Whitney Minnich Real Estate and Community Updates

Preparing Your Finances for Homeownership by Courtney Soinski Are you considering buying a new home this spring? With tax season in full swing, now is the perfect time to get organized. Buying a home is one of the largest investments you will make, so it’s important to be well prepared before taking the leap. Follow these tips to prepare your finances for homeownership. 1. Get your credit in order. Your credit is a large factor in determining whether or not you qualify for a mortgage, so it’s important that you determine your credit score at least three months before buying. The higher the score, the easier it will be to qualify for a mortgage. To access your scores, either purchase them as you get your free reports from Annual Credit Report Request Service, or pay for them when you buy your reports from the credit bureaus: Equifax  –  www.equifax.com / 800-685-1111 Experian  –  www.experian.com / 888-397-3742 TransUnion  –  www.transunion.com / 800-916-8800

Planning on doing some remodeling this year? Check out houselogic's article below on the best projects - and the worst. --------------- The 6 Best Time-Tested Remodeling Projects — and the Worst By: John Riha Although kitchens and bathrooms always steal the spotlight in a home remodel, they aren’t necessarily the ones that have the highest return on investment when you sell your home. Since 2002, trade magazine for contractors and builders “Remodeling” has been tracking how much it costs to do common home improvement projects — and then calculating how much of that cost is recovered when the home sells. Each year, we highlight the projects with the highest return on investment (ROI) from the magazine’s “ Cost vs. Value Report .” Related:   The Best Home Improvements for 2015 But this year, we decided to focus not just on the new data, but how projects have performed since 2002. So, what’d we find? Well, you may want to reconsider turning that spare room into a

Buying a home is an exciting experience, but the process can be hard to navigate. This FREE and no obligation seminar will help walk you through the buying process. Local experts will provide information and be available to answer your questions. If you've been thinking about purchasing a home, you don't want to miss this FREE seminar! Saturday, March 21, 2015   10:30 am to 12 noon Lunch will be provided Residence Inn South Carlyle 2345 Mill Road, Alexandria Every attendee will receive a voucher for a FREE appraisal* *conditions apply, up to $450 value "When we decided it was the right time to buy a home, we had no idea where to start. This seminar was exactly what we needed - the experts walked us through the home-buying process and answered all of our questions. Shortly after, we bought our very first home! We highly recommend attending the seminar if you are considering purchasing a home, it is a great first step."  -Asim & Saadi

HSA Home Warranty just sent this to me - how many do you qualify for this year? ------------------------------ Top 6 missed home-related tax deductions February 11, 2015 You've got your W-2 forms, and it’s time to go through your finances to file taxes. This usually isn't a fun task, but there’s good news if you bought a home, moved for a job or paid a mortgage or property taxes last year! Check out the list below for the top 6 commonly overlooked deductions for homeowners: Moving expenses. To qualify to deduct moving expenses, you must meet a three-part test: closely related to the start of work, distance and time. First, you must have spent money on a move within one year of starting work in a new location. Next, your new work location must be at least 50 miles farther away from your old home than your old job was. And finally, you must work full-time for at least 39 weeks during your first year in that new job. Mortgage interest . Like most homeowners, a good

Great article by WTOP on what your insurance will cover when it comes to cold-related damage. I've already had several people tell me they have frozen pipes and driving today, I saw road crews working in the street in what appeared to be broken pipes. Stay warm out there! -Whitney Minnich -------------------- What cold-related house damage does your insurance cover? You may be surprised By Mike Murillo | @MikeMurilloWTOP February 20, 2015 5:02 am http://wtop.com/local/2015/02/cold-related-house-damage-insurance-cover-may-surprised ROCKVILLE, Md. — The cold isn’t just dangerous for you; it can also be bad news for your home. Insurance companies are expecting an uptick in cold-weather claims from damage brought on by Mother Nature, but a homeowner’s insurance policy doesn’t cover everything. Damage from a frozen or burst water pipe is covered. In addition to repairs made to the home, Rick Stein, of the Rick Stein Insurance Agency in Rockville, Maryland, says you can f

Last year ERA introduced a new logo and new products. 2015 is going to be bigger than ever as we roll out new products and services that will give our buyers and sellers the best tools and resources available. When working with ERA the possibilities are endless.

The Top 5 Do’s and Don’ts in Home Staging Posted in  Staging Tips , by  Blog Contributor  on February 16, 2015 By Patti Stern, PJ & Co. Staging and Interior Decorating The early spring home selling-season is kicking off. There’s no time like the present to start decluttering and transforming your lived-in home into a show-worthy property to make a positive impression on potential buyers. That means attending to the most important details that will create mass buyer appeal and increase your home’s value. “A seller has to try to be objective by looking at their home as a product or some other commodity that one would purchase,” says Lisa Gallagher, a real estate professional with William Raveis, Newtown, Conn. “You have only one chance to get it right so present your home in the best possible light.” Indeed, 95 percent of homes that are staged by professional home stagers sell, on average, in 35 days or less and for near the asking price – versus 140 days for non-staged homes