The Road to Homeownership: 9 Steps to Success

In today’s market, there are many uncertainties with buying a home. When is the right time? Can I afford it? Is it the right move for me with my goals? It can be very stressful when determining what suits your needs and if buying a home is worth the investment in this market.  If you need a basis on where to start, take a look at the following nine steps: 

1. The Funds:

First off, it is crucial to get a handle on your finances. You’ll want to figure out what your income is, your expenses, and your credit level. Sometimes, reducing spending habits, even if only temporary, may be necessary in securing a mortgage on a home. Being open and honest with your realtor will give you the best start on your search and getting pre-approval from a lender will help you to know your budget and keep your search narrowed down. 

2. How Much Should You Put Down?

Figuring out how money you are willing or able to put towards the down payment is the next step. It is typical to put down at least 6% of your loan balance. However, the more you can put down the better! 

There are many advantages to putting 20% down on a home. This will allow a shorter loan payment period and save you thousands on interest fees as well as mortgage insurance premiums.

3. Choosing A Realtor

The road to owning a home, especially in the busy market today, is a daunting task. Finding a realtor with a proven track record is crucial to a smooth transaction. With Roers, we have the history and reputation proven to serve our clients with trust and dedication.

Our realtor, Anne Kallhoff, is very experienced with over 14 years of residential and commercial selling under her belt. She has sold over 500 homes and says that there is no such thing as a stress free home buying process. However, Anne says that going with an experienced realtor is the key to a low stress home buying process.

4. Decide Your Budget

As we all know, navigating the financial end of the buying process is unarguably the biggest concern of any real estate transaction. Luckily, our expertise has been proven to help our clients work out just how much they can afford. Many people typically decide to use 30% of their annual income towards buying a home. However, that can vary greatly depending on what your personal preferences are. 

For another bit of help on deciding your budget, check out this blog article with different items to think about when choosing your price range on your new home!

5. Finding The Perfect Home

 Now for the fun part! Looking for a house can be very fun. Envisioning your future can be very exciting. Just be sure to know your deal breakers, needs, and wants!

This will ensure a smooth process. Some things to consider are:

  • Number of Bedrooms
  • Number of Bathrooms
  • The Kitchen
  • Location of The Home
  • Amount of Acreage
  • Garage & Storage Space

These are some things that we believe most people consider the most when buying a home. As these take some futuristic planning to determine what will suit your needs for the years to come.

Anne Kallhoff: Roers Real Estate Agent

6. Submitting An Offer

 In this competitive market, submitting an offer is tough. You must assess what the home means to you as the seller is likely getting other offers. Roers will make this as stress-free as possible for you by negotiating the price and particulars of the deal through your approval. Anne Kallhoff (realtor) says that even in this crazy market, it is always wise to invest in real estate. With that said, it is currently smartest to make a fair offer initially.

7. Getting Your New Home Inspected And Appraised

Once your house is bought, it is important to get an expert opinion on the home. They will determine the exact value of your house and inspect the home for any damages or code violations. This is nothing to stress about, just a precautionary measure.

8. Closing

Congratulations! You’re officially a homeowner. During this stage, you’ll gain legal ownership of the house, sign paperwork, and get the keys. Now that the stressful part is done, the real work begins!

9. The Big Move

A very chaotic day, but very rewarding. It’s time to settle in, and enjoy your new home. Some tips for moving include:

  • Setting a budget
  • Get rid of items you wouldn’t buy again
  • Leave your clothes on their hangers
  • Find free packing supplies

Utilizing these tricks will help you save money and lead to a less stressful move! 

Searching for your forever home? Check out our listings or contact our real estate agent.

Anne Kallhoff
Roers Real Estate Services LLC
701-866-4425
akalhoff@roers.com

It’s Time for Townhomes

Roers files permit application for Roosevelt Neighborhood Townhome Project 

Jim Roers, President of Roers Construction and Development, announced that Roers Construction filed an application for the building permit to construct seven townhomes on the block near the Newman Center Church and the View Apartment building in Fargo. 

“As we’ve promised the Roosevelt neighborhood from the beginning, we are committed to providing affordable living solutions as a part of this project that will welcome new families into the neighborhood.  Working through supply chain issues, construction delays, and cost increases that came about due to COVID, we have found a solution to ensure that these units remain reasonably priced for families and that we are able to construct them in an expeditious manner,” said Roers. 

Roers said that Roers Construction is prepared to break ground as soon as the building permit is approved and anticipates the townhomes will be ready for occupancy by the end of 2022.  As has been reported, this project represents the final phase of a multi-year project on the north Fargo site.  The townhomes represent the last $2,000,000 of the $50,000,000 total project budget. 

When it was originally approved by the City, it was estimated that the project would provide $9,000,000 of taxable value for the City, but even without the completed townhomes the project has already increased the taxable value to $10,700,000.  This value increase on this block will serve to reduce property tax burdens for citizens throughout the city. 

Roers is committed to working proactively with the City of Fargo on this project and in the future to better the community.

Check out the three projects below to see how this multi-property project all comes together!

St Paul Newman Center

The View on University

Faith Based Student Housing

Warm Weather Maintenance Tips

For most of the Midwest, everyone is excited to be moving out of those cold dark days of winter and into the sunny warm days of spring. Since spring quickly transitions into summer in our area, spring cleaning turns into summer cleaning. With the excitement of the warm weather people tend to forget the maintenance required to keep their homes fully functioning. Here are some tips to help with the maintenance and get you back outside!

AC Maintenance

During our long winters, our air conditioners are the last thing on our mind but as the days get warmer you may be tempted to turn that dial on. Unless the temperature you are setting it to is colder than it is outside, you risk freezing up your AC. The last thing you’ll want to do after 6 months of winter is to be stuck inside all day waiting for the repair guy. Instead of using the AC, try opening your windows. Having your windows open brings in fresh cool air, which will help your house feel less stuffy after this long winter.

Time to Clean

Nothing feels better then starting a new season in a clean space. So, crank up the tunes and bust out your cleaning supplies because it is time to do some deep cleaning. Start by moving the furniture around so you can vacuum underneath it. Who knows what might be hiding under there? Also take this time to dust things that you might normally miss. Getting spots like the ceiling fan, bookshelves, and on top of cupboards will keep the air clean and may even help those seasonal allergies. This would also be a great time to rotate your closet. Change out your winter clothes for your spring and summer clothes. Put those snow boots away and bring out your sandals. You may also find that you have too many clothes from previous seasons so look at options like donations or a garage sale. I know that all sounds like a lot of work but luckily for you not all cleaning is hands on! Things like your washing machine, oven, and dishwasher have self-washing options so put in the soap, press start and let your appliances do the work.

Outdoor Maintenance

The last thing to check out is your patios. If you are lucky enough to have one, you definitely want to make sure it is ready for spring. Check things like railings and floorboards nothing should be wiggly or sticking out. When checking your deck for safety, try running the hose over the boards. Cleaning off any of that built up dirt will make the space feel a thousand times better. Also keep your eye out for bird nests and knock them down early, before any eggs have been laid. Though they seem cute, they will take over your outdoor space and can make it difficult for you to enjoy it.

I know we are already for some time with warm weather and sunshine. For a full list of seasonal maintenance items, check out this article!

Keeping these small maintenance tips in mind should make your transition into spring seamless!

Roers residents if you find anything that needs to be fixed up while cleaning please contact us!