The American Dream in 2019: Out of Reach?
When an American reaches that place in life where they own their own home, there’s a societal nod of agreement: that person has achieved the American dream. It’s only up from there. In 2019, how many U.S. citizens will see that nod? Fewer than in years past, say the statistics. The undecorated reality is that the price-tag on houses keeps climbing and the average American’s paycheck does not. In some areas, homes are selling for 6.7% more than they did last year, and in 2020 they will sell for 6.7% more than they did this year. On a $200,000 home, that’s a hike of $27,700 over two years—almost $30 grand. And, while housing prices are increasing, so are mortgage rates. Some predict (Zillow, most notably) that by the end of 2019, mortgage rates will reach 5.8% for 30-year loans, which means higher monthly payments on those mortgages. It’s no wonder that the homeownership slice of the American dream pie is simply out of reach for many average-income earners. ATTOM Data Solutions published a report underscoring this fact. It found that the affordability of American homes is at a ten-year low. If housing prices are rising, what’s happening with rental prices? Perhaps surprisingly, not as much. Or at least they’re not inflating as much as house prices. In many areas of the United States, a medium-sized property is cheaper to rent than to buy (per the ATTOM study). Studios, apartments, townhouses, and the like were found to be the most affordable rental housing. What the Stats Mean for People with Houses to SellOverall, it’s a good time to sell a property because there is a demand for homes and going prices are brisk. The pool of homes on the market is at its lowest in years, with only 1.55 million properties for sale. The inventory of U.S. homes for sale was only lower in December 2017, with 1.47 million. Although fewer people in 2019 can afford to purchase a home than could in years past, there is still a demand for properties, and this makes it a seller’s market. In this vigorous market, many homeowners choose the traditional route to a home sale by utilizing the services of a real estate agent. In cooperation with the agent, they will look at other similar homes that have sold, set a price, list the property, market it, entertain offers, and then (ideally) go to the closing table and walk away with a nice check. Other homeowners choose to skip the whole “normal” sales route by short-cutting the process and letting a home buying company purchase their property. This route bypasses repairs, showings, open houses, and inspections. Homeowners simply request an offer from a home buying company, say yes to the price, close, and get a check. We Buy Houses Austin is such a buying company. We buy houses as-is in Austin, other cities in Texas, and even in other states. We make life easier for many homeowners by making a fair offer on their property and not requiring any prep work or inspections. Once our offer is accepted, the track to the closing table is speedy. This is a great option for homeowners who either need to sell a house quickly or don’t want to jump through the hoops of selling it through a realtor. What the Stats Mean for Investors Who Buy PropertiesSince the demand for affordable housing is high, and many people are finding that renting is easier on the budget than buying, it is a good time for investors to purchase rental properties. As with housing prices, rental prices vary widely depending on location in the country. High rental rates occur where housing prices are very high: southern California (especially near the coast); the Washington, D.C. area; and many parts of Hawaii. The lowest rentals in the country can be found in parts of Tennessee, Illinois, and Ohio (findings by BiggerPockets, a real estate investor community). Connect With Us!
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Hours Of OperationMonday 9 AM to 6 PM At the End of the DayIn the United States in 2019, the American dream of home ownership is out of reach for many people. Mortgage rates and housing prices continue to rise. However, some say the market is starting to cool and settle. Zillow economist Aaron Terrazas says that stabilization is happening across all consumer sectors—buyers, sellers, and renters. While home ownership is still just a dream for many, for those who can indeed buy, they will have more time in the cooling market to look around and pick and choose thoughtfully. The post The American Dream in 2019: Out of Reach appeared first on Premier Austin House Buyers. from https://premieraustinhousebuyers.com/housing-in-2019/
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Prepare Your Home for Sale in 7 Steps
Planning to list your home? Below are seven simple steps you can take to prepare your home for sale, even before reaching out to a real estate agent. Then when you’ve found the right realtor, you will already have gotten the ball rolling and will be one step closer to the sale of your home. Sell Fast and Avoid the HassleFor the homeowner who isn’t interested in the traditional sales process or the one who needs to get out from under a house quickly, there is another option. Home buying companies like We Buy Houses Austin cut out all the prep work, buying houses as-is. For more on this, read the additional information at the end of the article.
For tips on preparing a house to sell, read the seven steps below. 7 Steps to Prepare for SellingDeep-clean the home. This will be more than your normal weekly clean; the point is to restore your house to the best condition possible. It’s washing the walls, scrubbing the bathroom tile, dusting cabinet tops, and cleaning the carpet. Inside and out, find the dirt, grime, and dust that have built up over the years. Clean homes make the best first impressions. Complete minor repairs. Small fixes really do make a difference. They keep the attention off of loose toilet seats, missing slats in the window blinds, or jiggly doorknobs, and allow buyers to focus on the best qualities of your home. Remove the clutter. While this does include clearing off kitchen counters, there’s much more to it. Homeowners who have lived in the same house for years often collect countless knickknacks and decorative items. Be very firm with yourself about packing these away, and allow the space in your home to speak for itself. Even appropriate decorations can be overbearing if there is too much going on at once; paring down a collection on display allows a single piece to shine without being distracting. Refresh the landscaping. Paring down outside is also a great way to tidy up a property. Overgrown shrubs and low-hanging trees present a sloppy appearance and restrict the amount of light and space around a home. Take an afternoon to trim hedges and lift tree canopies. While you’re outside, weed the garden (with spray or by hand) and position some bright flowers in a place that will draw in the buyer. Paint over loud walls. A bright red accent wall may have matched your décor beautifully, but potential buyers may not care for it. Repainting in a neutral tone will give the home broader appeal. Think about odor. Have you ever visited a home with a very distinct smell? As the homeowner, it’s more difficult to identify a smell in your own house, but good or bad, it’s best to eliminate it. Ask an honest friend if your house smells. If it does, deep clean until it’s gone. Air fresheners will help mask smells, but only cleaning will permanently remove them. When buyers come for a showing, keep pets and litterboxes away. Brighten up inside. Buyers love homes with lots of light. Open up the house and turn on lamps and lights during showings. Selling to an Investor InsteadIf, after reviewing the seven steps above, selling your home feels like more than you can handle, you might consider selling to an investor. We Buy Houses Austin is a home buying company that has made selling homes quick and easy for ten years in Texas and other parts of the country. Connect With Us!
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Hours Of OperationMonday 9 AM to 6 PM To sell quickly, reach out to We Buy Houses Austin today. With an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau and $26 million of homes purchased to date, we have an excellent record. We return all requests for an offer within 24 hours, but without any pressure to respond. Take your time considering our offer and respond when you’re ready. Looking for a simple, straightforward sale? Contact We Buy Houses Austin. Still, want to sell your house the traditional way? Follow our seven steps for preparing your home for sale, be ready when you bring a real estate agent on board, and impress buyers with your home. The post Prepare Your Home for Sale in 7 Steps appeared first on Premier Austin House Buyers. from https://premieraustinhousebuyers.com/sell-your-home-seven-steps/ Millennials are Ready to Buy Homes
Millennials—that generation preceded by Gen X and followed by Generation Z—were born between 1977 and 1995 and are now married with children and buying homes. This generation grew up with technology and incorporates it without hesitation into every aspect of their lives. From accessing driving directions to ordering a ride to ordering food that comes with a ride, Millennials live with technology like it’s second nature. Streaming music and videos, shopping for clothes, sharing information, connecting on social media—these activities and more occur on digital platforms which Millennials have invented, designed, monetized, and melded into everyday life. Characteristics of Home Buying MillennialsMillennials are not the generation that dealt first-hand with the Great Recession of the 2000s; they’re the generation that watched parents and family go through it, losing homes, businesses, and assets. They’re also the generation that graduated from college laden with debt and facing a job-poor employment market. Some of them have had to move back home, earning them the title “boomerang generation.” They’ve put off marriage, having children, and buying homes. When Millennials do buy homes, they go slowly. They start by purchasing a small home, planning to buy a bigger house down the road. They don’t expect to stay in one geographic area for decades. They assume that job changes will take them to different cities and states, and they plan to sell houses and buy new houses with each job relocation. Millennials as a whole are careful and responsible spenders. Owning a home is not about status to a Millennial; it’s about purchasing intelligently to have security. This generation sees homeownership as a better use of hard-earned money than renting. What Millennials Look for in Home BuyingMillennials are as varied as their personalities when it comes to types of places where they want to live. Some desire sustainable living, growing their food and minimizing their carbon footprint. Others want to live close to work and will look for a downtown condo. Still others seek housing in city outskirts or suburbs where they can have a little space but not too much to take care of. Millennials with children now find home-buying decisions driven by family needs and preferences. The Washington Post notes that many Millennials are looking for homes in areas where they have space—parks and backyards—as well as access to shopping and dining venues usually associated with urban living. The Post calls these hybrids “surban” areas: a blend between urban and suburban. Careful spending is important to Millennials, but so also is quality. They don’t want to spend a lot, but they also don’t want cheap-grade products. They look for value with quality. Elizabeth Weintraub at The Balance notes the following specifics that Millennials often look for in homes. KitchensA kitchen with a butler pantry, artisan cabinetry, countertops of granite, recessed lighting, and finer stainless-steel appliances will attract a Millennial buyer. BathroomsBrushed nickel, stone, glass, indirect lighting, motion-sensor lights, faucets mounted on the wall, dual showerheads, and vessel sinks are popular with Millennials. Room AllocationsChopped up older houses are not popular with Millennials except those who love the historical aspect of the home. Generally, they prefer open-plan home layouts, with rooms for home gyms, home theaters, wine cellars, second kitchens, and children’s play spaces. If You Want to Sell Your Home QuicklyThe home you want to sell may be perfect in all ways for a Millennial buyer. It may suit a buyer from a different generation instead. If you enlist the services of a good realtor, he or she will know how to market your home to find the perfect buyer. Selling a home through a realtor is a common strategy for a home sale. Another strategy is to sell to a home buying company. While most people don’t wake up and say, “Today I will sell my house fast to an investor,” those who do find they’ve chosen a streamlined approach to home selling. It’s an approach that circumvents the usual necessary marketing efforts, repairs, showings, negotiations, and inspections. Premier Austin House Buyers is a home buying company in Texas. We buy houses as-is in Austin and other parts of the state and the country. Our $26 million real estate purchase track record over ten years speaks for itself. Your home may suit a Millennial buyer and it may not. In either case, if you prefer a quick home sale, reach out to Premier Austin House Buyers today, and we’ll make you an offer within 24 hours. Connect With Us!
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Hours Of OperationMonday 9 AM to 6 PM Credit goes to The Washington Post, Cornerstone Home Lending, Keller Williams Realty, The Balance, and the National Association of Home Builders for information used in this article. The post Millennials are Ready to Buy Homes appeared first on Premier Austin House Buyers. from https://premieraustinhousebuyers.com/millennial-home-buyers/ 8 Marketing Tasks to Boost Your Realtor’s Efforts
Homeowners who enlist the services of a real estate agent sometimes expect that the realtor will do all the promotion work to get their house sold. Homeowners who instead partner with their realtors in the promotion effort may see a quicker house sale. Here are eight things you can do as a homeowner to help get out the word about your house for sale. Help to Sell Your House Fast with These Promo StrategiesAdvertise LocallyTake advantage of publicity opportunities in your local print newspaper or weekly circular. Put up home-printed notices on community center bulletin boards and in city libraries, coffee houses, donut shops, gas stations, convenience stores, college extensions, and supermarkets. In some of these venues, you might need to get approval before posting. Send Out PostcardsTarget residents of nicer apartment buildings around town with postcards that contain sale details of your home. Also send these postcards to local home buying companies. Print the postcards yourself or get them done at your local printer or order them online from photo/greeting card companies. Post Signs Around TownMount signs on metal stakes in the ground around town. We’re talking about the type of signs you spot in medians at intersections or in grocery store parking lots: “We buy old cars,” or, “Open House,” or, “Car Wash,” with addresses or phone numbers and arrows. Do the same. You can usually get standard sign-size white plastic sheets at a printer or an office-supply store. Write just the basics on your sign, in very large black print that people can see as they drive past. Your signs may disappear eventually, thanks to code enforcement officers or store managers, but it might be worth it. Use Your Facebook PageIf you have a Facebook page, use it unapologetically to promote your home sale. Post lots of pictures of your house of the same quality that your realtor is using on the MLS listing. Consider taking a video and posting that. Or use Facebook’s carousel/slideshow feature that puts your photos to music. Request that people share your post to expand your audience. Post on Facebook MarketplaceFacebook Marketplace will get the word out to more people than are on your news feed. Many local Marketplace groups form and you can often put real estate listings on these. Check the rules, though, because some groups don’t allow realty posts. Advertise on Social MediaWe’re talking about paid advertising. Create an ad to run on Facebook and Instagram. This ad will show to people who are in a certain geographic area, which you can define. They are not already your friends. In other words, this advertising lands in front of whatever Facebook-using audience you specify. Build a Landing PageA landing page is a mini website—just one page. Plenty of free drag-and-drop landing page services make it easy to create one for your home sale. Related costs of a domain name purchase and hosting are minimal. Be a Name DropperIf there’s good stuff in your house, don’t be afraid to talk about it. Name brand appliances? Windows? Fixtures? Say what they are and who made them. Drop the names of your interior designer or landscape planner or architect. If nothing else, they will add color to your information. Connect With Us!
Fill out the quick form below and we’ll make you a fast, fair, no-obligation cash offer on your house.
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Hours Of OperationMonday 9 AM to 6 PM Alternatively, Let an Investor Buy Your House QuicklyPerhaps as you’ve read through this list, you’re having second thoughts about promotion, advertising, and selling your house the traditional way. Maybe it all seems like more work and effort than you can manage right now. Does a faster, easier route to a home sale sound appealing? Consider changing tack and selling your home to an investor. Premier Austin House Buyers is a home buying company in Texas. We buy houses as-is in Texas and around the United States. Home selling becomes simple and easy because we do not require repairs to be made or inspections done. Once we receive an offer request, we can return an offer within 24 hours. The process from offer to closing is swift and uncomplicated. Our ten years in the industry plus $26 million of real estate purchases speaks to our experience and longevity. You can expect fair and professional treatment from Premier Austin House Buyers. Contact us today with questions or an offer request. Or use our marketing tips above to promote the sale of your home and complete the process with your realtor. The post Investors: Be a Solution to the Affordable Housing Shortage appeared first on Premier Austin House Buyers. from https://premieraustinhousebuyers.com/affordable-housing-shortage-solutions/ 8 Marketing Tasks to Boost Your Realtor’s Efforts
Homeowners who enlist the services of a real estate agent sometimes expect that the realtor will do all the promotion work to get their house sold. Homeowners who instead partner with their realtors in the promotion effort may see a quicker house sale. Here are eight things you can do as a homeowner to help get out the word about your house for sale. Help to Sell Your House Fast with These Promo StrategiesAdvertise LocallyTake advantage of publicity opportunities in your local print newspaper or weekly circular. Put up home-printed notices on community center bulletin boards and in city libraries, coffee houses, donut shops, gas stations, convenience stores, college extensions, and supermarkets. In some of these venues, you might need to get approval before posting. Send Out PostcardsTarget residents of nicer apartment buildings around town with postcards that contain sale details of your home. Also send these postcards to local home buying companies. Print the postcards yourself or get them done at your local printer or order them online from photo/greeting card companies. Post Signs Around TownMount signs on metal stakes in the ground around town. We’re talking about the type of signs you spot in medians at intersections or in grocery store parking lots: “We buy old cars,” or, “Open House,” or, “Car Wash,” with addresses or phone numbers and arrows. Do the same. You can usually get standard sign-size white plastic sheets at a printer or an office-supply store. Write just the basics on your sign, in very large black print that people can see as they drive past. Your signs may disappear eventually, thanks to code enforcement officers or store managers, but it might be worth it. Use Your Facebook PageIf you have a Facebook page, use it unapologetically to promote your home sale. Post lots of pictures of your house of the same quality that your realtor is using on the MLS listing. Consider taking a video and posting that. Or use Facebook’s carousel/slideshow feature that puts your photos to music. Request that people share your post to expand your audience. Post on Facebook MarketplaceFacebook Marketplace will get the word out to more people than are on your news feed. Many local Marketplace groups form and you can often put real estate listings on these. Check the rules, though, because some groups don’t allow realty posts. Advertise on Social MediaWe’re talking about paid advertising. Create an ad to run on Facebook and Instagram. This ad will show to people who are in a certain geographic area, which you can define. They are not already your friends. In other words, this advertising lands in front of whatever Facebook-using audience you specify. Build a Landing PageA landing page is a mini website—just one page. Plenty of free drag-and-drop landing page services make it easy to create one for your home sale. Related costs of a domain name purchase and hosting are minimal. Be a Name DropperIf there’s good stuff in your house, don’t be afraid to talk about it. Name brand appliances? Windows? Fixtures? Say what they are and who made them. Drop the names of your interior designer or landscape planner or architect. If nothing else, they will add color to your information. Connect With Us!
Fill out the quick form below and we’ll make you a fast, fair, no-obligation cash offer on your house.
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Hours Of OperationMonday 9 AM to 6 PM Alternatively, Let an Investor Buy Your House QuicklyPerhaps as you’ve read through this list, you’re having second thoughts about promotion, advertising, and selling your house the traditional way. Maybe it all seems like more work and effort than you can manage right now. Does a faster, easier route to a home sale sound appealing? Consider changing tack and selling your home to an investor. Premier Austin House Buyers is a home buying company in Texas. We buy houses as-is in Texas and around the United States. Home selling becomes simple and easy because we do not require repairs to be made or inspections done. Once we receive an offer request, we can return an offer within 24 hours. The process from offer to closing is swift and uncomplicated. Our ten years in the industry plus $26 million of real estate purchases speaks to our experience and longevity. You can expect fair and professional treatment from Premier Austin House Buyers. Contact us today with questions or an offer request. Or use our marketing tips above to promote the sale of your home and complete the process with your realtor. The post 8 Marketing Tasks to Boost Your Realtor’s Efforts appeared first on Premier Austin House Buyers. from https://premieraustinhousebuyers.com/marketing-your-home/ First Things First: Know Home-Selling HurdlesSelling a house can be a months-long process that tests the mettle of even the most resilient home-owner. Entering this process with knowledge of the hurdles that lie ahead makes a difference, however. A prepared homeowner can reduce the impact of the challenges and even circumvent some of them. In this article we cover common challenges that accompany the home-selling process, including locating the best realtor, prepping the house to go on the market, figuring out a strategic asking price, and dealing with inspections. First, we will quickly look at a selling strategy that avoids most home-selling hurdles and hassles. Selling a Home to an InvestorThis option avoids almost all the usual challenges that accompany selling a home. Premier Austin House Buyers is an example of a home-buying investor that makes the sales process fast and easy. We buy houses in Austin TX as well as around the state and the country. To learn more about how to sell your house fast Austin property owners be sure to read the information at the end of this article. Be Prepared: Know the Challenges AheadThe Search for a Good RealtorIf you don’t already know a great realtor, you’ll have to find one. This is the first important step toward a successful property sale. Visit the Texas Realtors website for tips on finding a realtor that has the credentials you need for your particular type of property. Remember, this person should know your local market. Prepping Your Home for SaleYour realtor will give guidance regarding areas of the home or property that need attention in order to attract the most buyers. Being clean and tidy is a basic prerequisite. Beyond that, you may need to repaint, re-do landscaping, replace carpeting, fix rotten woodwork, etc.
Setting a PriceDeciding on the asking price for your property must be done with knowledge of the current local market. Your realtor will run comps so you can see what other similar properties have sold for recently. Knowing where to set the price can be tricky. Avoid the mistake of pricing your property too high. Maintaining That Show LookThis home-selling challenge affects everyone in the household. Keeping a home or property looking its best all the time—ready for potential buyers to drop by for a look—becomes quite tiresome even for the most laid-back homeowner. Making beds, cleaning bathrooms, vacuuming floors, and de-cluttering countertops are part of the effort in maintaining a home’s show look. Passing InspectionsInspections come with the territory when selling a home through usual channels. Buyer offers are typically contingent on inspections of home systems. Concern that inspection results may lead to expensive repairs gives most homeowners stress throughout the selling process. Getting a Good AppraisalBanks issuing loans for buyers require appraisals. These assessments confirm to the bank that the home being sold has its stated value. If an appraisal comes back too far below the asking price, a deal may fall through. This potential puts homeowners on tenterhooks as they wait. Closing Table SurprisesEven when all seems to be in order for a sale, sometimes things go awry at the last minute. Closing day surprises are always a fear for homeowners. Connect With Us!
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Hours Of OperationMonday 9 AM to 6 PM An Easier Way to SellThe home-selling challenges listed above occur for most homeowners who pursue the traditional route to a sale. As promised above, we now look again at an easier way to sell a home: through an investor. Quick and FairAustin home buyers and investors make the home sale process easy and trouble-free. Premier Austin House Buyers gives property owners an offer within 24 hours. We buy houses as they are with no need for repairs or appraisals. We do not apply pressure; homeowners may take their time in responding to our offer. Our track record of ten years and $24 million of sales demonstrates our commitment to solid business practices and contribution to the marketplace. Austin homeowner, would you like to sell your property quickly and easily? The National Association of Realtors recommends working with local investors. Avoid home-sale hurdles by calling Premier Austin House Buyers today. The post Sell My House Fast appeared first on Premier Austin House Buyers. from https://premieraustinhousebuyers.com/sell-my-house-fast/ Hey this is Brant. I know when it comes to selling your house whether it is a personal property or an investment property a lot of people think ‘hey is my house too ugly to sell or is it in too bad of a condition or is the neighborhood too rough’ or whatever questions you may have, don’t even think about it, just call me if you have questions about this. I am going to show you an example of a house we are at right now and the neighborhood, I can’t show you a great perspective by just standing here but it’s got its some rough issues, but there are also some very nice and decent houses in this neighborhood as well. But I am going to take you through a quick walkthrough of the property behind me. Now, I am going to have to take you to the back because the front door is boarded up and as you can see down here there was a handicap ramp and they did some concrete work here. The door is boarded up and what not. There is a garage conversion, hanging gutters all over the place, my point is if your thinking your house is too ugly or it’s too out of shape, it’s really not. Trust me, and compared to this house, we have seen much, much worse and I’ve purchased properties in a lot worse shape than this so, I will take you on a quick tour so you can see. Things like the tile are damaged, there are missing tiles and the water heater is missing or possibly stolen. There is some bootleg plumbing here and when you go into the kitchen the floor is really tore up as you can see. So there are issues like that. There are missing kicked out windows and the kitchen has completely been gutted and there is some mildew in the area. We are going into the living room; of course the door is gone and it’s been boarded up and there are missing tiles in here as well. Then there is the garage conversion that needs a lot of work and even here at the hallway we have really dirty carpet. It’s probably not going to translate too well in this video but it only has two bedrooms because they did a very funky conversion and they took up a whole bedroom just to utilize closet space. So my point with this video is to show you that your house isn’t too ugly. This house needs a new roof, new foundation and the AC was stolen, so if your house needs a new roof, foundation work, new AC and painting, flooring, kitchen cabinets, countertops and everything else, then that’s okay too. We buy houses like that too and like this one. So if you are interested in selling your house whether it’s a pretty house in perfect shape or it’s like this what many call a ‘ugly house’ just give us a call. I can’t promise we are going to buy your house; but I do like to say we don’t buy every house, but we try helping everyone who calls. That’s my goal, to talk you through your situation, offer some insights and if it makes sense moving forward purchasing your house we absolutely will, and if not we will just try give you more information and advice which you can access and use and make a decision on. Once again, thanks for watching this video, reach out and call the number on the screen. The post Is Your House Too Ugly? Dont Be Silly, It’s Not As Bad As You Think It Is! appeared first on Premier Austin House Buyers. from http://premieraustinhousebuyers.com/house-ugly-dont-silly-not-bad-think/ |
ABOUT USPremier Austin House Buyers has been buying and selling homes for over a decade. We buy Austin homes in any condition and never ask for repairs. You never pay commissions or fees, and we handle all the paperwork. We understand the process of selling your home may come with great stress and uncertainty. We immediately take the wheel and will walk you through to the end. We have many ways to buy your house, and even if we don’t end up buying your house, you will leave with a much better understanding of your situation. ArchivesNo Archives Categories |