Is a Free Vacation Hiding In Your Escrow Account?

Is a Free Vacation Hiding in Your Escrow Account?

Written by Chapman Insurance Group

"How would you like you next year's worth of vacations to be free?"

A very common activity on any given day is adding mortgage company information to policies for new home buyers heading to the closing table. It's convenient to roll your taxes and insurance all into one tidy monthly payment; I cut one check and pay three bills. Every year the bank sends me the letter giving me the breakdown of my mortgage payment and, like many, I talk a look at the monthly payment amount and I'm done. But a recent client whose insurance I reviewed, demonstrated just how much that convenience can actually cost. 

This client owns a nice $400,000 home. It is well built, in a…

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4 False Truths About Realtors You Should Know Before Buying/Selling Your Home

4 False Truths About Realtors You Should Know Before Buying/Selling Your Home

People often go into buying or selling real estate with misconceptions about realtors and the role that the agent actually plays. What do realtors actually do? Do they take all the commission? Do I even need one?

Here are a few myths about working with real estate agents. 

1. Agents get 6% commissions.

What a lot of people forget is that there are two sides to a transaction. In most cases, this means there are four mouths to feed (both agents, and both brokerages). Sure, it would be nice to get the full 6%, but it's just not the case. What you should know, is that the seller pays the commissions (in any normal case). If you are a buyer, you don't pay anything to…

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Cheap Insurance Could Cost You Big

Cheap Insurance That Could Cost You Big

by Guest writer from Chapman Insurance Group

A couple times a year I go to my mailbox and bundled in with my bills and credit card offers, I find an offer for lower priced home or auto insurance (I'm lucky enough to get both). You may have seen these and been tempted to wonder just how much you could save. I can't blame you; I wondered the same thing.

When I'm shopping for things, especially something as critical as insurance for my most valuable possessions, I want to make sure I'm getting the best price, but I also want to know that the guy selling them to me really has my best interests in mind. Especially in areas that I know I'm not an expert, I need to be able to trust that the person I'm…

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21 Things Realtors Need to Keep in Their Cars at All Times

21 Things Realtors Need to Keep in Their Cars at All Times

As a realtor you do so much more than sell homes. You wear more hats than you see at the Derby races. Unfortunately, that's just what comes along with the territory, but, fortunately, that can be what makes being a realtor so much fun, too! If you're a veteran realtor, chances are you already have a trunk full of odds and ends, but if you're a new realtor, here is a list we've compiled for you to help you be prepared for whatever hat you have to wear that day.

Here's what to carry in your car at all times:

1. A heavy duty flashlight. 

This one is a double dipper. Not only does it come in handy for listings that weren't maintained (no light sources), but it can also double as a…

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Is Staging Your Home Really Worth It?

Is Staging Your Home Really Worth It? 

You've heard it from the realtors themselves. They have found that homes that are staged sell for more than homes that have not been staged. Check out the statistics below sourced from NAR. 

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What To Do When You Want to Buy a House But Have No Savings for a Down Payment

What To Do When You Want to Buy a House But Have No Savings for a Down Payment

It's time to get creative. When all else fails, you have to think outside the box a little bit, and that's exactly what we're seeing people do. Millennials are turning to some nonconventional ways in order to get that down payment.

Crowdfunding. Recent research shows that many couples are now asking their wedding guests to contribute to their "down payment fund" instead of a traditional registration. Why? Many of those getting married have tens of thousands of dollars in student loans and have trouble saving enough money to put down for a home. Another reason is they likely already live with their partner, meaning they don't have as much of a need for the normal…

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6 Signs It's Over: when to know it's time to buy a new home

6 Signs It's Over: when to know it's time to buy a new home

So you bought a home and you're attached. You know where most things belong, you know how to get to and from your home effortlessly, your friends and family know where you live, you've gotten comfortable. 10 years in a home is a long time, but according to NAR that's about the time most people decide it's time to part ways.

Here's how to know if it's time for you to move: 

1. You're ready to profit and the market is right. 

When prices of homes are increasing in your area or there is low inventory,  there are more buyers than sellers (homes are selling quickly), or you notice an uptick in activity from real estate companies in your area, the time to sell might be right. If you are…

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How to Buy a Home

How to Buy a Home

If you're thinking about buying a home, you'll want to carefully choose the real estate professional you work with during the process.

You should commit yourself to working with one sales associate who can learn your likes and dislikes in homes to make your home-buying process easier. Choose a professional who specializes in residential real estate and who has specific knowledge of the local real estate and mortgage markets. 

The person you choose should listen to you and be interested enough in you to find our about your housing needs and preferences. Service first should be the motto of the professional you choose with services going above and beyond what you expect and need. Doing some preliminary planning before you…

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The Secret to Being a Successful Realtor While Being a Full Time Mother: Part II

The Secret to Being a Successful Realtor While Being a Full Time Mother: Part II

Part II of this mini series is an interview with another one of our Rockstar Agents who just so happens to be a full time mother on top of that. Angie Spigner is head of our Orlando area. She not only works her own real estate business, but manages a team of 7 agents too. While there might not be a secret potion you can drink and know exactly what to do when juggling motherhood and a job, Angie speaks to what her routine looks like and encourages you to take action as well. 

Q: How do you balance being a busy mother and a busy professional? 

A: Very carefully! You really have to be on a schedule, but willing to fluctuate, very organized, and be able to function…

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The Secret to Being a Successful Realtor While Being a Full-Time Mother

Being a Successful Realtor and Full-Time Mother

We've talked about how real estate can be a rewarding career path, in part, because you get to "pick your own hours". We've also talked about how in order to be a successful real estate agent, you need to put in the work and treat it as if it were an 8-5 job. Sure, working from home is great, but what do you do if you have children? How do you juggle building a real estate business and caring for your family? We're going to take a look into how one of our most successful agents, who also happens to be a full-time mother, handles her business. 

Interview with Katherine Paquette:

Q: How do you balance being a busy mother and a busy professional?

K: No one has a crystal ball to tell you how busy…

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