate. It also provides a pie-chart to see how your total monthly payment is broken down. If you are seriously looking to purchase a home, you should see about getting pre-approved to know exactly what your budget is.

Doorsteps Swipe: It’s like the Tinder of the real estate world – swipe to “like” and the listings will be saved to your account. The app provides stats on the homes you’ve saved so you can see what your type really is and what is most important to you in a new home.

House Hunter: This app allows you to keep track of and compare all of the homes you’ve seen. Start by scoring home features on a scale of 0-10 by importance to you, then the app will give each home a score based on your criteria. You can also add your own photos and notes.

Buyer AppsKeller Williams App: Okay, so we may be a bit biased since this is our app, but it is super handy!  If you’re driving around checking out new neighborhoods to see where you may like to live, open the app and you can see all the homes for sale nearby. See something you like? Contact your agent right from the app.

AroundMe: It’s all about location! Use this app to find the closest necessities like banks, grocery stores, gas stations, and restaurants.

Your agent is also a wealth of local knowledge, so if you have any questions – ask!

Ready To Make The Move?

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P: keydoorsolutions.co.uk

P: keydoorsolutions.co.uk

You’ve found the perfect new home, made it through negotiations and are finally ready to close! Now, what about getting all of your stuff to your new digs? Moving can be stressful, so here are a few tips/ideas on how to make the process run as smooth as possible.

Have a yard sale. Downsizing before you move will make the process much simpler and likely cheaper. Go through your house and gather everything that you have not used, or perhaps have even laid eyes on, in at least a year. Looking forward to purchasing new furniture? Great! Sell your current set on Craigslist. Movers base their prices on the amount  of stuff you are moving, so if you have less to put on the truck you can keep more money in your pocket.

Do your research when choosing a moving company. Before you load your entire home’s contents onto a truck, make sure you trust the movers and aren’t getting scammed. Check http://www.protectyourmove.gov for information on how to avoid scams and search for registered movers. Ask around for recommendations,

Do a final walkthrough. Check every drawer, cabinet and closet to make sure you haven’t left anything behind. Survey the space for any damages – if you dinged the walls moving your furniture out be sure to fix it before you leave, you don’t want to haggle with the buyer or lose your deposit on a rental.

P: jenniferfieldsrealestate.wordpress.com

P: jenniferfieldsrealestate.wordpress.com

Unpack your new home. All of your boxes have made it to your new house, but now unpacking everything may seem like a daunting task. Don’t put it off, you’ll feel much more settled and at home once your belongings are in order. Take it one room at a time – start with the kitchen since it tends to be the heart of any home, and you will be able to cook for yourself and ditch the takeout.

Get to know your new neighborhood. Explore your area and find your nearest grocery store, post office, bank, pharmacy, etc. Go to your new town office and register to vote in your new district. Talk to your new neighbors to get recommendations on the best places to eat in the area.

Announce your move. If you haven’t already, go to the post office to get a change of address form, or file it online for $1. Let your friends and family know your new address – you can send personalized announcements from a number of online print shops. If you’re up for it, throw a housewarming party! Use evite.com to create an invite to email to friends, family and neighbors to get everyone together to celebrate your new digs.