Danielle Howard, Realtor

09/13/2021

Getting pre-approved is probably the most productive first step you can take when you are considering jumping into the housing market.
A pre-approval is to prove a buyer's credibility to the seller. You will need to have one when submitting any offer, and in this competitive market, it is even more important to have one because if you don’t and you have to wait to get one, you could miss out on your dream home. You also don’t want to start looking at homes that you can’t afford. There is nothing worse than falling in love with a home that is outside of your budget.
In a high-paced, competitive environment, any advantage you can give yourself will help you on your path to buying your dream home.
𝙽𝚎𝚎𝚍 𝚐𝚘𝚘𝚍 𝚕𝚎𝚗𝚍𝚎𝚛 𝚛𝚎𝚌𝚘𝚖𝚖𝚎𝚗𝚍𝚊𝚝𝚒𝚘𝚗𝚜? Shoot me a message and I can connect you to a few!

09/13/2021

ᴍᴏɴᴅᴀʏ ᴍᴏᴛɪᴠᴀᴛɪᴏɴ ✨
The next time you catch yourself saying that you're too busy, know that it's an excuse. If you truly prioritize something, you will make time for it. Be it relationships, friendships, or something else — you always have time for anything if you make time.
Decide what is really important to you and be more disciplined about getting the most important things done first.

09/11/2021

𝐸𝓋𝑒𝓃 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝓈𝓂𝒶𝓁𝓁𝑒𝓈𝓉 𝒶𝒸𝓉 𝑜𝒻 𝓈𝑒𝓇𝓋𝒾𝒸𝑒, 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝓈𝒾𝓂𝓅𝓁𝑒𝓈𝓉 𝒶𝒸𝓉 𝑜𝒻 𝓀𝒾𝓃𝒹𝓃𝑒𝓈𝓈, 𝒾𝓈 𝒶 𝓌𝒶𝓎 𝓉𝑜 𝒽𝑜𝓃𝑜𝓇 𝓉𝒽𝑜𝓈𝑒 𝓌𝑒 𝓁𝑜𝓈𝓉, 𝒶 𝓌𝒶𝓎 𝓉𝑜 𝓇𝑒𝒸𝓁𝒶𝒾𝓂 𝓉𝒽𝒶𝓉 𝓈𝓅𝒾𝓇𝒾𝓉 𝑜𝒻 𝓊𝓃𝒾𝓉𝓎 𝓉𝒽𝒶𝓉 𝒻𝑜𝓁𝓁𝑜𝓌𝑒𝒹 𝟫/𝟣𝟣. 🇺🇸 - Barack Obama

09/09/2021

As you may have heard, interest rates are at record LOWS, so if you've been considering refinancing your mortgage, you arent' alone!
Here are a few signs that it may be a good idea to talk to a lender about refinancing:
✔️ You can lower your rate by 1/2% or more
✔️ You are thinking about doing some major renovations and you have equity in your home that you can pull from
✔️ You want to shorten your mortgage term (to pay your home off faster)
✔️ Your value has increased enough to prove you have enough equity to get rid of mortgage insurance
✔️ You want to switch from an FHA loan to a Conventional loan
✔️ You have no plans to move in the next 5 years
If you are considering refinancing, It's important to evaluate your estimated closing costs and calculate your break-even point (this is where your savings from a lower interest rate exceeds your closing costs).
Refinancing is a smart move for lots of homeowners these days, and it could be for you, too! Don't know where to start? Let's chat – I'd be happy to recommend a few lenders to help you get the ball rolling!

09/07/2021

Every seller wants their home to sell quickly for top dollar, but it takes more than luck to make this happen. It involves careful planning and knowing how to professionally prepare your home to convince buyers to pull out their checkbooks.
A few home improvements can go a long way towards making a favorable impression on potential buyers. There may be small changes we can make to a home that can dramatically change the price you ultimately receive and selling speed.
Here is a list of recommendations on easy things you can do to prepare your home to sell:
1. 𝙲𝚕𝚎𝚊𝚗 & 𝚍𝚎𝚌𝚕𝚞𝚝𝚝𝚎𝚛.
You want buyers to focus on how awesome your space is, not how messy or dirty it looks.
1. 𝙽𝚎𝚞𝚝𝚛𝚊𝚕 𝚌𝚘𝚕𝚘𝚛𝚜
As much as you might love your bright red kitchen or plum purple living room, buyers may not. Repaint your rooms in neutral tones like grays and whites that allow buyers to focus on the spaces themselves, not the color of the walls.
1. 𝙳𝚘 𝚊 𝚖𝚒𝚗𝚒 “𝚛𝚎𝚗𝚘𝚟𝚊𝚝𝚒𝚘𝚗”
Small updates can make a big difference in the overall feel of a room. Kitchen a little outdated? Replace the k***s, light fixtures, faucet, and hinges. This same concept works in bathrooms as well!
Tackling home improvements to get your home ready to sell? Send me a message—I’d love to help.

09/06/2021

𝗞𝗶𝗰𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗯𝗮𝗰𝗸 𝗶𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗺𝘂𝗰𝗵 𝘀𝘄𝗲𝗲𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝘆𝗼𝘂'𝘃𝗲 𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗲𝗱 𝗶𝘁.
What's your favorite Labor Day tradition? Beach? 🏖️ BBQ? 🍔

09/03/2021

... and had to walk uphill both ways in a foot of snow.
It’s that time again – backpacks are packed, masks and sanitizer in hand, and the first day of school outfit has been picked out. It’s the most wonderful time of the year!

09/03/2021

The TCS team is banding together to help those affected by the tornados that ripped through New Jersey this past week. The proceeds we raise will go directly toward helping these families and communities rebuild their lives. Please consider donating to help ease the financial burden of those affected by this disaster ❤️

All proceeds go directly to those effected by Tornado … Devin DiNofa needs your support for Tornado recovery

09/02/2021

Should you make repairs to your home before you sell? This is a very common question that I am asked by many sellers. I'm sure you have heard that homes in move-in-ready condition sell for more money than those that need a little TLC, and while that is mostly true, there are some repairs that may not yield a high return on investment when you go to sell. So how do you decide which repairs to complete and what not to fix when you’re selling your home?
That's where I come in!
My job is to educate you on what may be a potential issue with buyers in the current market, and what you can (or should) skip, while still disclosing. Safety concerns or costly repairs should be addressed, such as electrical issues or faulty wiring, moisture or water infiltration, leaks, or other plumbing or septic-related issues.
Now let's get to the items you 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗻𝗼𝘁 fix. Some home repairs you can eliminate from your list because they’re too much work for the reward, or too expensive to earn back at the price when you go to sell.
• 𝙲𝚘𝚜𝚖𝚎𝚝𝚒𝚌 𝚍𝚊𝚖𝚊𝚐𝚎.
Some cosmetic changes, such as repairing scuffed floors, or old paint, are relatively easy to do, however, they may not be worth the extra effort. Most of the time it’s better to leave these changes up to the buyers to customize according to their preferences. Unless you have very bold colors, or the floors are tired and worn, you can forgo these updates. Your agent should help you decide which cosmetic issues to address based on how much time and money they’ll take to fix them.
• 𝙷𝚊𝚕𝚏𝚠𝚊𝚢 𝚛𝚎𝚙𝚊𝚒𝚛𝚜.
If you can’t afford to make the full repair, 𝘥𝘰𝘯’𝘵 𝘥𝘰 𝘪𝘵 𝘩𝘢𝘭𝘧𝘸𝘢𝘺. It’s better to spend the money to complete the repair correctly or disclose the problem to potential buyers than try to do a patch job at a low cost.
Thinking about selling and wondering what repairs or updates you can do to increase your value and get top dollar? Before you spend one penny, send me a message, and let’s chat!

09/01/2021

Your monthly homeowner to-do list. ✔️
If there’s one chore that I think we can all agree is the absolute worst, it's cleaning and dusting window blinds. However, if blinds are left neglected, all that buildup (and allergens) can end up floating around your home. My favorite way to clean blinds? Swiffer duster. What's your least favorite home chore?

08/31/2021

The best time to buy a house 𝙞𝙨 𝙬𝙝𝙚𝙣 𝙞𝙩 𝙢𝙖𝙠𝙚𝙨 𝙨𝙚𝙣𝙨𝙚 𝙞𝙣 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙡𝙞𝙛𝙚. Oftentimes life changes dictate the need or desire to purchase a home.
Here are some questions to ask yourself:⁣
✔️ Is your lease or current housing situation ending soon?⁣
✔️ Do you have savings built up for a down payment?⁣
✔️ Is your employment situation stable?⁣
✔️ Do you plan to stay in the area for at least 3-5 years?⁣
✔️ Are you tired of throwing money away on rent, and ready to be your own landlord?
If you answered YES to most of these questions, it may be time to buy! If you are curious about what your next steps may be, or how much you can afford, shoot me a message. I would be happy to answer any questions you may have about the home buying process!

08/30/2021

ᴍᴏɴᴅᴀʏ ᴍᴏᴛɪᴠᴀᴛɪᴏɴ ✨
The greater truth is that success does not create happiness, but happiness can create success.