We hear plenty of gloom and doom these days regarding home buying, and we all know interest rates are up. You can navigate the high rates and buy your dream home if you do a little homework and ensure you have good credit, as well as a good down payment.

You can do all your homework online and don’t have to go into a mortgage company. You can also get approved quickly.

First, you need to make sure you have a good credit score. If you don’t know what yours is, check it out online with Experian, TransUnion and Equifax. This bit of information is very important and will help you immensely in the buying process.

Second, you need to know your budget and how much you want to spend. The more money you have to put down on your dream home, the better off you’ll be. With a larger down payment, you’ll be able to negotiate a better interest rate.

Next, while doing your homework, read reviews of the major lenders, such as Quicken, Lending Tree, Rocket Mortgage, AmeriSave Mortgage, and banks.

And don’t forget to talk to your Realtor at Stacey Driver. Realtors have a wealth of knowledge to help you with what may be an intimidating process.

Once you’ve done your homework, you’ll be on the road to home ownership through Stacey Driver Real Estate.

The housing market can be incredibly volatile and tends to work in favor of either the buyer or the seller. Due to its unpredictable nature it is critical to recognize when to buy, or when to sell. The market can be unforgiving so determining your strategy can seem intimidating without help. Fortunately, here at Stacey Driver Real Estate we are here to guide you, and the time to sell is now!

The housing prices along the Emerald Coast are soaring and now is the perfect time to strategize an exit from the market. There are countless benefits to selling your home while prices are high, and the most obvious is earning a profit. We are in a sellers market and it is not uncommon to yield a profit much larger than previously thought. Additionally, with interest rates expected to continue to rise, finding a buyer now may be much easier than in the future. Prospective buyers want to lock-in at a lower rate so it would be advantageous to benefit from the current climate of the market.

Stacey Driver Real Estate is here to assist our clients in selling their homes while they are at their most valuable. We operate from the beautiful white sand shores of 30A to the constantly growing town of Crestview, and everywhere in between. There are sellers eager to buy all along the Emerald Coast and the circumstances to sell to them couldn’t be better. Let us assist you in listing and selling your home. You’ll turn a profit and the buyer will get their home – a situation that truly benefits all.

The madness of the housing market has been a trending topic in recent memory. The availability of houses and the accompanying demand for them has been uncharitable for buyers this past year. The demand for a home was high, but unfortunately there wasn’t a wide range of options available for various budgets. Luckily, it appears that a shift in the market has started to emerge. We have moved into a buyers market along the Emerald Coast!

The process of buying a home is exciting but equally stressful and intimidating. There are an abundance of reasons to feel as if the affair is too challenging, and buyers can often feel misguided or confused. Our goal at Stacey Driver Real Estate is to diminish those anxious emotions and get our clients into homes they absolutely love at the best price available!

We intend to provide our clients with a knowledgeable and affable service that is consistently distinct from others. Stacey Driver Real Estate values your wants and needs. The happiness of our clients is our primary concern.

Again, the market is currently favorable for buyers and we are proud to offer properties ranging from the elegant 30A to the growing and bustling Crestview. The properties available can be found on our website home page along with their location and a brief description. For an all-inclusive review of a certain property, or for buying tips and additional information, please feel free to contact our office by email or telephone.

The time to buy is now and we are eager to help you purchase a house that you utterly admire!

Are you ready to buy?
Here are some resources to help get you in the right direction.
Top Home Buying Tips & Credit Management
When You Decide to Buy, Call Us First

Although the housing market has changed, you can still buy a home if you have great credit. Plenty of homes are available in the Destin and Niceville area for you to choose from.

If your credit is already great, that’s good news for you and will make home buying much easier. If your credit score isn’t great and needs a boost, you can start working on it now to get you where you need to be.

Improving your credit score sooner rather than later is the way to go. You can begin by working on paying off credit card debt and any outstanding loans you may have. While paying off previous debts, don’t make any large purchases, such as a new car. The less debt you have when you decide to purchase, the better off you’ll be. Imagine how happy you’ll be when you see that high credit score and know you can purchase your dream home.

Stacey Driver Real Estate has plenty of listings throughout Destin and Niceville. Go ahead and start looking and be sure to tell one of the company’s Realtors your wants and needs. They’ll be happy to help put you in just the right new home.

For further information you can read how to Put Your Credit in Good Standing article.

Buying a new home can be a stressful and demanding situation. There are countless aspects a home buyer must take into consideration when deciding to commit to purchasing a new home. Purchasing a new home is a major commitment and there are times when a buyer’s excitement can develop into bewilderment. Knowing the proper steps to purchasing a new home is a primary affair, and our objective at Stacy Driver Real Estate is to provide you with helpful tips for your exciting purchase!

There are numerous tips to consider when buying a new home that need to be covered in-depth. We recommend if you are interested in a more comprehensive consulting to contact our office. However, there are several tips home buyers can review in a more general sense.

A great tip when purchasing a new home is to save for a 20% down payment. This helps in avoiding mortgage insurance and inhibiting the need for conventional loans. Additionally, maintaining and managing your credit is a simple, yet predominant, tip. Keep paying your bills on time!

Managing your credit is paramount! Always be sure to keep track of your spending and never exceed your credit limit on any of your lines. Also, see that you make timely payments on everything that you owe! Using these tips will aid in the purchase of your new home.

Again, there are nuances to purchasing a home that deserve a much more thorough explanation. We would be more than happy to answer any questions you may have regarding the purchase of your new home. Do not hesitate to contact our office by telephone or email, or visit our website for additional information. We look forward to getting you settled in your beautiful new home!

You’ve been renting for a year or so, and you want to buy your own home. Before you do anything, you need to check your credit and make sure it’s in good order. A low credit score could mean you won’t get as good an interest rate as if your score were higher, and you may be required to pay more down.

Start early to improve your score if it’s low. If you have numerous credit cards with high interest rates and large balances, start paying them off as soon as possible. Don’t ever put yourself in the position of paying late charges. Paying on time and paying more than the required payment shows good faith and dependability to lenders.

Also, while you’re waiting to buy your dream home, don’t make any new purchases because that new Mustang or Jeep payment can be detrimental to your good credit score.

Once your credit score is higher, you’re all set. That new car can wait until you have the house purchase signed, sealed and delivered.

Stacey Driver will be happy to help you with any questions you may have regarding your dream home purchase. We’re just a phone call away.

You’re getting ready to sell your home. You’ve lived in it a few years, and you think it still looks like the day you bought it. But does it? Will a potential buyer look lovingly on your wall color, your well-worn furniture and all your dusty collectibles? Probably not.

Try to look at your home from a different perspective. Maybe the walls could use a fresh coat of paint. Painting is one of the first thing sellers are doing these days to give their homes a fresh look. Neutral colors work best.

While you’re getting ready to paint, you’ll be clearing out excess furniture, old magazines, junk mail, family photos and any collections you may have covering shelves. Clear the countertop of appliances, put away myriad bottles of shampoo and conditioner in the bathroom, and straighten your closets.

Potential buyers want to see how their things will fit in your space, and space is what everyone wants.

A very important item to remember is your pet or pets if you have any. A potential buyer may be allergic to cats or dogs. Be sure to clear pet odors out, clean up any pet messes, and remove food dishes and water bowls.

Then you need to clean, clean and clean some more. If necessary, hire a professional to seek out and clean all dust and dirt.

When your home is fresh, clean and staged, contact a real estate professional at Stacey Driver Real Estate, and they’ll take your home from “Just Listed” to “Sold.”

If you’ve been thinking about buying your dream home, have you thought about what it will take financially for you to make it happen?

Do you know your credit score and what you can afford to spend? A low credit score could keep you from buying that home, or it could make your interest rate higher than you’d like.

Along with a good credit score, you need a low debt to income ratio. Check these two items out, and if the numbers aren’t where you’d like them to be, start working on improving them now.

Make sure you have no late or missed payments on credit cards or large purchases. Always pay more than the minimum required on credit cards and get them paid off as soon as you can. Also, don’t purchase any expensive items, such as a new car or truck, prior to applying for a loan. A large purchase will definitely have a detrimental effect on your score.

When your finances are in good order, then you can search for the perfect home. With a new home and no other debt, you’re sure to be a happy homeowner.
Contact Stacey Driver Real Estate with all your questions, needs and wants, and an experienced Realtor will help make your dream a reality.

If you’re looking for a home or condo in Destin or Niceville, call Stacey Driver Real Estate for the best listings.

Think about what your needs are – what you must have vs. what would be nice to have. How many bedrooms; how many baths? Do you have children who need to be near a school, or are you retirees with grandchildren who will visit? Location may well be important to you. Do you want to be on the water or away from the high-tourist areas?

Also, consider your budget and your credit score. If you need to improve your credit score, you’ll need to work on it sooner rather than later. You’ll want to have your score as high as possible before you decide to purchase.

The best things to do to improve your score are to pay off all your debts and don’t buy anything outlandish just before you decide to purchase a home or condo. The less debt you have, the better off you’ll be.

Stacey Driver Real Estate has plenty of listings throughout Destin and Niceville for you to check out. There’s sure to be a place that suits all your needs and desires. If you have any questions, one of the company’s Realtors will be happy to help with every aspect of home buying.

You’re planning to buy a home, and the first thing you need to do is check your credit. A low credit score could keep you from buying a home or you may not get a great interest rate, depending on how bad the score is.

Start early to improve your score if it’s in bad shape. If you have numerous credit cards with high interest rates and high balances, begin paying them off. Don’t get into a position that you end up paying late charges, and always pay more than the minimum because interest keeps piling up every month. Show good faith by paying bills off and showing lenders you’re dependable.

You also shouldn’t purchase any expensive items, such as a new car or truck, prior to applying for a loan. Large purchases can be detrimental to a good credit score and scare lenders off.
Once your finances are in good order and you find the house of your dreams, you’re set. Large purchases can wait until you sign on the dotted line for the home.

Think how happy you’ll be with paid off charge cards and a new home.

If you have any questions, your Realtor at Stacey Driver Real Estate will be happy to answer them for you.