House hunting is just like any other shopping expedition. If you identify exactly what you want and do some research, you’ll zoom in on the home you want at the best price. These eight tips will guide you through a smart homebuying process.

1.  Know thyself.

Understand the type of home that suits your personality. Do you prefer a new or existing home? A ranch or a multistory home? If you’re leaning toward a fixer-upper, are you truly handy, or will you need to budget for contractors?

2.  Research before you look.

List the features you most want in a home and identify which are necessities and which are extras. Identify three to four neighborhoods you’d like to live in based on commute time, schools, recreation, crime, and price. Then…

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- Here we are. Good morning, and it is Monday morning, 8:15, which means Monday Morning Mortgage Tip. And this is Shane Andersen with the Brookings Home Team powered by Century 21. I'm here with Barb from BankStar Financial, and she will give us our Monday morning mortgage tip here for ya. First of all, I just want to give my condolences to all those Vikings fans out there. So there you go. I said it. Your turn.

- Hey, just lately we've had a whole lot of people calling around about rates. And I think that they may think that there's a rate for mortgage lending, and there's sure not. So, while it's smart to compare, you need to know a few things in order to get a good answer as you call from lender to lender. There are many different kinds…

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By knowing how much mortgage you can handle, you can ensure that home ownership will fit in your budget.

 

Home ownership should make you feel safe and secure, and that includes financially. Be sure you can afford your home by calculating how much of a mortgage you can safely fit into your budget.

Why not just take out the biggest mortgage a lender says you can have? Because your lender bases that number on a formula that doesn’t consider your current and future financial and personal goals.

Think ahead to major life events and consider how those might influence your budget. Do you want to return to school for an advanced degree? Will a new child add day care to your monthly expenses? Does a relative plan to eventually live with you…

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- Hey guys Shane here from The Brookings Home Team, Century 21. No, it's not Monday, again it's Tuesday, and again, I have Andrew here from Dacotah Bank, which always seems to be the lucky draw here on the--

- Holiday.

- On the holiday time so thanks Andrew for adjusting your schedule, and making time for me here on Tuesday for the Monday morning mortgage tip. With that being said, I know it's cold out. People are probably not really thinking about building and stuff like that, but you might have some information on some loans for construction and things.

- Yeah Shane, like you said, I mean, it's definitely cold out there so I hopefully everybody's staying warm but a lot of you are probably thinking, hey it's not really the time to…

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The beginning of a new year invites a wave of optimism, with the ritualistic writing of resolutions for self-improvement. As a homeowner, the new year also marks an opportune time to check on the maintenance of your home and ensure that it is safe and healthy. Periodic check-ups are particularly important if your home is for sale or will be soon. Maintenance problems may deter buyers and will surely be revealed by the inspection once the home is under contract, which could lead to delays in closing or even the loss of a sale.

This January, resolve to spot potential maintenance issues before they become costly catastrophes. Here are some ideas:

    • Ensure that all smoke detectors are functioning properly. While the batteries in a smoke detector…

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All right. Good morning everybody. Shane here from the Brookings Home Team, powered by Century 21. And it is Episode 2, 3, number 23; the first one of 2018. And I got my friend Emmy here from Dakota Land. She is going to talk about today's Monday Morning Mortgage Tip; like I said, the first one for 2018. If you have any questions for Emmy after this video, or during any time, feel free to reach out to her. I'll have all of her information as normal, on the top, on the bottom, on the sides, wherever you can find it on your device there. You'll be able to reach out to Emmy and re at Dakota Land with any questions. And again, as always, if you have any questions throughout the week that you'd like to be answered, feel free to put them in the…

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New Year, New Name, Same Century 21 Office

If you haven't heard yet, Janean Caugherty & Shane Andersen have officially joined forces to create Brookings Home Team powered by Century 21 GKA.

Shane started his Real Estate career in July 2009. The perfect time when the market was down and the housing industry was hitting a low.  Little did he know that 8 years later he would be in a position to set up a team to even better serve his clients.  The Brookings Community has been wonderful in supporting him and giving him the opportunity to help families each and every day.  

Janean started in 2014, and she has hit the ground running ever since.  She has an excellent way of communicating with her clients and not making them feel pressured to do…

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As 2018 is fast approaching, you may find yourself promising the usual resolutions; exercise more, save money, and eat healthy. Does your New Year's resolution include buying a home in Brookings, Aurora, Volga, or the surrounding area? Maybe you are a first time home buyer or your family is growing and you need more space. Whatever the reason, here are some tips to get you on the right track:

Trust Your Gut

Buying a home is huge! When you are looking for someone to help you find a home, finance a home, or inspect a home you need to be able to trust those you are working with to be looking out for your best interest. I can help you get in touch with trusted sources at First Bank & Trust and Fairway Mortgage that I work with regularly. 

Know…

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With winter approaching, cold and flu season is in full swing in most places. The chaos of the upcoming holiday season—combined with the stress of selling your home and planning a move—can erode your immune system and leave you vulnerable to illness. However, infection may be preventable with early, aggressive action. In addition to the standard advice like getting plenty of sleep and washing your hands frequently, here are a few overlooked strategies for staying healthy this season:


    • Drink hot tea with honey and a squeeze of lemon juice. Inhaling the steam from hot tea will help the cilia—or hair follicles—in your nose rid the body of germs. Meanwhile, lemon juice is rich in Vitamin C and is believed to decrease the severity of colds…

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Sure, we all think about it. How nice it would be, how exciting it’ll be. But now the question is – when? When is a good time to sell your home?

Good news

If you’re trying to decide, just know that it’s a great market for sellers right now! Now that doesn’t mean do it now. There are a lot of things to consider first.

Let’s get personal

You have to take your own personal situation into account. Take a good, hard look at your finances. If you’ve paid off all of your non-home debt, you’re sitting good. Ask yourself, “Can I actually afford the move?” It is indeed exciting, but it comes down to dollars and cents. Do you want professional movers, and things like that.

Get a free Comparative Market Analysis (CMA) from your agent

A…

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