Blogging with Bri

Buying Your First Home but Short on Down Payment Funds? This Grant Could Help.

One of the biggest hurdles for first-time homebuyers isn't the monthly payment—it's coming up with the upfront cash. The good news is, there's a grant program designed specifically to help with that.

It's called the Homebuyer Dream Program (HDP), and it's helped many local buyers bridge the gap to homeownership. I've personally worked with several clients who used this grant to assist with their down payment, offset closing costs, and even cover required homebuyer education. For many, it made buying a home possible sooner than they expected.

There are three versions of the program—HDP, HDP Plus, and HDP Wealth Builder. Which one you qualify for depends on...

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When purchasing a home, buyers have a tendency to fixate on the purchase price of the property. While it is obviously important to stay within a budget that you can comfortably afford, there is another number that is way more important in my opinion. Say it with me - monthly payment.

Your monthly payment is the amount that you will be paying to the bank every month after you close on your new home. This amount typically includes your loan principal and interest, plus taxes & homeowners insurance. 

So why is the monthly payment the more important factor?

Well for one, interest rates. With everchanging mortgage rates, your monthly payment can differ significantly depending on where rates are currently standing.

For example - a $250K house purchased in 2021 with a 3% interest rate is going to have a VERY different monthly payment than the same exact $250K house purchased in 2025 with a...

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Your Real Estate Attorney is one of the most important individuals that will be involved in your real estate transaction. Let's dive right into some of the most important questions people have regarding real estate attorneys & attorney approval.

What is attorney approval?

Attorney approval is typically a 3-day period, where both the buyer's attorney & seller's attorney review the purchase contract on the sale of a property. Until BOTH attorneys sign off on approval of the contract, anything is fair game. During this time, a buyer can back out of the deal for no reason at all, without penalty. Alternatively, a seller also has the right to cancel an offer that they already accepted to take one that is better. 

Do you really need an attorney? 

YES. In New York State, only a licensed attorney has the right to legally sign off on contracts relating to the sale of a home.

Your attorney will review the purchase contr...

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Having a solid team on your side when purchasing or selling a home is so, so important and I cannot stress this enough.

Purchasing a home is one of the biggest financial decisions you will ever make in your life. Please do not go at it alone and please do not just automatically choose some random Joe Schmo or the person who happens to be on the other end of your calls to Zillow. (P.S. no offense to any realtors on Zillow - I am sometimes one of those lucky ones that you will get on the other end on the phone as well).

My point is - be sure to VET the team you are choosing thoroughly - ask people you know & trust for referrals, read reviews online, & do your research before selecting someone for the job. 

There are SO many important people you deal with when purchasing a home, but here's your top five "most important players" in my personal opinion.....

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So, we've all seen the headlines. We've seen the panic. It leaves a lot of people wondering, what's next for us?

I got a call this weekend from a newer agent who questioned what this NAR settlement means for the real estate industry and his career going forward. "Should I find some other type of work?" 

For those of you that don't know, the National Association of Realtors (NAR) recently reached a settlement on a lawsuit that argued conspiracy of price fixing commissions within the real estate industry. This settlement proposes many new changes to the way that real estate professionals do business - many of which will not take place for at least a few months.

I may be in the minority when I say this, but I'll tell you - I'm here for it. Because change brings opportunity, and those that find the opportunity in all this will rise above the rest. 

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