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We
offer full service real estate services for the
low rate of only 3.5% of the sales price. Unlike
other companies that offer discount rates, we
offer "FULL SERVICE." Full service means
the broadest type of exposure- (including local
MLS listings), and screening buyers so there
will be less of a chance of falling out of
escrow. Additionally, Midas Realty Group has a
sister company- Buy Home Direct who at any given
time, has many pre-qualified buyers already
looking for homes- some may already be a match
for your property! All of our agents are
Realtors® and that gives you the assurance of
professionalism and competency.
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What are HUD
homes, and are they a good deal? |
A
Midas Realty Group agent will visit your property and
provide a preliminary inspection. Your
Agent will go over with you a marketing plan
developed to assist you in achieving your goals.
You will also be provided with all of the
necessary paperwork to begin the listing as well
as various disclosures necessary for the
transaction. Once all of the paperwork is
signed, you sit back and let us sell your home!
We reduce our commission as a "Thank You" for
doing business with us and in anticipation of
your kind referrals.
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I’ve
had bad credit, and I don’t have much for a down-payment. Can I become a
homebuyer? |
We
put our dollars into marketing instead of high
priced office space. Most of our agents
use the internet and their home offices as their
base of communication. Since our overhead
is streamlined, we are able to provide our
clients with superior service at a reduced rate.
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I’m a
single mother. How would I go about buying a home? |
If you're ready
to get started, select your county from the link at the top of
the page and click "GO." Complete the Preliminary
Property Listing and it will be forwarded immediately to an
agent who works in your area. Your Agent will contact
you, set up a time to meet, and you will be on your way to
receiving "Top Dollar" for your property.
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Should I
use a real estate broker? How do I find one? |
Of course we can
help!
We
not only
represent Buyers
but we also provides rebates on your
closing costs up to 1% of the home value! So not only
will you save when we assist you in selling your home, but you
will keep more of that cash by utilizing the services of our
professional Realtors.
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How much
money will I have to come up with to buy a home? |
Answer: Well, that depends on a
number of factors, including the cost of the house and the type of
mortgage you get. In general, you need to come up with enough money to
cover three costs: earnest money - the deposit you make on
the home when you submit your offer, to prove to the seller that you are
serious about wanting to buy the house; the down payment, a
percentage of the cost of the home that you must pay when you go to
settlement; and closing costs, the costs associated with
processing the paperwork to buy a house.
When you make an offer on a home, you’re
real estate broker will put your earnest money into an escrow account. If
the offer is accepted, your earnest money will be applied to the down
payment or closing costs. If your offer is not accepted, your money will
be returned to you. The amount of your earnest money varies. If you buy a
HUD home, for example, your deposit generally will range from $500 -
$2,000.
The more money you can put into your down
payment, the lower your mortgage payments will be. Some types of loans
require 10-20% of the purchase price. That’s why many first-time
homebuyers turn to HUD’s FHA for help. FHA
loans require only 3% down - and sometimes less.
Closing costs - which you will pay at
settlement - average 3-4% of the price of your home. These costs cover
various fees your lender charges and other processing expenses. When you
apply for your loan, your lender will give you an estimate of the closing
costs, so you won’t be caught by surprise. If you
buy
a HUD home, HUD may pay many of your closing costs.
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How do I
know if I can get a loan? |
Answer: Use our simple
mortgage
calculators to see how much mortgage you could pay - that’s a good
start. If the amount you can afford is significantly less than the cost of
homes that interest you, then you might want to wait awhile longer. They
will help you evaluate your loan potential. A broker will know what kinds
of mortgages the lenders are offering and can help you choose a lender
with a program that might be right for you. Another good idea is to
get
pre-qualified for a loan. That means you apply for a mortgage before
you actually start looking for a home. Then you’ll know exactly how much
you can afford to spend, and it will speed the process once you do find
the home of your dreams.
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In addition
to the mortgage payment, what other costs do I need to consider? |
Answer: Well, of course you’ll
have your monthly utilities. If your utilities have been covered in your
rent, this may be new for you. Your real estate broker will be able to
help you get information from the seller on how much utilities normally
cost. In addition, you might have homeowner association or condo
association dues. You’ll definitely have property taxes, and you also
may have city or county taxes. Taxes normally are rolled into your
mortgage payment. Again, your broker will be able to help you anticipate
these costs.
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So what
will my mortgage cover? |
Answer: Most loans have 4 parts:
principal: the repayment of the amount you actually borrowed; interest:
payment to the lender for the money you’ve borrowed; homeowners
insurance: a monthly amount to insure the property against loss from fire,
smoke, theft, and other hazards required by most lenders; and property
taxes: the annual city/county taxes assessed on your property, divided by
the number of mortgage payments you make in a year. Most loans are for 30
years, although 15 year loans are available, too. During the life of the
loan, you’ll pay far more in interest than you will in principal -
sometimes two or three times more! Because of the way loans are
structured, in the first years you’ll be paying mostly interest in your
monthly payments. In the final years, you’ll be paying mostly
principal.
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What do I
need to take with me when I apply for a mortgage? |
Answer: Good question! If you have
everything with you when you visit your lender, you’ll save a good deal
of time. You should have: 1) social security numbers for both your and
your spouse, if both of you are applying for the loan; 2) copies of your
checking and savings account statements for the past 6 months; 3) evidence
of any other assets like bonds or stocks; 4) a recent paycheck stub
detailing your earnings; 5) a list of all credit card accounts and the
approximate monthly amounts owed on each; 6) a list of account numbers and
balances due on outstanding loans, such as car loans; 7) copies of your
last 2 years’ income tax statements; and 8) the name and address of
someone who can verify your employment. Depending on your lender, you may
be asked for other information.
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I know there
are lots of types of mortgages - how do I know which one is best for me? |
Answer: You’re right - there are
many types of mortgages, and the more you know about them before you
start, the better. Most people use a fixed-rate mortgage. In a fixed rate
mortgage, your interest rate stays the same for the term of the mortgage,
which normally is 30 years. The advantage of a fixed-rate mortgage is that
you always know exactly how much your mortgage payment will be, and you
can plan for it. Another kind of mortgage is an Adjustable Rate Mortgage
(ARM). With this kind of mortgage, your interest rate and monthly payments
usually start lower than a fixed rate mortgage. But your rate and payment
can change either up or down, as often as once or twice a year. The
adjustment is tied to a financial index, such as the U.S. Treasury
Securities index. The advantage of an ARM is that you may be able to
afford a more expensive home because your initial interest rate will be
lower. There are several
government
mortgage programs that might interest you, too. Most people have heard
of FHA mortgages. FHA doesn’t actually make loans. Instead, it insures
loans so that if buyers default for some reason, the lenders will get
their money. This encourages lenders to give mortgages to people who might
not otherwise qualify for a loan.
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When I find
the home I want, how much should I offer? |
Answer: Again, your real estate
broker can help you here. But there are several things you should
consider: 1) is the asking price in line with prices of similar homes in
the area? 2) Is the home in good condition or will you have to spend a
substantial amount of money making it the way you want it? You probably
want to get a professional home inspection before you make your offer.
Your real estate broker can help you arrange one. 3) How long has the home
been on the market? If it’s been for sale for awhile, the seller may be
more eager to accept a lower offer. 4) How much mortgage will be required?
Make sure you really can afford whatever offer you make. 5) How much do
you really want the home? The closer you are to the asking price, the more
likely your offer will be accepted. In some cases, you may even want to
offer more than the asking price, if you know you are competing with
others for the house.
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What if
my offer is rejected? |
Answer: They often are! But don’t
let that stop you. Now you begin negotiating. Your broker will help you.
You may have to offer more money, but you may ask the seller to cover some
or all of your closing costs or to make repairs that wouldn’t normally
be expected. Often, negotiations on a price go back and forth several
times before a deal is made. Just remember - don’t get so caught up in
negotiations that you lose sight of what you really want and can
afford!
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So what
will happen at closing? |
Answer: Basically, you’ll sit at a
table with your broker, the broker for the seller, probably the seller,
and a closing agent. The closing agent will have a stack of papers for you
and the seller to sign. While he or she will give you a basic explanation
of each paper, you may want to take the time to read each one and/or
consult with your agent to make sure you know exactly what you’re
signing. After all, this is a large amount of money you’re committing to
pay for a lot of years! Before you go to closing, your lender is required
to give you a booklet explaining the closing costs, a "good faith
estimate" of how much cash you’ll have to supply at closing, and a
list of documents you’ll need at closing. If you don’t get those
items, be sure to call your lender BEFORE you go to closing. Don’t
hesitate to ask questions.
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