Sunday, January 19, 2020

Homes For Sale | Modern Market Realtors

A home sale or home purchase is a big deal — sometimes the biggest deal in a person’s life — and you want to find an agent who will work hard for you. In today’s market, having a real estate agent who is social media savvy and has an attractive online presence is critical. Pay attention to how they communicate with you during your initial interviewing phase. Are they too busy to respond for several days? Are they clear and helpful? This information is a clue to how they’ll engage during the entire process. Experience really matters in this business, the more the better.
What should you look for in a real estate agent?
When you’re hiring a real estate agent in Fargo-Moorhead you want to find a qualified pro who can negotiate the best deal for your home — whether you’re buying or selling. Reading reviews will help you weed out obvious bad operators; you want to work with someone who treats their clients with fairness and respect. That said, you also want someone who can play hardball and maximize your real estate deal. Ask for references from recent clients, and be sure to call them. Google my business can be a great resource, since its free to use and open to the public. One should avoid the big paid sites like Zillow, Trulia and the rest of the paid companies, its nothing more than paid advertisers.

Monday, October 14, 2019

Looking for First Time home buyers classes in Fargo Moorhead?

Looking for First Time home buyers classes in Fargo Moorhead?
A lack of savings for a down payment, credit problems, or uncertainty about the home-buying process -- such as where to find the best mortgage lender -- can all make it seem impossible to go from renter to homeowner.

Fortunately, though, there's a secret weapon that can help you surmount all these hurdles. That secret is taking a homebuyer education course, a move that has huge financial and practical benefits.  Rather than paying rent to support your landlord, your monthly mortgage payments go toward you and your future. You can deduct the cost of your mortgage loan interest from your federal income taxes, as well as your homeowner property taxes. In this society of rapidly rising rent, buying a home is a wise long-term investment. As an added bonus, you might be able to sell your home for more than you paid for it!

At Modern Market Realtors, we usually recommend FHA, VA or conventional loans for first-time homebuyers. Not sure which program is right for you? Contact us today!

Sunday, September 22, 2019

FM Homes For Sale

Search Fargo, ND Home Listings. We Can Help You Find Your New Home Today. Modern Market REALTORS #1 Real Estate Co. Local Home Market Experts. Types: Homes, Townhomes, Condos, New Construction, Foreclosures, Lots of Land.
FM Team: Fargo - Moorhead Real Estate information and listings in Fargo, ND. Find all Fargo - Moorhead homes for sale, Fargo - Moorhead foreclosures.

Friday, March 15, 2019

Moorhead MN Realtors | Modern Market Realtors

Google My Business for real estate is a big deal. Modern Market Realtors takes our reviews very seriously, please take a few minutes to take a look at what clients have to say about our business practices. As small business owners, we pride ourselves on delivering a product that is second to none. However, there are many more facets to our brand than product. We consider ourselves Google experts and The Best Realtors in Moorhead MN. Super Real Estate Agents 2019. Fargo Moorhead's best for facilitating the home buying process based on client satisfaction.

Moorhead MN Realtors

Social Media: Facebook
Social Media: Linkedin
Social Media: Twitter
Social Media: YouTube
Social Media: Zillow
Social Media: Homes.com
Social Media: Trulia.com
Fargo Moorhead Association of Realtors


Modern Market Realtors   
1306 24th Ave S, Moorhead, MN 56560
Phone: (701) 205-5517
FargoHomeSearch.com

Wednesday, February 27, 2019

Wednesday, January 23, 2019

FM Realtors of Fargo Update | Modern Market Realtors

Modern Market RealtorsAs a home buyer, you don't pay any Realtor fees, at Modern Market Realtors our professional services to you are 100% FREE!

Not only are our professional services FREE to home buyers but you will never find any surprise, last minute "gotcha" fees similar to the ones that are being charged to buyers and sellers all over the Fargo Moorhead area.

They are calling these new fees "administrative fees". (We call it "paperwork"! And its not new... we've always had paperwork, there's no need for an additional fee to charge for it.

  If you're buying and selling a house, you will most likely get dinged TWICE and we guarantee, that will STING! 







Modern Market Realtors   
1306 24th Ave S, Moorhead, MN 56560
Phone: (701) 205-5517
FargoHomeSearch.com

Friday, January 18, 2019

Fargo Real Estate | What are home interest rates looking like in 2019?

The outlook for real estate in the Fargo Moorhead area looks strong even with all the head winds we have had in 2018. Our thoughts at Modern Market Realtors are that rates will remain stable thru 2019, in spite of the tariffs and the govt shut down.  Chances look great for business as ususal in the Fargo Moorhead area.  But don't take our opinion here is what the big boys say.

Read More Here

Friday, December 14, 2018

Tuesday, December 11, 2018

Wednesday, November 7, 2018

Thursday, April 25, 2013

Find out the current value of your home HERE! - "Quick & Easy"

You will receive this information quickly, by email and without having to speak with an agent!

Complete the required information on your home and you will receive a complimentary Computer Analysis indicating your home's approximate present value on the market today.
Simple...Automated...Dependable...


Tuesday, April 2, 2013

Fargo Home Buyer Alert: What is a credit score.



Our credit score can mean the difference between being denied or approved for credit, and a low or high interest rate. A good score can help you qualify for an apartment rental and even help you get utilities connected without a deposit.

So what is it?

Your credit score is a three-digit number generated by a mathematical algorithm using information in your credit report. It's designed to predict risk, specifically, the likelihood that you will become seriously delinquent on your credit obligations in the 24 months after scoring.
There are a multitude of credit-scoring models in existence, but there's one that dominates the market: the FICO credit score. According to myFICO.com, the consumer website for the FICO score developer, "90 percent of all financial institutions in the U.S. use FICO scores in their decision-making process."
FICO scores range from 300 to 850, where a higher number indicates lower risk. What's a good score?
A consumer has three FICO scores, one for each credit report provided by the three major credit bureaus: Equifax, Experian and TransUnion. Unfortunately, consumers currently have access to only their Equifax and TransUnion FICO scores. Experian ended its agreement with myFICO.com in 2009.
What goes into a credit score?
Data from your credit report goes into five major categories that make up a FICO score. The scoring model weighs some factors more heavily, such as payment history and debt owed.

Payment history: (35 percent) -- Your account payment information, including any delinquencies and public records.
Amounts owed: (30 percent) -- How much you owe on your accounts. The amount of available credit you're using on revolving accounts is heavily weighted.

Length of credit history: (15 percent) -- How long ago you opened accounts and time since account activity.
Types of credit used: (10 percent) -- The mix of accounts you have, such as revolving and installment.
New credit: (10 percent) -- Your pursuit of new credit, including credit inquiries and number of recently opened accounts.
Personal or demographic information such as age, race, address, marital status, income and employment don't affect the score.

Different score impact for same missteps
How much does a specific change affect a credit score? The answer is usually "it depends," and for good reason. Credit score developers don't reveal the exact point deductions. The weight of any given activity can also vary for different credit histories.

Within a scoring model, there's more than one formula used to calculate a score, and each formula is designed for a category of consumers with similar credit profiles. The information in your credit report determines which formula is used. If you are new to credit, for instance, the scoring model will put you into a category for people with young credit histories, and use a scoring formula specific to that group. Such groups are called scorecards. Within that group, recent inquiries may cost more points than they would for a different group.

How to check your credit score

Federal law mandates the consumer's right to a free credit report annually from each credit reporting agency, but not to a free credit score. Use our FICO score estimator to get your score range free of charge. To get your exact number, you have to purchase it from a score provider, such as myFICO.com or one of the reporting agencies.

Saturday, March 30, 2013

20 Signs You Need a Financial Makeover

1. You charge group dinners on your card and keep your friends’ cash to spend. I actually don’t mind doing this myself as it saves me a trip to the ATM if I need the cash, but if you’re just being stupid and thinking it’s “free money” to go and blow anytime then yeah – you need a financial makeover.

2. You spend more than 40% of your total income on rent. The last time I calculated this we were spending 37% of our total (net) income on mortgages. And I’ll admit it’s not very savvy. But I’ll also point out that we got ourselves into this BEFORE Mr. J. Money came about ;) So I agree with this one here – ya gotta keep your rent/mortgages way below that 40% line.

 3. You’re constantly transferring your balance to get 0% interest on your credit card debt. Bad if you don’t know what you’re doing, but good if you’re Jonathan from My Money Blog (the expert in xfering $20,000+ and milking the extra hundreds of dollars in interest every year;)

4. You pay off one credit card with another. Yes, BAD!!

5. Less than 10% of your income goes to your retirement savings. (Or worse, zero percent!) I wouldn’t say you need a total makeover if you were saving 10% really, even though everyone would love to see you saving 15% or even 25%, but definitely saving 0% is a troubling sign.

 6. You have a credit card that doesn’t give you anything in return, like cash back or airline miles. Haha…well this isn’t the worst thing in the world, but it is a good idea to check and makes sure you’re getting *something* in return for doing nothing ;) You don’t have to do anything different than you’re doing now!

7. You don’t know what IRA means outside of Ireland. (is that supposed to be a joke?)

8. You pay the minimum balance on your credit card each month.Not the best habit to get into, that’s for sure. If at all possible you should be adding in at least $25-$50 more every month to help knock it away as fast as you can. I once paid $2,000 for a $1,200 computer back in the day because I kept just telling myself “I’ll do it tomorrow.” Make tomorrow, today!

9. You don’t open your credit card statement because you can’t bear to see how high the balance is. Oh yeah, definitely not a good sign. You HAVE TO KNOW what you’re dealing with so that you can fix it and get right back on track! And this goes for savings and investments too. If you don’t KNOW what’s going on you’ll just keep sinking and sinking until it takes something tragic to snap you out of it.

10. You don’t keep receipts because they remind you of what you’ve spent. Haha…that’s actually pretty clever ;) STUPID, but clever. Maybe these people should switch to debit cards instead? (I’m assuming they’re using credit cards which allow them to spend way more than they have due to credit limits and such. With debit cards though, you have a breaking point! Once you hit $0.00 you can’t pick up anything else.)

 11. You know your company has a 401k plan, but you have no idea what that is. My favorite tool ever! Just call up HR real quick (right now, actually, stop reading this!!) and ask how much your company matches. Then, tell your sweet old HR lady (or man) that you’d like to contribute that exact same # and make sure to fill out whatever forms you need to do ASAP. Even if you never look at it again, that one move you just made will hook you up years and years to come. So do it!

 12. You withdraw cash frequently from ATM’s that aren’t affiliated with your bank. I don’t know if this one applies as much as maybe it used to. Many banks now reimburse you for your fees so it doesn’t matter where you go (at least online banks do – like my fave USAA, baby!)

13. The number of credit cards in your wallet is higher than the number of dates you’ve had this year. Hahahhahaa…..didn’t see that one coming :)

14. You buy so much on eBay that they’ve awarded you VIP status. Wha wha wha….

15. You want to start a savings account, but then sale season starts again! Is it me or are these going down hill?

16. You don’t have an emergency fund to pay bills should you lose your job. Back in action! YES, emergency funds are KEY to any financial game plan. Whether it’s $100, or $1,000, be sure to be stashing some aside for when you least expect it!

17. Your monthly extra cell phone minute charges are bigger than your monthly electric bill. (I had to go look up my own electric bill to see if this is a good gauge or not, and indeed I think it may. Although if we’re talking about overall cell phone bills and not just “minute charges” then the iPhone kills us!)

18. You overdraw on your checking account more than once a year. Hmmm… once is kinda strict. I’d say not more than 3 times a year cuz sometimes weird things just happen. Although if you were really on top of it you’d sign up for overdraft protection (the kinds that don’t cost you any money!) so that you’d be safe just in case you got a little crazy here and there.

19. You live paycheck to paycheck. This should be the #1 sign you need a makeover, hands down. Living paycheck to paycheck is a recipe for disaster, and I know 80% of you reading this right now are in this boat :( I was too!!! For 25 years of my life! If you haven’t been serious about making a change, please start today. There are plenty of ways you can get yourself in better position, you just have to get on it and really commit. Start tracking your money and finding where all your spending leaks are! Picking up a hustle on the side will help too.

 20. You spend more on new shoes annually than you save. Oh wow, that would not be good. I think I’ve spent around $200 so far on shoes this year – and 2 of those were on new cleats that needed replacing. I would punch myself in the face if I was saving less than that every year :(

 Were any of you surprised with your answers to some of these? Did it get you to double check and see if you’re truly on track or not? Again, some of these were pretty crazy and more entertaining than anything, but hopefully it moved a few marbles upstairs and will prompt you to start researching any areas that may need improvement. It’s always a work in progress :)

Source

Thursday, March 28, 2013

Home Prices Rise at Fastest Pace in Over Six Years

Home-price appreciation is accelerating in much of the U.S., offering the latest confirmation that the housing market is turning after the most severe property downturn since the Great Depression.

Prices rose by 8.1% in January from a year earlier, the largest such gain in 6½ years, according to figures from the S&P/Case-Shiller index of home prices in 20 major metropolitan cities released Tuesday. All 20 cities posted annual increases.

Take Charge When Buying a Home

If you approach the home buying process intelligently and with confidence, you are much more likely to emerge with a house you'll be proud to call home.

Approaching the task of buying your next home can be overwhelming. There's so much to consider.

How much house can I afford, and how can I find the best loan? Where will I come up with a down payment, and how much will I need? Should I buy a new or resale home, and which will go up in value? Should I use an agent or look at homes on my own?

And these questions are just the beginning. Buying a home is one of the largest financial transactions in your lifetime, yet we don't teach about it in school. You're just supposed to pick it up along the way.

Well, as you start down this road, let me give you a little advice. Here are the two most important things to remember no matter where you are on the road to ownership:

1. You can and should understand everything that is happening in the home buying process. There is nothing, and I mean nothing, that is so complex that it can't be easily explained to anyone with average intelligence, and you've got more than that. Just because we don't apply for a thirty year mortgage once a week doesn't mean we have to take the first one that comes along. You'll need to learn some new terms, apply some new concepts and take the time to understand what you're getting into. If anything happens at any point in the process that doesn't make sense to you, simply demand a full and complete explanation. If it still doesn't make sense, seek help from someone you trust like your CPA, your banker or maybe your friendly online real estate columnist.

2. In the world of real estate sales, YOU are the most important person in the entire process. It's easy to think that everyone else carries more weight than you. The agent talks fast and has an answer for everything. The lender may decline your loan application, and on and on. But the truth is that you, the buyer, are the one person in this transaction that makes it all happen. If you decide to not buy, the entire process comes to a grinding halt. So flex your consumer muscle and take command of this process. Surround yourself with a team of professionals that you have confidence in and make them work for you.

If you plan from the beginning to approach the home buying process intelligently and with confidence, you are much more likely to emerge at the end of the day with a house you'll be proud to call home, and the knowledge that you made the right decision.

Source:

Tuesday, March 26, 2013

Buying A Home Plan for Younger People – Make Sure to Plan Ahead

Granted, few young people spend much time day-dreaming about buying their first home. They're naturally preoccupied with academics, athletics, parties, dating and future career possibilities. Nonetheless, there are a number of good reasons to start learning early in life about the costs of buying a home and the responsibilities of homeownership. For example, a college student's misuse or abuse of credit cards can preclude his or her buying a home later on.

Here are five recommendations for young people who want to position themselves for homeownership:

1. Establish good credit habits and a favorable credit history. Get a credit card and use it responsibly. Apply for an automobile loan and make your payments on time every month. If you're renting an apartment, put your own name on the lease and the utility bills and make sure the rent and the bills are paid every month. If you're already struggling with credit card debt or have large student loans, take a free workshop from the non-profit Consumer Credit Counseling Service. Call (800) 388-2227 for information.

2. Start saving for a down payment and closing costs. It's possible to purchase a first home in many parts of the country without much in the way of savings. But in high-cost housing areas, starting to save early can be enormously beneficial because you'll get the advantage of compounding interest and have a longer period of time to grow your investments. Open a savings account or a stock brokerage investment account and make regular deposits.

3. Read some books. Your local library and bookstore probably have at least a few shelves of books about financial management and buying a home. Take notes. Make a financial plan for yourself.

4. Research where you'd like to live. Many young people assume they'll continue living in their own home town when they get older, but people are more mobile than ever and chances are good you'll one day live in another city or even another state. Again, the library, bookstore and Web can be excellent resources for information about housing costs and homeownership opportunities around the country.

5. Tap your real estate agent relatives for advice. Parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles or older cousins in the real estate business can give you good information about the cost of housing in the area where you want to live and what it takes to buy a home. Questions to ask: Is housing affordable in this area? How much money would I need to save in order to buy a home? What advice would you give me about planning my financial future? Would you recommend some books that I might like to read about buying a home? Don't be shy. If you have a question, ask someone in a position to know the answer.

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