Grand foyer w/open staircase, Alluring archways, Inlaid hardwood floors, Coffered ceilings, Gourmet kitchen w/granite counters, dbl ovens, Subzero & Wine fridge, Large dining, & office w/builtins. There is a 2nd floor laundry room to service the 3 large BR's and master with a sitting area. Finished lower level has a bar & entertaining area, billiards room & full bath. Theater room w/ all equipment, drop screen and speakers.
Resplendent,
remodeled two story with old world charm & character not commonly
found. Beautiful gleaming hardwood floors throughout, including the
ample upper bedrooms. Updated kitchen w/tile flooring, spacious dining
room w/corner built-ins, sun-filled office w/private entrance and lovely
living room. Main floor master with ensuite. Newer windows &
furnace plus more. Luminous 3-season room to enjoy the quiet setting of
the well landscaped corner lot. Close to the heart of Hartland. Call
today to view!
If you have Family, Friends or Neighbors that are struggling with their mortgage there are options! Contact Amber Castonguay, your local CDPE & SHORT SALE EXPERT to see what your options are!
Check out this property I found using Trulia's real estate app:
http://www.trulia.com/property/3212313071-1306-Colonial-Dr-Watertown-WI-53098
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The housing market is in full swing! If you know anybody looking to buy or sell, please contact us today 920.988.0048! Looking to buy: www.AmbersHomeFinder.com Want to know the value of your house: www.WIRealEstateValues.com
NEW YORK (MainStreet) — If you feel like it might be the right time to finally buy your first home,
your excitement is probably mixed with a bit of apprehension. After
all, owning a home is a huge financial commitment, from paying that
pricey down payment to keeping up with monthly mortgage bills. And
without a landlord to call, you'll also be taking on a slew of new
responsibilities to maintain the home and property (think raking leaves,
shoveling snow and fixing leaky sinks). Of course, owning a home can
offer many attractive benefits, including increased space and privacy
and the ability to build wealth over time.
How can you determine whether you're ready to take on the
responsibilities of homeownership? We asked a handful of real estate and
financial experts to weigh in. Here are six key questions they suggest
asking yourself now. Can you cover upfront costs?
Hopefully you've been socking away your hard-earned cash over these
past few years because you'll face some expensive upfront costs when
purchasing a home. For starters, you should have enough money saved to
cover a 20% down payment in order to secure the best possible interest
rate on your mortgage and put yourself in the best negotiating position
with your lender, says Bennie Waller, a professor of finance and real
estate at Longwood University in Farmville, Va.
"Without
20% for a down payment, you will likely have to pay private mortgage
insurance, which can be as much as—or more than—1% of the loan amount
[per year]," Waller explains. "For example, on a $200,000 loan, private
mortgage insurance could increase your payment by more than $150 per
month. This will severely impact the mortgage amount in which you will
qualify."
In addition to the down payment, you should also be prepared to pay
for the closing costs, which typically range from 2% to 5% of the
purchase price of the home, says Julie Zelman, a licensed associate real
estate broker for Engel & Völkers in New York City. Can you afford the mortgage?
It's easy to fall in love with your dream home, but it's important to realistically assess whether you'll be able to afford the mortgage payments each month.
"If a person is planning on financing, the first thing he or she
should do is contact a mortgage broker or a loan officer at a bank to
find out how much the bank will loan them," says Zelman. "Once that is
determined, the purchaser will know what price range they can consider
for a potential home."
Waller
says that based on conventional lending guidelines, you shouldn't spend
more than 28% of your gross monthly income on a mortgage (which should
cover principal, interest, taxes and insurance) or 36% of your gross
monthly income on a mortgage and other debt (such as a car loan, student
loan and credit card debt).
"For example, an individual earning $48,000 per year will have a
gross monthly income of $4,000, and assuming no other debt, would
qualify for a monthly mortgage payment of $1,120," Waller explains.
"However, with other monthly debts such as a $200 car payment, $200 for
student loans and $200 for credit cards, it would reduce the amount you
qualify for to only $840 per month, which would only qualify you for a
mortgage loan of about $110,000."
Do you have an emergency fund?
Are you prepared to pay for any unforeseen costs that might arise
from owning a home? Michael Kay, a certified financial planner and
president of Financial Life Focus in Livingston, N.J., says it's
important to have an emergency fund with about six to nine months of living expenses—just in case.
"Expect that there will be problems, delays and costs that are beyond the closing and moving costs," Kay explains.
Can you maintain the home?
Keep in mind that when you switch from renting to owning, you won't
be able to dial up your landlord or building superintendent when things
need to be installed or repaired, or when snow piles up on your
driveway.
"What happens when the toilet clogs, the sink leaks or you want
dimmer switches in the bedrooms?" says Kay. "Are you willing to learn to
do those fix-it things that home ownership demands or do you have the
available funds to pay someone to do it for you?"
To estimate your home maintenance costs, Kay suggests taking into
consideration when the house was built as well as the ages of the roof,
the appliances, the heating and cooling system and other essential
components of the home. "The older they are, the more likely your costs
to repair or replace can be significant," says Kay. "For example, if you
buy a home with a 10-year-old water heater, be prepared to spend a
considerable amount to replace it soon."
If you have Family, Friends or Neighbors that are struggling with their mortgage there are options! Contact Amber Castonguay, your local CDPE & SHORT SALE EXPERT to see what your options are!
