If you are looking to buy a home but are worried that you can't afford monthly payments, why not consider a foreclosure as your first home?

A foreclosed home is usually owned by a bank or lender and sold at prices way below its market value. Who knows, you may just hit the jackpot by purchasing a residence that would have been out of your price range. 

Here are the top reasons you should consider foreclosed properties as a first-time buyer.

How Buying a Foreclosure Works

A foreclosure happens when a borrower fails to pay their monthly payments. The lender then exercises his right to seize the property and resell it to recover or reduce its financial losses.

Foreclosed properties are usually put up for auction, which means that lenders

Congratulations on the purchase of your home here in beautiful Middle Tennessee! You’re undoubtedly excited about all of the fun parts of moving to a new house. Decorating a new home and clearing out items that were contributing to clutter can be so refreshing. Moving to a new neighborhood can also open opportunities to meet new friends and explore a different area of our incredible state.

Despite the excitement of securing your new home and all of the positives that come with it, you most likely aren’t looking forward to the move itself. In fact, according to recent research, Americans say that moving is the single most stressful life event they’ve ever experienced. Moving outranked divorce, breakups, getting married, having a child, changing

In years past, heated flooring was a truly luxurious home feature, available in only high-end properties. In this century, though, heated floors are more affordable and reliable, and have gained popularity in every type of home. Tiny houses, apartments, single-family homes—even vans and buses—have either been designed with heated flooring or have been converted in recent years. Still, it’s not all good news when it comes to these comfort-boosting systems. Read on to learn more about some pros and cons of heated flooring.

Pros

1.) Compatible With Many Types of Flooring

Let’s first debunk the notion that heated floors can only be installed under tile or stone flooring. While these materials are excellent at conducting radiant heat, a skilled

Buying a second home is a dream come true for many. Whether it’s a retirement home, a vacation home, or your first step toward real estate, investing in a second property is a notable achievement in your portfolio. Like a first-time home purchase, a second property requires a down payment, and many consider using their home equity as seed money for funding the investment.  

The short answer to whether you can use your home equity to buy another home is yes, you can. Let’s look at the whole process to see how this works.

Steps For Getting a Home Equity Loan To Buy Your Second Home

1.) Determine How Much You Need

Before using your equity to buy your second home, determine how much you need for the down payment and closing costs. Next,

Owning a home is still very much a part of the American dream. However, did you know that non-U.S. citizens can also enjoy this? While there are challenges to homeownership if you are not a citizen, know that lenders are open to extending credit to non-citizen homebuyers.

Let's look at how you can qualify for a home loan even when you are a foreigner residing in the U.S.

Residency Status

Permanent residents with green cards have a better chance of getting a loan since they represent less risk for lenders due to their immigration status, which indicates they are in the country for the long haul.

Nonpermanent residents may encounter more challenges getting approved since their ability to work in the U.S. is tied to their visa. However,

Given the option, you would most likely choose not to stage your home while you’re still living in it. However, it’s not uncommon to have to prepare to show your home before you’ve closed on your new home. Don’t despair; while it is definitely more challenging to keep a home show-ready while it’s occupied, it’s certainly doable. 

First, let’s look at why staging a home is so important. According to recent research conducted by the National Association of Realtors (NAR),  31% of realtors reported that home staging greatly reduced the amount of time a home remained on the market. 23% of both sellers and agents reported netting up to 5% more than the asking price, while 18% of sellers’ agents said they closed for up to 10% over asking. 

None of the

Buying a home is an exciting, yet complicated process. You will have many decisions to make along the way, including your ideal neighborhoods, budget, and timing for your move. Whether you are buying your first home or purchasing a home in a new location, you should know: one of the most important decisions you’ll make is choosing your real estate agent.

In today’s article, we’re sharing our tips for selecting the right agent for you. While there are hundreds of qualified, personable, hard-working agents in Middle Tennessee, the following tips will help you narrow the field.

1.) Invest Your Time

Some buyers spend more time choosing a hotel for their vacation than they do researching their real estate agent. Yet for most homeowners, their

We know that getting a mortgage as a self-employed individual can be more challenging than a W2 employee. This is not a reason, however, to let go of your dream to own a house. Follow our tips below for a smooth mortgage approval experience as a self-employed home shopper.

What Lenders Are Looking For?

Self-employed home buyers submit the same application forms as everyone else, the only difference is lenders have more rigorous requirements when it comes to proof of income.

In regards to your self-employed income, you’ll need to prove the following:

• Business stability

• Nature and location of your self-employment

• Financial strength of your business and its ability to generate sufficient income for the foreseeable

If you want to know if FHA loans permit cash back to the borrower, then you’re in the right place. Here’s what you need to know about getting cashback on this popular government-backed home loan.

How Cash Back Works With Refinancing

A cash-out refinance is designed to give the borrower more than $500 cashback at closing. The FHA’s cash-out program allows you to cash out a portion of your equity and loan up to 85% of your home’s value.

You can receive less or up to $500 cashback when closing either a “no cash-out” refinance or a streamlined refinance. These refinance programs change your monthly payments with the streamlined program resulting in lower monthly payments or better loan terms.   

Note that in cases where an FHA refinance loan

Powering your home with solar energy, whether fully or in part, is certainly eco-friendly. Most of us are looking for ways to reduce our carbon footprint, and switching to solar power will help you achieve great strides toward your goal.

Let’s go over a few pros and cons you may wish to consider as you determine whether converting to solar power is right for you.

Pros

1.) Solar is Sustainable

When compared to consuming non-renewable fuels, it’s clear that solar power is infinitely more sustainable. Long after we’ve ceased powering our civilizations with fossil fuels and other combustibles, we will have access to solar, wind, and water power. By switching your home to solar now, you’re helping to move your community toward