Laura Silvestri's Blog

Posted on 01/09/2025

Home improvement return on investment guide

Even if you're not planning to sell your home in the near future, it's helpful to know about the best options for home improvement return on investment. You put time and money into upgrading your house, why wouldn't you want to enjoy the benefits down the road? To help you get the best ROI, here are some home...

Home Impovements

Home Projects

Posted on 01/02/2025

Mortgage basics for homebuyers: Online preapproval & more

When preparing to buy a home, many potential buyers turn to online preapproval to jumpstart their loan process. While it’s a good idea to compare multiple lenders to find the best down payment option and interest rate, getting mortgage preapproval online can have its advantages. What is mortgage prequalification? Prequalification for a mortgage is based on a basic...

Mortgage Preapproval

Mortgage

+ 3 more

Posted on 01/01/2025

Pre- Approval is a More Involved Process Than Pre-Qualification

Photo by Tayeb Mezahdia via Pixabay When you start looking for your dream home, you need to know how much mortgage you will qualify for. Your real estate agent might ask you to get a pre-qualification letter. However, just because you are pre-qualified doesn’t mean that you will get the loan. You need a pre-approval for that, and...

Buying A Home

Pre Approved

+ 1 more

Posted on 12/24/2024

Should You Request a Home Showing?

Requesting a home showing usually is a great idea if you find a residence you may want to buy. In addition, there are many things you can do to get the most out of any house showing, at any time. Now, let's take a look at three tips to help you attend a home showing and determine if...

Posted on 12/17/2024

Native Gardening: Why the Trend Is Flourishing

Photo by Larisa Koshkina via Pixabay Restoring native habitat to our surroundings is like pressing the "refresh" button on biodiversity. Homeowners who embrace native gardening are making big contributions to healthy landscapes, which is great for maintaining the native ecosystems. Making a Difference—Beautifully Native plants are the greenery that would grow in certain areas with or without human...

Gardening

Landscapes

+ 5 more

Posted on 12/10/2024

Reaching Down-Payment Goals

Saving enough funds for the down payment on your home can be an obstacle for everyone. With general living costs and accumulated debt (Student Loans!), many young couples and professionals don't believe they'll ever save enough to move from being renters to buyers. There are steps you can take to put aside the funds you need for your...

Home Buying Help

Down Payment

+ 3 more

Posted on 12/03/2024

Key Issues to Address Before You Sell a Home

If you're planning to sell your house soon, you should prepare for the property selling journey. This can mean identifying potential home selling obstacles so that you can address these issues right away. Now, let's take a look at three issues that house sellers commonly face, along with tips to address these problems. 1. Exorbitant Initial Asking Price You...

Tips On Selling

Selling Your Home

+ 2 more

Posted on 11/26/2024

6 Hidden Costs of Owning a Home

Photo by Gabby K from Pexels The cost of owning a home is much more than just your mortgage. There is a sizable list of additional costs prospective homeowners should plan for when thinking about buying a home. Here we will go over the primary additional costs of home ownership you might not have thought of. Property Taxes...

Hidden Costs

Home Ownership

+ 3 more

Posted on 11/12/2024

A beginner's guide to PITI & property taxes

PITI is an acronym for principal, interest, taxes and insurance. In real estate, it's used by lenders to estimate your qualifications for a mortgage. One of the key variables in the formula is property taxes, which vary by location and individual home. But how do property taxes affect your PITI ratio? Here is a basic explanation to help:...

Home Value

Mortgage Lenders

+ 3 more

Posted on 11/07/2024

How to maximize your home sell earnings

If you’ve decided it’s time to sell your home, you may likely want to find ways to maximize it’s value. Even making just a few small changes can do wonders for increasing the value of your property and drawing in potential buyers. Enhance your house's curb appeal Allocating time and resources to increase your home’s curb appeal, you...

Home Seller

Home Sellers

+ 1 more

Posted on 11/05/2024

5 Ways to Prevent Water Damage at Home

Water damage can be costly and difficult to remedy. Luckily, there are some simple ways you can help avoid water damage at home by keeping up with regular maintenance. Here are some tips for reducing your risk of water damage: Clean Gutters & Downspouts Cleaning your gutters regularly can prevent blockage and ice dams. If you have debris...

Appliance Maintenence

Home Water Damage

+ 4 more

Posted on 11/09/2024

Another Property Sold - 537 Twisted Maple Lane, Hillsborough, NC 27278

Brand New Contemporary Farmhouse on almost half an acre. Enjoy your Private Haven in this Charming Neighborhood Enclave in West Hillsborough. 3 or 4 Beds, 2.5 Baths, 2405 Square Feet. Meticulously Built, High End Finishes Create Casual Elegnce Throughout. Open Spaces and Cozy Nooks, Many Places to Nestle In or Entertain. Covered Front Porch, French Doors Open onto the Back Deck Overlooking the Backyard and Mature Woods, Plenty of Outdoor Space for more Lawn or Garden Shed. Hardwood Floors and Ceramic Tile Baths, 9 Foot Ceilings. Exceptional Trim Work in the Crown Moulding, Wainscoting, and Closets. First Floor Primary Suite, Large Walk In...

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