Two things to do before you go to a mortgage lender

I recommend you do the following before you visit the mortgage lender. First, it is tougher to qualify for the best rates if you're carrying a lot of revolving debt, such as credit card balances. Pay those down as much as possible. Second, make sure your credit report is free of blemishes that can damage your chances of borrowing.




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How long does it take to buy a house?

Once you have found the home you want to purchase, it will take approximately 45 days before you close and can move in. During this time, the title company is preparing the Title Commitment, the lender is putting together and getting approval on the loan, an appraiser is sent out to determine the value of the home, and you can have a home inspector do an inspection on the home.


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How do I know what mortage amount I can afford?

As a general guideline, your monthly mortgage payment, including principal, interest, real estate taxes and homeowners insurance, should not exceed 28 percent of your gross monthly income. This varies depending on what other debt and expenses you have.




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What is a HUD Home?

A HUD home is a residential property acquired by HUD as a result of a foreclosure action on an FHA-insured mortgage. HUD becomes the property owner and offers it for sale to recover the loss on the foreclosure claim.


HUD stands for The United States Department of Housing and Urban Development.


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What should I expect from my real estate agent when he/she lists my home?

Questions – your agent should thoroughly get to know you, your situation, your expectations and your home


Comparative Market Analysis – this will help you determine how much you want to list your home for

Commitment – make sure you find out exactly what your agent is willing to do to help you sell your home (i.e.: open houses, advertising)

Great photos and an informative listing – your agent should take a lot of photos of the interior and exterior of your home. Your agent should also take the time to submit a very informative and descriptive listing to the MLS. This is what buyers look at to determine if they want to view your home.

Communication – your agent should provide you with suggestions of what you can do to make your home more appealing to prospective buyers and what you can do to get it ready for sale.   Call Lisa Baumberger for all of your real estate needs  406-208-5560

I can only afford to make some home improvements before I put my home on the market. Which improvements are the most benefit in selling my home?

Emphasize the essentials over the extras by investing in basic upgrades, such as fresh paint (use neutral colors) and new fixtures


Know that curb appeal is vital; exterior projects can sometimes provide a greater return on investment than interior projects

Avoid over-improvement by sticking to what's proportional in your neighborhood

Consider renovating/updating bathrooms or the kitchen

Removing pet or smoke odors is an absolute necessity

Install new carpet or professional clean existing carpet

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I want my home to sell fast. What can I do to increase the appeal of my home before I list it for sale?

Get rid of the clutter, it makes the home look unattractive and much smaller.


Take down all photos, and personal items. You want buyers to picture themselves in the home.

Clean, Clean, Clean!

Define spaces so that buyers don’t have to guess what rooms are used for.

Remove any extra furniture, but try not to leave rooms completely empty.

Remove any odors.

Clean out and organize closets.

Clean up the yard, trim bushes and trees, pull weeds.  

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