Author: Leslie Beck

With over a decade of experience, Leslie leads Lark Realty Group with a focus on client-centric service and community involvement in Denver's real estate market.

Tips to Fix Up Your Flip Quickly so You Can Sell It Sooner

Written by Leslie Beck on August 6, 2019. Posted in Article. No Comments on Tips to Fix Up Your Flip Quickly so You Can Sell It Sooner

When you decide to buy and sell homes (or flip them as it is currently called), it is important that you find ways to sell them as quickly as possible. Even though you want to make improvements and make a good profit, there are many people who spend way too much time and money on their flip.

However, it doesn’t have to be that way. Here are some tips to fix up your flip quickly so you can sell it sooner.

The Right House

Choose the right house before you even get started. If you want to fix and flip as quickly as possible, you are going to have to start with the right house. Don’t buy a house with a bad roof or foundation because it will need major renovations.

A house with good bones and only cosmetic problems can usually be fixed and flipped within a few weeks or months. Look for stained walls, dirty carpets, and other problems that are simple to fix.

Power Wash

Many homes get quite dirty, and a good washing can make a big difference, no matter what the outside is. Stone, brick, and even siding can sparkle after a good power washing. Though you may have thought that the outside needed some work, you might not need to do as much after you wash it properly.

Paint

A nice coat of paint can go a long way to improving a home. If you are trying to keep costs down and sell your flip in a short amount of time, you should start by painting as much as you can.

You should paint everything a neutral color so people can see themselves living in the home without making too many changes. If you have bright colors (or even blue and purple) in the rooms, most people are going to want to paint right away (or find a better-suited home).

Update the Kitchen

Get new faces for the kitchen. Though many people want an updated kitchen, the truth is that a modern kitchen can be quite costly. However, you can make a big difference without totally redoing the kitchen. You can get new cabinet fronts (or even just paint the current ones). You may also be able to reface the appliances in the kitchen, making them look newer than it is.

You may also be able to do this in the bathrooms to make them look a little better too.

Appliances

You may want to update some of the appliances. Kitchen appliances can only be cleaned so many times so you may want to purchase some new ones (or slightly dented ones) in order to update the kitchen quickly and easily.

Lighting

Another easy fix is lighting and hardware. Faucets, toilets, door handles, doors, and other things are relatively quick and easy to fix, while still making a big difference.

Lighting is another. Many people want to buy homes with ceiling fans and good lighting so you should make sure that your house is well-lit in the dark. You can add some lighting (or even just update the ones you have) and the house should sell easier.

Find More Tips to Fix up Your Flip Quickly

If you want to buy a home and flip it as quickly as possible, you are going to have your work cut out for you. However, with a little bit of power washing and paint, you can make almost any house look a lot better (and more sellable). You may also want to look into getting new cabinet faces for the kitchen and bathrooms. New appliances (or even refaced ones) can also make a big difference rather quickly.

Tips to Buy a Home that You Can Afford

Written by Leslie Beck on July 16, 2019. Posted in Article. No Comments on Tips to Buy a Home that You Can Afford

It is important, when looking at homes, that you not only look with your heart but your mind. You need to think practically before you decide to buy a home. You don’t want to end up in a home that you can’t afford because you could find yourself in some financial trouble in a few months or years.

However, you shouldn’t give up. You can still find a perfect home that you can afford. Here are some tips for buying a home that you can afford.

Start With a Pre-Approval

Once you decide that you are ready to buy a home, you need to meet with a lender to find out how much you can realistically afford. By looking at your paperwork and checking out your credit scores, they will come up with a number that they are comfortable lending to you for a home.

However, You Are Probably Not Going to Want to Spend That Much

Just because you can be approved for a home that is three hundred thousand dollars doesn’t mean that you should spend that much. Look at the estimated payments to see if there is any way that you could afford it. Most of the time, buyers look for homes below that range so they can live comfortably.

Don’t Forget All of the Other Expenses That Go Into Homeownership

Yes, your mortgage will be your most expensive bill, but it won’t be the only one. You are going to have to pay for electricity, sewer, water, trash, phones, and other things which are all going to add up. If you are buying an older home, you may want to have some extra money in case anything breaks in the near (or far future).

Many first-time homebuyers who haven’t lived on their own yet struggle with all of the bills that they have, on top of their mortgage payment. Even groceries add up quickly, especially if you never bought many before.

Wait Until You Have a Good Down Payment

The more money that you have for your down payment, the better off you will be. You may be able to get a loan without one, but that doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t.

In fact, if you are able to put down twenty percent, you don’t have to pay private mortgage insurance. This extra cost is to protect the mortgage company if you don’t pay your mortgage. Even if you only have to pay an extra one percent, that can quickly add up each month.

Make Sure That You Are Comfortable With the Offer When You Put One In

Many people find a home that they love, and they forget about everything else – including their budget! It is important that you know what you can afford and stick to it. Unfortunately, many people get into bidding wars only to find out that they can no longer afford to buy the house that they said they would. At that point, they may be too far and they have to buy the home anyway!

If you don’t want to be house-poor, you really need to make sure that you find a home that you love at a price that you can afford. Though you should start with a preapproval, it is important that you just use that as a guide. You probably want to buy a home that is much less so you can live comfortably. You are going to want to have some money for your other expenses (and fun) too!

Find More Tips for Buying a Home That You Can Afford

It is even better if you are able to get a good down payment. The more that you can put toward your loan, the better your monthly payments will be. If you are able to put twenty percent down, you won’t have to pay private mortgage insurance, which increases your monthly payment also!

What If I Can’t Afford My Dream Home in Denver?

Written by Leslie Beck on July 9, 2019. Posted in Article. No Comments on What If I Can’t Afford My Dream Home in Denver?

Whether you’ve been looking at potential houses for months or you have only recently started your home search, it can be a bit frustrating if your dream home doesn’t appear to exist. If you find yourself dealing with a housing market that does not quite fit your expectations, there are several things you can do to find a great home, one that you will likely grow to love.

Decide What’s Most Important

When buying a home, you often have to compromise. This is especially true for first-time homebuyers or those who have a pretty extensive wish list. Instead of focusing on having your dream home right now, decide what’s most important. You may want to make three lists.

Non-negotiable

The first would be the items in a home that are non-negotiable. This might include a home with at least two bathrooms or a home that has a large kitchen. If you have school-aged children, you may want a home where your kids will be able to go to a specific school. If your grandchildren often come to visit, close proximity to a park might be non-negotiable. For people who have a dog, a large backyard might be on their list of non-negotiable items.

Really Want

Your second list would include items that you really want in a home. These are things that you would be willing to give up if you could find all the items on your non-negotiable list. When looking for a home, you likely want to find a home that has at least some of the items on your “really want” list or at least a home where some of your “really want” items can easily be added.

Reach Items

Unless you have an unlimited home budget, there are likely items on your dream home list that are a bit of a reach. These items should go on your third list. While it would be great to find a home with any of these items, realize that these items are a stretch. You should see it as a bonus if you find a home that fits your needs and also includes anything on your “reach” list.

See the Potential

When looking at homes, it is important to see the home’s potential, especially if you or someone you know well has great do-it-yourself skills. Rather than deciding that a home is not right for you right away, look for how you can make it into your dream home. Walls can be repainted. Wallpaper can be torn down. Flooring can be changed. Even kitchen cabinets and appliances can be replaced.

If you have more advanced do-it-yourself skills or you know someone with great do-it-yourself skills, you may even be able to tackle projects such as taking down a wall and making two smaller bedrooms into one bigger bedroom or doing a full bathroom renovation. Being able to see the potential in a home that’s not quite at its best is an important skill for any homebuyer. It is often worth investing a little extra money to help the home to look its best. This is especially true if you can find a great home that’s not quite what you want but that’s significantly below your budget.

Reevaluate Your Budget

If you are not finding the right home based on your current budget, it might be time to reevaluate your budget. Of course, if you are already looking at homes that are a stretch for you to afford, this might not work, but if you can comfortably raise your current budget, it might be worth looking at homes in a slightly higher price range. Another option is to look at fixer-uppers that are quite a bit below your budget and make the needed upgrades and changes to the home.

Wait It Out

Unless you need to buy a home right away, it might be worth it to wait it out. Even just waiting a few months may make a huge difference in your home search. If there is not a time limit on when you have to buy a house, take a break for a month or two from actively searching. You can still casually look at homes during this waiting period, but don’t pressure yourself into attending a certain number of open houses or finding your dream home by a specific date.

Learn More About Finding Your Dream Home

If you are looking for a great Denver home, contact us, or stop by our website. You might just find your dream house among our listings.

Is Your Home A Unique Listing? Here’s How to Sell It

Written by Leslie Beck on June 19, 2019. Posted in Article. No Comments on Is Your Home A Unique Listing? Here’s How to Sell It

The vast majority of homes on the market are clones. Architects and neighborhood developers choose a handful of floorplans and designs that work and look good together then use them over and over again. Over time they may become individual as homeowners make small improvements each year but they are still essentially the same. Pricing them is easy because appraisers can simply compare the effective prices of nearby similar homes in similar conditions, even estimating the value of similar minor upgrades. However, some homes are truly unique.

Homes built like geodesic domes, homes made out of renovated non-residential structures, or homes hand-built by a quirky homeowner to be unlike anything seen in a cookie-cutter neighborhood are amazing and often sell for far more than predictable homes of similar size and age. But their priceless personality also makes them incredibly hard to appraise, finance, or find a perfect new owner who will appreciate all its quirks. If you have a unique listing, selling your home will be more complicated but also potentially a lot more fun.

Do You Have a Unique Listing?

It’s not hard to tell if you have a unique listing. Simply ask yourself “Are other homes like mine?” If you couldn’t find your home design, color scheme, floor plan, or appearance in a normal urban, suburban, or rural neighborhood, you likely have a unique listing. If your home was once an old firehouse, post office, water tower, or missile silo, it is unique. If your home was hand-built according to some unusual internal style of the builder, it is likely unique. If the home is modeled to look like something other than a home, it is absolutely unique. And this is fantastic. In the 7 billion people out there, undoubtedly there are several thousand that would adore living in your unique listing. The trick is finding them.

Most home buyers want a typical, “normal”, house which means selling a unique listing is just a touch more challenging than usual. To get the full value for your unique listing, you’ll need to find one of those quirky people whose desire for a house packed with personality matches the home you have to offer.

Working With a Capable Agent

The first step is to find an agent who is ready to do what it takes to sell your unique listing. Some agents are great at moving standard houses fast. Finding buyers for standard homes is what most of the industry is about but some real estate agents love unique homes as much as you and your future buyers do. And they are ready to put in the effort and creativity it will take to locate those buyers through publicity, staging, and niche marketing to find the perfect unique buyer for your unique listing.

Don’t be afraid to interview a few agents before choosing. Look for one that is truly delighted with your home and is as excited about researching its quirks and finding a buyer as you are about seeing the home go to someone who will appreciate its personality. If an agent seems nervous or uncomfortable, find someone who isn’t.

Make a Splash

The next step is to get the word out. Because your unique listing needs someone very special as its new owner, the usual channels may not be able to reach them. They might live in another state or might not even be looking because they don’t realize a potential dream home is now on the market. This means that the farther you can spread the word about your listing, the better. Host events, get into the news, and post the listing far and wide on the internet. That said, don’t neglect the standard channels because almost everyone who is just beginning to consider buying new homes checks popular online platforms like Zillow, Trulia, and Realtor.com.

Market to Your Niche

Finally, know your niche. Every type of unique home inevitably falls into one of the more unusual housing markets, some of which no one has heard of. There are whole communities that are enthusiastic about dome houses, others who love renovated historical buildings, and others who are crazy about anything hand-built and off-grid. Even if you didn’t know you were part of a housing niche, find where like-minded homeowners gather and market your unique listing in these communities.

Learn More About Selling a Unique Listing

For more helpful tips, guidance, or personal assistance finding a buyer and getting a great price for your unique listing, contact us today!

Top 6 Home Organization Upgrades that “SPARK JOY” For Buyers

Written by Leslie Beck on June 18, 2019. Posted in Article. No Comments on Top 6 Home Organization Upgrades that “SPARK JOY” For Buyers

Thanks to Marie Kondo and her hit Netflix series “Tidying Up,” home organization is a hot topic right now. Marie encourages her viewers to minimize their possessions and keep only those items that “spark joy.”

With spring in full bloom and summer around the corner, now is the perfect time to do some cleaning and add organizational systems to your own home. Not only will you clear out clutter, but your efforts can also actually increase the value of your home.

Ready to give it a try? Here are six home organization ideas that will “spark joy” for you and your property value.

Boost Bathroom Storage Capacity

When was the last time you cleaned out your bathroom cupboards? If it’s been a while, remove everything and take a look at each item. Toss any old or expired products—keep only what you actually use.

If your vanity has drawers, add drawer organizers, so you have a dedicated space for smaller items, like makeup and jewelry. For deep cabinets, install roll-out shelves or baskets to maximize the use of space.

And don’t forget about the walls! Mount open shelves to store towels. If you’re short on storage space, a cabinet over the toilet can offer additional room for supplies. These inexpensive additions can make your morning routine a little easier while giving your bathroom a more custom feel. And on average, minor bathroom remodeling projects like these see a 102% return at resale.

Upgrade Your Laundry Room

Sort through the items in your laundry room and throw away or donate anything you no longer need or use. If you’ve been holding onto a collection of old washcloths and single socks, it’s time to say goodbye. Then give your laundry room an upgrade with some customized organizational features.

A mix of open cubbies and cabinets with doors will give you plenty of options for storing detergents and supplies. If you have space, a divided hamper or set of laundry baskets can provide a place to sort your clothes before washing them. Install a hanging rod or drying rack for delicates and a flat work surface for ironing and folding clothes. With a few simple tweaks, you can turn this chore into a score!

Fully Utilize Your Basement or Attic

Basements and attics can easily become dumping grounds for clutter. If that’s the case in your home, you know what to do!

Once you’ve conducted a thorough clean-out, think about how you can better utilize the space to meet your family’s needs. Install cabinets and a table so you can use the area as a craft room. Or you could turn it into a game room with a media center and ping-pong table. Investing in your basement will not only add function for your family but also the average basement remodel can see up to a 70% return on investment when it’s time to sell.

If you have an attic, consider adding a cedar closet to store your off-season clothing. The cedar lining will keep your clothes free from moths and smell fresh year-round.3 Turning your attic into a more usable space will pay off down the road, too. A finished attic sees an estimated 60% return on investment.

Customize Your Closets

Cleaning out the closet is a chore most of us dread, but by now, you’re a pro! Get rid of the clothes and shoes that don’t fit you, are uncomfortable to wear, or that no longer “spark joy.”

Then it’s organizing time. So where do you start? You’ll want to create a designated space for each type of clothing: high-hanging rods for dresses and long jackets, lower rods for skirts and shirts, and shelves for folded items like jeans. And accessories need a place to go, too. Add racks for your shoes, drawers for jewelry, hooks for hats, and shelves or racks for handbags.

A well-equipped closet can be a major draw for buyers—the average return on a closet remodel is 57%.4, but more importantly, it’ll improve your day-to-day life. Surveyed homeowners gave their closet remodel a “Joy Score” of 10 out of 10, higher than kitchen or bath upgrades.

Install Built-in Bookcases and Cabinets

Built-in furniture adds functionality and storage to a room while giving your home a high-end look. Built-in bookcases can turn an empty room into an office. Custom cabinets can be used in a living room to display media equipment while providing hidden storage for DVDs, board games, and family albums.

When designing any built-in feature, remember not to go too custom. A design that only fits your tastes or belongings could turn off future buyers. Instead, select standard sizes and classic finishes to appeal to a broad range of buyers when it comes time to sell.

Equip Your Garage

If you can no longer fit your car in your garage, it may be time for a clean-out. Similar to an attic or basement, the garage can quickly become overrun with clutter. A thorough cleaning will help you assess which items are worth keeping.

When adding organizational systems to your garage, start with a small rack to store yard tools and larger racks for bikes and sports equipment. Overhead racks are a great place to put seasonal items and bulky luggage. A workbench against a wall lined with pegboard and hooks creates a dedicated space to use and store tools. If you have children or pets, add a cabinet with a lock. This will give you a place to securely store harsh chemicals and sharp tools. With a little effort, you’ll be pulling in your car (and buyers) in no time!

Spring into Action!

If you’re searching for service providers to help with your seasonal cleaning or home organization efforts, let us know! We can connect you with our trusted network of local home improvement professionals. We can also help you determine which organizational upgrades will add the most value to your home. Call us today, and let us know how we can help!

Making Friends With Lawyers To Find Profitable Homes to Flip

Written by Leslie Beck on June 11, 2019. Posted in Article. No Comments on Making Friends With Lawyers To Find Profitable Homes to Flip

For most people, the image of shabby properties and suit-wearing lawyers do not go together. Searching for flip projects involves keeping your eye out for run-down homes, searching the newspaper or Craigs List, and other cleverly humble beginnings. In reality, making friends with the right kind of lawyer could be the ideal way to find a steady supply of homes that are not only ready to be flipped, but the sellers are eager to get the property off their hands quickly.

In the flipping industry, your time is money. An eager seller means less time spent negotiating and, likely, a better deal on the home’s starting value. Of course, you’re not going to find ideal flipping opportunities from just any lawyer. Criminal defense, corporate law, and tax code lawyers, for instance, have nothing to do with residential properties.

What you’re really looking for are three types of lawyers that may or may not have overlapping practice areas: Probate lawyers who deal with estates of the recently deceased, divorce lawyers who split estates during the dissolution of marriages, and real estate lawyers who specialize in expediting property sales. With local lawyer friends in these three practice areas, you may never find yourself short of flipping opportunities again.

Probate Lawyers

One of the best places to look for homes in desperate need of flipping is estate sales. Home flippers have long since discovered that homes on sale from an estate are great flipping opportunities, but why wait until the houses are already on the market? By making friends with a probate lawyer, you could be the first call made to help move a property quickly at a reasonable price. Here’s how it works:

When a home-owning adult dies, their home and other possessions are passed down to heirs and will beneficiaries. However, the home inheritor often has zero interest in cleaning, owning, and paying for a house they never intended to possess. Many people who inherit a house from a deceased relative are eager to get it off their hands without going through the expense and hassle of cleaning, repairing, staging, and market procedure.

That’s where you come in. If you know a probate lawyer who is responsible for handling the transfer of ownership, you can also be the first recommendation they make to inheritors on how to get rid of an unwanted house. Then you take on the cleaning, repairs, and staging that you do so well. And best of all? Most of these homes will still be perfectly livable without many (if any) serious repairs or updates needed.

Divorce Lawyers

Of course, while probate may be a great place for referral flips, no one wants to get a home off their hands faster than a couple divorcing and settling accounts. Divorce is tough for joint homeowners because either one person ‘gets’ the vast majority of the couple’s shared net wealth (and debt), or the house must be sold and the proceeds split evenly between the divorcing pair. And divorce lawyers are the ones caught in the middle, trying to help couples sell the house and settle the difference.

As a professional flipper, you are the ideal friend for these Divorce lawyers and their divorcees in getting a home sold quickly so the proceeds can be split. You want to be the name at least one local divorce lawyer suggests softly to their worried clients as a way to sell the house without the usual staging and marketing delays. By making friends with divorce lawyers, you can be their go-to solution for home sales and get a steady supply of houses to flip that is already in good condition.

Real Estate Lawyers

Finally, there is a type of lawyer that deals professionally in many types of real estate, particularly helping everyday home buyers and sellers exchange property ownership. Often, probate lawyers and sometimes divorce lawyers also specialize in real estate, but not always.

Real estate lawyers handle all kinds of property all day long and while not every case will be something you and they can help each other with, some will be. Most real estate lawyers would be glad to know a professional flipper because, occasionally, they are asked to handle some really unappealing properties. If you can turn those cases into ‘success’ sales for them, they would be glad to connect you with ideal flipping opportunities.

Learn More About Making Friends With Lawyers

Customers and agents may be the source of real estate activity, but lawyers are the glue that holds it all together. By making friends with the right kind of lawyers, you can become the go-to solution for all sorts of ugly-but-salvageable real estate opportunities. When a probate lawyer needs someone to take an inherited property off of a client’s hands, you can be there.

When a divorce lawyer needs to sell a family home fast to finalize a separation, you can be there. And when a real estate lawyer needs to move a currently unlovable property at minimal expense, your flipping expertise is exactly what they need. A friendship with property-handling lawyers is the kind of connection that works well for everyone involved.

For more professional home flipping tips, contact us today!

Tips to Sell Your Home Quickly

Written by Leslie Beck on May 8, 2019. Posted in Article. No Comments on Tips to Sell Your Home Quickly

Once you have decided that you are ready to sell your home, you might want to get moving. You may already be thinking about your next home, totally done with the one that you are living in.

Though it can take a few months (or longer) to sell your home, it doesn’t have to be that way. Here are some tips to sell your home quickly.

Declutter Your Home

Most people’s homes are filled with their prized possessions. Though these items may mean a lot to you, they aren’t going to mean anything to people who come to look at your home.

For this reason, you need to declutter your home before you put it on the market. Take time to get rid of things that are just laying around (including old magazines, extra books and toys, and even some of your appliances that are sitting on your kitchen counter).

Don’t Forget the Drawers and Closets

Though you may want to shove all of this clutter into your closet, this isn’t a good idea. You want to show potential buyers how spacious your closets are. They aren’t going to feel that way if they see them shoved full of junk.

Well-organized closets (that are only moderately full) will make buyers realize that they will have plenty of room in them for all of their things.

Look at Your Furniture

Really look at the furniture that you have in your home. If you have too much furniture in your rooms, it is going to look too cramped. People are more likely to buy homes that look spacious. They can move around in them better and imagine spending evenings with their family and friends in the large living room and kitchen.

Remove Your Personal Effects

You also need to remove some of your personal effects. If you want potential buyers to imagine their lives in your home, you need to get rid of your pictures and other personal effects that you have laying around.

Rent a Storage Unit

To do so, you might need to rent a storage unit for a while.If the thought of getting rid of a lot of these items stresses you out, you may want to rent a storage unit for the time being. You can store your extra furniture as well as items that you don’t need on a regular basis, such as Christmas decorations, fall clothing (during the summer), and much more. This also gives you time to go through things once you get your home ready to be shown.

Clean it Really Well

Once you have gotten through your home, it is time to clean, clean, and clean some more. Every home looks better when the sun comes in the windows and the counters sparkle.

Spend a Little

Don’t be afraid to put a little money into it. If your walls are scratched and marked, a new coat of paint can really brighten up the room. If your carpet has more stains on it than not, you might want to spend the extra money on a new carpet. Little extras will make a home look much nicer, helping it to sell much quicker.

Hire a Real Estate Professional

Though you may want to save money and sell your home by yourself, the truth is that a real estate professional can make the process go much quicker (and smoother)!

Learn More About Selling Your Home Quickly

If you are serious about selling your home (and fast), it is important that you get ready to do so. You are going to need to get rid of all of the little things that you have laying around. You may also want to lose some extra furniture, so your home looks more spacious. Many buyers are also turned away by personal effects so you may want to take down your family pictures.

Times When You Should Sell Your Home

Written by Leslie Beck on April 17, 2019. Posted in Article. No Comments on Times When You Should Sell Your Home

Though most people struggle when they are trying to decide when is the right time to sell their home, there are times when it is a pretty simple decision. Some of these reasons are out of your control, which almost makes the decision a little easier. There is no way that you can continue to live in your current home. However, there are some times when it isn’t as clear-cut.

That being said, here are some times when it is a good idea to try to sell your home.

You Have Outgrown Your Home

Your home may no longer fit your needs. If you have started to have children, you may need another bedroom (or two) so that everyone fits well.

If you do a lot of entertaining, you may notice that your living room seems too cramped when the entire family comes over. You may need more room in your kitchen if you host friends over for meals.

You May Be Ready to Downsize

There are many times when it is a good idea to think about downsizing. For most people, this is when your children move out, and it is only you and your spouse alone in your house that was big enough for a family.

However, as you get older, you might want to think about downsizing for other reasons. The maintenance on a larger home (and bigger yard) can quickly become too much for you to keep up with. A smaller home (with less yard) could make your life a whole lot easier.

You Are Relocating to Another Location

While some people rent out their old home when they relocate, for most people, it is easier (and less stressful) to simply sell their home instead. It can be really hard to be a landlord when you live far away. Besides worrying about maintenance, you also won’t be able to see it to make sure that your tenants are taking good enough care of it.

You Can’t Afford Your Current Mortgage

For most people, their mortgage is their biggest bill. Sometimes, it is more than they can afford, especially if one person loses their job or decides to stay home with the children.

By downsizing (even just a little), they might be able to live more comfortably, instead of living paycheck to paycheck. Even an extra few hundred dollars a month could make a big difference in your life. You might not feel like you are drowning anymore. In fact, you might be able to start saving for your future.

You Got Behind on Your Mortgage

Once you get into debt trying to keep your home, it only gets worse. Your first missed payment will continue to add to the next payment and so on.

Each month, you will end up owing more and more money to your lender. After a few months, as your payments continue to add up, you are probably going to feel like you are way behind on your debts.

You Owe Back Taxes on Your Property

Taxes are another big expense when it comes to owning a home. While most people have theirs included in the mortgage, others don’t. Instead, they get a huge bill of a few thousand dollars at a time. If you aren’t prepared, you could get behind on your payments quickly!

Though most people sell their homes when they outgrow them, or they decide to downsize, others make the decision based on their finances. A lost job could really hurt them when it comes to keeping up with their bills, especially a mortgage, which is probably the most expensive one that they have! If you get behind on your mortgage or your taxes, the bills are just going to keep piling on until you are so far behind that you can’t see clearly.