When you’ve found the home of your dreams, you don’t want to delay in producing your offer to purchase, so it’s a great benefit to know what to expect in advance. While there is no foolproof formula for negotiating a fair price, you can begin by looking at recent sales in the neighborhood and comparing their list price to their final sale price.If homes are generally selling at 5% below list, you have that starting point for determining your offer.

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As you consider buying your first home, you’ll get lots of advice, but you shouldn’t do anything without a complete understanding of your financial situation and how much home you can afford. So, where do you begin?There are two parts to financing – the downpayment (generally 20% of the purchase price) and the balance (the remaining 80%). Secure the best interest rate by reviewing your credit reports and correcting errors, which are surprisingly common. Do this at least two months in advance of your home search, as that’s how long it can take to clean up your reports.

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Have you ever heard of the “home staging” profession? These individuals assist sellers with presenting their home in a fashion that will increase the likelihood of a full price offer. While the value added by such professionals is often worth the investment, many sellers can put the basics into action themselves, and enjoy the same benefits.There are several “quick fixes” that stagers commonly recommend, and here are some highlights for your consideration as you prepare to market your home.

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A country church once paid $1,500 per acre more than “fair market value” for two acres of land adjoining the existing church property. In another transaction, a young couple agreed to accept $7,900 less than “fair market value” for their three-year-old tract home.

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