Buying a new home can be a smart and satisfying financial goal. Is becoming a homeowner for the first time or finding your next dream home one of your heart’s desires? Aiming for a big picture strategy and breaking your plan into steps over time can help make your homeownership goals a reality. If you don’t see yourself making a move for quite some time but know you’d like to buy a home down the line, following are proactive steps you can take sooner rather than later, along with some ideas to keep in mind.
1. Get Your Financials In Order
Buying a home is a huge financial investment that requires planning and commitment.
Credit Score
Checking your credit score early in the process is an important step. When you apply for a loan or are looking into a mortgage for your new home, one of the first things lenders will check is your credit score. You don’t want to be surprised, stalled, or have a loan rejected because of factors impacting your credit score that you could start tackling now. Continue reading →
Parenting experts say that involving children in the execution of household chores teaches them responsibility and gives them a sense of accomplishment. It also helps cement their role in the family by helping them feel they are contributing to the household. But how young is too young to start children out with their own designated chores? Parents ultimately know best, but experts agree that children as young as two can start learning simple tasks that help out mom or dad. As long as each task attempted is accompanied by specific instructions, realistic expectations, and copious praise, you can teach your children these age-appropriate household chores. Continue reading →
Realty Executives Premiere has been recognized as Brokerage of the Month for December 2017 by Realty Executives International. Now Celebrating 25 years of real estate excellence, the powerhouse firm in northern Illinois thrives under the leadership of Broker/Owner Pat Callan and Office Manager Jenny Holloway.
With Callan at the helm since the firm’s inception in 1993, Realty Executives Premiere began with just two agents and has grown by 1,500%. Today, the brokerage is home to more than 30 real estate professionals across two branch locations in Wheaton and Aurora, serving homebuyers and sellers throughout the Chicagoland area with a focus on the western suburbs. Realty Executives Premiere continues to redefine what it means to be a leader, with the company’s incredible per-agent productivity and hands-on engagement at the local, state, and national level making a lasting impact on real estate professionals, and championing the communities they serve.
Throughout the brokerage’s 25-year history, Callan has responded to the shifts and challenges in the real estate business with an active voice and profound commitment to industry leadership. The deeply held belief that it’s the Executive’s “Book of Business” and not the company’s business is reflected in leadership decisions across the board. Realty Executives Premiere provides a platform that allows it’s agents to operate their businesses within a supportive environment with cost effective tools and the philosophy that every agent is a stakeholder. As for the results? The agents at Realty Executives Premiere get more deals done and offer incredible local expertise because of their exemplary productivity and industry insights. Continue reading →
It’s your worst nightmare as a buyer: one minute, everything is a go for purchasing the house of your dreams and the next, the entire down payment is gone with little hope in getting it back. This nightmare, known as wire fraud, has happened across the country to buyers who have fallen prey to a phishing scam resulting in losses of hundreds of millions dollars with devastating results for those in the process of purchasing a home.
The way this scam works is hackers target email and other accounts with messages relating to real estate activities, collecting contacts/email address of those in the process of buying a property. The scammer then spoofs an email to the buyer, often pretending to be an agent, title company, etc., directing them on where to wire their down payment. For those unfortunate buyers who follow through, they are out their down payment with little chance of ever getting it back. Continue reading →
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