San Antonio, Texas Real Estate Blog & Market News - Buyer Tips

How to Show Sellers you’re Serious about Buying

As a buyer, you may think you are in the driver’s seat, especially given the fact that many industry experts refer to this type of market as a “buyer’s market.” However, you may not always have the perfect case scenario in your back pocket when it comes to buying a Bexar County property. In fact, you might just find yourself in a situation where you must prove yourself to your seller.

The bottom line is that the more prepared you are, and the more you show your sellers (and their agent) that you are prepared and serious about purchasing a Bexar County home the more likely you will be able to negotiate a great deal on a great home. How to Show Sellers you Mean Business

• Get preapproved – One of the best things you can do before you start home…

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Developing a Game Plan for Saving for a Down Payment

Buying a home is still considered to be the American Dream by many; however, this dream has gotten a bit more complicated over the last year or so. One of the biggest changes to take place in the Sonoma Ranch real estate marketis that only those individuals the best credit and a substantial down payment can expect to be approved for a home loan. Simply put, lenders are not willing to give loans to those individuals who have not proven themselves to be credit worthy.

If you’ve paid your dues and have maintained a flawless credit history you are well on your way to purchasing your first home. However, along with a good credit score you must have a nice down payment for your first home. In fact, most lenders now require about 20 percent down for a new home…

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The Top Five things every Home Buyer Should Know

Are you considering purchasing your first San Antonio home? If so, congratulations! You are making an excellent financial move. There are, however, a number of factors that you must remember when obtaining a home loan and purchasing your first Bexar County home:

1. Don’t make any large purchases before closing – Don’t make the mistake of spending money on a big-ticket item before you close on your home. Taking out additional loans in the midst of asking a lender to approve you for a mortgage could be a huge mistake, as it could raise your debt-to-income ratio into the “danger zone.” In other words, it can raise a red flag with your lender that you are simply under the thumb of too many debts and not enough income.
2. Don’t change jobs before closing –…

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When to Purchase? The Decision for Today’s Buyers

We hear about the lousy housing market and automatically shy away from purchasing an Alamo Heights home. Then we hear about all the great deals to be had and we rethink our earlier decision. And then, of course, we hear about the difficult credit sector and declining property values and our indecision starts again. Sound familiar? If so, you’re one of a growing number of Americans who are outright confused about this housing market and whether you want to jump into homeownership at this time.

There are those financial analysts who will tell you that now is your time to buy, while others will tell you that renting is the best bet at this point in the game. So who’s right? Well, both sides have a point, actually. Let’s start with the fact that home prices…

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Downtown San Antonio Condo Market may Experience Resurgence with the Home Buyer Credit Extension

For those homeowners looking to downsize into a downtown San Antonio condo, now may be the time. The home buyer tax credit was recently extended into May 2010 (the closing must occur before July 2010), so new homebuyers, as well as those homebuyers who have lived in their current residence for at least five years, can take advantage of the government stimulus offer.

Long-Time Homeowners get in on the Action

The homebuyer tax credit, which was originally only targeted at new homeowners or those who hadn’t owned a home for the previous three years, now includes “long-time homeowners,” or those who have lived in their home for at least five years. In other words, all those retirees looking to move out of their longtime home and instead settle into a…

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Preparing for Home Ownership in Bexar County

Homeownership, despite all of the doom and gloom felt across the country, is still a very smart financial move for most individuals. The Bexar County real estate market, of course, has received poor evaluation over the last year because of the subprime mortgages and the record number of foreclosures which, unfortunately, has left many would-be homebuyers feeling more than a bit nervous to purchase their first home.

However, there are many reasons to purchase a home in Bexar County now, including low interest rates, dropping home prices and the government’s first-time homebuyer tax credit. If you are ready to take the plunge into homeownership, there are a few things that you can do to prepare for your homeownership adventure:

• Talk to a lender first…

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The Top Five Signs that you’re Ready to Purchase your First Home

Your friends, your parents and even your financial adviser are all telling you it's time to own your first home. And you've been renting for the past, few years with the goal of eventually owning your own home. But how do you know when it's time? 

 You have a sparkling credit history and an impressive credit score - If you've paid your dues and worked hard to maintain a gleaming credit history then it may be time to purchase your first Alamo Heights home. You credit score is crucial when it comes to securing a home loan, so if you've successfully managed your credit and have earned an excellent credit score (which is typically anything over 720) then the chances of securing a great home loan rate are strong.      

You know where you're going to be…

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Factors That You Need To Take Into Consideration While Investing In Real Estate Property

When you are planning to invest your money in real estate properties and homes for sale, you need to take into consideration number of factors before you use your money on the real estate property. First of all, you need to be very clear about your own intentions of why you would like to invest in a real estate property at a given point of time in your life. You may be looking for a suitable home for your own use or you may already have a home and looking for a second home to enhance your investments.

You might like to rent the new property to generate some income on regular basis. So you must first of all be clear how you would like to use the new property that you will be buying. If you are going to buy a home for your own use then you need to look at…

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San Antonio Real Estate; where Acquiring a House is Made Affordable

San Antonio Real Estate has a very progressive real estate market. You may wonder what has San Antonio possesses to draw many people to want to relocate and settle permanently in this part of Texas. Undeniably, economic opening is the compelling force that has contributed to the consistent job growth, and the city’s over-all financial strength. 

Different factors add to the progressive growth of the San Antonio real estate market. Among these are the strong economy and manpower supply of San Antonio, outstanding weather, and low cost of living. Many are encouraged to purchase a residential house in San Antonio because these houses are so affordable, about thirty percent lower than the national average. These houses are a lot cheaper than the houses of…

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Tips for Buying Foreclosures in San Antonio

Foreclosures are seen in the San Antonio real estate market, and may continue for the immediate future. While there are deals to be had in the Bexar County foreclosuremarket, buyers must also be aware of the downside to buying homes in foreclosure.

Be Aware of Auctions

Unless you’re a seasoned real estate investor, it’s best to avoid auctions, for a number of reasons:

Most banks will not accept loan contingencies in an auction, so don’t expect to be able to negotiate any.

Bids are sealed, which means you won’t know what anyone else is bidding. You will need to do your research and determine such factors as the market value and the neighborhood, and then add to that any repairs that you’ll need to make.

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