Lease-To-Own Homebuying Options Available!

Are you thinking about purchasing a home?  Are you concerned about whether or not you qualify for a Traditional Home Mortgage? If so, you are in the right place!

In Real Estate, there's no such thing as "One Size Fits All".  Each Home Buyer's situation is unique. No two Buyers are the same.  In order to assist Buyers with different financial situations, there are multiple Home Buying Options available.

For Buyers who do not qualify for traditional Home Mortgages, there may be another option for you.  The Lease- To -Own programs can be a viable option to help you get into your new home.  The Basics of Lease-To-Own are you get to select a home that you would like to purchase, you live in the home as a rental/leased property for a pre-determined amount of time- typical 18- 36 months (varies depending on the program).  At the end of the lease period, you can purchase the home with a Traditional mortgage.  

During the time you are renting the home, typically you are working towards improving your financials and/or your credit.  Most Lease-To-Own options allow the Renter to purchase the home at an earlier date if the Renter is in a position to do so.

If you would like to further inquire about Lease-To-Own options available to you, please call us today. We can answer your questions, as well as, get you started on the Path to Home Ownership!

Stacey Stanford, Broker

Halstan Realty

Office: 678-318-1913

Beautiful Home For Rent in Alpharetta, GA

Great Fulton County Schools!



Kitchen with Stainless Steel Appliances

Living Room

Large, private backyard

Come see this beautiful 3 bedroom, 2 1/2 bath home For Rent. The home features include open floorplan with lots of storage. Hardwoods floors on Main. Large, Eat-in kitchen has stainless steel appliances, pantry and view to family room. Separate dining area which opens to large, private backyard. Oversized Master Suite with Trey ceilings. Master bath has double vanities, garden-style tub, separate shower and Walk-In closet. Spacious secondary bedrooms. Swim/Tennis community. Excellent Fulton County schools!

Home For Sale- Powder Springs, GA

Check out this home on our Website


Fabulous 3 bedroom, 2 bath Home in an established community. Home's features include Open floor plan. Living room with wood-burning fireplace and a view to large kitchen. Kitchen includes an Island, and dining area. Large Master Suite. Spacious secondary bedrooms. Hardwood floors on main. 2-car garage. Workshop/storage room on ground floor. Huge private backyard with a large deck for entertaining. Home sits on approximately 3/4 acres. Minutes to I-20, Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson airport, Downtown Atlanta, Six Flags over Georgia, and many more area attractions.

5 Tips for First- time Home Buyers

When the decision to Buy your first home is made, you may be wondering where to start.  Do you go online and look for homes; do you drive around the City looking for For Sale signs; Do you call your Bank; Do you need a Rea Estate Agent? If so, how do you find a good Real Estate Agent?

Well, here are 5 Tips to help you get on the road to Home Ownership.

Tip 1: Credit Review

Before you begin the process, have a good idea of when you will be moving.  I have had the experience of speaking with a prospective Home Buyer who wanted to get process started early.  The prospect contacted me 1 year before they were ready to move.  Because there was sufficient time available, I recommended that the prospect review their credit report to check for inaccuracies.  This is one of the most important steps in the process.  Once you have reviewed your Credit report and the information is deemed to be accurate by you, then you would be ready for the next step.

 

Tip 2: Save Money

Save money for your Down payment and Closing Costs.  This step can be first, second or simultaneous while reviewing your credit.  Depending on your intentions of financing your home purchase, and the type of home loan you choose, the amount you will need to save varies significantly.  It may be a good idea to consider opening a savings account to be used specifically for your home purchase.  

 

Tip 3: Decide on Location

As you begin nearing the time to begin shopping for homes, spend some time thinking about what is most important to you.  Do you want to be closer to work, schools, relatives, and so forth.  Have a general idea of where you would like to live, will help the process of locating a suitable home for you.

 

Tip 4: House or Condo

The type of home that you are looking for will also, be an important factor in locating homes that meet your needs.  You may be looking for a Single family home with a garage, or a Townhouse, or a Condo in a gated community.  Whatever you decide, get to know the pros and cons of owning each type of property.

 

Tip 5: Hire a Real Estate Professional

Once you are within 60-90 days of your desired move date, it's time to hire a licensed Real Estate Agent.  Your Real Estate Agent will be able to help you navigate through the process of Buying your first home.  Your Agent will have Vendors who specialize in their Fields who you would be recommended to throughout the process.  Some of these Vendors include Mortgage Professionals, Home Inspectors, Home Warranty Companies, Termite Companies, Closing Attorneys and more. 

 

When selecting a Real Estate Agent take time to ask questions about the Agent's past experience working with first-time Home Buyers, find out about their knowledge of the local areas you are looking to move to, find out how much time the process will take and what can you expect from them regarding communicating with you during the transaction.   If you have friends or relatives who have recently purchased Real Estate, ask them to recommend a good Real Estate Professional to you.  That could be your best bet.

 

Buying your first home could be a great experience.  You will gain so much knowledge and education that it will be a piece of cake the next time around.

 

If you are considering purchasing a home, please feel free to contact Halstan Realty, we have Real Estate Agents with all levels of experience.  Our Agents will have a one-on-one Consultation with you before we begin the home buying process.  We will make your home buying experience a positive and memorable one.

 

 

CALL US, We are here for you!!!!

Halstan Realty

678-318-1913

 





Getting Your Home Ready For Spring and Summer!

Springtime is almost here.  Summertime will soon follow.  It is a great time to do some preventative Maintenance projects to get your home ready for the upcoming Seasons.  Many of the recommended projects will also provide safeguards from potential hazards that result from deferred maintenance.


Here are Twelve (12) Maintenance Items that every Homeowner should complete:

1. Get your Air Conditioning Unit serviced by a Professional HVAC Technician.  Annual servicing of your Unit will help it last for many years.  Ask your HVAC Technician for tips to maintain your Unit between service visits.
2. Change the Filter in your HVAC unit regularly.  It is recommended that filters be changed at least every 3 months.
3. Change the Batteries in your Smoke Detectors (if battery operated).  It is recommended that you change the batteries and Test the Smoke Detector every 3 months.  
4. Check your pipes for leaks.  Check the pipes in the kitchen, bathroom and any other area of your home where pipes are connected. It is not unusual for leaks to go unnoticed until a Major issue happens.  Leaks left untreated could result in Mold issues and a host of other problems that could have been prevented.
5. Have your fireplace cleaned.  Now that the Winter is over, you probably will not use the fireplace much, if at all, for the next few months.  If you haven't had your fireplace cleaned in a while, contact a professional Chimney Sweep Company.  During the visit, ask the Chimney Professional for tips to take care of your fireplace between cleaning visits.
6. Check the windows throughout your home. Things to look for include:
1.  Dirty Windows, this could be a great time to clean your windows inside and out.
2. Cloudy windows, which could signal that the Seals in your windows may be broken.
3. Broken Latches, check to see if the locks and window latches are working properly. If not, have them repaired.
7. Refrigerator Maintenance. Does your refrigerator use a filter?  If so, when was the last time you changed the filter?  Defrost the freezer and clean it out thoroughly. Throw away old and expired items from the fridge and freezer. 
8. Change your Light bulbs.  Do you have light bulbs that have blown and need to be replaced?  Now is a great time to replace them.  Also, consider looking into energy saving light bulbs.  These light bulbs save on energy costs and usually last longer than the standard bulbs.
9. Check the Gutters.  Now that spring is near, excessive rain fall is not uncommon in some areas of the Country.  Have your gutters cleaned regularly to prevent any build up which could affect your roof's condition over time.  
10. Check your roof.  What is the age of your roof?  Is your roof nearing the end of its useful life? You can do a visual check of your roof to look for areas of concern.  Also, look at the ceilings inside your home for evidence of potential leaks.  Again, leaks not taken care of can potentially cause Major issues.
11. Termites.  When was the last time your home was treated for Termites?  If you property gets treated quarterly by a Professional Exterminator, great! If you are not under a Termite treatment bond, it's time to get a Termite inspection.  When you get a Termite inspection, the Exterminator will typically provide you with a quote for on-going treatment of your property.  If not, request a quote from 2-3 companies and compare.  We have witness the massive damage that Termites can create and the costly repairs that ensue.
12. Last, but not least, check your electrical outlets.  Go throughout your home and visually inspect the electrical outlets.  Look for any signs of burn marks around the electrical wall plates.  If you notice anything that makes you concerned, have a licensed Electrician take a closer look and evaluate your electric system throughout your home.

These are just a few maintenance projects that are good practices to help keep your home in great condition.  Other areas to maintain include private swimming pools, garage areas, and landscaping.

How Much Is Your Home Worth?

Are you thinking about selling your home?  Do you need a larger home? Downsize? Relocate? Whatever your reason is for needing to move, you may be wondering how much your home worth.

It's possible that you've checked the internet and tried to research the value of your home through a random website.  Or, you've noticed that your neighbors recently put their home on the market (and their home is not nearly as nice as yours).  Regardless of the method(s) you've used to come up with your home's value, a more effective way would be to employ the services of a licensed Real Estate Professional.

Real Estate Agents have access to information and pricing tools that are not easily nor, readily accessible to the Public.  An Agent would visit your property and take note of all of the customized upgrades and special features that affect the value.  They would use that information to help you come up with a price that would make your home Competitive in today's market.  Real Estate markets are subject to change in a moment's time. A Real Estate Agent would be able to keep you up to date with the latest Trends that could affect the Sale of your property.

Your Real Estate Agent should make recommendations for improvements to areas of your home. They may recommend items for repair, smart upgrades, and a host of other tips that could help your home stand out from the other 1000's of homes you are competing against.

Let Halstan Realty help you get started.

If you need help locating a Real Estate Agent, please contact us for a recommendation at:
http://www.halstanrealty.com or call us at 678-318-1913.

Home Warranty Plans

Understanding a Home Warranty Before You Buy

Many factors go into the purchasing decision when you’re buying a new home in metro Atlanta. One of the major factors to make sure you fully understand before purchasing is the home warranty. Designed to help cover the costs if a major component of the house fails, it’s important to understand that they don’t cover the actual structure as a whole. If you’re unsure about the warranty being offered by your builder, use this guide from the Equifax Finance Blog to ensure it covers everything it should.

Most builders partner with a specific, trusted warranty company that provides discount repair or replacement services to the homeowner in the event that something breaks. Things often covered under a home warranty include major appliances, electrical systems, plumbing, the furnace and the air conditioning unit. Depending on the company and the terms agreed on, it may also cover things such as swimming pools, garbage disposals, refrigerators or washer and dryers.

Home warranties are designed to cover both standard wear and tear of an item, as well as the item breaking. When an item breaks, a service provider is typically sent to a home to ensure the problem is covered under the warranty. However, it’s important to keep in mind that if an inspector noted something as being faulty in the initial home inspection, it will not be covered under the warranty. This is a particularly important fact for buyers purchasing a resale home to keep in mind.

Home warranties cost upwards of $500 per year and can cover the house for three months to one year. In addition, there is typically a deductible or premium that the homeowner must may when service is needed.

It’s important to remember that home warranties are designed to provide peace of mind. Be sure to read the fine print and be fully aware of what is and isn't covered.