Are you a first-time home buyer? There are a lot of things you’ll want to learn before making that first purchase. Here are 9 tips to help you get a Thomasville home you’ll love and be prepared for additional costs you may not have considered:

1. Ask yourself if you're ready. Are you financially ready to buy a Thomasville home? Do you have a steady job and income? Do you have money for the down payment?

2. Get pre-approved. When you get pre-approved for a mortgage loan, your lender checks your credit and lets you know the amount of mortgage for which you qualify. Having a pre-approved loan will put you at the top of the list when presenting an offer.

3. Identify closing costs. The cost of closing on the sale of your Thomasville home shouldn't be overlooked. Closing costs include origination fees, title and settlement fees, taxes and prepaid items such as homeowner’s insurance or homeowner’s association fees.

4. Calculate your total monthly housing cost. Include taxes and homeowners insurance. In some areas, what you'll pay for your taxes and insurance escrow almost doubles your mortgage payment.

5. Include home maintenance expenses in your budget. Maintaining your investment can be labor-intensive and expensive. Unexpected costs for new appliances, roof repairs and plumbing problems can drain your bank account.

6. Find a Thomasville home. Identify the neighborhood, you want to live in. Hire a full-time REALTOR® who specializes in that neighborhood to help you find and negotiate the purchase of the home.

7. Get a home inspection. Make sure your agent includes a home inspection contingency in your offer to buy a home. If you're unsatisfied with anything found in the home inspection, have your agent negotiate with the seller to make repairs, pay for repairs or lower the price.

8. Make it to closing. You have your financing, your offer has been accepted, and you’re anxiously awaiting the day you close on your home. Now, you just have to make sure you don’t do anything to jeopardize your credit. Do not change jobs, buy a new car or apply for credit cards.

9. Celebrate. Congratulations! You’re now the proud owner of your first home. Buying your first home can be exciting, especially if you’re knowledgeable about the process and prepared.

If your goal for this year is to be a first-time homeowner, let First Thomasville Realty guide you through the process of finding and buying a home. Give us a call today at 229-226-6515 or email us at info@FTRealty.com for more information.

Selling a home as a FSBO (for sale by owner) is stressful, but it should never be stressful for your buyers. When lookers come to view your Thomasville home you need to make it as stress free and comfortable as possible. Here are a few ways to make your home a place that buyers will want to stay forever:

1. Open the Door With a Smile: Invite your viewers into your home with a warm and inviting smile and thank them for coming. That seems like a no-brainer but selling a home as a FSBO is stressful and it often shows on your face and in your attitude, especially after a long weekend of open house showing.

2. Bake: If you love to make cookies now is a good time to fill your home with the wonderful aromas of baked goods—just be sure to share. There's nothing more disappointing than a mouthwatering smell that isn't backed up by the goods.

3. Don't Rush Them: If your schedule is full, you picked a bad time to show your house. When buyers come, let them take all the time they need to walk about your home.

4. Leave Them Alone: No one likes someone looking over their shoulders. Your viewers are not going to feel comfortable discussing your home with each other if you're standing right next to them.

5. Make Sure they're Comfortable: Now is not the time for energy saving. Even if you would walk around in a sweater and extra socks to stay warm, don't expect your buyers to be comfortable with the thermostat turned down. Make sure it's warm enough in cold weather and cold enough in hot weather for your buyers to feel good about being in your Thomasville home.

6. Set the Mood: Start a fire in the fireplace, put on some relaxing music, anything to make your home feel more inviting. Avoid candles or air fresheners because it is impossible to know if your potential buyers have allergies.

For more tips on how to make your Thomasville home appealing to buyers, First Thomasville Realty can help. Contact us at 229-226-6515 or email info@FTRealty.com .

With so many Thomasville homes for sale, it’s hard to determine how much money and time you need to invest in order to get your home ready for the real estate market. To sell your house quickly, one helpful strategy all real estate professionals agree on is staging. In general, the goal of staging Thomasville homes for sale is to make it easier for potential buyers to see themselves living in that space. From getting rid of the excess stuff we all seem to accumulate to filling a home you’ve already moved out of with furniture, you’ll increase your chances of a fast sale by staging your home. 3 strategies of staging

1. Minimize clutter – Buyers could completely skip over the positive qualities of your home if they’re too focused on all of the toys, gnome collections or stacks of stuff you have laying around. If you can’t part with the possessions, then rent a storage unit.

2. Bring in a professional – If staging is too daunting of a task for you, or you just don’t have time, hire a professional to get your home in ship shape. He or she might cost a little now, but will save you time and money in the long run.

3. Rent furniture – Not everyone has the money to go out and buy new furniture for their living room, especially if you’ve already moved into another home. Renting furniture is more affordable than you’d imagine. For just over $100 a month, you could rent furniture, sell your home swiftly and be rid of your mortgage payment! From repainting a bright hallway for a more neutral look to putting your children’s larger toys in storage so they don’t clutter the living room, staging will take some time and effort, but your payoff could be huge. If you’d like to stage your Thomasville homes for sale, but just aren’t sure which choices to make or where to invest, First Thomasville Realty can help. Call us today at 229-226-6515 or email info@FTRealty.com .

Considering deflated real estate values, you might wonder if buying national and Thomasville real estate still makes good financial sense. According to the National Association of REALTORS® eighth annual Housing Opportunity Pulse Survey, nearly 8 out of 10 respondents believe buying a home does make good financial sense.

Surprised? Let’s examine three reasons Americans believe buying national and Thomasville real estate remains a good financial choice:

1. Lower home prices and low mortgage interest rates are making homes more affordable.

2. Almost 7 out of 10 believe that home values have stabilized in their area; the same number expects home sales to remain about the same through the end of the year.

3. The rate of foreclosures is also seen as stabilizing; 51 percent say the rate is about the same as

last year.

Another big advantage for you may be the tax benefits of home ownership. You will still, as always, be able to deduct the interest you pay, as well as other real estate related items on your income tax return. For most people that deduction equates to a sizeable chunk of money. It can mean the difference between owing the government more money at the end of the year, and getting a refund.

If you would like more information on how owning Thomasville real estate can make sense for you, give First Thomasville Realty a call today at 229-226-6515 or email us at info@FTRealty.com .