Last week we did not publish the Settles Report. We questioned some of the reported numbers that where subsequently corrected, but too late for us to publish the report during that week.
Tag Archives: rental
Can I afford buying a home or do I need to make some changes
Before you even start looking to buy a home you should first find out if you can afford a home. Yes, for many, homeownership is still the ultimate dream but it is not for everybody. Sometimes you have to put your dream on hold until you are able to fulfill this dream.
To find out if you can afford purchasing a home go through the following steps first
Continue reading Can I afford buying a home or do I need to make some changes
Marion County Indiana new rental proposals
Be aware Proposal 195 which is being introduced to create a Marion County Indiana landlord registry. Landlords have to re-resister themselves on an annual basis as a landlord. The reason given for this registry is that many properties in disrepair and vacant are owned by investors. About 50% or more of them are owned by owner occupants who no longer can pay for their mortgage.
Buying a new home? Things to consider when you do.
Rather than buying a home that was previously occupied, you have decided to find a builder and have one built just for you and your family and to your specifications. In many cases building your home is within the same price range as being a previously occupied home.
When you build your own home with a builder there are a few things you need to take into consideration before you start. For example, Do you just use a builder layout and style or do you plan on making changes to this plan? If you do plan on making changes, keep in mind that this might add to the building cost of the home. Making these kinds of changes would mean you are moving from a builder speck home type of arrangement to the custom built type and many times that will add time, labor, and building material cost to building your dream home. An example of making changes to the builders plans is upgrading some of the features compared to the features a builder is offering in their speck homes. Things like kitchen, flooring, countertops, bathroom, windows, and bathrooms. Anytime you make changes to builder’s speck home plans, whether inside or out, there will be a higher cost to building the home.
One of the things you should consider is having a home inspection before you close the transaction with the builder. Many times they offer a final walk through before the closing with their contractors but it is always better for you to hire your own contractor and let them take a look at the home through a new set of eyes.
Yes, it is a new build home but sometimes your inspector finds things that should be fixed prior to you going to the closing table. One of my last inspectors found a board that was not nailed in the finished attic by stepping through the floor as he stepped on the section of the attic to inspect it. He did not fall but now the builder has to fix the issue.
When you have any question about working with builders, feel free to contact the Settles Team.