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New Home Buying Tips in a Crazy Market

June 29, 2021 By Debra Pearlstein 11 Comments

Find Your Dream Home

Who would have ever imagined the year we’ve had! In 2020, we went from mild worry to full-blown crisis in short time. I still remember the week it all went south. I had been more active than usual and was taking charge of things more regarding my health, work and overall life balance.

Then, it all came to a halt. While all of us tried to make sense out of any of it, one thing became clear. Things had changed radically, and, with them, priorities and values, and we learned what was most important to us.

One of my family members had always been enthralled with living in Manhattan. She thrived on being surrounded by museums, Broadway shows and fabulous restaurants open even at 3 in the morning. She worked hard and enjoyed it, even starting her own company.

When the pandemic came, however, the first thought on her and many others’ minds were to get out of the city.
She and her family had already been affected by COVID and they did not want to push their luck any further. Luckily, they had a home in the Hamptons, so they did have the ability to pick up and go to a calmer climate.

Not everyone has that opportunity. In any case, the Pandemic has more people re-evaluating their spaces and what is important to them. For many, it can mean buying their first home.

But, what an unusual time to buy. The Housing Market is crazy right now! Even the rental market is insane.

According to HomeBuyingInstitute.com:

“In some of the hottest housing markets across the U.S., more than half of all homes sold go for more than the list price. Example: In April of 2021, Austin, Denver and Sacramento all had at least 70% of homes selling above the original list price. Talk about a seller’s paradise.“

It’s truly a seller’s market right now and most new home buyers don’t have the luxury of selling a previous home, so they often use a mortgage loan to finance their purchase.

According to CNNBusiness: The increase in home prices is stunning.

“Nationwide, house prices are up double digits over the past year, and this comes after a decade of solid price gains since the housing market bottomed in the aftermath of the financial crisis. Indeed, the median existing home price — half of homes sold for more and half for less — is closing in on $350,000, almost double what it was a decade ago.“

If you are a new home buyer, try to remain calm amidst the chaos. Here are some tips:

1. Do your research. No matter your reason for purchasing, the process can be daunting for anyone, even if it is not your first time around. The first step is to find your preferred style, i.e. colonial, ranch, split level, modern, and whether it should be a single-family home versus a condominium. All options have their share of advantages and disadvantages.

2. Scout and get information about different neighborhoods to find what truly matches your needs and wants.

What type of ambiance do you seek? Working professionals, students, families? A neighborhood rich in history or one more modern? Are you looking for affordable or luxury? Do you need public transit nearby? Do you need guaranteed parking? Is it near your favorite shops and cafes? What are the schools like?

3. Monitor your credit score and see if anything needs fixing. Your credit score will provide insight to lenders about your financial situation, and it’s important to have all your ducks in a row.

4. Wondering if you should rent or buy a home? I’ve learned so much from MortgageCalculators.info. They offer two calculators which quickly help you decide if it makes more sense to rent or purchase a home. Their calculators are easy and precise. They also have information on comparing loan terms, refinancing and so much more. They also have great information on Government-Backed Home Loans.

Above all, take a deep breath and remember that all good things take time. The more information you gather, the more organized you are, the less headache and stress. We all have enough of that already!

Happy new home hunting!

Cozy at Home

Tips for Finding an Apartment in Boston

March 1, 2021 By Debra Pearlstein Leave a Comment

 

 

No one said that finding the perfect place to live would be easy, but there are ways to mitigate the headaches and stress. Since I live in the Boston area, I wanted to provide you some of my best tips for finding your dream place.

Boston is a wonderful place to live. I grew up in this area and it has the perks of living in a city while still maintaining its unique charm. Boston has incredible sports and entertainment, cultural activities and concerts, wonderful beaches in summer and is close to skiing in winter. We specialize in clam chowdah and lobster rolls, but you can find every type of food here and some of the best restaurants in the country.

I remember living in L.A. and waking up to the same day every day and the same bright sun blinding me as I drove to work. It began to feel like Groundhog Day after a while. But, Boston has seasons and while I may not appreciate the coldest days, we more than make up for it with the warm months and the beautiful fall foliage. And, I have to admit I do love the snow, especially if you can come in to a warm fireplace and some hot caramel cocoa.

After graduating college, I found a unique apartment in the Back Bay that I shared with my then boyfriend. I loved being able to walk through the Public Gardens during my lunch hour, checking out the Swan Boats and stopping for lunch at a small cafe. I loved the art museums and the poetry workshops. It was pure joy.

So, you’ve found your dream city. Now, for some rent research strategies:

Scout and get information about different neighborhoods to find what truly matches your needs and wants.

What type of ambiance do you seek? Working professionals, students, families? A neighborhood rich in history or one more modern? Are you looking for affordable or luxury? Do you need public transit nearby? Do you need guaranteed parking? Is it near your favorite shops and cafes?

When figuring out costs, use the 30% rule which states that your monthly rent should not go above 30% of your gross monthly income. If you have someone sharing the rent of course, that will considerably cut costs. Also, ensure that you have enough for first, last and security deposit. And, if you have a pet, there may be a fee for that as well.

I love to research different rental apps on my phone and my favorite is Zumper. Zumper is very user-friendly and you can easily search by zip code and neighborhood. You can filter quickly by the number of bedrooms you want, amenities or if they allow pets. You can also access them on your laptop or desktop. Zumper is used by millions of renters to find houses, rooms, condos, or apartments for rent.

You can easily apply online and submit digital rental applications and credit reports with Zumper’s screening service, powered by TransUnion™.

I love that their listings are updated in real-time, so you’ll always see new rentals on Zumper first and you can sign up for notifications according to your preferences.

Filter by location, price range, bedroom count, pet-friendly, or amenity and set an alert to get notifications when a new listing is posted. One thing I learned is to express interest quickly, because when you wait, you can easily lose a place that would really be perfect for you.

Zumper has some really helpful research tips for renting in Boston:

According to Zumper, the average rent for a 1-bedroom apartment in Boston, MA is currently $2,050. This is a 18% decrease compared to the previous year.

Recent data by Zumper shows that over the past month, the average rent for a studio apartment in Boston remained flat. The average rent for a 1-bedroom apartment increased by 3% to $2,050, and the average rent for a 2-bedroom apartment increased by 2% to $2,550.

Zumper also breaks rents down by neighborhood which is extremely helpful.

So, get your ducks in a row, know what amenities you’re searching for, your budget and preferred neighborhood. Do your homework. Have your references queued up. The more organized you are, the less headache and stress. We all have enough of that already!

Happy new home hunting!

5 Ways to Reduce Stress When Moving to a New Home

February 23, 2021 By Debra Pearlstein 5 Comments

 

Anyone here love a good moving job?! Not me! It really stresses me out because there are so many moving parts (literally). When I move, I am a constant ball of stress, but you can learn from my mistakes and don’t have to repeat them because now, you can utilize these tips to help you reduce anxiety when moving to a new home. Check them out:

 

Sell Your Home First

If you are moving to a new home and you already own a home, you might be very concerned about what the buying and selling process looks like when it is intertwined. Throw in a move on the same day of closing – for both homes – and you have a really stressful day ahead of you! That’s why I always recommend selling your current home first. I saw a couple on Instagram that sold their previously current home when the market was at the peak. Then, they rented a townhome for about 6 months (maybe a bit longer) while they were searching for a new home and throughout the closing process of that new home. Finally, they rented the townhome for about a month after they closed on their new home so that they could swap out the flooring, paint the home, and give it a good clean before moving all of their stuff in. Although moving twice in such a short time frame was not ideal, it was honestly so much less stressful for them this way, compared to selling and buying a home at the same time, which could have left them with reduced funds, a super quick move on the same day as both closings, and more.

Save the stress and sell your home before you find a new home if renting is an option for you short-term. Honestly, you could even take an adventure, move most of your things into storage for a few months, and get a beach condo or mountain condo for awhile as you house hunt. The only downside to this is not being able to see the homes in person, unless you come  back from your vacation rental.

 

Start Weeks In Advance

I know that you see this piece of advice on literally every moving article known to man, but that is because it really does make it easier and reduce anxiety a ton! If you are planning a move, make sure to start weeks in advance so that you don’t get stressed out along the way. The earlier you can start, the better! 

 

Roll With The Punches & Stay Positive

No matter how great and organized your to-do list and packing job is/was, something will always come up last minute to throw you for a loop. When it does, make sure that you roll with the punches and stay positive. A lot of the time, your stress comes from yourself and how you handle situations. While it is easy to feel out of control sometimes, slow down and try your best to recover as you focus on what you can do to get back to your positive state again. Rolling with the punches is not always easy, but it is a great way to reduce stress throughout the moving process.

 

 

Fresh Start – The Moving Crew

Best solution when it comes to reducing stress while moving to a new home? Utilize Fresh Start – The Moving Crew because they are residential movers Worcester. Even when it comes to packing, they can be a huge life saver! They say, “We find that underestimating the time and energy required to pack for a move is very common and it can be one of the most stressful aspects of planning for a move, which is why we include packing services as part of our full service moving offering. Our professional, careful movers and packers are expertly trained to pack and crate items of any quantity, value, or fragility, from a library of books to a cabinet of fine china. You’d rather not worry about packing at all. We will send a team of experienced movers and packers to your home to pack up the attic to the basement. Of course, we will leave out any items you’ll need on the night before moving and quickly pack those up on moving day. Professional packing services from Fresh Start – The Moving Crew will ensure that your items are packed efficiently and transported safely.” They can pack for you, move your fragile items, move all other items, and so much more. 

 

Unpack Quickly

Have you ever heard anyone say that unpacking is the best? Nope. I hate it. You probably hate it too. So, that’s why you should just do it quickly and get it all over with. Unpack as fast as you can (safely, of course) and you will be glad that you did it that way in the long run. Once you unpack, you are done, and you can focus on the more fun things that a move brings your way.

 

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