How can you achieve your goal of moving into the perfect home that suits your needs? Perhaps you settled for your current home, but you're now ready to find a house that better fits your preferences. Or maybe your circumstances have changed, and you need a different type of home that accommodates your needs.

If you're ready to take the next step, there are a few things you need to do. First, determine your options by speaking with a lender. They can tell you how much you can afford to spend on a new home and whether you need to sell your current one first.

Next, talk to a real estate agent to get an idea of how much your current home could sell for and what the process would look like. We can create competition for your home to maximize your options for selling and timing your move.

"By starting early and planning ahead, we can ensure a smooth transition to your new home."

We'll work with you to develop a game plan that takes into account your desired move date and other factors, such as your children's school schedules. By starting early and planning ahead, we can ensure a smooth transition to your new home.

Currently, the market is strong, with many interested buyers and motivated sellers. So it's a good time to make your move and get the best possible deal on both the sale of your current home and the purchase of your new one.

If you're ready to make the transition to the home that's right for you, contact the Fox Family Team. We have the expertise and experience to guide you through the process and make it as seamless as possible. 

Investing in real estate can be an excellent way to build wealth and secure your financial future. However, if you're looking to buy your first investment property, the process can seem daunting. The good news is that there are many ways to finance your investment property, and with the right guidance, you can find the perfect property to meet your goals.

One of the biggest things to figure out when buying an investment property is how you will pay for it. There are many financing options available, including traditional conventional financing, cash, 401k, and home equity lines of credit. With the current real estate market, a home equity line of credit may be an excellent option for those who have a lot of equity in their homes.

Once you have figured out your financing, the next step is to determine your goals for the investment property. Are you looking for long-term income to use for retirement or to replace your current income over time? Investing in real estate can provide a stable income source that will increase over time, as rental prices tend to rise. If you finance the property, you can also benefit from the fact that once it's paid off, it will generate even more income.

"The key to successful real estate investing is to get started."

The final step is to find the right property that meets your investment goals. This can be a daunting task, but with the right help, you can find the perfect investment property. There are many different strategies you can use, from flipping properties to buying rentals.

The key to successful real estate investing is to get started. Many people are intimidated by the process and never take the first step. However, once you buy your first investment property and see the benefits, you may be ready for a second, third, or even more. Investing in real estate is relatively easy, and with the right guidance, you can build a strong financial future.

If you're ready to start investing in real estate, don't hesitate to ask for help. I can guide you as you navigate the process and find the perfect investment property for your goals. Feel free to reach out to me by phone or email. I look forward to hearing from you. 

Are you a first-time homebuyer feeling a bit overwhelmed by the idea of purchasing your first home? Don't worry; you're not alone. Buying a home is a big decision, and it's one that many people have never made before. To help you with this, I’m sharing three essential things that you need to do to make purchasing your first home as smooth as possible.

First, find a trusted and experienced real estate agent. It's crucial to have someone on your team who knows the area, understands the process, and has your best interests in mind. Buying a house is not an everyday occurrence for most people, and having a knowledgeable guide can help you avoid pitfalls and ensure a positive experience. My team and I deal with hundreds of real estate transactions every year. If you need help, reach out to us.

Next, you need to find a good lender. If you come to me, I’ll recommend an expert who best fits your situation. I've worked with many lenders, so I know they're not all created equal. The lending process can make or break your experience, so it's important to work with someone you trust who can help you get the best rates and terms.

"A knowledgeable guide can help you avoid pitfalls and ensure a positive experience."

Finally, the third tip is to go shopping for your dream home. This is the fun part, where you make a list of your needs and wants in your dream home. You can start with the number of bedrooms and bathrooms and your desired price range. Then, you can move on to your wants, such as a fenced yard, garage, or neighborhood amenities. With your list in hand, you can start looking at potential homes and narrowing down your choices until you find your top picks.

When we reach that stage, we'll make the process incredibly easy for you. Many of our buyers have finished the process and commented on how much easier it was than they expected. We'll handle everything from start to finish, and all you need to do is provide the required documents to the lender. After that, you'll simply show up at closing. Before you know it, you'll be a new homeowner, having accomplished your goal.

If you know someone who's looking to buy their first home or need help with anything real estate related, call or email us. We’re here to help! 

Have Happy Valentine's Day! It's one of my favorite holidays; ever since I got married, I've had some great memories with my wife, Michelle, so I love Valentine's Day. In honor of that, I wanted to talk to you guys about a few reasons I love Charleston, South Carolina, for real estate. When I say Charleston, I mean the tri-county area. There are great places all within 30 to 40 minutes driving distance from Charleston. It's just a great place to be.

Charleston is a great place to visit, it's great to live in, and while people are moving away from many other places in the country, we have many people moving to Charleston. We're constantly getting on the list for the top five places to live, the top five places to get married, and the top five places to have a job. Why are all these people moving here? There are a few different reasons, and I don't want to get into stats so much as just what I like about it.

If you guys don't know, we homeschool our kids, so we have all these kids, and one thing I like about Charleston is that there's so much to do here with the family. There are so many different tours you can go on; you can relive history by taking a tour of a plantation, taking a carriage ride downtown, or going on a Charleston ghost tour. You could do something different every week, and it would probably take years to get through all of the various options for going on family outings, learning history, and those kinds of things. That's one thing that I love about it.

"It's just a really great place to be."

Another thing I like is the weather here. I know it gets hot in the summertime, but it doesn't get too bad, and in the wintertime, it can get cool. We have our share of fall days and cool days, but typically it's not going to snow us out. We're not going to get stuck inside with a bunch of snow. The weather tends to be nice, and I enjoy that.

I've lived in places I remember growing up where we had to drive 30 minutes to get a carton of milk, and maybe you want to be in the country. There are places where you can go and be in the country and drive in, but there are also a lot of areas that are near Charleston. Maybe they're not too congested, but like my house, for instance, out in a rural part of Summerville, we're 5 minutes from a Chick-Fil-A now. We're 5 minutes from Publix. We've got downtown Summerville where we can watch them light the Christmas tree and have that little Hallmark experience of the little town. Or we can get to the beaches in 45 minutes. We can get to any kind of fine-dining restaurant you want. I know some of you moved down from New York and can't get the right pizza, but I'm betting there's something out there, or it's coming. So there are lots of really nice options if you want to be able to go and get some good food or good entertainment.

Those are just a few of the reasons that I love it. I also have many family and friends here, and I just wouldn't feel like somewhere else was home. So I hope that that's how you feel. If you haven't been to Charleston yet, I'd love to show you around to show you the areas that you may want to live in. If you have a home that you love here that you need to sell, I would love to sell it for you and show everyone else why they should fall in love with the area your home is in as well. You can call me with any real estate questions or needs. I’d be happy to help you. 

Have you set any real estate goals for 2023? I'm a big believer in setting goals and making plans. That’s why today I want to share a few real estate goals that you can aim for:

1. Buy your first home. This is an awesome goal! I've helped many first-time homebuyers get into a great home. They often tell me it's easier than they thought it would be. To achieve this goal, remember that you need to start with a plan. If you can get into your first home, you’re on your way to becoming 40 times wealthier than the average renter. 

2. Buy your first investment property. Many millionaires, including wealthy doctors, lawyers, and accountants, made their money in real estate. I'd love to help you do the same. Buying your first investment property may be challenging, but I can help you create a plan to accomplish that goal in 2023.

"Homeowners are 40 times wealthier than the average renter."

3. Move into a new house. If your family has outgrown your house, I can help you sell your current home for top dollar and move into a property that's a little bit better for your family. If you're downsizing and want to focus more on traveling and retirement, I can also help you get into a home that will better fit your needs.

If you have any questions about real estate, we'd love to sit down with you and create a plan. We can accomplish your real estate goals in 2023. Call or email us; we’d love to connect with you. 

Do you need a Realtor when you're buying a new-construction home? I believe you do, and there are three main reasons why: 

1. You should have your own representation. When you go to buy a new-construction home, there is an agent, but they are the builder’s agent and they represent the buyer's interests. When I represent you and take you to meet that agent, I'm representing you. For example, I’ll be there to make sure you get the information you need about safety and value issues before you put your money down. I can also help you read complicated clauses and contracts so you know what to expect.

"I’ll make sure you get the most valuable property possible."

2. Your Realtor will have relationships you can lean on. After working in this industry for 18 years, I have relationships with a lot of the agents that are working with these builders. Oftentimes, clients find that they’re treated differently when people learn they are working with a Fox Team Realtor. People love working with us, and that will help smooth out negotiations and make the entire process much simpler. 

3. They can help you determine resale value. When you visit empty lots or half-built homes, things can start to look the same. However, I have the experience necessary to envision what the finished product will look like and how much it will be worth down the line. I’ll make sure you get the most valuable property possible. I’m there to advise you. 

If you have questions about this topic or anything else, please call or email me. My team and I are always willing to help! We want you to have the best experience possible with your new-construction home purchase.

Merry Christmas! We hope you and your family have a wonderful holiday. 

We just wanted to take a moment to thank you for your continued support throughout the years. We wouldn’t be where we are today without your help! It truly brings us joy to help you make your real estate dreams a reality. 

If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us. We’re here to help you in any way we can. Have a very merry Christmas and a happy New Year!

So you’re under contract to buy a home: Now what? There are a few steps that need to be taken between the time the contract is written and when you can move into your new home. This is one of the ways in which having a good team behind you can make the process a lot easier, but here are three things you need to consider:

1. Earnest money. One of the first things that happens is that you put down your earnest money. This can be very little or quite a lot, depending on how competitive the market is, but typically we see around $1,000.

2. Inspections and appraisal. The inspection and appraisal process is another where you’ll find yourself paying a little bit out of pocket. This will typically be around $350 to $500 for the inspection, depending on things like whether there is a crawl space, and $500 to $550 for the appraisal, depending on how things are negotiated with the lender.

"The steps that must be taken between when the contract is written and when you can move."

3. Documents and deadlines. Your No. 1 job as the buyer is to ensure that you have all of your information together and that you get that to the right parties as quickly as possible. We have a full-time member of our team whose sole responsibility is to ensure that we meet all of our deadlines and that the seller doesn’t get an advantage during negotiations. 

If you’re working with our team, that’s pretty much the entire process on your part. You pay the earnest money, inspection, and appraisal costs, and you ensure that the lender gets all of the necessary documentation. Everything else is handled by our team.

So if you’re looking to buy a home, please reach out to us as soon as possible. The sooner we begin, the sooner we can make this process easy for you. You can contact us by phone or email, and we’d be happy to help you out.

A question I often hear around this time of year is, “Should I sell during the holidays, or am I better off waiting?” Here are four reasons you might want to list ASAP:

1. During the holidays, homes always look nice. Your house is probably already decorated and is ready for holiday guests to come over. People get a great feeling about a home in that environment since they tend to buy with their emotions.

2. You have less competition during the holidays. It's very common for people to wait and put their house on the market in January. In the winter we have much less inventory than during spring, which is excellent for sellers. Low inventory means less competition, and you’ll close for closer to the list price. Additionally, since there are fewer homes available, more buyers will be interested in yours.

"Help buyers and get top dollar in the process."

3. You can show your house on your schedule. Everyone understands that you’ll be having important gatherings, so we can work around them. We can block out the schedule so that showings will be before or after to ensure that you're not interrupted during your family time.

4. Buyers are more serious. Buyers tend to be more serious around the holidays, so they'll probably work around your schedule. People are serious if they're out looking at houses in the cold. Changing life circumstances don’t wait for the spring, so those buyers want to get into a home now. You can make that happen for them and get top dollar in the process.

If you're wondering about selling soon, reach out to us by phone or email. We’d love to counsel you on your situation and whether you should list now or wait. Have a great holiday season! 

Selling your current home before buying a new one is the conventional way to move. However, depending on your situation, there will be times when buying before you sell is the better option. Whatever your reason, you should know that buying first comes with additional risks, such as paying two mortgages.

If you’re in a situation where you must buy first before selling, don’t worry. It’s not completely impossible, but it takes some strategic planning to make it happen. Here are four things that will help you buy before you sell:

1. Make an offer with a home-sale contingency. It’s possible to get a contingent offer accepted even in the hottest market because in most cases, you're moving up and may be buying a more expensive house and selling a less expensive home. For example, when you purchase a $500,000 house and sell a $300,000 home, that $300,000 house is going to sell a lot quicker typically. However, when you make the offer, your agent has to do a good job of explaining to the listing agent that your home will likely sell fast in today’s market. 

Sometimes the seller’s house has been on the market for a while due to its higher price point. You have to make sure your offer is attractive to them, and let them understand that taking your contingent offer makes sense. We know different ways to do this and we’re happy to help you.

"Knock and Ribbon are changing the way people buy and sell homes."

2. Finance with a bridge loan. When you buy with a bridge loan, you can use your existing home as collateral to get a loan for your new house. However, a traditional bridge loan isn’t always available. What my clients usually do is approach a lender who will let them buy the new house and put down 5% before they sell. After they sell, we buy the new house once they qualify. They put down the 5% and recast the loan. 

3. Use a service that will help you make a cash offer. Companies like Knock and Ribbon are revolutionizing the way people buy and sell homes. These types of companies will actually buy the new house for you while you sell the other house. Once you’ve sold the old house, they will then sell you the house that you want. There is usually a cost to that, but it can be worth it because it gives you the chance to move your things into the new house so you can focus on prepping the house you want to sell.

4. Keep the first house as an investment property. As a final advice, maybe you shouldn't sell that first house, and keep it as an investment property instead. If you get a renter to sign a lease, most banks will count it like you don't have that house payment and they'll let you qualify for the new house. That way, you can upgrade to a new house and you'll keep an asset that will go up in value.

Whatever decision you make, it all comes down to your situation. Give me a call or send an email, so we can talk about how you can make your move as smooth as possible.