Buying your first house? ask the expert, Andy Eckert, Huntington County Realtor

Ask the Expert

Q I’m buying my first house.  I am pretty sure I can spend $150,000 for my house because I did some calculations online. Problem is, lenders won't give me a firm quote until I buy something. What gives?

A   Online calculators can be excellent tools, but remember there are many costs associated with buying a house. One of those is the tax rate in the area you buy. You won't know that until you pick a property. You also will have to buy Private Mortgage Insurance if you put less than 20 percent down. PMI can change your monthly mortgage payment significantly. 

    No lender can give you an estimate until you have an address of the property you hope to buy. An address is required for the Loan Estimate, a three-page disclosure document.

    Start your home search by getting pre-approved for a loan. Go to a lender and give basic information about your finances. The lender will pull a credit report and discuss your income and debt. You should have no more than 43 percent debt to income. Usually, 36 percent is preferred.

    Once pre-approved you can get an agent and shop for your home. When you do find the property you want to buy, you can apply for a mortgage by going to different lenders and getting a Loan Estimate from each. The Loan Estimate, which has to be issued within three days after you apply, will give you detailed information about the loan, including the loan amount, interest rate, monthly payments and whether these can change.

    The Loan Estimate will also tell you the amount of cash you need to close and the estimated costs to close.

    It will list fees for things you can't shop for (appraisals, for instance) and things you can shop for (pest inspection, for example).

I am Catholic and proud to say that, as your Huntington County Realtor Andy Eckert

I am a Catholic and I’m proud to say that, why?

             Because a life without a belief system is a life wasted. There is so much to gain to have FAITH, and so much to lose, to not. I was born and raised in the Catholic faith and that means I went to church more than most, because we have a ridiculous amount of Days of Obligation to attend. When I attended Catholic school I think we had mass every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday throughout the school year. We also attended mass on every Sunday as a family. During Lent we went to Church to pray the stations of the cross every Friday at the end of the school day.

What does this mean?

It means that even though I did all these events I was still a bad boy most of the time, but I believed if I was heart fully sorry for what I did than I was forgiven by God. If that was all I learned through all my mass attendance and school teachings, then I had learned enough to get me to Heaven. The hardest thing to do in life is forgive yourself for all the stupid choices we make and then ask forgiveness for those choices from God. I believe   anyone who believes in God and also thinks that they can be forgiven for their sins are my Brothers and Sisters in Christ no matter what church they attend.

This month’s News Letter is dedicated to all those that helped me along the way with advice, a good example to follow, and love. I have had 3 Parish Priests since I was baptized as a baby. Fr Gollner, Fr Perry and Fr Ron who have helped shape me into the person I am today. I was also lucky enough to have met, at the time I was in middle school, a Brother Mike. Brother Mike eventually became Fr Mike and moved back to his home state of  Wisconsin. Fr Mike and I are good friends and see each other 1-2 times a year. I found a good friend and trusted advisor in Fr Mike and Fr Ron over the years, not as a person judging me but someone who understands what my potential was. I’m thankful for their guidance and friendship and I hope I live up to their expectations of me. I suppose if they don’t see me in  Heaven then they dropped the ball, but if I don’t see them then maybe they should have been asking me for guidance…..haha

Andy Eckert, your Huntington County Realtor

Home Inspectors Save Stress and Lower Prices from your local Huntington County Realtor, Andy Eckert

HOME INSPECTORS ACTUALLY SAVE STRESS, EVEN LOWER PRICES

For buyers and sellers, having a professional house inspection can ensure a happy sale.

For the buyer, the inspection is an obvious contingency. Buyers don't want expensive surprises after sale. A home inspection reveals the systemic condition of the home, not just whether the paint is new.

Inspectors take a close look at the home's inner health in 10 areas: interior and exterior, structure, roofing, plumbing, electrical, heating, air conditioning, and ventilation, and fireplaces. Theses evaluations are detailed. For example, in the case of roofs, inspectors will study shingles, flashings, roof drainage, skylights and chimneys.

Of course, even a house with some problems can sell, but the price will reflect needed repairs. That's where the seller's inspection comes in.

A seller is just as motivated as the buyer to know what is wrong with a house because necessary, but unfinished, repairs mean a lower price at sale, or even a deal that falls through. A home inspection gives sellers the chance to fix things before the house goes on the market and it is an important part of the clean-up, fix-up process.

You might not want to put on a new roof, but repairing the flashings and roof gutters, puts your house in a solid light. Buyers might not expect a new roof, but they don't want to find leaks. There are a variety of specific things that a home inspection can look for, depending on an individual's concerns. For example, a radon inspection checks a home for levels of radioactive gas and takes between two and seven days to complete. A termite inspection looks for damage to the wood structures of a home. With homes that have a well for water, well water testing is another option; for homes with a septic or oil tank, examination of those structures may be part of an inspection as well.

A general inspection should consider the condition of the roof, the water pressure and plumbing, electrical outlets and switches, and the crawl space and attic.

Finally, if you have a home inspection, find a place to sit down and relax. Don't follow the inspector around. After all, the inspector is working for you and the report will be for you only.

A Happy Anniversary Letter to my wife of 25 years, from your local realtor Andy Eckert

Stephanie D. Eckert, formally known as Ness, my wife, my friend and my children’s best gift.

             I met Steph in High School Chemistry class, which at the time, we  didn’t have any Chemistry. I followed her gymnastics   accomplishments because she was successful early on, as was I, on with my Wrestling. I always felt she was stuck up because she   wasn’t outspoken, but quiet. I later found out that she was just shy and insecure, which surprised me after watching her be so successful with her many accomplishments.

Steph and I started dating for a short time when she was a Senior in High School. Of course the relationship was more about me, than us, so I screwed that up. At the time I personally had no idea what I wanted out of life, and girls and golf, were a past time. A few years had passed after our Graduation and I began dating different women, but soon became tired of that life style. Then for some unknown reason I was pulled to go downtown for a drink late one night. I walked in and there she was. All the bad feelings either of us had towards each other washed away, and a new life for us began at that moment. I told her that night that she was stuck with me and we never looked back.

We have Loved hard, fought often, and forgave daily over the past 25 years. I couldn’t image my life without her or our  children. Over the years we’ve grown to deal with each other’s quirks. I kid her on a daily basis, which she has gotten used to, and now she tries to give some of that back once in awhile. I feel we complement each other with my take action personality and her no job is impossible attitude.  Our home isn’t the most organized or clean but it’s always open for friends, family and strangers to visit. We love people and spending time with our family which is small on Steph’s side, but large on mine. We have learned to support each other even when we don’t agree and we both want the same things for our children; Happiness, Success and a desire to keep family close and God closer.

I am blessed to have her and my children, I love my life.

I always have time for you or your referrals.

Rentals make great investments and the Top 8 Fastest growing housing Markets, from local Realtor, Andy Eckert

Rentals gain popularity for investments

Buy land. They're not making it anymore." - Mark Twain

Property is valuable and mostly becomes more valuable as time goes on.

This idea is not lost on today's legion of real estate investors or the average person. According to the Financial Security Index Survey released in July, 54 million Americans consider real estate to be the preferred cash investment for funds not needed for more than 10 years.

It is a great time to invest in real estate with interest rates are historically low. Owning rental property is one way to invest and immediately get return on your money. The key before you start is to ask yourself what you need to make on a rental.

Enlist a real estate agent to help you analyze rental rates and apartment prices in the neighborhood. Scour the classifieds to get an idea of what rents are in the area you would like to buy. Also, learn what properties are selling for.

Before you buy, know what your costs will be for taxes, maintenance, and profit. Can you be competitive at this location and still make a profit? One landlord writing in ConsumerismCommentary.com said she must make $500 profit on each rental per month.

Pick the right neighborhood. High crime areas will cost you money, according to Consumerism Commentary.  High rent areas probably will resist rentals. Sturdy middle-class neighborhoods are often best.

One useful talent is a flair for DIY. If you like doing general repairs, you can usually save on expected expenses. If you don't have such a flair, develop ties to handy-people who are skilled and available. You might be able to hire someone on demand for a low hourly rate.

Finally, once you have done the math and purchased your rental, find the right renter with a strict application. You must make your money back on a property so your three questions have to be: Can they afford the apartment? Will they pay the rent? Will they keep the property nice? To find out, check previous landlords. Verify income. After that, run a civil and criminal background check. 

One landlord even calls the mother or father of younger people who want to rent.

The 8 Fastest Growing Housing Markets, according to NAR

   City, State                       Up     Median Price

1. Boulder, Colorado         18.5%       $ 549,600

2. Elmira, N. Y.                 17.6 %      $ 115,600

3. Springfield, Il.               17.1 %      $ 143,100

4. Port St. Lucie, Fl.          16.1 %      $ 209,000

5. Cumberland, W.Va.      15.2 %      $   94,900

6. Rockford, Il                   15.1 %      $ 109,000

7. Daytona Beach, Fl.        14.7 %     $ 172,000

8. Tampa-Clearwater, Fl.  14.2 %      $ 199,900

3 Tips for Selling a Small Kitchen & Realtors Donate to local Boys & Girls Clubs, from your local Huntington County Realtor

3 Tips for Selling a Small Kitchen

Many buyers are in search of great kitchen space. But the kitchen can be one of the trickiest rooms to stage, especially when the space is small.

If your house is lacking in kitchen space, it's important to make it look as appealing as possible.

1. Remove all clutter and appliances from the counter-tops, leaving only one or two decorative items. This will make the space appear cleaner and larger, she says.

2. Make sure the kitchen is getting plenty of light. Dark spaces appear smaller, so to open up the space make sure any windows are allowing maximum light through. If that's not possible, add appealing forms of artificial lighting to do the trick.

3. If the cabinets have seen better days, consider painting them white. White reflects light and helps make a space feel much bigger and open.

Realtors® Donate Thousands of Hours, Dollars to Local Boys & Girls Clubs

WASHINGTON (August 16, 2016) — The National Association of Realtors® joined forces last year with Boys & Girls Clubs of America to enrich the lives of Club kids and teens in communities across the U.S.

Since December 2015, a total of 188 local Clubs and 18,200 Club youth have been positively impacted by Realtors® and more than $100,000 has been donated to local Clubs by associations, members and real estate firms.

"Today's kids are our future, so when I began my NAR presidential term, I knew I wanted to involve Boys & Girls Club. I am so proud of all the passion, time and effort put forward by the Realtor® family to better the lives of the children in the communities in which we live and work," said NAR President Tom Salomone, broker-owner of Real Estate II, Inc. in Coral Springs, Florida. "Realtors® work every day to build and improve communities, so it comes as no surprise to me that our members jumped at the opportunity to get involved with their local Boys & Girls Club and volunteer their time and energy to support Club kids."   

CLICK HERE FOR FULL STORY

It's 4H Fair Time! Which includes, horse ppop, dust and elephant ears, from your Local Huntington County Realtor, Andy Eckert

This month will be full of horse poop, dust, Elephant ears and milkshakes. That’s right is 4H fair time….

We finished the horse show part and Aleah and Michael had a good fair showing. Aleah won some classes and a Grand Champion and Michael won 2 classes and a Reserve Champion. Aleah rode 3 different animals and excelled at all 3. Western Pleasure is her best events, English is her least Favorite and Contesting seems to be a lot of fun for her. Michael showed some halter and riding classes, which he did well in. I was really afraid because he doesn’t take failure well and riding isn’t easy. He came along so far in the past 45 days and I can’t thank Stephanie, Sebastian, Olivia and Aleah enough for all the instruction and support you gave him.

We now will be moving in the goats, rabbits and chickens and showing them for the next week or so. This is always a very busy time for our family with all the maintenance for animals during the fair. We will be running kids in the morning to feed and then again in the afternoon. I think we can allow them to stay during the day for part of the fair but Aleah has Volleyball practice also. It’s a good thing they learn a lot from raising and training these animals because it’s eating into my golf game.

Aleah starts her Freshman year at HNHS this Fall and she is a little nervous and so are we. I’m sure she will handle it all just fine and I just hope all the upper class boys don’t start hounding her.

Michael starts at Crestview MS this Fall and he is also excited and nervous but eager to get the show on the road. He is also excited that his sister Cassy will be coming home this Fall, it’s been way too long since she’s been at home.

Michaels Grandma and Sister Ashley spent the entire day watching him at the 4H horse show and really were proud of him and how far his riding skill has come. I kept his Mom up to date during the day while she was at work. He has a great support system.

I keep hoping Olivia lands a full time job in her field of work, maybe she will be closer to home. Sebastian just set up his apartment for next school year in Ft Wayne and will be moving at the end of the month. Jenny Hinen will be his roomy, good luck Jen.

Have a great Summer and always remember I always have time for your referrals.

God Bless

Andy