During  the winter season home sellers often find it challenging to maintain a warm and inviting exterior for their property. While the cold weather, shorter days, and wet weather may seem gloomy and discouraging, there are still plenty of opportunities to enhance your home's curb appeal. With these 5 simple, yet effective strategies you can create that all-important welcoming and friendly first impression that will entice potential buyers. Let's explore these practical tips that will maximize curb appeal during the winter months, and make your home shine.


1. Start with a Clean Slate:
Before diving into any winter-specific curb appeal enhancements, it's important to begin with a clean and well-maintained exterior. Give your home a thorough inspection, including the roof, gutters, and windows. Touch up any peeling or fading paint, power wash hardscape areas, remove any debris, trim bushes, and clear the walkways of snow or ice. Taking care of basic upkeep tasks will provide a; ...

Having a great credit score is crucial for obtaining lowest-interest rates on loans. If you find yourself needing to improve your Fico credit score, don't worry if you're feeling a bit overwhelmed –with these 7 strategies and a sprinkle of patience, you can raise your credit score and take advantage of the best mortgage rates available,, as well as improve your overall financial health. Check out these practical steps to help you make big strides towards improving your credit health.


1. Understand Your Credit Report:
The first step in raising your credit score is familiarizing yourself with your credit report. Request a free copy of your Fico Score from each of the three main consumer credit reporting agencies - Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion. Analyze the report carefully, checking for any errors, inaccuracies, or fraudulent activity. Make sure to dispute credit report discrepancies right away.


2. Pay Your Bills on Time:
Paying your bills on time is a secret sauce ; ...

The art of pricing your home accurately is an indispensable element of a successful and smooth home sale. To navigate around pitfalls such as delayed sales, reduced negotiation power, and possible appraisal hurdles, it's wise to collaborate closely with a seasoned real estate professional who can provide expert insights and help ensure your pricing strategy sets you up for success.

1. Enticing Qualified Buyers: 
Setting an appropriate price right from the start is key to capturing the attention of genuine and interested buyers. With an abundance of resources at their fingertips, today's buyers are savvy when it comes to scouting the real estate market. Overpricing your property might discourage potential buyers, as they tend to compare listings and expect transparency and fair value for their investment.
 2. Your Competitive Edge: 
Proper pricing empowers you to position your home competitively within the market. Accurate pricing allows your property to stand out a; ...

Invest or Pay Off Your Mortgage? How to Decide

Should you invest extra cash or use it to pay off your mortgage?

It’s a heated debate that rivals French press versus pour-over coffee and “Star Wars” or “Star Trek.” But while all three topics might get passionate believers on both sides all worked up, investing or paying off your mortgage is a choice with serious financial consequences.

Here’s how to know which way to go.

The six variables to consider

To decide between the two, Justin Goodbread, a certified financial planner in Knoxville, Tennessee, suggests you consider six variables:


Your home’s current market value



Your mortgage interest rate



Home appreciation in your area



Your income tax rate



Expectations for inflation



An assumed rate of investment return


In an analysis on his blog, Financially Simple, Goodbread used national averages for these six parameter ...

Student loan debt has been a huge topic of conversation the past couple years. And it's no wonder. The average 2016 graduated has $37,172 in student loan debt. That's about $9,000 less than you'd need for a down payment on the average existing home in the U.S. at the end of 2016 and the thought of saving all that money while paying off between $219 and $389 on student loans a month can be pretty intimidating. But buying your first home can be about more than having a place to call your own--it's also a great way to build wealth. And there are steps you can take to make your dreams a reality. 
Set a goal
Chances are you don't have a huge nest egg right out of college, so the first step in buying a home is setting a goal and then making a plan to achieve it. Search homes on our website to see how much homes in your area cost.  Calculate how much you would need for a 20% down payment, then use our mortgage calculator to see what your mm ...