If you're in the military, you face many unique challenges when looking for your forever home. That shouldn't prevent you from pursuing your dream of homeownership though! Here are five tips to help you get started. 

1. Know Your Budget First 
Before you start searching for a home, get pre-qualified and understand your options when it comes to the type of loan you can use. For many military members, a VA Loan is your best bet because there is no down payment (if you are eligible). To get a better idea of what to expect when it comes to monthly payment, check out our Mortgage Calculator. 

2. Have a Plan in Mind 
Chances are you will receive new orders in the future. Before buying a house, have a plan in mind to use your new house as an investment property or sell it if that makes more sense financially. Buying your home with that in mind will pay off in the end and make life a whole lot easier for you and your family. 

3. Make a List of; ...

Home equity is the percentage of your home’s value that you own, and it’s key to building wealth through homeownership. Let’s take a closer look at how to build home equity without blowing your budget — and how to access it when you need it.

How Much Equity Do You Have?
Equity is easy to calculate when you first buy a home because it’s basically your down payment. For example, if you put $11,250 down on a $225,000 home, your down payment is 5% and so is your equity.

How to Build Your Equity
Here are five ways your home can create wealth for you. Some require time, money — or both.


Let your home appreciate
Building equity through appreciation can take little time or a lot, depending on the market. With home prices going up like they have in recent years, appreciation has been a boon for many home owners.

 Use financial windfalls
Take advantage of work bonuses, family gifts and inheritances to pay down your mortgage. If. ...

If you want to sell a home fast (and for top dollar), you need to be strategic and plan ahead. But where do you start!? Here are ten tips to help you out!

1. Hire an Experienced Agent
Although it's tempting to do it yourself, there are major benefits with hiring a realtor. Top-notch listing agents can help accurately price your home, ensure you get professional photos taken for the listing, write an amazing description, and be your biggest advocate when it comes to reviewing offers and negotiating. 

2. Deep Clean Everything
Nobody likes a dirty house! And potential buyers will be looking at every inch. So don't leave any room, closet, or corner untouched. Ask a friend to come over and do a walk-through to let you know if there may be spots you missed or area that still need some attention. 

3. Remove Personal Items
Buyers want to imagine themselves in the home, so take down any family photos or other personal items that may take away that oppor; ...

MOISTURE CONTROL AND DAMAGE REPAIR

I wanted to share some insight and information regarding preventative maintenance for parts of your home you do not see that often.

Far too many homeowners neglect their crawl space and attic. In some cases, crawl space cleaning is avoided simply because it is not visible. But cleanliness has many advantages besides good looks. People don’t go there too often and hence its care and cleanliness becomes secondary.


Crawl space cleaning is also ignored because many feel that since no one goes there, it would remain clean. This is true to certain extent, but there are some things beyond our control. This includes leaking pipes and in general moisture from the air that can cause damage. Everything which is made of wood will absorb this moisture and become weak. Homeowners would be wise to avoid this for the safety of their own home.

The Hampton Roads area is surrounded by water, at or close to sea level, has a healthy amount of rainfall ...

How to Start Saving an Emergency Fund: A Guide for First Time Home Buyers
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If you’re a first time home buyer, the prospect of buying a house can be both exciting and scary.
The excitement comes from having the opportunity to buy your own piece of real estate and make it your own. The scary part is that it’s not cheap. In fact, the average cost of buying a home in 2018 was $205,000. That’s a big chunk of change for most people. If you haven’t started saving yet, now is the time to start planning for your future as a homeowner. You see, there are many unforeseen costs that come with buying property -- things like closing costs and home insurance premiums are just two examples. And if you haven't prepared for them ahead of time, they could end up costing you tens of thousands of dollars at once.
Why You Should Start Saving an Emergency Fund Now
Some people are better at saving than others. But if you want to be a homeowner, you’ll need to start doin. ...