What do food, headrests and Tasmanian Devils have in common? They are all topics in the latest video from The Sean Z Team. Watch the video for all of that and more.
Archives for April 2016
It’s Important to Have a Home Inspection Before Buying a House!
Buying a home is one of the biggest decisions you will ever make, having the house inspected is an inexpensive way to find out the overall condition of the home!
Some home buyers think that skipping the inspection process is a way to save money. But this couldn’t be farther from the truth.
Take the case of a young couple, buying their very first home. They have found the St. Louis home of their dreams, but wisely, before they buy the house, they have it inspected by a certified home inspector. The inspector discovers a crack in the plumbing stack, which the owner must fix before the couple agrees to buy. So, the small inspector’s fee ended up saving the couple thousands of dollars that they would have otherwise had to spend.
Why a Home Inspection is So Important
The situation above perfectly illustrates the value of a home inspector. Having an inspection done generally happens at the time of the sale of the home. This is important because an inspection helps the buyer to avoid a costly mistake by buying a home that needs major repairs.
A good home inspector will assist the buyer by helping them understand what they are acquiring. A house may look like it is ready for the buyers to move in, but an inspector will look at the features of a home and see issues that the buyers couldn’t notice.
There are a number of different types of inspections that can be performed. First and foremost, a general inspection is done. They will assess the plumbing, electrical wiring, roofing, insulation, HVAC, ventilation, and the overall structure of the home. After it is completed, the inspector will give the buyers a report with suggestions as to what needs to be repaired, replaced, or improved upon. There may be things that need to be brought up to the current standards.
Another type is a radon inspection. Radon is a radioactive gas that is colorless, tasteless, and odorless. It is a gas that occurs naturally as a decay product of radium. According to the Surgeon General, radon is the second largest leading cause of lung cancer in the U.S. There are no safe levels of radon gas, so it is important to know if the house you are about to purchase is dangerous to occupy.
First Time Home Buyer St. Louis
In the end, you will be glad that you had a home inspection completed. It will give you peace of mind knowing that your new home is safe and in good shape.
The Sean Z Team are just as excited about your new home purchase as you are. We are proud to be a part of such a monumental milestone in your life and are dedicated to ensuring that it is the enjoyable experience for you that it should be. Call us today at (314) 361-9979 or fill out our online contact form.
Full Moon Tomatoes
Watch The Sean Z Team at USA Mortgage’s latest video for weekend events in St. Louis, the tip of the week, your chance to win the next Visa gift card drawing and more.
What should I know about the St. Louis USDA Home Loan?
Also known as the USDA Rural Development Guaranteed Housing Loan Program, it is a mortgage loan that is offered to rural property owners who qualify.
This unique program works with local lending agencies to extend 100% financing to qualified buyers living in rural communities.
Thousands of home buyers across the nation have already been assisted by these guaranteed loans. The loan caters to lower income families by offering lower interest rates and loan terms.
Sean Zalmanoff and his team of mortgage professionals, want to ensure that low or moderate income homebuyers in the rural sections of Missouri can achieve their dream of owning a home.
USDA Home Loans
A USDA home loan is so appealing because of the 100% financing! A buyer does not have to come up with money for a down payment, as long as the amount of the loan does not exceed the appraised value of the home. It may also be possible to roll other fees into the mortgage.
It is a program that is specifically meant for families with low incomes. Therefore, traditional credit scores may not be counted against those who qualify.
The USDA home loan program looks for homeowners that have no more than 41% debt ratio, and they even sometimes make exceptions to that rule.
It is good to know that this is a fixed rate mortgage. We can assure you that the rates will not suddenly skyrocket in the next years. When you and the lender agree on an interest rate and it will stay there for the life of the loan. So, when there are changes in the housing market or interest rates, neither will have any affect on your monthly payments.
Contact the St. Louis Mortgage Experts
If you enjoy the peaceful life of a rural setting, don’t let the opportunity to get this type of loan slip away. The professionals at Sean Z will be more than happy to help you secure the funds to get you and your family into the house of your dreams.
Call us today at (314) 361-9979 or fill out our online contact form.
What’s Going on Next Door?
Find out weekend events, the tip of the week and more from The Sean Z Team at USA Mortgage. Watch the video below for details. 
Do I Need a Real Estate Agent? The Importance of a St. Louis Realtor
Finding the right home for you and your family is not as easy as it looks. You need the assistance of an experienced real estate agent!
We live in a very “do-it-yourself” society. There is a whole cable channel devoted to DIY home projects. What was once someone’s area of expertise, is now reduced to watching how to do it yourself on a YouTube video.
What about when it comes to buying a home – should you do it yourself? It is a valid question since there is a recent proliferation of services that can help you complete your own real estate transactions. And after-all, couldn’t you save yourself the commission rates that most realtor’s ask?
Well, it may surprise you but going solo may end up costing you more than those commission fees do. The fact is, finding the right home for you and your family is not as easy as it looks. You need the assistance of an experienced real estate agent!
Reasons Why You Still Need a Real Estate Agent
The St. Louis metro area is loaded with magnificent homes, excellent school districts, sporting events, beautiful parks and unique dining experiences. It is important to find a home in the right neighborhood that lets you conveniently experience this great city. There is a lot more to a home than just the price! Having an expert realtor’s input and experience is invaluable.
Here are a few reasons why this is one project you don’t want to do yourself:
- They have easy access to all the properties in the right areas.
- They are experts at finding the homes that meet your criteria, getting in touch with the sellers’ agents, and making the appointments for you.
- They do all the negotiating for you.
- They handle contracts on a regular basis. They know which ones should be used, when they can be removed safely, and how to use them to protect you.
Work with an Expert Realtor in St. Louis
The Sean Z Team has spent over 10 years nurturing relationship with the best real estate agents in St. Louis. They are able to help you identify the homes that you can afford in the right neighborhoods. A good realtor will represent you through negotiating offers, accepting the real estate contract, understanding home inspections and appraisals, any title work issues, and all the way up to the closing table.
As your mortgage experts, we will be there to make sure all of your questions are answered. Our goal is to have made the home buying process as surprise and stress free as possible. Call us today at (314) 361-9979 or fill out our online contact form!
Duck Duck Goose
Want to know what’s going in St. Louis this weekend? Want to win our next drawing? Want to learn a great tip of the week? Watch this video from The Sean Z Team at USA Mortgage for all of that and more.
St. Louis Mortgage Expert Explains the Home Loan Process
We will make it easy for you by helping you understand the entire home loan process, starting from the beginning!
Whether you’re buying your first home or you have bought a number of times, going through the home loan process is an experience. The St. Louis metro area is loaded with magnificent homes, excellent school districts, sporting events, beautiful parks and unique dining experiences. There are many opportunities to purchase excellent homes at a great value.
At Sean Z Mortgage, we want to help make your home buying experience positive! We will make it easy for you by helping you understand the entire process, starting from the beginning.
The Home Loan Process
There are basically 6 steps to the home loan process. They are:
- Prequalification
- Applying for Your Loan
- Processing Your Loan
- Appraising Your Home
- Underwriting
- Closing
The prequalification helps you determine how much of a loan you can afford. This generally takes less than 5 minutes.
Applying for your loan is easy too. You can make an appointment with us to do this in person, or we can do this over the phone. It usually takes less than 15 minutes to complete.
Processing your loan may be better described as verifying your information. You will typically need 3 items: your last 2 pay check stubs, your last 2 W-2 forms, and your last 2 checking or saving account statements. While this information is being gathered, your credit report will be ordered and the appraisal on the property.
Appraising your home will initially take about 15 minutes to explore the property that is to be financed. Then, the appraiser will take time to research comparable homes in the area that have sold within the last 6 months.
After these steps your loan is sent to underwriting. An underwriter will determine if the loan is approved or rejected. If the loan is not initially approved, then if possible, a counter offer is made.
Finally, the closing. This term speaks for itself!
The TBD Mortgage Process
Many buyers think that they need to first find a house to buy before getting the paperwork done. However, 95% of what we do has nothing to do with the house. The first step is to fill out the application and provide a number of disclosures. Then we can submit everything to underwriting. Once this is done, you have 6 months before you would have to have a home under contract.
This entire process can begin online. The TBD Mortgage Approval Program can give you the confidence of a cash buyer while buying a house in St. Louis.
Contact the St. Louis Mortgage Experts!
Not only will we help make your home buying experience a good one, but we will take the time to match you with the best mortgage loan product available. Our mortgage underwriters will examine your credit history, employment history, debt ratios, down payment amount, reserves and any other necessary documentation to get you approved for financing while your house is still “To Be Determined.”
Call us today at (314) 361-9979 or apply online.
We’ve Got Something Huge This Week
Watch this week’s video from The Sean Z Team at USA Mortgage. This week is HUGE so don’t miss it! 