Written by guest blogger H.C. "Hutch" Hutchison, Ed.D. The VA Loan Entitlement is the basic amount for which the Veteran’s Administration will insure or guarantee a loan. The loan entitlement is based on an applicant’s income. The VA Guaranty Amount varies with the size of the loan and the property location with the VA guaranteeing 25 percent of the principal amount, up to the maximum guaranty. For the United States (excluding Alaska, Hawaii, Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands) the guaranty amount is the greater of... read more

Written by guest blogger H.C. "Hutch" Hutchison, Ed.D. VA Appraisal Everyone wants to get good value for their money when they make any type of a purchase, especially if the purchase is several thousand dollars! To ensure that a veteran is not paying more for a house than what it is worth, the VA requires a VA Appraisal. The VA will not guarantee a home loan unless the property is appraised (for value) by a VA-assigned fee appraiser. The required VA Appraisal can be requested by the buyer, seller, real estate age... read more

When negotiating the sale of a home, closing costs can be a major selling point. Quality real estate agents know that when negotiations are going south, getting creative is a must. If a buyer refuses to pay more for Jacksonville, NC real estate and a seller refuses to lower the asking price, it is the job of a Realtor to keep the negotiations moving. By offering alternate incentives for the buyer without lowering the asking price, both sides can still come to an agreement. Some of the creative offers real estate ag... read more

Jessica Riffle Edwards of Coldwell Banker Sea Coast Realty is featured in a USA TODAY article titled, "Mobile apps, quick response codes sell homes." The article highlights Edwards' use of video blogs in real estate and directs readers to a sample of her work.  Her innovative use of video technology has garnered much attention.  Jessica Riffle Edwards been the focus of stories by USA Today, NBC's Today Show blog, and earlier this year she was a speaker at Generation Blue, Coldwell Banker's ... read more

If you owe more on your home loan than you could sell your home for today, then you're "upside down" or "underwater." What are your options? Explore Alternatives Consider whether or not you really need to sell your home. Can you wait a few years to sell? Could you move in with friends or family & rent out your home? The ideal time to sell your home is not while you're "upside down," so explore your alternatives. Loan Modification First, call your mortgage company and try to get a loan modification done. A ... read more