The First Time Home Buyer Podcast

Many buyers don't realize they have room to negotiate better mortgage terms, which can save thousands over the life of their loan. In this episode, we'll talk about how to approach lenders, compare options, and get the best rate possible.

Not including the right contingencies can put you at risk. In this episode, we'll talk about the key contingencies you need to protect your interests.

A skilled agent can be a game-changer! I'll explain why finding the right agent can save you money, time, and help you get the best deal.

Home inspections aren't optional! In this episode, I'll explain how inspections protect you from costly surprises down the road. Don't make the mistake of skipping this crucial step!

A home is only as valuable as its neighborhood! Today, we'll cover why researching neighborhoods is essential for long-term satisfaction and wealth-building.

Skipping pre-approval can lead to heartbreak later on. In this episode, learn why getting pre-approved is a game-changer and how it gives you a competitive edge and a clear budget.

It's easy to fall in love with a home—but emotions can lead to overspending or overlooking major issues. I'll share advice on how to balance your heart and your budget in today's episode, and why keeping your financial goals in mind is essential.

Buying a home involves more than just a mortgage payment! In this episode, we'll go over hidden costs like HOA fees, maintenance, and property taxes that buyers often forget. Don't let these expenses surprise you—get prepared with real-life budgeting tips.

Today, we'll discuss why your down payment matters more than you might think. A low down payment can lead to high monthly costs, added PMI, and long-term financial strain. Tune in to learn how to save smartly and set yourself up for financial success!

Homebuying Mistake #1: Not Knowing How Much You Can Afford Description: In this episode, we're diving into one of the biggest mistakes home buyers make—jumping into the search without understanding what they can realistically afford. We'll go over the total costs of homeownership, beyond just the mortgage payment, and I'll share practical tips to calculate a budget that works for your family.

What is a Buyer Representation Agreement, - Introduction Mary Cates is a Realtor that found her happy place in the Piedmont Triad area of North Carolina. Mary where she helps resale clients, out-of-state clients and first time homebuyers. She enjoys helping clients navigate the real estate process and ultimately finding the home of their desire. In her spare time, Mary enjoys tennis and spending time with family. ➡️ Manhattan/Brooklyn Real Estate Agent Services: If you'd like me to help you buy, sell, rent or renovate your home in Manhattan or Brooklyn, NY, let me know, I'd be happy to! Just send an email to lauramoreca@gmail.com or text me at 347-440-9582. ➡️ Real Estate Referrals:

SONYMA Down Payment Assistance Program - Introduction The Truth About SONYMA Down Payment Assistance Program with Christine Perlow Christine Perlow is a Sr. Loan Officer at Nationwide Mortgage Bankers. She has been in the mortgage industry for over 30 years and she is most passionate about helping her First Time Buyers. She has been in the SONYMA Hall of Fame for the past 10 years and always in the top 5! She is the mom to twin boys who are 18 years old graduating from High School and heading off to college! Christine and her husband are enjoying this special time. ➡️ Brooklyn Agent Services: If you'd like me to help you buy, sell, rent or renovate your home in Brooklyn, NY, let me know, I'd be happy to! Just send an email to lauramoreca@gmail.com or text me at 347-440-9582. ➡️ Real Estate Referrals:

David Epstein - Introduction David Epstein is the Vice President of First Securities Home Mortgage, and independent mortgage broker in Royal Oak, Michigan. He has been in the mortgage industry since 1993 and he focuses on giving the best customer service, follow up and attention to detail because he believes this is essential when working on mortgages. He has 4 kids and a wife and in his free time he likes golfing and being outdoors. David Epstein - Home Buying Resources Navigating the world of home buying can be overwhelming, especially for first-time buyers. That's why we've compiled a list of valuable resources to guide you through the process seamlessly. ➡️ Referrals:

Paul Abraham - Introduction Paul Abraham AKA BetterCallPaul is a mortgage lender and owner of LocalLender that has been in the mortgage business for 30 years. The first 10 years he was a loan officer and now he has become a loan officer trainer. He now runs a Facebook group with over 41k loan officers when he helps them to grow their business. Home Buying Resources Navigating the world of home buying can be overwhelming, especially for first-time buyers. That's why we've compiled a list of valuable resources to guide you through the process seamlessly. ➡️ Referrals:

Rodolfo Delgado - Introduction Rodolfo Delgado is a real estate startup founder based in New York and CEO of Replay Listings and Forbes contributor. He also bought his first home overseas and he is coming to share his experience and what he learned in the process. When he is not working he loves swimming and boxing. Home Buying Resources Navigating the world of home buying can be overwhelming, especially for first-time buyers. That's why we've compiled a list of valuable resources to guide you through the process seamlessly. ➡️ Referrals:

3 Ways to Compensate Buyer's Agents (and Why) Starting July 2024 In July 2024, significant changes are set to reshape how buyer's agents are compensated in real estate transactions. These changes have far-reaching implications for members of the real estate industry, as well as for home buyers and sellers. Let's delve into what these changes mean for all parties involved. These are the 3 ways you can compensate buyer's agents starting July 2024: 1. Fixed-Fee Commission Paid Directly by Consumers In this model, buyers pay a predetermined fixed fee directly to their agent for their services. Unlike traditional commission-based structures, where the agent's compensation is a percentage of the sale price, this approach offers more transparency and predictability for both buyers and sellers. Buyers know exactly how much they will pay their agent, regardless of the final sale price of the property. This can be particularly appealing for buyers who prefer a straightforward fee structure and want to avoid potential conflicts of interest that may arise from commission-based compensation. 2. Concession from the Seller Another method of compensating buyer's agents is through concessions from the seller. In this scenario, the seller agrees to cover some or all of the buyer's agent's fees as part of the overall transaction. This can be negotiated as part of the purchase agreement and is typically based on a percentage of the sale price. For buyers, this can be an attractive option as it reduces their out-of-pocket expenses for agent fees. Sellers may also benefit from offering a concession to attract more buyers and expedite the sale process. However, it's essential to consider how this concession may impact the negotiation dynamics between buyers and sellers. 3. Portion of the Listing Broker's Compensation In some cases, buyer's agents may receive a portion of the commission paid to the listing broker. This arrangement often involves the listing broker sharing a percentage of their commission with the buyer's agent as a cooperative compensation agreement. While this method is common in traditional real estate transactions, its prevalence may diminish with the new regulations limiting MLS communication of compensation offers. Nonetheless, it remains a viable option for compensating buyer's agents and can provide an incentive for agents to collaborate and facilitate successful transactions. These three methods offer distinct approaches to compensating buyer's agents and reflect the evolving landscape of real estate transactions. As the industry adapts to new regulations and consumer preferences, agents and clients alike must carefully consider which compensation model aligns best with their needs and goals. Home Buying Resources Navigating the world of home buying can be overwhelming, especially for first-time buyers. That's why we've compiled a list of valuable resources to guide you through the process seamlessly. ➡️ Referrals:

Nick Mullen - Introduction Nick Mullen is a real estate agent in Northern Virginia. He believes real estate is a great wealth building tool, and it's available to everybody. Recently, he's been working with buyers to acquire lots to build their dream homes. When he's not working he enjoys the company of family, playing music with his friends, and tending to his houseplants. Home Buying Resources Navigating the world of home buying can be overwhelming, especially for first-time buyers. That's why we've compiled a list of valuable resources to guide you through the process seamlessly. ➡️ Referrals:

Annika Lynn - Introduction Annika Lynn is a Certified Mortgage Advisor based in South Carolina, with licenses spanning 14 additional states. She specializes in helping first-time home buyers and facilitating VA loans. Annika thrives on guiding clients toward building wealth through real estate and to getting them smoothly to the finish line and into their new home. Annika Lynn - Summary   Home Buying Resources Navigating the world of home buying can be overwhelming, especially for first-time buyers. That's why we've compiled a list of valuable resources to guide you through the process seamlessly. ➡️ Referrals:

Donovan Reyes - Introduction Donovan Reyes is a real estate agent in Las Vegas. He sells over 100 homes a year to first time homebuyers, investors, professional athletes, and sellers. When he is not selling real estate, he is hanging out with his wife and 4 dogs.   Home Buying Resources Navigating the world of home buying can be overwhelming, especially for first-time buyers. That's why we've compiled a list of valuable resources to guide you through the process seamlessly. ➡️ Referrals:

Assumable Mortgages 101 with Michael Lorino - Summary Michael Lorino is the founder and CEO of AssumeList, a site where you can see Assumable Mortgages. A military veteran with over 15 years of real estate experience, Michael recognized the coming affordability crisis with rising interest rates and wondered how homebuyers could more easily find homes for sale with assumable loans. As he researched, he realized that no search tool existed, so he created AssumeList with the goal of making homes with assumable loans more accessible. Michael lives with his family in Alexandria, VA and enjoys spending time with his wife of 17 years and two young children. Meeting Notes Veteran's Real Estate Journey and Challenges Michael Lorino, a recently retired military veteran and real estate agent with over 15 years of experience, shared his journey into the real estate business and his passion for helping families buy and sell homes. He explained that he and his wife divide their work roles, with Michael Lorino focusing on buyer transactions and his wife handling listings. They also discussed the challenges of managing their business and family life, especially during the busy spring market. Michael Lorino shared that their children sometimes accompany them to clients and participate in home showings, and that his mother helps with childcare when needed. Michael Lorino also highlighted the impact of rising interest rates on the mortgage industry, noting that current rates are around 6.5% to 7%, a significant increase from a few years ago. Assumable Mortgages: Benefits and Legality Michael Lorino and Laura discussed the concept of assumable mortgages, where a buyer can take over a seller's existing mortgage terms, including the interest rate. Michael Lorino explained this could be beneficial for buyers, as they could avoid taking out a new mortgage and save money on closing costs as they wouldn't need an appraisal or a new lender's title insurance policy. Laura highlighted that this could be especially useful for those buying homes with low, assumable mortgages. Michael Lorino confirmed that such mortgages are legal and are typically government-guaranteed. He further clarified that VA, FHA, and USDA loans are all assumable. Assumable Mortgages: Benefits and Challenges Michael Lorino discussed the potential benefits of assuming a mortgage on a new home, using a specific example of a military couple who were able to save significantly by assuming a loan with a lower interest rate. Michael Lorino emphasized that while this option can be beneficial, it may not be suitable for everyone. Laura expressed interest in how to find properties with assumable loans and whether she needed to be a VA veteran to qualify. Michael Lorino explained that only a small percentage of homes for sale have assumable mortgages, and they are typically government-backed loans. He also introduced a new search platform to help potential buyers find these types of properties. Mortgage Down Payment Requirements Discussed Michael Lorino explained the down payment requirements for mortgages, noting that it varies from property to property based on the current loan balances and the sales price. He illustrated this with an example of a $500,000 home where the existing owner's loan balance was $400,000, requiring a down payment of $100,000. However, he also highlighted that the length of time the previous owner had owned the property and the initial down payment they made could affect the feasibility of assuming the mortgage. Laura agreed, emphasizing the need to pay attention to the loan balance and sales price. Michael Lorino further explained that while some lenders offer a second mortgage option to cover the difference, it's not very common and buyers typically need to come up with at least 5% of the sales price as a down payment. Assumable Mortgages: Awareness and Challenges Laura and Michael Lorino discussed the lack of awareness about assumable mortgages, a financing option that allows buyers to take over the existing mortgage of a home they wish to purchase. Michael Lorino explained that while assumable mortgages are gaining traction, particularly in areas with high concentrations of military personnel, they are not yet widely known or advertised. He also pointed out that existing lenders, who profit from issuing new loans, are not incentivized to support assumable mortgages. Laura expressed a desire to learn more about Michael Lorino's platform and how it operates. Assumable Loans in Real Estate Transactions Michael Lorino and Laura discussed the process and potential advantages of assumable loans in real estate transactions. Michael Lorino explained that although assumable loans can take longer to process, the VA has issued new guidance directing lenders to process them within 45 days. He suggested that buyers could offer the savings from an assumable loan as an incentive to sellers, potentially making their offer more attractive. Laura clarified that the $25,000 offered as an incentive is added to the purchase price and is not required as additional cash. They also discussed the advantage of not needing an appraisal and the potential for long-term savings on interest rates. AssumeList.com: Homebuyer Search Platform for Assumable Mortgages Michael Lorino discussed the creation of his search platform, AssumeList.com, aimed at helping homebuyers find properties with assumable mortgages. The platform allows users to search based on various criteria and provides detailed information about the properties. Michael Lorino also mentioned a new feature that shows the down payment requirement. Laura inquired about the data source, and Michael Lorino explained that they have a direct connection into the Multiple Listing Service (MLS) and also use public record data. Michael Lorino also clarified that there is a nominal subscription fee for using the platform. Michael Lorino emphasized the importance of user feedback in shaping the product and mentioned that recent updates were based on user suggestions. Home Buying Resources Navigating the world of home buying can be overwhelming, especially for first-time buyers. That's why we've compiled a list of valuable resources to guide you through the process seamlessly. ➡️ Referrals:

FHA 203k Loan Requirements - Introduction Andrew Winnard is a certified home inspector based in Maryland and HUD 203K consultant that takes great pride in the fact that he is able to work with home buyers to take advantage of one of the most powerful loan programs offered to the public.   Home Buying Resources Navigating the world of home buying can be overwhelming, especially for first-time buyers. That's why we've compiled a list of valuable resources to guide you through the process seamlessly. ➡️ Referrals:

Introduction Chastin J. Miles is a real estate agent who focuses on Dallas properties. He specializes in various types of real estate, like houses, condos, commercial buildings, and luxury rentals. Chastin J. Miles and his team aim to change the way people think about real estate transactions. They go above and beyond what typical agents do. Chastin J. Miles wants to be more than just a real estate agent. He wants to help people understand their local communities better. He also offers services in design, marketing, and sales for buyers, sellers, developers, and investors. Home Buying Resources Navigating the world of home buying can be overwhelming, especially for first-time buyers. That's why we've compiled a list of valuable resources to guide you through the process seamlessly. ➡️ Referrals:

Introduction – Amanda Shepherd Amanda Shepherd is a real estate broker in Seattle-Tacoma with Compass. She's the recipient of the Tacoma-Pierce County Association of Realtors Rookie of the Year award in 2022, and is passionate about helping first time home buyers achieve their goals. When she's not working, she's volunteering at local organizations like Rebuilding Together, the South Sound, her local Chamber of Commerce, or exploring the best Pacific North West hiking trails with her 8 year old daughter, Dylan.   Home Buying Resources Navigating the world of home buying can be overwhelming, especially for first-time buyers. That's why we've compiled a list of valuable resources to guide you through the process seamlessly. ➡️ Referrals:

Summary Justin Revland is the Marketing Manager for Hornet Moving in Charlotte, North Carolina. He enjoys representing a locally owned and operated small business that is doing big things in a quickly growing city. When not working, he stays busy finding new ways to get outdoors and spending time with his wife and 3 young children. Summary Home Buying Resources Navigating the world of home buying can be overwhelming, especially for first-time buyers. That's why we've compiled a list of valuable resources to guide you through the process seamlessly. ➡️ Referrals:

Introduction Seana Caine is a real estate agent in Rochester, NY. She loves working with first time homebuyers and helping them buy their first home. When she is not working she loves traveling and spending time with her husband. Home Buying Resources ➡️ Referrals ⭐ Find A Real Estate Agent Near Me ⭐ Find A Mortgage Broker Near Me ➡️ Free Resources ⭐ First Home Buyer Checklist ⭐ First Time Home Buyer Resources ⭐ Best Home Buying App ⭐ Homes For Sale Aggregator ➡️ Get The BEST Home Buying CALCULATORS ⭐ Buy Vs Rent Calculator ⭐ Smart Home Buyer Calculator ➡️ Get The BEST CREDIT SCORE Tools ⭐ Best Credit Score Check For First Time Home Buyers ➡️ Social Media ⭐ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iamlauramoreno ⭐ Twitter: https://twitter.com/iamlauramoreno ⭐ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/Iamlauramoreno ⭐ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@iamlauramoreno ➡️ Hire Me ⭐ Speaking, Events, Podcast Interviews, Collaborations & Endorsements - info@lauramoreno.com ⭐ Schedule a 1-1 Home Buying Consultation → https://lauramoreno.com/1-1-consultation/ ➡️ Contact Laura I'd love to hear from you! If you have a longer question, or if you have a business-related inquiry, please send me an email at info@lauramoreno.com. I try my best to reply to all e-mails but sometimes I do not have enough time to respond to everyone. ➡️ Join Our Smart Home Buyers Facebook Group ⭐ https://www.facebook.com/groups/thesmarthomebuyer/ ➡️ Disclaimer Laura Moreno is not a practicing tax accountant or a licensed attorney or financial adviser. Therefore, the information in these videos shall not be relied upon as tax, legal, or financial advice from a qualified perspective. If you need such advice, please contact a qualified tax accountant, attorney, or financial adviser. We have taken reasonable steps to check that the information in this video is accurate but we cannot represent that it is free from errors. You expressly agree not to rely upon any information contained in this video - it is for entertainment purposes only. This video description may contain affiliate links that allow you to easily find the items mentioned in my videos as well as support the channel at no cost to you.

➡️ Description Alison Derse is an award-winning Realtor in Portland, OR. Her mission is to offer heartfelt care and white glove service with the best tools, resources and local market knowledge the industry has to offer. She works across all of Portland and surrounding suburbs. When she is not working, she loves entertaining and exploring the city with her husband and two young children. ➡️ Referrals ⭐ Get a Referral to a Top Mortgage Lender or Realtor - http://lauramoreno.com/referral ➡️ FREE Home Buying Checklist ⭐ Download the Most Comprehensive Home Buying Checklist: https://lauramoreno.com/home-buying-checklist/ ➡️ Get The BEST Home Buying Tools & Resources ⭐ Home Buyer Resources + Tools: https://lauramoreno.com/ ⭐ Project Management Platform For Your Home: https://homeflow.co/ ⭐ Property Aggregator Chrome Extension: https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/homeflow/cppljkkofnppfeackjnepcghdbekkpoh ➡️ Get The BEST Home Buying CALCULATORS ⭐ Buy Vs Rent Calculator: https://lauramoreno.com/the-buy-vs-rent-calculator/ ⭐ Smart Home Buyer Calculator: https://lauramoreno.com/the-smart-home-buyer-calculator/ ➡️ Get The BEST CREDIT SCORE Repair Tools ⭐ Review Your Credit Score With MyFico: https://lauramoreno.com/myfico/ ➡️ Ready to Buy Your First House? Watch these videos in my YouTube playlist ⭐ How to buy a house: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLxnn3zGLexPTtB133pCjCtD-M40KrIs7T ➡️ Social Media ⭐ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iamlauramoreno ⭐ Twitter: https://twitter.com/iamlauramoreno ⭐ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/Iamlauramoreno ⭐ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@iamlauramoreno ➡️ Hire Me ⭐ Speaking, Events, Podcast Interviews, Collaborations & Endorsements - info@lauramoreno.com ⭐ Schedule a 1-1 Home Buying Consultation → https://lauramoreno.com/1-1-consultation/ ➡️ Contact Laura I'd love to hear from you! If you have a longer question, or if you have a business-related inquiry, please send me an email at info@lauramoreno.com. I try my best to reply to all e-mails but sometimes I do not have enough time to respond to everyone. ➡️ Join Our Smart Home Buyers Facebook Group ⭐ https://www.facebook.com/groups/thesmarthomebuyer/ ➡️ Disclaimer Laura Moreno is not a practicing tax accountant or a licensed attorney or financial adviser. Therefore, the information in these videos shall not be relied upon as tax, legal, or financial advice from a qualified perspective. If you need such advice, please contact a qualified tax accountant, attorney, or financial adviser. We have taken reasonable steps to check that the information in this video is accurate but we cannot represent that it is free from errors. You expressly agree not to rely upon any information contained in this video - it is for entertainment purposes only. This video description may contain affiliate links that allow you to easily find the items mentioned in my videos as well as support the channel at no cost to you.

Description Danielle Andrews is the Broker and Owner of Realty ONE Group Next Generation in Tallahassee, Florida. Danielle has been working in the real estate industry in Florida since 2016. She is an Educator by nature, having spent four years teaching Middle School Social Studies. She enjoys bringing her passion for education into her real estate sales business and brokerage.  In her spare time, she enjoys traveling, eating at new restaurants, spending time with her family, and catching up on the latest TV shows and movies. Useful Links ➡️ Referrals ⭐ Get a Referral to a Top Mortgage Lender or Realtor - http://lauramoreno.com/referral ➡️ FREE Home Buying Checklist ⭐ Download the Most Comprehensive Home Buying Checklist: https://lauramoreno.com/home-buying-checklist/ ➡️ Get The BEST Home Buying Tools & Resources ⭐ Home Buyer Resources + Tools: https://lauramoreno.com/ ⭐ Project Management Platform For Your Home: https://homeflow.co/ ⭐ Property Aggregator Chrome Extension: https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/homeflow/cppljkkofnppfeackjnepcghdbekkpoh ➡️ Get The BEST Home Buying CALCULATORS ⭐ Buy Vs Rent Calculator: https://lauramoreno.com/the-buy-vs-rent-calculator/ ⭐ Smart Home Buyer Calculator: https://lauramoreno.com/the-smart-home-buyer-calculator/ ➡️ Get The BEST CREDIT SCORE Repair Tools ⭐ Review Your Credit Score With MyFico: https://lauramoreno.com/myfico/ ➡️ Ready to Buy Your First House? Watch these videos in my YouTube playlist ⭐ How to buy a house: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLxnn3zGLexPTtB133pCjCtD-M40KrIs7T ➡️ Social Media ⭐ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iamlauramoreno ⭐ Twitter: https://twitter.com/iamlauramoreno ⭐ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/Iamlauramoreno ⭐ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@iamlauramoreno ➡️ Hire Me ⭐ Speaking, Events, Podcast Interviews, Collaborations & Endorsements - info@lauramoreno.com ⭐ Schedule a 1-1 Home Buying Consultation → https://lauramoreno.com/1-1-consultation/ ➡️ Contact Laura I'd love to hear from you! If you have a longer question, or if you have a business-related inquiry, please send me an email at info@lauramoreno.com. I try my best to reply to all e-mails but sometimes I do not have enough time to respond to everyone. ➡️ Join Our Smart Home Buyers Facebook Group ⭐ https://www.facebook.com/groups/thesmarthomebuyer/ ➡️ Disclaimer Laura Moreno is not a practicing tax accountant or a licensed attorney or financial adviser. Therefore, the information in these videos shall not be relied upon as tax, legal, or financial advice from a qualified perspective. If you need such advice, please contact a qualified tax accountant, attorney, or financial adviser. We have taken reasonable steps to check that the information in this video is accurate but we cannot represent that it is free from errors. You expressly agree not to rely upon any information contained in this video - it is for entertainment purposes only. This video description may contain affiliate links that allow you to easily find the items mentioned in my videos as well as support the channel at no cost to you.

Description MattTheMortgageGuy is a mortgage broker who is passionate about helping first time homebuyers create life changing opportunities through homeownership. Over the last decade he has created thousands of hours of content across YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, TikTok to educate homebuyers to make great decisions around buying a home. Outside of work Matt is a dedicated father of 2 boys (10 & 14), husband to his wife of 15 years (Katrina), and lifelong fan of the Sacramento KINGS! Useful Links ➡️ Referrals ⭐ Get a Referral to a Top Mortgage Lender or Realtor - http://lauramoreno.com/referral ➡️ FREE Home Buying Checklist ⭐ Download the Most Comprehensive Home Buying Checklist: https://lauramoreno.com/home-buying-checklist/ ➡️ Get The BEST Home Buying Tools & Resources ⭐ Home Buyer Resources + Tools: https://lauramoreno.com/ ⭐ Project Management Platform For Your Home: https://homeflow.co/ ⭐ Property Aggregator Chrome Extension: https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/homeflow/cppljkkofnppfeackjnepcghdbekkpoh ➡️ Get The BEST Home Buying CALCULATORS ⭐ Buy Vs Rent Calculator: https://lauramoreno.com/the-buy-vs-rent-calculator/ ⭐ Smart Home Buyer Calculator: https://lauramoreno.com/the-smart-home-buyer-calculator/ ➡️ Get The BEST CREDIT SCORE Repair Tools ⭐ Review Your Credit Score With MyFico: https://lauramoreno.com/myfico/ ➡️ Ready to Buy Your First House? Watch these videos in my YouTube playlist ⭐ How to buy a house: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLxnn3zGLexPTtB133pCjCtD-M40KrIs7T ➡️ Social Media ⭐ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iamlauramoreno ⭐ Twitter: https://twitter.com/iamlauramoreno ⭐ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/Iamlauramoreno ⭐ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@iamlauramoreno ➡️ Hire Me ⭐ Speaking, Events, Podcast Interviews, Collaborations & Endorsements - info@lauramoreno.com ⭐ Schedule a 1-1 Home Buying Consultation → https://lauramoreno.com/1-1-consultation/ ➡️ Contact Laura I'd love to hear from you! If you have a longer question, or if you have a business-related inquiry, please send me an email at info@lauramoreno.com. I try my best to reply to all e-mails but sometimes I do not have enough time to respond to everyone. ➡️ Join Our Smart Home Buyers Facebook Group ⭐ https://www.facebook.com/groups/thesmarthomebuyer/ ➡️ Disclaimer Laura Moreno is not a practicing tax accountant or a licensed attorney or financial adviser. Therefore, the information in these videos shall not be relied upon as tax, legal, or financial advice from a qualified perspective. If you need such advice, please contact a qualified tax accountant, attorney, or financial adviser. We have taken reasonable steps to check that the information in this video is accurate but we cannot represent that it is free from errors. You expressly agree not to rely upon any information contained in this video - it is for entertainment purposes only. This video description may contain affiliate links that allow you to easily find the items mentioned in my videos as well as support the channel at no cost to you.

Description Darren Kaplan, known as MrMortgageGuru, is a husband of 23 years and a proud father to two wonderful children—a boy and a girl. As a seasoned mortgage banker, he has over 200 positive Zillow reviews, maintains a thriving YouTube channel with over 5000 subscribers, and brings over 20 years of valuable experience to his profession. Outside of work, Darren enjoys playing pickleball and collecting sports cards. Useful Links ➡️ Referrals ⭐ Get a Referral to a Top Mortgage Lender or Realtor - http://lauramoreno.com/referral ➡️ FREE Home Buying Checklist ⭐ Download the Most Comprehensive Home Buying Checklist: https://lauramoreno.com/home-buying-checklist/ ➡️ Get The BEST Home Buying Tools & Resources ⭐ Home Buyer Resources + Tools: https://lauramoreno.com/ ⭐ Project Management Platform For Your Home: https://homeflow.co/ ⭐ Property Aggregator Chrome Extension: https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/homeflow/cppljkkofnppfeackjnepcghdbekkpoh ➡️ Get The BEST Home Buying CALCULATORS ⭐ Buy Vs Rent Calculator: https://lauramoreno.com/the-buy-vs-rent-calculator/ ⭐ Smart Home Buyer Calculator: https://lauramoreno.com/the-smart-home-buyer-calculator/ ➡️ Get The BEST CREDIT SCORE Repair Tools ⭐ Review Your Credit Score With MyFico: https://lauramoreno.com/myfico/ ➡️ Ready to Buy Your First House? Watch these videos in my YouTube playlist ⭐ How to buy a house: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLxnn3zGLexPTtB133pCjCtD-M40KrIs7T ➡️ Social Media ⭐ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iamlauramoreno ⭐ Twitter: https://twitter.com/iamlauramoreno ⭐ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/Iamlauramoreno ⭐ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@iamlauramoreno ➡️ Hire Me ⭐ Speaking, Events, Podcast Interviews, Collaborations & Endorsements - info@lauramoreno.com ⭐ Schedule a 1-1 Home Buying Consultation → https://lauramoreno.com/1-1-consultation/ ➡️ Contact Laura I'd love to hear from you! If you have a longer question, or if you have a business-related inquiry, please send me an email at info@lauramoreno.com. I try my best to reply to all e-mails but sometimes I do not have enough time to respond to everyone. ➡️ Join Our Smart Home Buyers Facebook Group ⭐ https://www.facebook.com/groups/thesmarthomebuyer/ ➡️ Disclaimer Laura Moreno is not a practicing tax accountant or a licensed attorney or financial adviser. Therefore, the information in these videos shall not be relied upon as tax, legal, or financial advice from a qualified perspective. If you need such advice, please contact a qualified tax accountant, attorney, or financial adviser. We have taken reasonable steps to check that the information in this video is accurate but we cannot represent that it is free from errors. You expressly agree not to rely upon any information contained in this video - it is for entertainment purposes only. This video description may contain affiliate links that allow you to easily find the items mentioned in my videos as well as support the channel at no cost to you.

Description Danny Meier is a mortgage loan officer out of the Seattle area where he was born and raised. He has been the #1 loan officer in the state for three years in a row and is ranked top ten nationally amongst all loan officers. He is a homeowner, investor, loving husband and father. What makes him tick is helping people make sound financial decisions and meeting people where they are at. Listening is what he considers his greatest skill Useful Links ➡️ Referrals ⭐ Get a Referral to a Top Mortgage Lender or Realtor - http://lauramoreno.com/referral ➡️ FREE Home Buying Checklist ⭐ Download the Most Comprehensive Home Buying Checklist: https://lauramoreno.com/home-buying-checklist/ ➡️ Get The BEST Home Buying Tools & Resources ⭐ Home Buyer Resources + Tools: https://lauramoreno.com/ ⭐ Project Management Platform For Your Home: https://homeflow.co/ ⭐ Property Aggregator Chrome Extension: https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/homeflow/cppljkkofnppfeackjnepcghdbekkpoh ➡️ Get The BEST Home Buying CALCULATORS ⭐ Buy Vs Rent Calculator: https://lauramoreno.com/the-buy-vs-rent-calculator/ ⭐ Smart Home Buyer Calculator: https://lauramoreno.com/the-smart-home-buyer-calculator/ ➡️ Get The BEST CREDIT SCORE Repair Tools ⭐ Review Your Credit Score With MyFico: https://lauramoreno.com/myfico/ ➡️ Ready to Buy Your First House? Watch these videos in my YouTube playlist ⭐ How to buy a house: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLxnn3zGLexPTtB133pCjCtD-M40KrIs7T ➡️ Social Media ⭐ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iamlauramoreno ⭐ Twitter: https://twitter.com/iamlauramoreno ⭐ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/Iamlauramoreno ⭐ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@iamlauramoreno ➡️ Hire Me ⭐ Speaking, Events, Podcast Interviews, Collaborations & Endorsements - info@lauramoreno.com ⭐ Schedule a 1-1 Home Buying Consultation → https://lauramoreno.com/1-1-consultation/ ➡️ Contact Laura I'd love to hear from you! If you have a longer question, or if you have a business-related inquiry, please send me an email at info@lauramoreno.com. I try my best to reply to all e-mails but sometimes I do not have enough time to respond to everyone. ➡️ Join Our Smart Home Buyers Facebook Group ⭐ https://www.facebook.com/groups/thesmarthomebuyer/ ➡️ Disclaimer Laura Moreno is not a practicing tax accountant or a licensed attorney or financial adviser. Therefore, the information in these videos shall not be relied upon as tax, legal, or financial advice from a qualified perspective. If you need such advice, please contact a qualified tax accountant, attorney, or financial adviser. We have taken reasonable steps to check that the information in this video is accurate but we cannot represent that it is free from errors. You expressly agree not to rely upon any information contained in this video - it is for entertainment purposes only. This video description may contain affiliate links that allow you to easily find the items mentioned in my videos as well as support the channel at no cost to you.

Description Jeb Smith is a Real Estate Broker and Content Creator located in Huntington Beach, CA. He enjoys educating first time home buyers on the importance of homeownership and providing the guidance necessary to help them accomplish their goals. Jeb loves being active and spending time with his wife and 3 boys. Useful Links ➡️ Referrals ⭐ Get a Referral to a Top Mortgage Lender or Realtor - http://lauramoreno.com/referral ➡️ FREE Home Buying Checklist ⭐ Download the Most Comprehensive Home Buying Checklist: https://lauramoreno.com/home-buying-checklist/ ➡️ Get The BEST Home Buying Tools & Resources ⭐ Home Buyer Resources + Tools: https://lauramoreno.com/ ⭐ Project Management Platform For Your Home: https://homeflow.co/ ⭐ Property Aggregator Chrome Extension: https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/homeflow/cppljkkofnppfeackjnepcghdbekkpoh ➡️ Get The BEST Home Buying CALCULATORS ⭐ Buy Vs Rent Calculator: https://lauramoreno.com/the-buy-vs-rent-calculator/ ⭐ Smart Home Buyer Calculator: https://lauramoreno.com/the-smart-home-buyer-calculator/ ➡️ Get The BEST CREDIT SCORE Repair Tools ⭐ Review Your Credit Score With MyFico: https://lauramoreno.com/myfico/ ➡️ Ready to Buy Your First House? Watch these videos in my YouTube playlist ⭐ How to buy a house: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLxnn3zGLexPTtB133pCjCtD-M40KrIs7T ➡️ Social Media ⭐ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iamlauramoreno ⭐ Twitter: https://twitter.com/iamlauramoreno ⭐ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/Iamlauramoreno ⭐ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@iamlauramoreno ➡️ Hire Me ⭐ Speaking, Events, Podcast Interviews, Collaborations & Endorsements - info@lauramoreno.com ⭐ Schedule a 1-1 Home Buying Consultation → https://lauramoreno.com/1-1-consultation/ ➡️ Contact Laura I'd love to hear from you! If you have a longer question, or if you have a business-related inquiry, please send me an email at info@lauramoreno.com. I try my best to reply to all e-mails but sometimes I do not have enough time to respond to everyone. ➡️ Join Our Smart Home Buyers Facebook Group ⭐ https://www.facebook.com/groups/thesmarthomebuyer/ ➡️ Disclaimer Laura Moreno is not a practicing tax accountant or a licensed attorney or financial adviser. Therefore, the information in these videos shall not be relied upon as tax, legal, or financial advice from a qualified perspective. If you need such advice, please contact a qualified tax accountant, attorney, or financial adviser. We have taken reasonable steps to check that the information in this video is accurate but we cannot represent that it is free from errors. You expressly agree not to rely upon any information contained in this video - it is for entertainment purposes only. This video description may contain affiliate links that allow you to easily find the items mentioned in my videos as well as support the channel at no cost to you.

➡️ Description Dane Moler is a Division President with Primary Residential in the San Francisco Bay Area. He is an expert in all things mortgage with more than 22 years in the mortgage industry and having personally funded over 2,500 residential mortgages. Outside of the office he is an avid mountain biker, snowboarder, and travel enthusiast. ➡️ Referrals ⭐ Get a Referral to a Top Mortgage Lender or Realtor - http://lauramoreno.com/referral ➡️ FREE Home Buying Checklist ⭐ Download the Most Comprehensive Home Buying Checklist: https://lauramoreno.com/home-buying-checklist/ ➡️ Get The BEST Home Buying Tools & Resources ⭐ Home Buyer Resources + Tools: https://lauramoreno.com/ ⭐ Project Management Platform For Your Home: https://homeflow.co/ ⭐ Property Aggregator Chrome Extension: https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/homeflow/cppljkkofnppfeackjnepcghdbekkpoh ➡️ Get The BEST Home Buying CALCULATORS ⭐ Buy Vs Rent Calculator: https://lauramoreno.com/the-buy-vs-rent-calculator/ ⭐ Smart Home Buyer Calculator: https://lauramoreno.com/the-smart-home-buyer-calculator/ ➡️ Get The BEST CREDIT SCORE Repair Tools ⭐ Review Your Credit Score With MyFico: https://lauramoreno.com/myfico/ ➡️ Ready to Buy Your First House? Watch these videos in my YouTube playlist ⭐ How to buy a house: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLxnn3zGLexPTtB133pCjCtD-M40KrIs7T ➡️ Social Media ⭐ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iamlauramoreno ⭐ Twitter: https://twitter.com/iamlauramoreno ⭐ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/Iamlauramoreno ⭐ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@iamlauramoreno ➡️ Hire Me ⭐ Speaking, Events, Podcast Interviews, Collaborations & Endorsements - info@lauramoreno.com ⭐ Schedule a 1-1 Home Buying Consultation → https://lauramoreno.com/1-1-consultation/ ➡️ Contact Laura I'd love to hear from you! If you have a longer question, or if you have a business-related inquiry, please send me an email at info@lauramoreno.com. I try my best to reply to all e-mails but sometimes I do not have enough time to respond to everyone. ➡️ Join Our Smart Home Buyers Facebook Group ⭐ https://www.facebook.com/groups/thesmarthomebuyer/ ➡️ Disclaimer Laura Moreno is not a practicing tax accountant or a licensed attorney or financial adviser. Therefore, the information in these videos shall not be relied upon as tax, legal, or financial advice from a qualified perspective. If you need such advice, please contact a qualified tax accountant, attorney, or financial adviser. We have taken reasonable steps to check that the information in this video is accurate but we cannot represent that it is free from errors. You expressly agree not to rely upon any information contained in this video - it is for entertainment purposes only. This video description may contain affiliate links that allow you to easily find the items mentioned in my videos as well as support the channel at no cost to you.

➡️ Description Brett Ari Fischer is a real estate agent in New York City. He loves working with homebuyers and sellers. When he is not working he loves playing sports, reading, making videos, cooking, going to the gym and watching sports. ➡️ Referrals ⭐ Get a Referral to a Top Mortgage Lender or Realtor - http://lauramoreno.com/referral ➡️ FREE Home Buying Checklist ⭐ Download the Most Comprehensive Home Buying Checklist: https://lauramoreno.com/home-buying-checklist/ ➡️ Get The BEST Home Buying Tools & Resources ⭐ Home Buyer Resources + Tools: https://lauramoreno.com/ ⭐ Project Management Platform For Your Home: https://homeflow.co/ ⭐ Property Aggregator Chrome Extension: https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/homeflow/cppljkkofnppfeackjnepcghdbekkpoh ➡️ Get The BEST Home Buying CALCULATORS ⭐ Buy Vs Rent Calculator: https://lauramoreno.com/the-buy-vs-rent-calculator/ ⭐ Smart Home Buyer Calculator: https://lauramoreno.com/the-smart-home-buyer-calculator/ ➡️ Get The BEST CREDIT SCORE Repair Tools ⭐ Review Your Credit Score With MyFico: https://lauramoreno.com/myfico/ ➡️ Ready to Buy Your First House? Watch these videos in my YouTube playlist ⭐ How to buy a house: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLxnn3zGLexPTtB133pCjCtD-M40KrIs7T ➡️ Social Media ⭐ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iamlauramoreno ⭐ Twitter: https://twitter.com/iamlauramoreno ⭐ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/Iamlauramoreno ⭐ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@iamlauramoreno ➡️ Hire Me ⭐ Speaking, Events, Podcast Interviews, Collaborations & Endorsements - info@lauramoreno.com ⭐ Schedule a 1-1 Home Buying Consultation → https://lauramoreno.com/1-1-consultation/ ➡️ Contact Laura I'd love to hear from you! If you have a longer question, or if you have a business-related inquiry, please send me an email at info@lauramoreno.com. I try my best to reply to all e-mails but sometimes I do not have enough time to respond to everyone. ➡️ Join Our Smart Home Buyers Facebook Group ⭐ https://www.facebook.com/groups/thesmarthomebuyer/ ➡️ Disclaimer Laura Moreno is not a practicing tax accountant or a licensed attorney or financial adviser. Therefore, the information in these videos shall not be relied upon as tax, legal, or financial advice from a qualified perspective. If you need such advice, please contact a qualified tax accountant, attorney, or financial adviser. We have taken reasonable steps to check that the information in this video is accurate but we cannot represent that it is free from errors. You expressly agree not to rely upon any information contained in this video - it is for entertainment purposes only. This video description may contain affiliate links that allow you to easily find the items mentioned in my videos as well as support the channel at no cost to you.

➡️ Description Craig Rowe is a journalist based in Truckee, CA, focusing on proptech, marketing and consulting for real estate. He's also a backpacking guide in Yosemite National Park and the Eastern Sierra Nevada. ➡️ Referrals ⭐ Get a Referral to a Top Mortgage Lender or Realtor - http://lauramoreno.com/referral ➡️ FREE Home Buying Checklist ⭐ Download the Most Comprehensive Home Buying Checklist: https://lauramoreno.com/home-buying-checklist/ ➡️ Get The BEST Home Buying Tools & Resources ⭐ Home Buyer Resources + Tools: https://lauramoreno.com/ ⭐ Project Management Platform For Your Home: https://homeflow.co/ ⭐ Property Aggregator Chrome Extension: https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/homeflow/cppljkkofnppfeackjnepcghdbekkpoh ➡️ Get The BEST Home Buying CALCULATORS ⭐ Buy Vs Rent Calculator: https://lauramoreno.com/the-buy-vs-rent-calculator/ ⭐ Smart Home Buyer Calculator: https://lauramoreno.com/the-smart-home-buyer-calculator/ ➡️ Get The BEST CREDIT SCORE Repair Tools ⭐ Review Your Credit Score With MyFico: https://lauramoreno.com/myfico/ ➡️ Ready to Buy Your First House? Watch these videos in my YouTube playlist ⭐ How to buy a house: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLxnn3zGLexPTtB133pCjCtD-M40KrIs7T ➡️ Social Media ⭐ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iamlauramoreno ⭐ Twitter: https://twitter.com/iamlauramoreno ⭐ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/Iamlauramoreno ⭐ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@iamlauramoreno ➡️ Hire Me ⭐ Speaking, Events, Podcast Interviews, Collaborations & Endorsements - info@lauramoreno.com ⭐ Schedule a 1-1 Home Buying Consultation → https://lauramoreno.com/1-1-consultation/ ➡️ Contact Laura I'd love to hear from you! If you have a longer question, or if you have a business-related inquiry, please send me an email at info@lauramoreno.com. I try my best to reply to all e-mails but sometimes I do not have enough time to respond to everyone. ➡️ Join Our Smart Home Buyers Facebook Group ⭐ https://www.facebook.com/groups/thesmarthomebuyer/ ➡️ Disclaimer Laura Moreno is not a practicing tax accountant or a licensed attorney or financial adviser. Therefore, the information in these videos shall not be relied upon as tax, legal, or financial advice from a qualified perspective. If you need such advice, please contact a qualified tax accountant, attorney, or financial adviser. We have taken reasonable steps to check that the information in this video is accurate but we cannot represent that it is free from errors. You expressly agree not to rely upon any information contained in this video - it is for entertainment purposes only. This video description may contain affiliate links that allow you to easily find the items mentioned in my videos as well as support the channel at no cost to you.

➡️ Description Andrew Galler is a Realtor in Portland, Oregon and has been helping people buy (and sell) homes since 2001. His passion is navigating his clients' largest financial and emotional investment in their lives: their HOME. ➡️ Referrals ⭐ Get a Referral to a Top Mortgage Lender or Realtor - http://lauramoreno.com/referral ➡️ FREE Home Buying Checklist ⭐ Download the Most Comprehensive Home Buying Checklist: https://lauramoreno.com/home-buying-checklist/ ➡️ Get The BEST Home Buying Tools & Resources ⭐ Home Buyer Resources + Tools: https://lauramoreno.com/ ⭐ Project Management Platform For Your Home: https://homeflow.co/ ⭐ Property Aggregator Chrome Extension: https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/homeflow/cppljkkofnppfeackjnepcghdbekkpoh ➡️ Get The BEST Home Buying CALCULATORS ⭐ Buy Vs Rent Calculator: https://lauramoreno.com/the-buy-vs-rent-calculator/ ⭐ Smart Home Buyer Calculator: https://lauramoreno.com/the-smart-home-buyer-calculator/ ➡️ Get The BEST CREDIT SCORE Repair Tools ⭐ Review Your Credit Score With MyFico: https://lauramoreno.com/myfico/ ➡️ Ready to Buy Your First House? Watch these videos in my YouTube playlist ⭐ How to buy a house: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLxnn3zGLexPTtB133pCjCtD-M40KrIs7T ➡️ Social Media ⭐ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iamlauramoreno ⭐ Twitter: https://twitter.com/iamlauramoreno ⭐ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/Iamlauramoreno ⭐ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@iamlauramoreno ➡️ Hire Me ⭐ Speaking, Events, Podcast Interviews, Collaborations & Endorsements - info@lauramoreno.com ⭐ Schedule a 1-1 Home Buying Consultation → https://lauramoreno.com/1-1-consultation/ ➡️ Contact Laura I'd love to hear from you! If you have a longer question, or if you have a business-related inquiry, please send me an email at info@lauramoreno.com. I try my best to reply to all e-mails but sometimes I do not have enough time to respond to everyone. ➡️ Join Our Smart Home Buyers Facebook Group ⭐ https://www.facebook.com/groups/thesmarthomebuyer/ ➡️ Disclaimer Laura Moreno is not a practicing tax accountant or a licensed attorney or financial adviser. Therefore, the information in these videos shall not be relied upon as tax, legal, or financial advice from a qualified perspective. If you need such advice, please contact a qualified tax accountant, attorney, or financial adviser. We have taken reasonable steps to check that the information in this video is accurate but we cannot represent that it is free from errors. You expressly agree not to rely upon any information contained in this video - it is for entertainment purposes only. This video description may contain affiliate links that allow you to easily find the items mentioned in my videos as well as support the channel at no cost to you.

➡️ Introduction Kimberley Tufts is a licensed REALTOR® serving New Hampshire and also Massachusetts. She is determined and committed to making the transaction as stress-free as possible and even fun while providing the utmost excellent service earning your trust, future referrals, and repeat business. First-time buyers are her favorite because the joy that comes from educating a first-time buyer through the process from start to finish and turning over the keys at closing is like no other. When Kim is not working or mentoring her group she enjoys spending time with her family, friends, 2 cats, the ocean, and yoga. ➡️ Referrals ⭐ Get a Referral to a Top Mortgage Lender or Realtor - http://lauramoreno.com/referral ➡️ FREE Home Buying Checklist ⭐ Download the Most Comprehensive Home Buying Checklist: https://lauramoreno.com/home-buying-checklist/ ➡️ Get The BEST Home Buying Tools & Resources ⭐ Home Buyer Resources + Tools: https://lauramoreno.com/ ⭐ Project Management Platform For Your Home: https://homeflow.co/ ⭐ Property Aggregator Chrome Extension: https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/homeflow/cppljkkofnppfeackjnepcghdbekkpoh ➡️ Get The BEST Home Buying CALCULATORS ⭐ Buy Vs Rent Calculator: https://lauramoreno.com/the-buy-vs-rent-calculator/ ⭐ Smart Home Buyer Calculator: https://lauramoreno.com/the-smart-home-buyer-calculator/ ➡️ Get The BEST CREDIT SCORE Repair Tool ⭐ Review Your Credit Score With MyFico: https://lauramoreno.com/myfico/ ➡️ Ready to Buy Your First House? ⭐ Watch these videos in my YouTube playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLxnn3zGLexPTtB133pCjCtD-M40KrIs7T ➡️ Social Media ⭐ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iamlauramoreno ⭐ Twitter: https://twitter.com/iamlauramoreno ⭐ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/Iamlauramoreno ⭐ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@iamlauramoreno ➡️ Hire Me ⭐ Speaking, Events, Podcast Interviews, Collaborations & Endorsements - info@lauramoreno.com ⭐ Schedule a 1-1 Home Buying Consultation → https://lauramoreno.com/1-1-consultation/ ➡️ Contact Laura I'd love to hear from you! If you have a longer question, or if you have a business-related inquiry, please send me an email at info@lauramoreno.com. I try my best to reply to all e-mails but sometimes I do not have enough time to respond to everyone. ➡️ Join Our Smart Home Buyers Facebook Group ⭐ https://www.facebook.com/groups/thesmarthomebuyer/ ➡️ Disclaimer Laura Moreno is not a practicing tax accountant or a licensed attorney or financial adviser. Therefore, the information in these videos shall not be relied upon as tax, legal, or financial advice from a qualified perspective. If you need such advice, please contact a qualified tax accountant, attorney, or financial adviser. We have taken reasonable steps to check that the information in this video is accurate but we cannot represent that it is free from errors. You expressly agree not to rely upon any information contained in this video - it is for entertainment purposes only. This video description may contain affiliate links that allow you to easily find the items mentioned in my videos as well as support the channel at no cost to you.

➡️ Introduction Robert Davenport is a seasoned real estate agent in Indiana who enjoys making your home dreams come true. As an Indiana native, Robert recognizes the trust his clients place in him and takes the lead with savvy negotiation skills, value, dedication and always putting his clients first. In his spare time he enjoys being with his family, hiking, playing tennis and running as well. ➡️ Referrals ⭐ Get a Referral to a Top Mortgage Lender or Realtor - http://lauramoreno.com/referral ➡️ FREE Home Buying Checklist ⭐ Download the Most Comprehensive Home Buying Checklist: https://lauramoreno.com/home-buying-checklist/ ➡️ Get The BEST Home Buying Tools & Resources ⭐ Home Buyer Resources + Tools: https://lauramoreno.com/ ⭐ Project Management Platform For Your Home: https://homeflow.co/ ⭐ Property Aggregator Chrome Extension: https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/homeflow/cppljkkofnppfeackjnepcghdbekkpoh ➡️ Get The BEST Home Buying CALCULATORS ⭐ Buy Vs Rent Calculator: https://lauramoreno.com/the-buy-vs-rent-calculator/ ⭐ Smart Home Buyer Calculator: https://lauramoreno.com/the-smart-home-buyer-calculator/ ➡️ Get The BEST CREDIT SCORE Repair Tool ⭐ Review Your Credit Score With MyFico: https://lauramoreno.com/myfico/ ➡️ Ready to Buy Your First House? ⭐ Watch these videos in my YouTube playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLxnn3zGLexPTtB133pCjCtD-M40KrIs7T ➡️ Social Media ⭐ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iamlauramoreno ⭐ Twitter: https://twitter.com/iamlauramoreno ⭐ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/Iamlauramoreno ⭐ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@iamlauramoreno ➡️ Hire Me ⭐ Speaking, Events, Podcast Interviews, Collaborations & Endorsements - info@lauramoreno.com ⭐ Schedule a 1-1 Home Buying Consultation → https://lauramoreno.com/1-1-consultation/ ➡️ Contact Laura I'd love to hear from you! If you have a longer question, or if you have a business-related inquiry, please send me an email at info@lauramoreno.com. I try my best to reply to all e-mails but sometimes I do not have enough time to respond to everyone. ➡️ Join Our Smart Home Buyers Facebook Group ⭐ https://www.facebook.com/groups/thesmarthomebuyer/ ➡️ Disclaimer Laura Moreno is not a practicing tax accountant or a licensed attorney or financial adviser. Therefore, the information in these videos shall not be relied upon as tax, legal, or financial advice from a qualified perspective. If you need such advice, please contact a qualified tax accountant, attorney, or financial adviser. We have taken reasonable steps to check that the information in this video is accurate but we cannot represent that it is free from errors. You expressly agree not to rely upon any information contained in this video - it is for entertainment purposes only. This video description may contain affiliate links that allow you to easily find the items mentioned in my videos as well as support the channel at no cost to you.

➡️ Introduction Andrew Winnard is a home inspector in Central Maryland who loves working with first-time homebuyers. He encourages all homebuyers to follow him through the on-site inspection so he can report and advise on the overall condition of the home while answering any questions they might have. ➡️ Referrals ⭐ Get a Referral to a Top Mortgage Lender or Realtor - http://lauramoreno.com/referral ➡️ FREE Home Buying Checklist ⭐ Download the Most Comprehensive Home Buying Checklist: https://lauramoreno.com/home-buying-checklist/ ➡️ Get The BEST Home Buying Tools & Resources ⭐ Home Buyer Resources + Tools: https://lauramoreno.com/ ⭐ Project Management Platform For Your Home: https://homeflow.co/ ⭐ Property Aggregator Chrome Extension: https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/homeflow/cppljkkofnppfeackjnepcghdbekkpoh ➡️ Get The BEST Home Buying CALCULATORS ⭐ Buy Vs Rent Calculator: https://lauramoreno.com/the-buy-vs-rent-calculator/ ⭐ Smart Home Buyer Calculator: https://lauramoreno.com/the-smart-home-buyer-calculator/ ➡️ Get The BEST CREDIT SCORE Repair Tool ⭐ Review Your Credit Score With MyFico: https://lauramoreno.com/myfico/ ➡️ Ready to Buy Your First House? ⭐ Watch these videos in my YouTube playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLxnn3zGLexPTtB133pCjCtD-M40KrIs7T ➡️ Social Media ⭐ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iamlauramoreno ⭐ Twitter: https://twitter.com/iamlauramoreno ⭐ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/Iamlauramoreno ⭐ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@iamlauramoreno ➡️ Hire Me ⭐ Speaking, Events, Podcast Interviews, Collaborations & Endorsements - info@lauramoreno.com ⭐ Schedule a 1-1 Home Buying Consultation → https://lauramoreno.com/1-1-consultation/ ➡️ Contact Laura I'd love to hear from you! If you have a longer question, or if you have a business-related inquiry, please send me an email at info@lauramoreno.com. I try my best to reply to all e-mails but sometimes I do not have enough time to respond to everyone. ➡️ Join Our Smart Home Buyers Facebook Group ⭐ https://www.facebook.com/groups/thesmarthomebuyer/ ➡️ Disclaimer Laura Moreno is not a practicing tax accountant or a licensed attorney or financial adviser. Therefore, the information in these videos shall not be relied upon as tax, legal, or financial advice from a qualified perspective. If you need such advice, please contact a qualified tax accountant, attorney, or financial adviser. We have taken reasonable steps to check that the information in this video is accurate but we cannot represent that it is free from errors. You expressly agree not to rely upon any information contained in this video - it is for entertainment purposes only. This video description may contain affiliate links that allow you to easily find the items mentioned in my videos as well as support the channel at no cost to you.

Introduction Hello and welcome back to The First Time Home Buyer Podcast! I'm thrilled to be back with you for a brand new season. It's been a while, and I appreciate your patience. Today, we have a special episode in store for you as we catch up on what's been happening in my life and the real estate world. My Story: Making Home Buying Easier In the last four years, my story has been all about making buying a home easier. I went through a tough time buying my own home in New York City – it was super confusing and stressful. The professionals I worked with weren't the best, and I felt clueless and embarrassed. That's when I decided to create The First Time Home Buyer Podcast and HomeFlow, an all-in-one platform to help people buy homes. Techstars Experience: Pivoting to Help Employees Over the past year, I got involved with Techstars, which was an incredible experience. I made a big change with HomeFlow, deciding to sell the solution directly to companies and their employees. This shift aimed at making the dream of owning a home come true for employees while keeping companies and their workforce happy. However, after a few months, I realized it would take too long to make deals with companies. So, after some thinking, I decided to go back to helping home buyers directly by creating educational content and restarting the podcast. Real Estate Market Overview for 2023: A Tough Year In simpler terms, 2023 was a tough year for both buying and selling homes. Here's a snapshot: Home Prices Went Up: The average price in the U.S. increased from $407,000 in 2022 to $409,000 in 2023. Rent Was High: Rent prices peaked at $2,050 in August, leading more people to consider buying despite challenges. High Mortgage Rates: Interest rates went above 8%, making mortgages more expensive. Low Inventory: Fewer homes for sale due to high mortgage rates and low construction. Inflation: Peaked at 6.6% year over year in February, influencing the housing market. Homes Took Longer to Sell: Average days on the market increased to 37. Price Drops: 15.3% of listings experienced price drops. Cash Purchases: Nearly 33% of homes were purchased with all cash. Less Competition: Bidding wars decreased with rising mortgage rates. Fewer Investor Purchases: Investor purchases dropped by a record 48.6%. NAR Challenges and Lawsuits: Changing the Game In addition to market challenges, the NAR (National Association of Realtors) faced lawsuits, potentially changing the way agents get paid. The key impacts include potential changes in agent commissions, impact on costs, transparency and consumer trust, potential new fee structures, uncertainty in the market, shift towards transparency, possibility of more consumer-friendly practices, and exploration of alternative options. What to Expect for 2024 and Tips to Navigate the Market Low inventory means sellers have the upper hand. Mortgage rates, although down from their peak, remain high. House prices are still high with no signs of decreasing. Potential market spur if rates drop further in 2024. Personal Recommendations Don't buy until interest rates go down, and if you do, ensure you can refinance and cover new costs. Why I Restarted the Podcast "Now, you might be wondering why I decided to restart the podcast. Well, despite the challenges, I believe in the importance of providing you with valuable information, especially during these uncertain times. I'm committed to supporting you, the first-time home buyers, and guiding you through the changes in the real estate market." What to Expect in Season 2 More interviews with the best real estate professionals, journalists, technology founders, all supporting home buyers. Closing Thank you for being part of The First Time Home Buyer Podcast family. Your support means the world to me, and I'm looking forward to an amazing season ahead. Connect with us, subscribe to our new YouTube channel, and share the podcast. Until next time, take care and happy home hunting! ➡️ Referrals ⭐ Get a Referral to a Top Mortgage Lender or Realtor - http://lauramoreno.com/referral ➡️ FREE Home Buying Checklist ⭐ Download the Most Comprehensive Home Buying Checklist: https://lauramoreno.com/home-buying-checklist/ ➡️ Get The BEST Home Buying Tools & Resources ⭐ Home Buyer Resources + Tools: https://lauramoreno.com/ ⭐ Project Management Platform For Your Home: https://homeflow.co/ ⭐ Property Aggregator Chrome Extension: https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/homeflow/cppljkkofnppfeackjnepcghdbekkpoh ➡️ Get The BEST Home Buying CALCULATORS ⭐ Buy Vs Rent Calculator: https://lauramoreno.com/the-buy-vs-rent-calculator/ ⭐ Smart Home Buyer Calculator: https://lauramoreno.com/the-smart-home-buyer-calculator/ ➡️ Get The BEST CREDIT SCORE Repair Tools ⭐ Review Your Credit Score With MyFico: https://lauramoreno.com/myfico/ ➡️ Ready to Buy Your First House? Watch these videos in my YouTube playlist ⭐ How to buy a house: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLxnn3zGLexPTtB133pCjCtD-M40KrIs7T ➡️ Social Media ⭐ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iamlauramoreno ⭐ Twitter: https://twitter.com/iamlauramoreno ⭐ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/Iamlauramoreno ⭐ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@iamlauramoreno ➡️ Hire Me ⭐ Speaking, Events, Podcast Interviews, Collaborations & Endorsements - info@lauramoreno.com ⭐ Schedule a 1-1 Home Buying Consultation → https://lauramoreno.com/1-1-consultation/ ➡️ Contact Laura I'd love to hear from you! If you have a longer question, or if you have a business-related inquiry, please send me an email at info@lauramoreno.com. I try my best to reply to all e-mails but sometimes I do not have enough time to respond to everyone. ➡️ Join Our Smart Home Buyers Facebook Group ⭐ https://www.facebook.com/groups/thesmarthomebuyer/ ➡️ Disclaimer Laura Moreno is not a practicing tax accountant or a licensed attorney or financial adviser. Therefore, the information in these videos shall not be relied upon as tax, legal, or financial advice from a qualified perspective. If you need such advice, please contact a qualified tax accountant, attorney, or financial adviser. We have taken reasonable steps to check that the information in this video is accurate but we cannot represent that it is free from errors. You expressly agree not to rely upon any information contained in this video - it is for entertainment purposes only. This video description may contain affiliate links that allow you to easily find the items mentioned in my videos as well as support the channel at no cost to you.

Introduction Kurt Grassett is the owner and General Manager of Norway Hill Home Inspections, a home inspection company in Peterborough, New Hampshire with over 800 5-star reviews where they love loves teaching prospective home buyers about their new home. When not working Kurt likes to fly fish, travel to see his kids, and ride his motorcycle. Get In Touch With Our Guest, Kurt Grassett If you'd like to get in touch with our guest today, click on the link below and I will send you a warm introduction: Get In Touch With Our Podcast Guest Today Find The Perfect Real Estate Agent Near You If you'd like to find a great real estate agent near you, just go to this link: Real Estate Agent Near Me Podcast Sponsors Find an Agent with HomeFlow: The key to having a calm and successful home buying experience starts with having the best real estate agent. This is why you need to interview a few. To get the process started just go to Tryhomeflow.com Dovly: 10 million of Americans have errors in their credit reports that lower their credit score. To fix those error try Dovly.com MyFico: 90% of top lenders use FICO® Scores—do you know yours? Check your FICO Score at MyFico.com The Smart Home Buyer Calculator: Use our 4-in-1 super-smart calculator to make sure you know your numbers before buying your first home. Get it now at The Smart Home Buyer Calculator Rate The Podcast Click on this link to Rate and Review "The First Time Home Buyer Podcast" on iTunes. You can also subscribe to the podcast there. I will really appreciate it, thanks so much in advance! Listen To A Podcast Guest In Your Area If you'd like to find podcast guests for your specific location or profession just click on the link below to search for them: Podcast Guest Search Awesome Resources For First-Time Home Buyers If you'd like to access other great resources for first-time home buyers just click on this link: First-Time Home Buyer Resources Let's Talk I'd love to talk to podcast listeners and get to know you all better! I can also help you answer any questions you have about buying your first home! So if you'd like to talk about that let's jump a quick call! Just schedule a time that works for you here: Schedule A Call With Laura Moreno Feedback I love receiving feedback so please, if you'd like to tell me how you'd improve the podcast, send me an email or schedule a call with me for that works for you here: Schedule A Call With Laura Moreno Share The Love If you know someone looking to buy their first home and you think this information would help them,  just share it with them. They will really appreciate it. Subscribe To The Podcast Apple | Google | Spotify | Stitcher | iHeart Connect On Social Media YouTube | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | LinkedIn Do you want to start your own podcast? Then enroll in The Free Podcast Course today, which is the course that I followed to create this podcast.

[fusebox_track_player url="xxx" ] Introduction Amy Slotnick is a SVP, Branch Manager, and Senior Mortgage Advisor in Newton, MA. She is a 40-year veteran of the mortgage industry and she is passionate about educating buyers through the home financing process. In her free time, she enjoys visiting her daughter, son-in-law, and new grandson in Washington, D.C. Get In Touch With Our Guest, Amy Slotnick If you'd like to get in touch with our guest today, click on the link below and I will send you a warm introduction: Get In Touch With Our Podcast Guest Today Find The Perfect Real Estate Agent Near You If you'd like to find a great real estate agent near you, just go to this link: Real Estate Agent Near Me Podcast Sponsors Find an Agent with HomeFlow: The key to having a calm and successful home buying experience starts with having the best real estate agent. This is why you need to interview a few. To get the process started just go to Tryhomeflow.com Dovly: 10 million of Americans have errors in their credit reports that lower their credit score. To fix those error try Dovly.com MyFico: 90% of top lenders use FICO® Scores—do you know yours? Check your FICO Score at MyFico.com The Smart Home Buyer Calculator: Use our 4-in-1 super-smart calculator to make sure you know your numbers before buying your first home. Get it now at The Smart Home Buyer Calculator Rate The Podcast Click on this link to Rate and Review "The First Time Home Buyer Podcast" on iTunes. You can also subscribe to the podcast there. I will really appreciate it, thanks so much in advance! Listen To A Podcast Guest In Your Area If you'd like to find podcast guests for your specific location or profession just click on the link below to search for them: Podcast Guest Search Awesome Resources For First-Time Home Buyers If you'd like to access other great resources for first-time home buyers just click on this link: First-Time Home Buyer Resources Let's Talk I'd love to talk to podcast listeners and get to know you all better! I can also help you answer any questions you have about buying your first home! So if you'd like to talk about that let's jump a quick call! Just schedule a time that works for you here: Schedule A Call With Laura Moreno Feedback I love receiving feedback so please, if you'd like to tell me how you'd improve the podcast, send me an email or schedule a call with me for that works for you here: Schedule A Call With Laura Moreno Share The Love If you know someone looking to buy their first home and you think this information would help them,  just share it with them. They will really appreciate it. Subscribe To The Podcast Apple | Google | Spotify | Stitcher | iHeart Connect On Social Media YouTube | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | LinkedIn Do you want to start your own podcast? Then enroll in The Free Podcast Course today, which is the course that I followed to create this podcast! Transcript This is an automatic transcription (sorry for the typos in advance!

Introduction Mike La Stella is a realtor in Bergen County, New Jersey. He loves working with home buyers to guide them through the process of buying their first home. He is also a husband and father of two. When he is not working, he loves traveling with his wife and cannot wait to start taking their kids with them! Get In Touch With Our Guest, Michael La Stella If you'd like to get in touch with our guest today, click on the link below and I will send you a warm introduction: Get In Touch With Our Podcast Guest Today Find The Perfect Real Estate Agent Near You If you'd like to find a great real estate agent near you, just go to this link: Real Estate Agent Near Me Podcast Sponsors Find an Agent with HomeFlow: The key to having a calm and successful home buying experience starts with having the best real estate agent. This is why you need to interview a few. To get the process started just go to Tryhomeflow.com Dovly: 10 million of Americans have errors in their credit reports that lower their credit score. To fix those error try Dovly.com MyFico: 90% of top lenders use FICO® Scores—do you know yours? Check your FICO Score at MyFico.com The Smart Home Buyer Calculator: Use our 4-in-1 super-smart calculator to make sure you know your numbers before buying your first home. Get it now at The Smart Home Buyer Calculator Rate The Podcast Click on this link to Rate and Review "The First Time Home Buyer Podcast" on iTunes. You can also subscribe to the podcast there. I will really appreciate it, thanks so much in advance! Listen To A Podcast Guest In Your Area If you'd like to find podcast guests for your specific location or profession just click on the link below to search for them: Podcast Guest Search Awesome Resources For First-Time Home Buyers If you'd like to access other great resources for first-time home buyers just click on this link: First-Time Home Buyer Resources Let's Talk I'd love to talk to podcast listeners and get to know you all better! I can also help you answer any questions you have about buying your first home! So if you'd like to talk about that let's jump a quick call! Just schedule a time that works for you here: Schedule A Call With Laura Moreno Feedback I love receiving feedback so please, if you'd like to tell me how you'd improve the podcast, send me an email or schedule a call with me for that works for you here: Schedule A Call With Laura Moreno Share The Love If you know someone looking to buy their first home and you think this information would help them,  just share it with them. They will really appreciate it. Subscribe To The Podcast Apple | Google | Spotify | Stitcher | iHeart Connect On Social Media YouTube | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | LinkedIn Do you want to start your own podcast? Then enroll in The Free Podcast Course today, which is the course that I followed to create this podcast!

Introduction Michael Conrad is a building scientist and a serial entrepreneur that runs a company called, DILIGENT, a home inspection company based in Nashville, TN with over 1,000 5-Star Reviews. DILIGENT is the ultimate One-Stop Shop for inspection services in the mid-Tennessee area. You might have also seen Michael on his YouTube channel as “The Diligent Inspector”. Get In Touch With Our Guest, Michael Conrad If you'd like to get in touch with our guest today, click on the link below and I will send you a warm introduction: Get In Touch With Our Podcast Guest Today Find The Perfect Real Estate Agent Near You If you'd like to find a great real estate agent near you, just go to this link: Real Estate Agent Near Me Podcast Sponsors Find an Agent with HomeFlow: The key to having a calm and successful home buying experience starts with having the best real estate agent. This is why you need to interview a few. To get the process started just go to Tryhomeflow.com Dovly: 10 million of Americans have errors in their credit reports that lower their credit score. To fix those error try Dovly.com MyFico: 90% of top lenders use FICO® Scores—do you know yours? Check your FICO Score at MyFico.com The Smart Home Buyer Calculator: Use our 4-in-1 super-smart calculator to make sure you know your numbers before buying your first home. Get it now at The Smart Home Buyer Calculator Rate The Podcast Click on this link to Rate and Review "The First Time Home Buyer Podcast" on iTunes. You can also subscribe to the podcast there. I will really appreciate it, thanks so much in advance! Listen To A Podcast Guest In Your Area If you'd like to find podcast guests for your specific location or profession just click on the link below to search for them: Podcast Guest Search Awesome Resources For First-Time Home Buyers If you'd like to access other great resources for first-time home buyers just click on this link: First-Time Home Buyer Resources Let's Talk I'd love to talk to podcast listeners and get to know you all better! I can also help you answer any questions you have about buying your first home! So if you'd like to talk about that let's jump a quick call! Just schedule a time that works for you here: Schedule A Call With Laura Moreno Feedback I love receiving feedback so please, if you'd like to tell me how you'd improve the podcast, send me an email or schedule a call with me for that works for you here: Schedule A Call With Laura Moreno Share The Love If you know someone looking to buy their first home and you think this information would help them,  just share it with them. They will really appreciate it. Subscribe To The Podcast Apple | Google | Spotify | Stitcher | iHeart Connect On Social Media YouTube | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | LinkedIn Do you want to start your own podcast? Then enroll in The Free Podcast Course today, which is the course that I followed to create this podcast! Transcript This is an automatic transcription (sorry for the typos in advance!

Introduction Lee Barroll is a loan originator in Nashville, TN. He has 26 years of experience and enjoys helping all types of homebuyers accomplish their goals. When not working, he loves hanging out with his 2 dogs, Charlie and Bernie. Get In Touch With Our Guest, Lee Barroll If you'd like to get in touch with our guest today, click on the link below and I will send you a warm introduction: Get In Touch With Our Podcast Guest Today Find The Perfect Real Estate Agent Near You If you'd like to find a great real estate agent near you, just go to this link: Real Estate Agent Near Me Podcast Sponsors Find an Agent with HomeFlow: The key to having a calm and successful home buying experience starts with having the best real estate agent. This is why you need to interview a few. To get the process started just go to Tryhomeflow.com Dovly: 10 million of Americans have errors in their credit reports that lower their credit score. To fix those error try Dovly.com MyFico: 90% of top lenders use FICO® Scores—do you know yours? Check your FICO Score at MyFico.com The Smart Home Buyer Calculator: Use our 4-in-1 super-smart calculator to make sure you know your numbers before buying your first home. Get it now at The Smart Home Buyer Calculator Rate The Podcast Click on this link to Rate and Review "The First Time Home Buyer Podcast" on iTunes. You can also subscribe to the podcast there. I will really appreciate it, thanks so much in advance! Listen To A Podcast Guest In Your Area If you'd like to find podcast guests for your specific location or profession just click on the link below to search for them: Podcast Guest Search Awesome Resources For First-Time Home Buyers If you'd like to access other great resources for first-time home buyers just click on this link: First-Time Home Buyer Resources Let's Talk I'd love to talk to podcast listeners and get to know you all better! I can also help you answer any questions you have about buying your first home! So if you'd like to talk about that let's jump a quick call! Just schedule a time that works for you here: Schedule A Call With Laura Moreno Feedback I love receiving feedback so please, if you'd like to tell me how you'd improve the podcast, send me an email or schedule a call with me for that works for you here: Schedule A Call With Laura Moreno Share The Love If you know someone looking to buy their first home and you think this information would help them,  just share it with them. They will really appreciate it. Subscribe To The Podcast Apple | Google | Spotify | Stitcher | iHeart Connect On Social Media YouTube | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | LinkedIn Do you want to start your own podcast? Then enroll in The Free Podcast Course today, which is the course that I followed to create this podcast! Transcript This is an automatic transcription (sorry for the typos in advance!

Introduction Mike Sposato is the Owner and Managing Broker of Carolina Realty Advisors in Charlotte, North Carolina. He has been a Realtor for over 20 years and works with buyers and sellers all over the Greater Charlotte area. When not working Mike loves to travel, go to his beach house, and be on his boat. He is also an avid sports fan. Get In Touch With Our Guest, Mike Sposato If you'd like to get in touch with our guest today, click on the link below and I will send you a warm introduction: Get In Touch With Our Podcast Guest Today Find The Perfect Real Estate Agent Near You If you'd like to find a great real estate agent near you, just go to this link: Real Estate Agent Near Me Podcast Sponsors Find an Agent with HomeFlow: The key to having a calm and successful home buying experience starts with having the best real estate agent. This is why you need to interview a few. To get the process started just go to Tryhomeflow.com Dovly: 10 million of Americans have errors in their credit reports that lower their credit score. To fix those error try Dovly.com MyFico: 90% of top lenders use FICO® Scores—do you know yours? Check your FICO Score at MyFico.com The Smart Home Buyer Calculator: Use our 4-in-1 super-smart calculator to make sure you know your numbers before buying your first home. Get it now at The Smart Home Buyer Calculator Rate The Podcast Click on this link to Rate and Review "The First Time Home Buyer Podcast" on iTunes. You can also subscribe to the podcast there. I will really appreciate it, thanks so much in advance! Listen To A Podcast Guest In Your Area If you'd like to find podcast guests for your specific location or profession just click on the link below to search for them: Podcast Guest Search Awesome Resources For First-Time Home Buyers If you'd like to access other great resources for first-time home buyers just click on this link: First-Time Home Buyer Resources Let's Talk I'd love to talk to podcast listeners and get to know you all better! I can also help you answer any questions you have about buying your first home! So if you'd like to talk about that let's jump a quick call! Just schedule a time that works for you here: Schedule A Call With Laura Moreno Feedback I love receiving feedback so please, if you'd like to tell me how you'd improve the podcast, send me an email or schedule a call with me for that works for you here: Schedule A Call With Laura Moreno Share The Love If you know someone looking to buy their first home and you think this information would help them,  just share it with them. They will really appreciate it. Subscribe To The Podcast Apple | Google | Spotify | Stitcher | iHeart Connect On Social Media YouTube | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | LinkedIn Do you want to start your own podcast? Then enroll in The Free Podcast Course today, which is the course that I followed to create this podcast! Transcript This is an automatic transcription (sorry for the typos in advance!

Introduction Libby Arnold is an Associate Broker at Realty Austin in Austin, TX. She specializes in residential real estate and loves helping first-time homebuyers understand the buying process and the market's nuances. Get In Touch With Our Guest Today If you'd like to get in touch with our guest today, click on the link below and I will send you a warm introduction: Get In Touch With Our Podcast Guest Today Podcast Sponsors MyFico: 90% of top lenders use FICO® Scores—do you know yours? Check your FICO Score at MyFico.com The Smart Home Buyer Calculator: Use our 4-in-1 super-smart calculator to make sure you know your numbers before buying your first home. Get it now at The Smart Home Buyer Calculator Rate The Podcast Click on this link to Rate and Review "The First Time Home Buyer Podcast" on iTunes. You can also subscribe to the podcast there. I will really appreciate it, thanks so much in advance! Listen To A Podcast Guest In Your Area If you'd like to find podcast guests for your specific location or profession just click on the link below to search for them: Podcast Guest Search Find A Great Real Estate Agent Near You  If you'd like to find a great real estate agent near you, just go to this link: Real Estate Agent Near Me Awesome Resources For First-Time Home Buyers If you'd like to access other great resources for first-time home buyers just click on this link: First-Time Home Buyer Resources Let's Talk I'd love to talk to podcast listeners and get to know you all better! I can also help you answer any questions you have about buying your first home! So if you'd like to talk about that let's jump a quick call! Just schedule a time that works for you here: Schedule A Call With Laura Moreno Feedback I love receiving feedback so please, if you'd like to tell me how you'd improve the podcast, send me an email or schedule a call with me for that works for you here: Schedule A Call With Laura Moreno Share The Love If you know someone looking to buy their first home and you think this information would help them,  just share it with them. They will really appreciate it. Subscribe To The Podcast Apple | Google | Spotify | Stitcher | iHeart Connect On Social Media YouTube | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | LinkedIn Do you want to start your own podcast? Then enroll in The Free Podcast Course today, which is the course that I followed to create this podcast! Transcript Laura Moreno: [00:00:00] First, the Home Buyers nation. I am loud ano, and I am super excited to bring you our fantastic guest today, Libby Arnold Libby is an associate broker at Realty Austin in Austin, Texas. She specializes in residential real estate and loves helping first the home buyers understand the buying process and the market's nuances. Libby, are you ready to flow? Libby Arnold: Let's flow. Laura, I'm. Great Laura Moreno: of you and our community. Just a little insight. Please share more about you personally and then expand about the. Libby Arnold: Of course, of course. So I am located in Austin, Texas. I actually live in Cedar Park, which is a suburb that's directly northwest of Austin. Um, I have been here since about 2010. I lived in the Dallas Fort Worth area prior to. Um, actually when I came to Austin originally, I expected it would be a very [00:01:00] temporary stay and here I am over 12 years later, it stuck and I just fell in love with it. Um, my background personally, I know I spoke a little bit about this last time, but quick refresher, um, a lot of my background is in the. Logical sciences and then grad school, um, I did kinesiology and so it's been an interesting, interesting journey from biology and exercise science and all of that to kind of get to real estate. But I started helping my husband, Alfredo, who is a local broker here as well. He's also at Realty Austin. We have a team. Um, he has been in the industry since 1990. And so met him after moving here and kinda got started around 2014, helping him out as a transaction coordinator, and then decided to get licensed, and then I got my broker's license and [00:02:00] things just kind of took off. And here we are. Sounds Laura Moreno: amazing. I mean, I, I love your story and I love that you're actually, your background is on sciences, on science, and you do a lot of data. You do a lot of analysis Yes. On the properties. Um, so I wanna go jump right in. What's going on with the market in a Texas and it like, it's like, it's been crazy. Like suddenly everyone was looking to buy a home. Well, Covid happened that no one was, was buying homes for. Two days and then suddenly everyone was like, Oh my God, I need to buy Then everyone was like, I need to buy. And for two years it's been like this crazy amount of people looking to buy properties. The prices have gone up. Interest rates score low, low. What is happening now in Austin, Texas? . Libby Arnold: So, Whew. It's, it's interesting. I was thinking back to when you and I last spoke, and I think it's been about 18 months, give or take. I was thinking about this on my run [00:03:00] this morning actually, and the things we talked about then and how much. Just, it has changed certainly in the last 18 months, and then in the last six months it's really changed a lot. And so Austin is definitely reflecting a lot of what we're seeing nationally, which is the net effect of everything going on is. Market has certainly slowed a bit, but it's, there's a lot more to it than that. And you mentioned C, that was a huge disruptor, and I know we're all tired of hearing the word unprecedented when talking about C and all of these factors that are driving the economy, but it really was, and at the very beginning when Covid happened, like you said, people stopped buying houses. Two days, days. We were really worried for that. Two days and the first week or two of the lockdowns, you know, [00:04:00] my brokerage real Austin did a really excellent job of hosting town halls for us and really collating some of that data. Cause I'm, I'm a data person. I love my numbers and my math and so they did a really good job and I remember us all being, Kind of worried about the market, and then as you said it, it literally felt like two days. I think it may have been two or three weeks , that things kind of shut down here and then it just took off. And 2021 was. A year, unlike one that many of us have seen in the real estate market nationally, certainly, but even more so in Austin, we have so many large tech companies that are either relocating here or they're building additional offices here, moving corporate headquarters here and. Bringing a lot of those employees with them, and a lot of that kind of coalesced around Austin. [00:05:00] At the same time, we had these historically low interest rates, and all of these other drivers were really pumping a lot of money into the economy, and so we had an absolute record year in 2021. But a lot of what we saw was these poor buyers, and especially first time home buyers that two or three years prior to that, we had all these amazing down payment assistance programs and builder incentives and all of these ways to really help make that dream of home ownership a reality for them became a really difficult. In 2020 and 2021 because they simply couldn't compete with these other buyers that were coming in that were, We had houses selling two and $300,000 over asking, and in some cases more, And these buyers are very cash heavy. They're waiving appraisals. They're waiving option periods, they're waiving things that we would just.[00:06:00] And good conscience actually recommend a buyer wave, especially a first time home buyer that's not sitting on hundreds of thousands of dollars of extra cash that they can just kind of throw at this. And so that's where we were. Where we're at now, not so much anymore, and I really wanted to, to kind of focus a little bit on the way things were because it's easy to forget. We hear a lot of doom and gloom, and we hear a lot of fear about interest rates, which are higher, and it's a non-trivial amount. They're significantly higher than they were at the beginning of the year, but. The good news that we're seeing here is these, Give me Laura Moreno: the good news. I want the good news. , I have good news. It's like, give me, give, give us the good news for us. , Libby Arnold: I have good news. We're not seeing a hundred thousand dollars of. Anymore. We're seeing houses are staying on the market longer, and so if we [00:07:00] go out with that first time home buyer, maybe we go out on Friday and we see a home that they really like A year ago, we would have to say to them, Okay, offer deadline is Sunday at 5:00 PM You've got 36 hours to think about that. This, here's what the listing agent will tell me about the offers there are. Now, you know, we need to do this and this and this and offer this much over list, and we're not having to do that anymore. We're able to say, We're so glad you liked this house. Why don't you go sleep on it. Let's reconnect tomorrow or in a few days and see how you're feeling. Let's talk to the lender. Let's run some really detailed numbers. Let's take a more detailed look at this property. Let's see if there's anything we might wanna ask the sellers to fix. Let's talk to the lender about your closing costs. Let's see if we can maybe structure this contract in such a way that the sellers are. Able to because they're [00:08:00] willing to do this now, right? Able to contribute some money to help you buy the interest rate down. And that definitely could be something we talk about too, because there are a lot of ways to kind of manipulate that contract, manipulate seller contributions, manipulate, um, types of loan programs that we're using to where we can get that interest rate down to something that. It doesn't start with a seven hopefully. Right. . Laura Moreno: That's really good. So what you're saying basically is like before we, buyers had to make a decision straight away, really fast, Uh mm-hmm. and you know, and when you're talking about people like waving inspections and waving contingencies, I have to say that. Some realtors were recommending that, but actually the market was dictating that because I even remember talking to a friend of mine. She just put a home and she told me without even blinking, that she had put $200,000 more [00:09:00] on, on the home that she had paid the, the, the realtor's fees, $60,000 and that she hadn't put any contingency. And I was like, Wait, what? And she was, she was like, I really wanted the house. I was like, mm-hmm. Okay. Like you, you know what I mean? It's like the market was dictating these things. . So now you're saying that people can go back home, sleep on a property, which is kind of crazy. Sleep on it, sleep on it, and then run the numbers with your lender. And again, people think about this, like I read yesterday, an article that said 70% of first time home buyers have some regrets. About buying a home, and most of the regrets were because of the numbers, because they didn't expect the costs to be so high. They miscalculated the mortgage. So I love that you're saying that now you can go back to your lender, run the numbers, understand what are going to be your upcoming costs, monthly costs to make sure you're not. Making a mistake. And what I love most about it is now you can go back to [00:10:00] the seller and say, Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, you beautiful seller. This is not 2021 anymore. I'm sorry for you. Right. What are you willing to contribute to my, to my closing costs? Like Right. I love that. I love all that. So we basically have the power. Yeah, we have the power. Libby Arnold: Yes. Buyers have some power back. It's. It's really nice to see, um, because we work with just a large portion of our business. As buyers, and we certainly work with sellers, we work with investors as well, but a large portion of our business has always been first time home buyers, and that's what we're very passionate about. And so it's, it's so refreshing for us to be able to get out there and really go to the bat for them again, because for so long it was the best that I can really do is work hard to structure this contract in such a way that we're minimizing your risk. If you wanna buy a house in this, in this insanity, that was 2021, [00:11:00] and now we're really able to step in and say, Okay, you know what? You may not have to move three suburbs away from Austin anymore. Maybe you can live right on the outskirts exactly where you wanted to live because the prices are lower. And again, sellers are willing to. Come to the negotiating table. Things have kind of been different for long enough now. Um, this really, I'll backtrack a little bit. This really started for us in Austin in April when our new tax assessments came out. So one thing about Texas is our property taxes are a little bit higher than pretty much anywhere else in these contiguous United States. And it's not specifically market driven. We. Entities within our governments that do something like an appraisal every year. And so every year our property values with respect to property [00:12:00] taxes change. And so for a very long time, those property tax values here were. Kind of artificially depressed and the tax valuation was running about half of what market value was. In a lot of cases. I'm going somewhere with this, um, . And so what we saw, we had another little, um, Incident that I won't get into, but our, in Travis County, which is where Austin is, our tax appraisal folks got into a little bit of trouble for using some data they weren't supposed to use for valuations. And so in 2020 they could not do any new appraisals for the purpose of property taxes. So then what happens? 2021 is eventually these new values come out. Well, we all know what happened in 2020 and 2021, and the first part of 2022 is we had zip codes [00:13:00] here that saw a hundred percent growth in a property value over that period. Literally doubled. And so all these factors come together. And very long story short, we get the new values. New estimates come out around April of this year, and they're just, Insane. And people's property taxes are doubling. Um, I had a client whose appraised value went from 280 something thousand dollars to about 1.5 million. Laura Moreno: Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa. That means that you have to pay taxes on 1.5 million. Correct. Whoa, that's, that's. That's like seven times or whatever it is. Seven times your tax bill. Libby Arnold: Yes, yes. It went up, I did the math. It went up 486%, and that's a really extreme example, but we saw a lot of cases where it went up a hundred percent, 200%. And so not only at that time were we [00:14:00] in this environment where interest rates are starting to rise. These taxes are starting to go up as well. And so Austin really quickly just started to become incredibly unaffordable for almost anyone because of that combination. So you're paying 50, 80, a hundred percent more for the house. The taxes are now a hundred percent more. Whoa, your monthly payments significantly higher. And then on top of that, were not, Dealing with 2.75% interest rates anymore either. And so the combination of those three things really started to affect the market. And then on the heels of that, sellers, you know, people are generally pretty intelligent, especially when it comes to large investments like real estate. They start to see the writing on the wall. Everyone lists their house, right? We have a lot of [00:15:00] investors in Austin. A lot of people invest here, and when those taxes start to go up, then they have to raise the rent. Some of those folks have also decided to sell, and so we saw really about 170% increase in inventory year over year in a pretty short period. Two. Combined with the previous three factors. And so all of that has really slowed demand down and it has caused prices to start dropping. Um, and so that when interest rates are higher, that's something that. Is really, really helpful. And so we're starting to see, you know, we've kind of crested the wave and we're really starting to see things come down. The trouble that we're kind of left with now are those interest rates, and that's where we start going to. The sellers. Um, and there I can definitely talk about there are [00:16:00] some different programs. So Laura Moreno: let me, let me give a little bit of a quick summary of what you've said to make sure I understood it right and we all understand it very well. So there's been actually lots of contributing factors, uh, like the, the taxes, you know, to taxes, uh, people putting the houses on the market. Um, so lots of contribution factors that are making now Sellers want to put houses on the market now more than before. Mm-hmm. , right. And at the same time, those investors are also raising rent. So that might mean that those people renting are saying, Hey, hey, hey, you know, my rent is more than my, what my mortgage could be. So let me look at the market now. Those renters may be looking at the market now and saying, Well, my market is going to be very high because it's at 7% now. So now let's go into how do you solve for that market interest rate? And this is where [00:17:00] everyone is like, how, How do I solve for that 7%? That's a lot of money. . Libby Arnold: Yes, because it's very easy to sit here and say, prices have come down and they have upwards of 20% in some cases. And I, I hesitate to say, Publicly, I would not be shocked if we see another 10 or 15%. Um, Maybe a little more, even depending on how things play out. And that's great. And buyers have more leverage and that's great. Ladies, Laura Moreno: guys, sorry Libby, sorry to interrupt you again, but this is great. This is great. 20% down, 30% and 40% down. You buy the price low, you log the interest rate at 7%. But remember, remember you can refinance. I did it one year after buying, when the, when the winters rate drop, 2, 3, 5 years on the line, you've refinanced. Sorry. Continue, Libby. But this is a great opportunity. Libby Arnold: It is. It is. And there's a window right now. And so we're left with, Right. There are all of these great things and all of these really good [00:18:00] reasons to get into the market right now and never mind that. But November 9th at the moment, and so the next six to eight weeks, things are really. Pretty shut down for the holidays. There aren't a whole lot of buyers. The houses that are listed right now, they're listed because these folks need to sell and move. They're motivated. So again, there's a long list of all of these great reasons to buy. And then, oh, but we've got these interest rates over here that are frankly quiet high. So how do we deal with that? Yes. So couple of things, right? Couple of things we can do. Um, one, In the realm of new construction, I'll look at new construction and then I'll kind of look at resales as well. Um, a lot of our first time buyers really gravitate toward new construction because there's less maintenance. It's a brand new house, no one's ever lived in it, et cetera. Um, with new builds, they're seeing a lot of [00:19:00] what we're seeing in the resale market. Right now, they're dealing with roughly a 30% cancellation rate on a lot of their contract. Laura Moreno: Filters. Don't wanna, I like that. They don't wanna, You were talking, I'm thinking about like some, Yeah, I'm thinking about some buyers. I'm going to send this episode too. Like guys, guys, guys. Okay. So they are facing cancellations, 20% cancellations. Libby Arnold: So they're facing 20, 30% in some cases for a lot of reasons, which is probably a whole nother podcast. We could ask , but they're offering quite a few incentives. Some of them are putting 15, $30,000. Closing costs toward helping buyers buy that interest rate down. Meaning the buyer can prepay the lender for points, and depending on how much you pay, that can bring down a fixed interest rate. So that's something. In other cases, the builders are actually buying the rate down for you, um, and [00:20:00] they're advertising, you know, instead. Seven or seven and a half percent. They're offering five. They're offering five and a half. Um, and that is something that if you can tolerate that for a couple of years, right? Five and a half is still a pretty decent interest rate. Actually. It's, it's not terribly high. Um, you know, and we've gotten really used to, because of the need to stimulate the economy previously, we've gotten really used to artificially low. I had somebody close that I think two and a quarter was the lowest I saw, which is, oh my God, not even free money. They're almost paying them to buy at that point. Laura Moreno: I'm not that, You know, two, you always want lower , , , Libby Arnold: but it's artificially lowered and so five and a half is really much more in line. Historical averages. It's not, um, not [00:21:00] something crazy. And so, and if you look at monthly payments, At five and a half percent. It looks a whole lot nicer than it does at seven and a half, and five and a half is something that I can probably wrap my head around for the next year or two, and then I can re refinance later when inevitably rates come back down, which they ultimately will. There are a lot of people trying to forecast when ultimately they will. Um, the bottom line on the new build side is that a lot of these builders don't wanna lose a contract. Right. They're willing to negotiate. Um, and they're negotiating on price too. I have, um, some very sweet first time home buyers that are under contract with a local builder right now and completely unsolicited. Um, they've been under contract for about six months. We got an entirely unsolicited email from the builder that said, Hey, we're lowering the price of your house, 55,000. Really Laura Moreno: what's wrong [00:22:00] with house? You guys just go and check the house. What's wrong with the house? ? No, nothing. That's like a little bit concerning. Libby Arnold: Wait, what? What is happening is that, again, back in 2021 and early this year, um, builders were essentially having auctions, much like on the resale. And the new builds. The to be built houses had multiple offers, and so we had to go in and offer and bid a certain amount over whatever their starting bid was. Well, the market is no longer supporting the builders having bidding wars. Things have changed as we've discussed, and so that has caused prices to decrease there. And then what happens is when those start to close at lower prices, now we're gonna run into an issue where the other houses that are currently under contract are probably not going to appraise. Because the most recent comparable closings are at a lower price. And so there's some of it, they're, they're [00:23:00] protecting themselves in there as well and trying to avoid dealing with an appraisal issue. But again, they also really don't want this cancellations right now. Um, and it's not necessarily a unique story. I hear about other agents and other brokers at our brokerage where things like that are happening, um, all the time. And so, Anybody. We have just anybody in the country. Honestly right now that's under contract with a builder. It does not hurt to have your agent go back and talk to the builder and just say, Hey, is there anything else that you can do for me? Odds are there's something. That's Laura Moreno: amazing. I mean, I was going to say like, oh, that's so kind from builders. You know, they're , but they're protecting themselves because if the house doesn't praise you may not be able to close. They don't want those cancellations. They see it coming and they're like, Wait, wait. Let me send a nice email. Let me, They must be in a peak hole. They must be like, Oh no. Aren't you really happy as a realtor [00:24:00] to representing buyers to be now in the strong position and say, Hey, listing agent, this is really nice. But because before the listing agents were the kings of the world and the queens of the world, right? Yes. Now you have the crown. Libby Arnold: It's not quite as much fun when we're listing a house now, , but with the buyers. No, it really is because for so long this has been what my husband and I are really passionate about. Home ownership and first time home buyers. And particularly in a market like Austin, that's just candidly gotten quite expensive. It's not a secret. Um, it's something we're really passionate about and it's something that's been really increasingly difficult. And so it's, it's a pleasure to see that. And it's a pleasure to be able to go in and negotiate the free washer and dryer and fridge and. And Laura Moreno: everything. Why give me everything that you have. You go to the shop and you're like, This, this, this, this. All of that for zero . [00:25:00] Libby Arnold: Yeah. Yes. Exactly. Exactly. And that's, So Laura Moreno: tell me how it is for now. Tell me how it is for resales now. So you touch upon construction, Is it similar for resales or We already talked about that. Libby Arnold: No, no, it's, it's, I got distracted with all the other things the builders are doing and Um, we are seeing, it is similar, the contracts here are set up differently for a resale, but we are seeing a lot of, we're able to make offers below asking price. Or, and even just being able to make a list price offer , it's such a nice change. But in addition to that, we're able to go in and ask the seller for contributions to closing costs, which can help. And again, similar to the new build side, that money can be used to buy down the interest rate. Um, there is a program floating around that's increasingly popular around here called a two [00:26:00] one Buy. Ooh, what is that? And what that is, is essentially the interest rate is bought down for a period of about two years. And because of the way that it's structured, the seller actually has to pay for that. And so we are seeing some cases where we can make an offer at list or a little bit below list, and then we can ask the seller in a separate area of the contract to actually pay for that interest rate buy down. Um, in some cases, I mean, that costs 17 $20,000 sometimes more, and sellers are willing to do. And then the benefit to the buyer is I get a significantly lower interest rate for two years, and then with the hope that within two years I'm able to refinance into something else, which most likely you will be. But it also gives those buyers a chance to kind of adjust to having the mortgage, making that payment, um, starting [00:27:00] to budget for that. And then the interest rate can adjust a little bit later. So, Something that can be done. And then of course those closing cost monies can just be used toward a straight interest rate, buy down on a fixed rate as well. That Laura Moreno: sounds great to me. So you are saying there's properties coming to the market. Those properties are likely not going to sell so many of them in the next six, eight weeks. Sellers may be desperate to sell, they're willing to give concessions, they're willing to do things for you. Property prices are declining, so you could go shopping now, see a property that is lower in price, and then even negotiate a little bit farther, negotiate those interest rates. I think it's a, I mean, taking into account, yes, there's, we all know the interest rates are high, but apart from that, it seems like the fantastic time to buy. I mean, if you can handle those high interest rates for a couple of years. Mm-hmm. It is a great time to buy [00:28:00] now. Like it is a fantastic time and I love the idea that you have with new builds, with builders coming there and saying, Hey, what can you do for me? Mr. Builder? Yeah. What can you do for me? You know, I'm now, you are now home buyers. We are now in a strong position. Now we have to manage the interest rate and we have to understand that it may be hard for a couple of years, is going to be high for a couple of years. But if you do that, you can buy something really nice now like, and be in a very good situation a few years down the line when your property may have gone up in price, you know, all the other purpose are going down. You know, it's like a very good time to buy. Libby Arnold: It really is, and it's just, it's so refreshing to be able to say these things. And so it's again, about, it's kind of the same, using this creativity to structure it in such a way that we can make that interest rate manageable. And it's very similar to how it was in 2020 and 2021. It's just kind of, [00:29:00] The script has been flipped a little bit and back then it was much more about, okay, we have to pay over ask and we have to waive all of these things. How can we creatively find some sort of out in this contract for you? How can we set this up to where there's some hidden way we can get you out of this and kind of protect you? That was our creativity then and now it's, there is just a list of 20 reasons that it's an amazing time to buy. But we need to get creative on how we manage this interest rate and how we get that to a level that is something that you're comfortable dealing with. And a lot of it too is there's just sticker shock at first because we're used to seeing that. 2.25. And I remember when my first buyer that had something approaching four, and we all thought, Oh, that's so high. We love four now. Take it. But take the Laura Moreno: four. Take the four . I wish we could have a way of going back [00:30:00] to the past and say, Take it. Libby Arnold: Yes, do it now. Do it now. When interest rates grow up, we tend to see prices come down. And you know, we talked about a lot of these other factors influencing Austin outside of, you know, we've got the geopolitical things that are going on. It's an election year. Things always get a little strange in the housing market during an election year and, So we've got these larger forces and then kind of these local things happening as well that have really created kind of the perfect storm. And again, if we can just creatively deal with the interest rate issue, everything else that was making it so difficult to buy has kind of just gone away. And so it's, it's really fun to be able to actually negotiate a little bit again and, and stand up for our. Laura Moreno: More Levy, you've shared amazing information today and a very different perspective. What can we do for you? Libby Arnold: Oh goodness. Well, thank you so much for letting me [00:31:00] come back. Like I said, I was thinking about this this morning and thought, Man, it's, it's such a different message than last time, and that's such a nice thing for me. I'm so happy about it. Um, well, if anyone is interested in following along with a couple of things, the Austin Real Estate Market, um, my Instagram is Libby. arnold.realtor, you can follow me there. Um, FairWarning, I do, I run. Um, and so you'll get Austin real estate market stuff and you'll get some of our listings and you'll get a bunch of my running posts too. So have any interest in running or real estate. Um, that's a really good place to connect with me and we try to post a lot of good, um, content and a lot of data and those pieces about the market as. Well, Libby, Laura Moreno: thank you so much for being in the first Time Home podcast again. Libby Arnold: Oh, thank you for having me. Thank you so much. It's been so nice to chat with you again.[00:32:00]

Introduction Frank Pietrzak (Peter-Zak) is a property tax foreclosure Auctioneer in New York State with over 20 years of experience. Frank and the professional team at NYSAuctions.com have returned over 40,000 properties to the tax-paying rolls and he mentions this could be a great option for 1st-time buyers who have access to funds. Get In Touch With Our Guest, Frank Pietrzak If you'd like to get in touch with our guest today, click on the link below and I will send you a warm introduction: Get In Touch With Our Podcast Guest Today Find The Perfect Real Estate Agent Near You If you'd like to find a great real estate agent near you, just go to this link: Real Estate Agent Near Me Podcast Sponsors Find an Agent with HomeFlow: The key to having a calm and successful home buying experience starts with having the best real estate agent. This is why you need to interview a few. To get the process started just go to Tryhomeflow.com Dovly: 10 million of Americans have errors in their credit reports that lower their credit score. To fix those error try Dovly.com MyFico: 90% of top lenders use FICO® Scores—do you know yours? Check your FICO Score at MyFico.com The Smart Home Buyer Calculator: Use our 4-in-1 super-smart calculator to make sure you know your numbers before buying your first home. Get it now at The Smart Home Buyer Calculator Rate The Podcast Click on this link to Rate and Review "The First Time Home Buyer Podcast" on iTunes. You can also subscribe to the podcast there. I will really appreciate it, thanks so much in advance! Listen To A Podcast Guest In Your Area If you'd like to find podcast guests for your specific location or profession just click on the link below to search for them: Podcast Guest Search Awesome Resources For First-Time Home Buyers If you'd like to access other great resources for first-time home buyers just click on this link: First-Time Home Buyer Resources Let's Talk I'd love to talk to podcast listeners and get to know you all better! I can also help you answer any questions you have about buying your first home! So if you'd like to talk about that let's jump a quick call! Just schedule a time that works for you here: Schedule A Call With Laura Moreno Feedback I love receiving feedback so please, if you'd like to tell me how you'd improve the podcast, send me an email or schedule a call with me for that works for you here: Schedule A Call With Laura Moreno Share The Love If you know someone looking to buy their first home and you think this information would help them,  just share it with them. They will really appreciate it. Subscribe To The Podcast Apple | Google | Spotify | Stitcher | iHeart Connect On Social Media YouTube | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | LinkedIn Do you want to start your own podcast? Then enroll in The Free Podcast Course today, which is the course that I followed to create this podcast! Transcript This is an automatic transcription (sorry for the typos in advance!

Introduction John Leon Gonzalez is a Certified Professional Inspector® in Seattle, Washington that has been licensed as a realtor since 2007 both H.I. and WDIR (Pest). He is also certified by the International Association of Certified Home Inspectors® (InterNACHI®) and today he comes to tell us everything about how to have a great inspection in Seattle, Washington. Get In Touch With Our Guest, John Leon Gonzalez If you'd like to get in touch with our guest today, click on the link below and I will send you a warm introduction: Get In Touch With Our Podcast Guest Today Find The Perfect Real Estate Agent Near You If you'd like to find a great real estate agent near you, just go to this link: Real Estate Agent Near Me Podcast Sponsors Find an Agent with HomeFlow: The key to having a calm and successful home buying experience starts with having the best real estate agent. This is why you need to interview a few. To get the process started just go to Tryhomeflow.com Dovly: 10 million of Americans have errors in their credit reports that lower their credit score. To fix those error try Dovly.com MyFico: 90% of top lenders use FICO® Scores—do you know yours? Check your FICO Score at MyFico.com The Smart Home Buyer Calculator: Use our 4-in-1 super-smart calculator to make sure you know your numbers before buying your first home. Get it now at The Smart Home Buyer Calculator Rate The Podcast Click on this link to Rate and Review "The First Time Home Buyer Podcast" on iTunes. You can also subscribe to the podcast there. I will really appreciate it, thanks so much in advance! Listen To A Podcast Guest In Your Area If you'd like to find podcast guests for your specific location or profession just click on the link below to search for them: Podcast Guest Search Awesome Resources For First-Time Home Buyers If you'd like to access other great resources for first-time home buyers just click on this link: First-Time Home Buyer Resources Let's Talk I'd love to talk to podcast listeners and get to know you all better! I can also help you answer any questions you have about buying your first home! So if you'd like to talk about that let's jump a quick call! Just schedule a time that works for you here: Schedule A Call With Laura Moreno Feedback I love receiving feedback so please, if you'd like to tell me how you'd improve the podcast, send me an email or schedule a call with me for that works for you here: Schedule A Call With Laura Moreno Share The Love If you know someone looking to buy their first home and you think this information would help them,  just share it with them. They will really appreciate it. Subscribe To The Podcast Apple | Google | Spotify | Stitcher | iHeart Connect On Social Media YouTube | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | LinkedIn Do you want to start your own podcast? Then enroll in The Free Podcast Course today, which is the course that I followed to create this podcast! Transcript This is an automatic transcription (sorry for the typos in advance!

Introduction Bryan Mize is an excellent home inspector and founder of Optimized Inspection Services, a home inspection company in Seattle. He is passionate about sharing his knowledge and helping others to succeed in RE too. When he's not working he loves hiking, motorcycling, and enjoying live music/theatre. Get In Touch With Our Guest, Bryan Mize If you'd like to get in touch with our guest today, click on the link below and I will send you a warm introduction: Get In Touch With Our Podcast Guest Today Find The Perfect Real Estate Agent Near You If you'd like to find a great real estate agent near you, just go to this link: Real Estate Agent Near Me Podcast Sponsors Find an Agent with HomeFlow: The key to having a calm and successful home buying experience starts with having the best real estate agent. This is why you need to interview a few. To get the process started just go to Tryhomeflow.com Dovly: 10 million of Americans have errors in their credit reports that lower their credit score. To fix those error try Dovly.com MyFico: 90% of top lenders use FICO® Scores—do you know yours? Check your FICO Score at MyFico.com The Smart Home Buyer Calculator: Use our 4-in-1 super-smart calculator to make sure you know your numbers before buying your first home. Get it now at The Smart Home Buyer Calculator Rate The Podcast Click on this link to Rate and Review "The First Time Home Buyer Podcast" on iTunes. You can also subscribe to the podcast there. I will really appreciate it, thanks so much in advance! Listen To A Podcast Guest In Your Area If you'd like to find podcast guests for your specific location or profession just click on the link below to search for them: Podcast Guest Search Awesome Resources For First-Time Home Buyers If you'd like to access other great resources for first-time home buyers just click on this link: First-Time Home Buyer Resources Let's Talk I'd love to talk to podcast listeners and get to know you all better! I can also help you answer any questions you have about buying your first home! So if you'd like to talk about that let's jump a quick call! Just schedule a time that works for you here: Schedule A Call With Laura Moreno Feedback I love receiving feedback so please, if you'd like to tell me how you'd improve the podcast, send me an email or schedule a call with me for that works for you here: Schedule A Call With Laura Moreno Share The Love If you know someone looking to buy their first home and you think this information would help them,  just share it with them. They will really appreciate it. Subscribe To The Podcast Apple | Google | Spotify | Stitcher | iHeart Connect On Social Media YouTube | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | LinkedIn Do you want to start your own podcast? Then enroll in The Free Podcast Course today, which is the course that I followed to create this podcast! Transcript Automatic transcript (sorry for the typos in advance!

Introduction Chris Sayre is a Mortgage Lender in Kirkland, WA. He's always had the heart to help others and Mortgages are just an extension of his desire to make a difference. When he's not working, he enjoys spending time with his family at their cabin in Eastern, WA. Get In Touch With Our Guest, Chris Sayre If you'd like to get in touch with our guest today, click on the link below and I will send you a warm introduction: Get In Touch With Our Podcast Guest Today Find The Perfect Real Estate Agent Near You If you'd like to find a great real estate agent near you, just go to this link: Real Estate Agent Near Me Podcast Sponsors Find an Agent with HomeFlow: The key to having a calm and successful home buying experience starts with having the best real estate agent. This is why you need to interview a few. To get the process started just go to Tryhomeflow.com Dovly: 10 million of Americans have errors in their credit reports that lower their credit score. To fix those error try Dovly.com MyFico: 90% of top lenders use FICO® Scores—do you know yours? Check your FICO Score at MyFico.com The Smart Home Buyer Calculator: Use our 4-in-1 super-smart calculator to make sure you know your numbers before buying your first home. Get it now at The Smart Home Buyer Calculator Rate The Podcast Click on this link to Rate and Review "The First Time Home Buyer Podcast" on iTunes. You can also subscribe to the podcast there. I will really appreciate it, thanks so much in advance! Listen To A Podcast Guest In Your Area If you'd like to find podcast guests for your specific location or profession just click on the link below to search for them: Podcast Guest Search Awesome Resources For First-Time Home Buyers If you'd like to access other great resources for first-time home buyers just click on this link: First-Time Home Buyer Resources Let's Talk I'd love to talk to podcast listeners and get to know you all better! I can also help you answer any questions you have about buying your first home! So if you'd like to talk about that let's jump a quick call! Just schedule a time that works for you here: Schedule A Call With Laura Moreno Feedback I love receiving feedback so please, if you'd like to tell me how you'd improve the podcast, send me an email or schedule a call with me for that works for you here: Schedule A Call With Laura Moreno Share The Love If you know someone looking to buy their first home and you think this information would help them,  just share it with them. They will really appreciate it. Subscribe To The Podcast Apple | Google | Spotify | Stitcher | iHeart Connect On Social Media YouTube | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | LinkedIn Do you want to start your own podcast? Then enroll in The Free Podcast Course today, which is the course that I followed to create this podcast! Transcription Laura Moreno: [00:00:00] First Time Home Buyer Nation I am Laura Moreno and I am super excited to bring you our fantastic guest today, Chris Sayer. Chris Sayer is a mortgage lender in Kirkland, Washington. He has always had the heart to help others, and mortgages are just an extension of his desire to make a difference when he's not working. He enjoys spending time with his family and dog AB there cabin in Washington. Chris, are you ready to flow? Chris Sayre: Let's do it. I'm happy to do it. Yes. Laura Moreno: Great. So I've given our community just a little insight. Please share more about you personally and then expand upon your business, Chris Sayre: you know, um, I, you know, I have a big extended family. Um, you know, my wife and I have five kids and she came from eight kids, and those eight kids all have five plus kids, so it's a big extended family. Um, my mother and father-in-law were just, they're from Belarus and they're just the most beautiful people, you know, that salt to the earth kind of folks. They both passed away this past year. [00:01:00] So, you know, I think you're learn in life. You know, you really. What matters, what is, what really matters. And I have, you know, such a heart for people and such a heart to help out. And, you know, it's one of the reasons why I wanted to come on your show is because it's, it's where my desire is. You know, I, I have it at heart to, to give. And I think doing mortgages is my way of, of trying to give back. Yeah. Laura Moreno: Wow. Tell me, tell me more about that desire to help others, because you were telling me you participate in so many programs that really help others. They help the community, they help veterans. Where does that come from? I mean, how did, how did it all get started? Chris Sayre: I, I think it's an awesome question. I would say it really just got started, you know, as you live life, you know, you'll learn that, um, it's not very fulfilling if you're just living for yourself. Uh, I think that my goal for myself and for my wife is to do as much as we can to help others. Um, you know, we don't make a dollar to keep a dollar, have a dollar more in the bank. We make a dollar to share it with [00:02:00] others. I think if you're blessed, you're supposed to bless others. So we, we look at the world this way and we're. One heart, one mind for this. And I think some of my most joyful times in my life are when we've helped other folks out. Um, so I mean, just personally. And then honestly, when, uh, I've done a mortgage, uh, for somebody, I, I have such beautiful and kind clients. I don't know. I just, you know, I feel really blessed in that respect too. People calling me up years later, you know, asking me for help or, you know, all of my reviews on Zillow are all five stars and, you know, like they're, you know, they just are great people and it fills my heart to help. Laura Moreno: Wow, that's, um, I don't know. Beautiful. Yeah, no, it's so, it's such an order to have guests like you that are with heart of giving, giving to others, you know, not only taking, or not only like is a, is a paycheck, it's a commission, whatever it is. It's more like giving, empowering others to buy homes. Like, do you remember one of those stories that really move. Chris Sayre: Um, you know, honestly, [00:03:00] I, I probably would have, you know, quite a few, you know, you know, I've had people, you know, that I've helped out that, you know, they have families like ours or, uh, large families. Uh, usually, uh, it's people. Since I live in the Seattle era, we have people from so many different cultures over here, and oftentimes these other cultures they believe in, um, like having parents come live with them and helping out. And, you know, you know, for me, my stories would. You know, uh, people trying to get into their first home, I can think of this one couple in particular. And they were trying to also do it so they could bring their parents over from overseas to live with them and, you know, Yeah, it's not, Sometimes it's not always easy. Sometimes it is. But I remember this particular case, you know, there was a little challenge getting 'em approved. Uh, we ended up doing it, and when we closed it was just, it was such an important moment for them to, to be able to get this home because it wasn't just for them. It was to be able to bring their family over and for them, even if they would've lived here and rented, they. Just fine, but [00:04:00] it would've been this emptiness that they had because with a home, like a home is for family, right? So you can't, it's hard to rent and bring people over and have it feel the same when it's your place, your yard, your, your home, everything is that. And so, uh, they were able to bring their parents over and they were just so excited and so happy. And so for me, honestly, it just that that's kind of what you do this for you. Like I said, to bless people and I was so thrilled and so happy for them. And this is a normal thing. This isn't just like one time occurrence. This happens on a regular basis that people out there are trying to help family out and they really need a home because their family is kind of too tight in the space they're in. I Laura Moreno: love that so much and I see it all the time actually. I am an, I am an immigrant and I work very often with immigrants and, and I see it all the time. We immigrants want to help others bring others to the country. And even with your own savings, I mean, I see it even with my nanny. She's amazing. I have a one year old and she's always giving back to her community. She's always bringing people over, always [00:05:00] lending them the money, always empowering, empowering them to live a good life. And it blows my mind how much generosity, generosity she's putting out there. It's. Really mind blowing and you remind me of her. It's, it's so beautiful. It's really beautiful to see Chris Sayre: Well, you know, my, my wife and her whole family are immigrants also, so it's probably another reason why I have this heart for people who come from other countries. Cuz my wife came here, no English, no money, you know, And from that they just worked. You know, that's all they knew. Uh, just hard work and on top of being smart, of course, and just being, you know, really great people. And I saw them come from zero to, not that they have a lot, but they have a home. Right. And that, that was the goal. And, um, and it inspires me. Uh, uh, to have family like that and, you know, I was born in this country, so for me, I feel, you know, very fortunate and I want to do all I can to help other people who come over here and need help [00:06:00] and, and do my part and do what I can. So Laura Moreno: tell me more about House for Heroes and how do you help that community of veterans? And tell me more about that. Um, uh, that part of your business. Chris Sayre: Yeah, so there's a, uh, organization called Homeless for Heroes that came outta really the 9 1 1, uh, time frame. Um, but you know, it, it certainly, uh, helps, you know, military active reserves, veterans, uh, firefighters, ems, uh, law enforcement, healthcare professionals and teachers. So basically anybody who's helping the local. You know, and they want to give back to them. So this program is just designed so it it with us in particular, uh, you know, like we waive our, our lender fee when we work with them, the real estate agents that work with them that are part of this program, they give part of their commission back. Mm. So I personally, uh, recently talked with, uh, a really terrific realtor who, um, Uh, uh, uh, is part of this program and she had this awesome line and she said, You know, can you imagine being one of these [00:07:00] tiros and you just move into a house and the first piece of mail you get is a check from the Homes for Heroes program. and, you know, so for her it just thrilled her to know when to do that. And it's, and it's not just a small check, It can be thousands of dollars that these people get. The first piece of mail they get is a check from the Homes for Heroes Program. So I think it's, for me, again, uh, I, I was super excited to be a part of it and I'm, I'm, I'm happy to be able to help people that are serving our local communities. Laura Moreno: Wow. Yeah, totally. I, I, I love that so much. So, um, tell me more about where you are now, the market, What are you seeing in, in Seattle? In Washington area? Yeah, Chris Sayre: Yeah, it's a, another good question. So, I, I, I would say that right now what we see is, is, um, you know, prices dipping just a little bit. So kind of our expectation right now, uh, in this area at least, is that you're, See, as we head into this recession, we're gonna see some pressure for money to no longer go into the stock market, but instead that money's gonna go [00:08:00] into bonds, which is gonna push rates down. So anyway, big picture is we see rates coming down somewhere in the next six, 12 months, something like that. So anybody that has a loan right now, they're gonna be refinancing out of it. So the main thing is, so our line we're using is marry the home date, the rate, right? Because what's gonna happen is that you're only gonna do it short term. Our expectations, you may see rates drop as much as 2%, maybe even a little bit more, and you'll be refinancing out of it. So the the good, it's actually, even though rates are a little higher right now, it's a perfect time to buy. It's a perfect time to buy because values are down and there's less competition. If you wait until a little bit later on when rates are lower, then what's gonna happen is values are gonna be going up and there's gonna be more competition. So it's much better to buy right now while the values are down and you can refinance out of it a little bit later. And so that's what we've been telling all of our clients and all of the realtors that we work with, is that this right now is a perfect storm, perfect time to purchase a home, knowing that you're not gonna have that loan very long. Laura Moreno: Got it. A [00:09:00] and that's a great line. I love this. Um, marry the house. Date, date rate, marry the house. . Yep. Chris Sayre: That's a, that's a marry the house date, the rate that's right. . The only Laura Moreno: thing sometimes people think about is like, well, but getting that mortgage is costing me money, refinancing is going to cost me money. And, and to that, I will say that when we refinance our home here, we bought it at 4% interest rate, which was good. We refinanced at 3.2 and within a few months we had already paid. Fee that the cost to refinance. So, So it makes total sense. And I love that the values are a little bit down because that's what we wanna first ask first, First time home buyers. Yep. Do you see sellers making more concessions as well, like being able to pay, like give us some help to first and home Chris Sayre: buyers? Absolutely. Positive. Yeah. You are. Again, spot on. The answer is absolutely yes. I, I think sellers are also, they don't want to be sitting on the market for an extended period of time, cuz if they are, that means their price is probably gonna be coming down or they'll have to take the home off the market. Got it. So the many, many transactions where [00:10:00] sellers now are, are offering incentives to the buyers. Could be a builder, it could be just an individual, you know, like you and me, who are maybe trying to sell a home that are doing what they can to help buyers, uh, purchase a home by giving them some type of credit. We see this on almost in every loan right now. Laura Moreno: Yeah. And we love that. So if you're a first time home buyer and you're, listen, Just get in touch with Chris. You know, get pre-approved and go start, start shopping for homes because values are down. Don't be as scared about that interest rate because you can refinance and like someone told me, Chris Buffet is like buying now the most of, he is fortunate. He's making it right now because he's buying low and then's, right? You will sell high. So just getting that home. So Chris, tell me about your first time home buying experience. How was it? How were you feeling? And what did I do to your life to own a. . Chris Sayre: Yeah. So , back when I bought my home, I remember that my rate was 10 and a quarter. That was the going market rate. I hope you refinanced that. I felt . [00:11:00] I did. I did. But it was funny is I thought I was so smart and so slick because I talked 'em down from 10.375 to 10.25, you know? So I thought, wow, I did such a good job, you know? Cause I knew nothing about nothing. But you know, that's what rates were when I bought my house. And then when I got into the business rates were actually at 7%. So they were still like right where they are right now. But I, you know, I felt, you know, thrilled. You know, I bought my house at a great price. Um, I think back then I bought it for like $134,000 and, you know, that house right now was probably gone up by six times. So I, again, I would say real estate's a great investment and, and just, you know, when I had bought my house, it was expense. So it wasn't like it was a deal. Um, so the market continues to do that. So all we have to do is like, look at our grocery store and say like, what was the price I milk before? And what is an hour? What's the price of gas? And what's the price Now prices go up. So whatever you buy at, you know, my wife has a great line about this. Stretch yourself. Stretch yourself because that value is gonna increase and you're [00:12:00] gonna be happy that you did. So as best you can, stretch yourself. Doesn't mean like put yourself in risk, but don't be afraid if a house is, you know, let's say 300. Don't be afraid to go to three 10. Don't be afraid. Afraid to go to three 15. You know, get, get the better home for you and your family. Get what you really want. Get what you are really gonna, you know, be happy with. And it's better to go a little bit above than to suffer yourself, because in the long run, your income and everything else will catch up and pass it up and it'll be an easy payment for you. Laura Moreno: It, It's so interesting you mention, I mean, we bought four or five years ago and, and the, the mortgage rate was a stretch. We were like, this is a little bit too much. Like, yes, we can pay for it, but you know, it's a stretch. And now with this crisis, I mean, rent prices have gone to the roof where we live. Yeah. And we are both so happy because her rent. 30% less than the, the rent price in this area. And we're like, Thank God we bought, because everyone else that we know is trying to struggle getting rent in a [00:13:00] nice place. So buy if you can, It's, it's, as you were saying, you may have struggled for a little bit, but it's going to be so much better for you and. And talking about communities and immigrants. I think it's so, so important to empower people that may not have their first language be English, or maybe the first generation buyers, because those are the ones that need it the most. Like what you were saying, you need that home. You want to bring people over. You need to create that space. Ethnic cultural space. Yeah. Like at my home, we speak Spanish like you . Mm-hmm. . You need to create that space. And if you are always, um, thinking that your rent is always going to be there, you know, you, you, you will have to move, uh, at some point and find a new place. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. So, Chris Sayre: yeah. I, Can I give you a quick example of something, if you don't mind? Mm-hmm. , of course. So we have, again, I told you, five kids. So we helped, uh, three of our sons purchase a home, uh, one on his own and the other two together. And, you [00:14:00] know, they were all really scared and nervous because the payment was like $3,500 a month for the, you know, principal interest, taxes, and insurance. It was, And they never had such a bill. And so they, they've been out in their house for about a. And now they have friends who are looking to rent. So the friends rent for a two bedroom place in near their work is 3,800 a month. So kind of to your point, you know, rents are escalating. I mean, I've never in my life paid $3,800 for rent. But now they see that that rental payment that their friends are paying is more than their mortgage payment on their home. And they actually have. Laura Moreno: Yes, for sure. And if they want, they can rent their rooms out to their. Yep. Be like, Don't worry, I'll be a good friend. Chris Sayre: They're doing that actually already, so you'd say, You're right. Laura Moreno: That's good. Pay my mortgage. I mean, just people, if you're listening to us, jump on the side of the ownership because it is not, it is not going to get easier. [00:15:00] You know, it's just not going to get easier. And I feel like more and more corporations are going to be owning properties, and it's the time for you to become your, the protector of your money, you know, your own landlord instead of paying someone else's mortgage. So now let's go, let's, let's, um, go to our lighting round, which is, I'm going to ask you a series of short questions to help our audience even further are. , Chris Sayre: I'll do my best. ? Yes, Laura Moreno: I may. Great. , please share with us your biggest piece of advice you can give to TR to someone trying to buy a home in Washington now. Chris Sayre: Uh, so the biggest piece of advice I would say is, uh, get in front of somebody. Could be myself, could be anybody that you think is appropriate for you, but get in front of somebody who can help you determine how much you can qualify for. And if you can't qualify, what steps do you need to take? So what I would normally wanna do is I would wanna look at somebody's income. I wanna look at their assets, and I wanna look at their credit. And I wanna, cuz usually people wanna know, like, I make money, I have no idea [00:16:00] what I can afford. I have some money for a down payment, or maybe I can get a gift. What can I afford? So they need to know what they can afford. And then normally what I would recommend is if they're within 90 days of trying to purchase a home that they need to have all of their information given to an underwriters, we can get them underwritten ahead of time so that they literally are gonna be, you know, final loan approved before they ever find a house. So I would recommend get good information. Up front when you're within 90 days of trying to buy a home. If you're beyond that, then I think just giving a, a phone call or meeting with somebody like myself so we could just pencil out kind of a plan and then they could work towards that plan of hopefully getting home ownership. That's Laura Moreno: great. And two questions out of that. The first one is, uh, commenting on getting that, sorry. Coming, getting that, uh, pre, not, it's not even a pre-approval, it's going farther away. One step farther, Right. Chris Sayre: Yeah, so, So the ones that, Yeah, go ahead. What are the Laura Moreno: advantages of doing that? Chris Sayre: Yeah, so, [00:17:00] so a pre-approval, I can literally do the same day. So I can send somebody a link, I can fill out an online application, I can ask them to send me some income and asset information, and I can send them a letter. and the letter's gonna say, Hey, you're preapproved for this amount, and it's gonna be a perfectly valid letter. It's what we do in our industry. The next level above that is for an underwriter to physically review all of the information. And so what we can do is we actually can collect all the documentation, give it to an underwriter, and it probably takes, I don't know, 5, 6, 7 business days for the underwriter cuz the underwriter may have additional questions once you give inform. But then it's gonna be all signed off, final loan approved. All you need to do is find a house. So the difference is now you can, now you can close like literally in 12 days or 13 days, you know, um, on, on your mortgage, and hopefully by closing quicker like that, it makes it so, if there is competition, if there are other buyers who are trying to purchase a home, the fact that you can, you're [00:18:00] already. Done. You're already, your loan's already underwritten completely and you can close really quick, push you in a better position to actually get the home. So I would highly encourage taking that step. I think it's just a much, much stronger position to be in when you're negotiating with a seller. Laura Moreno: And that's interesting because not all lenders do that from the beginning, right? Like you are one of the very few lenders that will. , Chris Sayre: you're a hundred percent correct. Yeah, most lenders do the pre-approval, which again, like I said, it's, it's, it's a, it's perfectly fine to do that. But the next level above that is what I'm talking about. And you're correct, uh, almost nobody does that. Got it. Laura Moreno: And. How will you find a great lender? So if you are not in your area, in Seattle, listen is looking for a great lender. First of all, is it number one, to find a lender or find an agent? And second question is like, how will you decide on which lender to choose? Because sometimes we try to call and say, Hey, what's your rate for today? And we try to choose the lowest rate lender. But is that the right? To do that. Chris Sayre: [00:19:00] Yeah. So I, you know, again, of course rates are important. I care about rates for, for myself and my family, but it, it's, it's not the right way to do it. Um, it's not the right way because loans are much more than, you know, just quoting a rate over the phone. Rates are determined by people's circumstances. By, what's your down payment? What type of property are you buying? What's your credit score? And ultimately, you want the home. And like I said before, whatever home you purchase, you're not gonna have that loan very long. There's usually not a big disparity on rates, but I would be more concerned about having it be a stress fee, stress-free, low drama transaction. Then having a rate that's an A through a quarter point difference. You know, the main thing is to get the home. Then your family can kind of breathe aside, relief, move into the home, and then you can regroup and when it's appropriate you can look it to refinance. Got it. So I apologize. I know you asked another question, was another question I could answer for you. Laura Moreno: I think that was the main one. So the main one was, No, those were the two of [00:20:00] them. And the other question I have is like, so in order to find a lender, oh, you know, we have all these online lenders and we have also like, um, local lenders and those online lenders like better.com, Rocket Mortgage. I don't want to give out many names because Yeah. Well I don't want to give names, but, um, they count with a, Exposure online. Yeah. So we Google, I want to do a preapproval, and within one minute you have a preapproval from that bank online. Mm-hmm. . I mean, what are your thoughts about them? How do you differentiate and what is actually the best for first time home buyers? An online lender or a local lender? Chris Sayre: Uh, you know, I'm a, I think it really just goes by experience. So if, if I were looking for a lender, I probably would go online to like Zillow. Redfin and they have, you'll see reviews for people. So it's like when we go to our restaurant and we tend to go to our restaurant that has good reviews, or if we're gonna stay at a hotel on vacation, we look up to see what the reviews are. I probably would look at reviews for people, [00:21:00] you know, because I think I, I like knowing that other people, uh, have kind of, um, Yeah, you have given good opinions about something and it, it makes me feel a little bit more comfortable. And of course, a referral is always the best. So if you have somebody that you know, that you respect and you admire that has a home and they use somebody, I probably would ask them, you know, because I think referral probably is my number one way. And then probably online would be my second way to. Reviews online for people. Like for me, you type in my name and read my reviews, right? So you can do that. But you know, I think either one of those two ways reviews online or a referral from somebody you trust and know. and Laura Moreno: between having a local lender and a, or an online lender that could be not in the same town, what, what are your Cho mm-hmm. your, your, what are your options? What would you say? Chris Sayre: Um, um, I'm, I'm not so sure that, cuz we're a virtual world right now. I mean, I'm in Seattle and I think, Are you in New York? Cuz I, Yeah. Yeah. We're. We're like the other side of the world, but [00:22:00] it's like, you know, we're right with each other. I don't think it really matters. Like I can do a Zoom call with anybody. Uh, anybody else could do the same thing. I think it's more this, this trust factor, this integrity factor that we're talking about. I think that's what really matters. Local or far away? You know, I, I haven't really sat with a client and almost three years. Um, I do everything online so they could. Somewhere else, like in any state where they could be, you know, my neighbor next door and I still don't see them, you know, because we do calls like this. So I, I think that it's the person and the company and the integrity of the individual that matters more than their location. Laura Moreno: What, what is the process with you? Like, if I'm interested in buying a home in Seattle and I'm looking to get a mortgage, uh mm-hmm. , what is the process, uh, specifically for you? Like, what would you tell me? . Chris Sayre: Yeah. So normally what we would do is we do a call like this out there on my cell phone, or we would do a Zoom call. Okay. And [00:23:00] before I do anything, I try to, I'm a big picture kind of person, so at first I just wanna understand what they're thinking, you know? So I don't know if they're looking to buy like an. 12 months or two days. Um, so then I, I tried to understand, uh, their timing on things, um, their income. They're asked all of these things and kind of review and kind of talk us through and come up with a plan. And I, I normally say the same line that I said earlier is that I think once they're within a 90 day window, That's when it's time to start pulling credit and do things like that when they think that within 90 days of point or purchasing a home. But if they're just trying to understand, Cause a lot of people just wanna know, like, I just don't get it. Like, I don't understand, you know, what can I even afford? What should I even do? So that's where I just, I just give them some counsel and I, and I basically will email them. You know, like my contact information, I'll send them a list of what we're gonna need, um, when they're ready. So like, people have to gather things cuz we'd all all have pay stubs and W2 s maybe that are, you know, easy access so they can start gathering that together. And then I coach most, so like, don't make big purchases, you [00:24:00] know, don't make sure you're not late on anything. Don't co-sign for anybody else. Don't move money around between accounts and make, you'll make it more difficult on yourself later on. So what I try to do is to guide them to kind of put the brakes on everything. Let's get this plan for you to purchase a home and make sure now you start doing things the way a lender's gonna review things to make it so it's simpler and easier for you once it's time. Laura Moreno: And what have you seen? The last question, I think it's a little bit related to this. What have you seen are the biggest, biggest mistakes that home buyers make and how can they avoid them? . Chris Sayre: Yeah. So some of the, the biggest mistakes they make is when they're trying to prepare to purchase a home, a lot of times they will close an account cause outta a windy debt, right? They're afraid of it. But the way credit works is that if, let's assume you have like an account at a bank and that it's a credit card and that credit card you've had forever, but you really don't use anymore. The truth is that credit card, because it's your oldest liability, actually improves your credit score the most. And when you cancel that [00:25:00] card, you run the risk of your score dropping like a rock. So I would say . So normally my normal line is. Stop, freeze. Don't do anything. Talk to somebody, get some advice. Let them coach you what to do and then do it. But, you know, sometimes people come to you and they've already kind of done all of this and you just, it is, it's what it is and you just deal with it. Um, but I, you know, we try to tell them, don't move money around in accounts. Let it be, you know, don't make any large deposits, don't make any large purchases, Don't do anything like that. Get the house first, then do the other stuff. So I think some of the mistakes I, I've seen, like I said, are, are, are this where they cancel accounts or move money around too? A chin, you know, don't change jobs in the middle of a loan or when you're trying to buy a home. You know, things that you would think that everybody understands, but they don't really, cuz it's not what they do for a living. You don't Laura Moreno: really, I mean, it's so funny because you, we don't know, we don't live in, I mean, I live in this world, but usually home buyers, we don't live in this, We don't know that we kind of go and buy furniture before closing on credit or open Macy's credit card. Just, we don't know about that. It's like, it's very, And that's the [00:26:00] other thing is like what you were saying, Closing an account because you want to make your accounts clean, you want to make them look nice for the lender, and suddenly your score drops like 50 points. Yeah. And you're like, What happened? It's so counterintuitive. . Chris Sayre: Yep. Yeah. Honestly, completely. Right. Uh, people tend to go to Home Depot, you know, and they buy a bunch of stuff, you know, because they're planning for their home. Like this is a really common thing. So we, I try to upfront to tell them, like I said, just before you do, Just give me a call and then I'll let you know. Kind of my advice would be to wait or to go ahead to go forward with it. You know, I've told people to hold up on my own cars or furniture, you know, because there's a, somebody's offering zero down on a car or zero down on furniture, and, you know, if they really wanna buy it, then we'll just deal with it. But if not better to wait. Laura Moreno: Better to just wait to buy the big things. Well, Chris, you've shared with us amazing information today. Uh, what can we do? Chris Sayre: Um, you know, I would love to help more people, you know, that's what I do for a living. [00:27:00] So I would love for anybody that has questions. I'm always happy to ask questions. It's not always just about business, you know, of course I do this for, to help my family and to help other folks out, but you know, I, I know that if you do it right in life, good things happen. So if people wanted to reach out to me, they're welcome to do that. If I can help them with a mortgage, I would love to do that. Laura Moreno: That's beautiful. And how can we get in touch with, Chris Sayre: Uh, my cell phone I've had forever. I have a son who's learned my phone number since he was two. Um, but my number is 4 2 5 4 4 4 7 3 7 3, so 4, 2, 5. Beautiful. 4 4 4 7 3 7 3. Laura Moreno: Yeah. Well, Chris, thank you so, so, so much for sharing your mission and your attitude to life and your well good faith and thank you so much for being on the first time Home Buyer Podcast. You are. Chris Sayre: Oh, Laura, thank you. You're just a beautiful person. I really appreciate it. Thank you.  

Introduction Randy Baruh is a real estate agent in New York City with over 22 years of experience. He enjoys a proven record of sales success and lasting relationships with the people he has helped over the course of his career. Whether they are looking to buy, sell, rent, or invest Randy's attention to detail and dedication to his client's needs have enabled him to consistently exceed their expectations. Randy enjoys exploring NYC restaurants, museums, and parks with his family, and is a member of Corcoran Cares, and the Real Estate Board of New York. Get In Touch With Our Guest, Randy Baruh If you'd like to get in touch with our guest today, click on the link below and I will send you a warm introduction: Get In Touch With Our Podcast Guest Today Find The Perfect Real Estate Agent Near You If you'd like to find a great real estate agent near you, just go to this link: Real Estate Agent Near Me Podcast Sponsors Find an Agent with HomeFlow: The key to having a calm and successful home buying experience starts with having the best real estate agent. This is why you need to interview a few. To get the process started just go to Tryhomeflow.com Dovly: 10 million of Americans have errors in their credit reports that lower their credit score. To fix those error try Dovly.com MyFico: 90% of top lenders use FICO® Scores—do you know yours? Check your FICO Score at MyFico.com The Smart Home Buyer Calculator: Use our 4-in-1 super-smart calculator to make sure you know your numbers before buying your first home. Get it now at The Smart Home Buyer Calculator Rate The Podcast Click on this link to Rate and Review "The First Time Home Buyer Podcast" on iTunes. You can also subscribe to the podcast there. I will really appreciate it, thanks so much in advance! Listen To A Podcast Guest In Your Area If you'd like to find podcast guests for your specific location or profession just click on the link below to search for them: Podcast Guest Search Awesome Resources For First-Time Home Buyers If you'd like to access other great resources for first-time home buyers just click on this link: First-Time Home Buyer Resources Let's Talk I'd love to talk to podcast listeners and get to know you all better! I can also help you answer any questions you have about buying your first home! So if you'd like to talk about that let's jump a quick call! Just schedule a time that works for you here: Schedule A Call With Laura Moreno Feedback I love receiving feedback so please, if you'd like to tell me how you'd improve the podcast, send me an email or schedule a call with me for that works for you here: Schedule A Call With Laura Moreno Share The Love If you know someone looking to buy their first home and you think this information would help them,  just share it with them. They will really appreciate it. Subscribe To The Podcast Apple | Google | Spotify | Stitcher | iHeart Connect On Social Media YouTube | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | LinkedIn Do you want to start your own podcast? Then enroll in The Free Podcast Course today, which is the course that I followed to create this podcast!   Transcript (Automatically generated, sorry for the typos!