Indianapolis Real Estate News And Information From HomeToIndy.com

In the current real estate market, many people are taking advantage of home prices in Indianapolis, coupled with low interest rates to become first time home buyers. When you compare the cost of renting versus buying, it makes perfect sense for many. How can you best prepare for buying your first home?

Here are a few guidelines:

1. Know Your Purchasing Power

Many people begin their home search online and ultimately come across the perfect home. They want to make an appointment to view the home and decide it’s just perfect. They have run all the numbers on a mortgage calculator and accordingly, believe they are looking in the right price point. 9 times out of 10, there are costs they did not consider. It is always best to speak with a lender and know your purchasing...

I've written many times about the first time home buyer program through Indiana Housing. The program allows first time home buyers to take advantage of down payment assistance up to 6% of the purchase amount or a maximum of $7500.00.

As of September 22, 2011, Indiana Housing has reduced their interest rate to 3.5%. Just a few years ago it was 5.5%. To give you an idea what this means in terms of dollar amount per month, I have provided a quick calculation of the principle and interest amount on a $100,000 home.

At 5.5%, the monthly principal and interest payment would be $547.92.

At 3.5%, the monthly principal and interest payment would be...

Building a new home from the ground up is exciting. You get to make all the choices when buying a new home, instead of settling for the previous homeowners choices. 

The many options available can often be overwhelming and more expensive than a home buyer considered. When you see a home builder sign advertising from the “low $140,’s” or whatever their low price point is, you need to know this is the starting point. 

Generally, it is the smallest floor plan, with the lowest cost flooring and fixtures. The basic model with many home builders will have laminate countertops, vinyl flooring and chrome fixtures. Anything more...

Selling a home can be tricky, particularly during a time when the market is saturated with low-cost homes. As such, it is essential to take a few steps in order to increase your chances of getting your home sold quickly and at a reasonable price.

By making these five simple repairs, you can go a long way toward getting your home sold - irrespective of whether your offering Indianapolis or Montgomery County real estate.

Repair #1: Repair the Floor If your home has hardwood floors, you should seriously consider removing your carpeting and getting the floors refinished. If your sub-floor is plywood, on the other hand, transforming it into a hardwood floor will be far too costly. Rather, replace the carpeting with...

While the news is rife about how hard it is for even qualified borrowers to secure loans, a number of homebuyers are getting financing and saving money by taking advantage of one of today’s most popular mortgage options: FHA loans.

FHA loans are offered by the Federal Housing Administration, which is a department of the Department of Housing and Urban Development (known popularly as HUD). The FHA was developed during the Great Depression to engender homeownership across all socioeconomic levels of American society, and to ensure the integrity of that housing. Today, the FHA is one of the primary funding vehicles for homebuyers, playing a role in over half of all mortgages used in home purchases since the housing debacle began in 2007.

Although buyers often talk about “FHA loans,” in reality, the FHA doesn’t loan money out at all. Instead, for borrowers...

If you don't have a clear picture in mind of exactly what you are looking for in a new home, or where you want to live, searching for a home can be overwhelming. You'll have to ask yourself questions like: Do I want to live in the city? Do I want to live in the suburbs? What kind of a home am I looking for, a single family detached or maybe a condo? Are there specific amenities you are thinking about? What about the number of bedrooms or bathrooms you'll need?

Once you've made a list of requirements for your new home, you can save a lot of valuable time by setting up a saved home search on our website with your specific parameters.

Personalized Searches Delivered Right to Your Email

As you make your way to the Property...

Why Doesn’t This Home Look Like the Pictures?

The online view of homes is often distorted or not exactly like you thought it might be in person. Oh, there’s nothing wrong with your computer, but rarely does a home look exactly the same online as it does in real life.

It is estimated almost 90% of home buyers start searching for their Indianapolis home online. It’s a great way to gather information and start narrowing down your search for an area or specific home. 

10 of the most common problems home buyers won't see when searching online

Equipment Failure!

1. Does your computer screen actually...

Whether you are a homeowner or you are searching for a home, the last thing you want to find is mold in the home. After all, we have all heard horror stories about killer molds that are impossible to remove.

The good news is that this isn't the case with all molds and some can be easily removed and prevented. Still, in order to keep your home safe or to ensure you are purchasing a healthy home, it is important to learn more about home molds.

Since molds digest organic matter and produce spores in order to reproduce, they can be found in nearly every type of environment - and can be just as problematic regardless of whether found in an Indianapolis or Austin Texas home.

Nonetheless,...