If you’re looking to buy your first home, the cost is one of the most important factors to consider. And the cost of buying a home goes beyond the home’s list price and how much can you afford to pay monthly for your mortgage. When buying a home, there are other factors that need to be considered, as well, such as the down payment, closing costs, and other taxes and fees that are due in addition to your monthly mortgage payment.

Traditionally, we consider 20% to be the magic number when It co...

If you’re looking to make your life a little eco-friendlier for Earth Day, the best place to start is right at home! After all, that’s often where we spend most of our time. You don’t even have to completely change your lifestyle to live a little greener. If your goal is simply more awareness and to start making choices that are friendlier to the environment, these tips are easy to follow and will help minimize your carbon footprint!

What is Zero Waste?

Have you heard of zero waste? The conc...

Whether you’re looking to buy or sell your home, spring can be an especially busy time for real estate. As the snow melts and the flowers begin to bloom, everyone is ready for a little bit of change. 

If you are looking to buy a new home this spring, we can help! Follow these tips to help make sure your home buying experience goes as smoothly as possible!

Get Pre-Approved

When you get pre-approval for a mortgage before you seriously start looking for a new home, you eliminate uncertainty b...

What a re-leaf that it’s finally spring! No more being cooped up inside which means no more excuses about the cold weather preventing you from improving your house’s exterior. If you’re thinking about listing your home for sale, now’s the perfect time to boost your curb appeal. Improving your home’s curb appeal will help to attract potential buyers, especially since your home’s exterior is often the first impression.

Here are 10 ways to bring to your home’s exterior to life and sell before al...

Whether you’re building a brand-new home or are looking to upgrade your kitchen, choosing the right countertops is an important decision. The right type of countertops goes beyond aesthetics, too; different materials have varying degrees of durability and maintenance requirements. In this post, we’ll go over the general characteristics of different countertop materials, their pros and cons, and even general cost to help you decide which kitchen countertop is best for your home.

Here are...

This post was written by Lisa Perta at Benchmark Morgage.

For many people, buying a home is a dream come true. It is often the most significant investment many of us will ever make. Because buying a home is such a big financial decision, prospective buyers should take the time to educate themselves on the basics. Before you begin your journey on the road to homeownership, here are a few important things you should know.

1. Check Your Credit

Your credit score is one of the mo...

It’s a new year, which means a new you! No matter what your resolution was for 2019, add become more organized to your list. It’s simple, easy to accomplish, and the best place to start is with your bedroom closet. Pick and choose from the following tips to enter the new year feeling energized and organized!

Here are our favorite tips on how you can organize your closet right now.

1. Empty and clean

Before trying to organize your closet, take everything out and then deep clean th...