Be Prepared Before Applying for a Loan - Know what Lenders are Looking For

There are a variety of opportunities in the Maryland and Southern PA real estate market for both buyers and sellers. If you're a prospective buyer click here for a full home search, or if you're considering placing your home on the market, get a free home value report, right here. 

There are three things a lender will look at to determine how much money they are going to lend you to buy a new home:

1. Credit score: You can check your credit score by using a host of free websites, or you can go to the IRS website and get all the information used in your credit report. If your score is low, you may want to consider taking steps to improve it before you seek a loan.
2. Debt to income ratio: If you are spending more money than you are making, you're obviously not going to get a loan. But even if your income exceeds your expenses, you need to have a ratio that shows you are capable of saving, that you have extra cash on hand.
3. Down payment: You need to know how much you want to put down on your new home. There are many different options out there to suit your particular situation. 

Knowing what your lender is going to be looking for is the first step in securing the amount you need. Having expectations and knowing what you can afford, based on the loan you're able to obtain, are invaluable when searching for a home. If you would like assistance with the process, or are interested in buying or selling a home, give me a call. I'm always available to help

How we helped Gerard sell his own in 37 days by always being thorough

"We worked with Christina from the Jay Day home team and we couldn’t have asked for anything more. She came in with the stager and told us exactly what we needed to do to get our home in the best shape to sell. We sold it in about 37 days! She was professional, thorough, and went out of her way to make it happen. They were great so we’d recommend Jay Day and his team."

Keep Your House Safe While Away this Summer

There are a variety of opportunities in the Maryland and Southern PA real estate market for both buyers and sellers. If you're a prospective buyer click here for a full home search, or if you're considering placing your home on the market, get a free home value report, right here. 

July is here and vacation season is in full swing. With so many of you taking trips, we thought we would share some tips on how you can protect your home. Feel comfortable about the safety of your home while you're away this summer by following these 6 tips:

1. Ask a friend to help: If you know someone you trust will be in town while you're on vacation, ask them to check on the house and make sure there is no suspicious activity. They can also water your plants or take care of your pets if needed.
2. Don't tip off criminals on the web: We all want to post everything about our vacation to social media, but this can be dangerous. There's no better way to scream "MY HOUSE IS EMPTY" than to publicly post about your travels. It's probably best to wait until you are home before telling everyone about your adventure.
3. Don't leave the lights on: That leaving your lights on deters would-be criminals is one of the biggest misconceptions out there. When the same lights are on in the same rooms on consecutive days, it's a clear indication no one is home. Unless you have a timer of some sort, we would suggest you leave them off.
4. Stop the mail: Have the post office hold your mail. You don't want an overflowing mailbox while you're away, and you can always pick it up when you return. 
5. Pull the plugs: Make sure all your appliances are unplugged. This will help prevent fires and save you a few bucks.
6. Remove the spare key: If you're not going to be around, there's no need to have a spare key outside. You can always give it to whoever might need to get in before you leave.

These are easy ways to ensure your home is protected on vacation. We hope these tips are helpful and that everybody has a safe and happy summer. As always, if you are interested in buying or selling in the Maryland and Southern PA area, give us call or send us an email. We'd love to help you out.