< PreviousReady to Look for Your First Home? Some Tips to Get You on Your Way You’re finally ready to make the leap from renting into home ownership, which is a very exciting time. But, hey, let’s face it—it can also be overwhelming, and even a little scary. But don’t worry, with the right preparation, you’ll be ready to take the home search head-on and find the perfect home for you.now that you know How to prepare, it’s time to get out there and start hunting for your first home! Take a class. There are many first-time homebuyer education courses available, many of which are offered online. They provide potential homebuyers with detailed information, advice and budgeting tips on how to purchase a home. And upon completion, some provide a homebuyer certificate, which may allow consumers loan products that might otherwise be out of their grasp. Save, save, save. And then save some more. Prospective homebuyers need to save as much as possible toward the purchase price of the house and closing costs. Though minimum down payments start around 5 percent, the greater the down payment the more favorable the borrowing terms. If you can purchase a home with at least 20 percent down, you probably will save even more because you won’t need to buy private mortgage insurance (PMI). Find an agent. First-timers should ask around or look online to find a trusted real estate agent. An agent’s job is to know how much properties are worth, facilitate the sale process and bring an offer to the seller’s agent—and help guide you along the way. Research your mortgage options. There are a lot of mortgage options out there, each with their individual pros and cons. If you’ re having trouble saving up for a larger down payment, check out: x Conventional mortgages that conform to standards set by government- sponsored entities Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac., which require as little as 3 percent down. xFederal Housing Administration (FHA) loans, which permit down payments as low as 3.5 percent. x Veteran Affairs (VA) loans, which sometimes require no down payment at all. Shopping around for your mortgage can lead to real savings. Saving even a quarter of a point in interest saves thousands of dollars over the life of a loan. Here are some helpful ways to prepare yourself for your first house hunt:Think Big . Share Joy . Make A Difference . SHOP SMALL Kasa’s Pizza 6172 Paradise Valley Rd, Cresco, PA 570.839.8634 $2 Off Any Pizza! One Coupon per person per order American Candle 3414 Route 611, Bartonsville, PA 570.629.3388 10% Off Entire Purchase! Excludes Sale Items, Pandora, Bighton, Alex and Ani & Wine & Beer Country Kettle 2523 Milford Rd, E. Stroudsburg, PA 570.421.8970 $3 Off Any $30 Purchase One Coupon per Not valid with any other offer. One per family. Please present coupon. American Ribbon 925 Ann Street Stroudsburg, PA 570.421.7470 15% Off Total Purchase! Not valid with any other offer. Some Restrictions apply. One per visit The Big A Grillehouse 1 Fox Run Lane East Stroudsburg, PA 570.223.1700 Free Appetizer or Dessert! Up to $7.50 with purchase of 2 entrees. DIne-in only. Not valid w/ discounted menus or other offer. Alvin’s Off-Road Playground 2069 Long Pond Rd, Long Pond, PA 570.355.5060 $10 Off Wednesday/Thursdays Excludes holidays. Cannot be combined with any other offers. Earthlight Natural Foods 933 Ann Street Stroudsburg, PA 570.424.6760 10% Off Any Purchase! Not valid w/ any other offer. Exclusions apply, See Store for details. One coupon per customer per visit. Present coupon at time of purchase. Friendly’s in Tannersville 2942 Rt 611 Tannersville, PA 570.619.8877 $5 Off A $25 Purchase! Coupon cannot be used towards the purchase of a gift card. Present coupon when ordering. Not valid for use in conjunction wi/any other discount or promo offer. Limit one coupon per party per visit. Sales tax applies. Kitchen Chemistry 733 Main Street Stroudsburg, PA 570.730.4944 $10 Off Any $50 Purchase! Not valid with any other offer. Not valid on custom orders. IHOP 2550 Rt 534, Whitehaven PA 570.443.7443 133 Twin Rocks Rd, Lake Ariel 570.689.9112 20% Off Entire Order! Not valid w/ any other offers. Coupon must be presented. One coupon per party. Does not include tax & gratuities. The Forks at Buck Hill 10 Golf Drive, Mountainhome, PA 570.595.7335 10% Off Any Meal Purchase! Dine in only. One per group. Does not include alcohol or gratuity. Bubba’s Liquidation & Country Store 2756 Route 611 Tannersville, PA 570.664.8020 25% Off One Item! Not valid w/ any other offers. Does not incl. furniture. East Gourmet Buffet $1 Off Adult Dinner Buffet! Excludes holidays. 1 coupon per adult Not valid w/ any other offer. Dine in only. 3578 Rt 611, Suite 220, Bartonsville, PA 570.424.6086 611 Transmission & Auto Repair 1611 N 9th St E. Stroudsburg, PA 570.730.4800 $29.99 Basic Oil Change Or $150 Off Any Major Repair Not valid with any other offers. Biggie’s Pizza 694 Milford Road E. Stroudsburg, PA 570.872.9411 Large 18” Pie, 8 Wings, 5 Garlic Knots, $24.99! Not Valid with Any Other Offers. Cinder Bar & Grill 91 Millcreek Rd East Stroudsburg PA 570.421.1425 $1 Off Any Menu Item! Dine in only. Not valid with any other offer. One coupon per order per group please. Big Wheel 3226 N 5th St., East Stroudsburg PA 570.424.5499 $1 Off Admission New Customers only. Not valid with any other offers, holidays or special events. Carriage House 390 Manor Drive, Pocono Manor, PA 570.839.6761 50% Off Special! Stay 1 night Sunday thru Wed, Get the 2nd night 50% off. Not valid holidays or w/ any other offers. Consecutive nights. Selling Rustic Furniture, Farmhouse & Country DecorLakeside Manor Inn 3336 Frontier Rd, East Stroudsburg, PA 272-200-2900 10% Off Dine-In Or Take-Out! Good Anytime. Not Valid with Any Other Offer. Odd-Lot Outlet Rt 611, Tannersville 570-629-2000 Rt 209, Marshalls Creek 570-476-1900 15% Off Any Purchase! Must be redeemed at time of purchase. May not be combined w/ any other offers. Not valid on food & beverage Massage Academy of the poconos, llc 753 Phillips St. Stroudsburg, PA 570.421.5014 5% Off Any Service! Not Valid with other offers or prior services. 1 per customer. Covid protocal & restrictions will apply Pocono Oil & Spice 2989 Rt 611 Depue Plaza Ste 103 Tannersville PA 570.629.7883 10% Off On Any $25 Purchase! Not Valid with Any Other Offer. Marita’s Cantina 745 Main Street Stroudsburg, PA 570.424.8355 $10 Off Dinner! Dine-in Only. Buy 1 dinner, get $10 off 2nd dinner of equal or lesser value. Entrees, fajitas & combos only. Not valid w/ other offers Pocono Indian Museum Route 209 Bushkill, PA 570.588.9338 1/2 Price Admission! When a 2nd Admission of equal or great value is purchased The Potting Shed 931 Ann Street Stroudsburg, PA 570.424.1174 20% Off Entire Purchase! Not Valid with Any Other Offer. Some restrictions apply. Sonia’s Sweet Inspirations 927 N. 9th Street Stroudsburg, PA 570.664.6686 Buy 6 Cupcakes from the display & Get 1 FREE! Not Valid with Any Other Offer. Memorytown Ranch Resort 432 Grange Rd, Mt. Pocono, PA 570.839.1680 memorytownusa.com 10% Off Online Reservation Rate Use code: PW221 Must be entered at time of reservation. S & S Speedways 7062 Route 209 Stroudsburg, PA 570.420.5500 Buy 1 Race, Get 1 Race FREE! One Per Customer. Stone Bar Inn Route 209 Just 5 miles south of Stroudsburg 570.992.6634 20% Off Food! Dine-In only. Early Bird 4 to 5 pm to receive promotion. Not Valid with Any Other Offer. Yuppy Puppy Route 611 Bartonsville, PA 570.426.1800 $2 Off Any Purchase of $20 Or More! Not Valid with Any Other Offer. Sunset Hill Shooting Range 2282 Route 314 Henryville, PA 570.629.3981 $5 OFF Not Valid with Any Other Offer. Biggie’s Pizza 694 Milford Road E. Stroudsburg, PA 570.872.9411 Extra Large Pie, 10 Wings, 10 Garlic Knots, 1 Two Litre All For $39.99! Not Valid with Any Other Offers. House of Candles Route 715 North Henryville, PA 570.629.1953 $5 Off Any Purchase of $50 Or More Plus Free Gift! In-Store Only. Sale Items Excluded. Mountain House Tavern 1179 Route 390, Promised Land, PA 570.252.4275 $1 Off Any Cheesesteak! Dine-in only. Not valid with any other offer. Bulldog Liquidators 526 Marion Lane Brodheadsville, PA 570.991.2118 20% Off Any Single Item! One coupon per day per customer. Not valid w/ any other offer. EAT LOCAL SHOP LOCAL SPEND LOCAL ENJOY LOCAL East Gourmet Buffet 10% Off Lunch Buffet! Excludes holidays. Limnit up to 10 peo- ple. Limit to 1 check per coupon. Dine in only. Not valid w/ other offers 3578 Rt 611, Suite 220, Bartonsville, PA 570.424.6086 22poconoliving.net1 Your relationship with your real estate agent goes way beyond buying or selling a home. A professional real estate agent will be your connection to a myriad of resources you will need before, during and after the transaction, such as mortgage, title and insurance professionals, home improvement and repair services, home stagers, interior designers, painters and landscapers, cleaning services, etc. Many real estate agents are part of a brokerage that offers some of these services within the firm, or that has partner relationships with such firms. They are also well entrenched within the community and can offer great referrals on a whole host of sources that you might need. 2 Good real estate agents are not just after a deal at all costs. They’re looking after your best interests because their ultimate goal is to make you happy and create a client for life. Therefore, you can expect your agent to advise you on making the best possible decision, not selling you a bill of goods just to earn a quick commission. For example, if you’re looking at homes in a neighborhood that’s going to put you in a financial bind, a good agent will steer you toward an area that suits your preferences, but also your budget. A good agent is not a money-hungry shark, but a trusted guide. Remember this: The lifeblood of a real estate agent’s business is referrals, so most are committed to serving you and earning your trust. 3 A professional real estate agent is a financial analyst of the local market and will know how to price your home correctly for sale, or will help you make the best offer when bidding on a home to buy. These pricing decisions are based on an in-depth knowledge of knowing what has sold for what price in which neighborhood over the course of the last month, quarter, year, etc. They are also based on granular details of the home, such as a recent remodel that warrants a higher price or a needed repair that requires a price drop. So expect your agent to have a strong opinion when it comes to advising you on how to price your home for sale or put in a bid on the home you want to buy. Know that there’s a lot of research and knowledge that goes into arriving at those numbers. Remember, there’s more to a good real estate agent than meets the eye! Finding the right professional to work with will make your real estate experience positive and successful. 3 If you’ve never bought or sold a home before, chances are you have a preconceived notion of what real estate agents are all about. Unfortunately, you may also have the wrong idea or be misinformed about just what these professionals can do for you. Here are three things you probably never knew about working with a real estate agent: THINGS NO ONE TELLS YOU ABOUT WORKING WITH A REAL ESTATE AGENT Reprinted with permission from RISMedia. All rights reserved. Article+AgentPromo.indd 39/24/20 1:02 PMDownload TREB app THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX EXPAND YOUR SEARCH Find your next home by searching our network of over a million properties for sale or rent. Filter your results, find open houses, connect with trusted agents and more! OutsideofBox_DigestSize.indd 11/23/20 4:09 PMRBFYWQV RBFYTQH RBFWWMR Text Any R-Code On These Photos to 52187 For More Information & Instant Viewing On Your Mobile Phone 16201.32.1.016.qxp_FILLER2 12/28/20 9:57 AM Page 1RBFYWQV RBFYTQH RBFWWMR Text Any R-Code On These Photos to 52187 For More Information & Instant Viewing On Your Mobile Phone 16201.32.1.016.qxp_FILLER2 12/28/20 9:57 AM Page 1Next >