With its iconic bridge, historic cable cars, and beautiful Victorian architecture, San Francisco is undeniably one of the world’s great cities. The entire region demands to be explored. The vibrant and diverse East Bay, with cities like Oakland and Berkeley, is a cultural and culinary hotbed. Napa Valley and Sonoma County produce some of the best wine in the world. San Jose, and Silicon Valley, is an...
You’ve decided 2023 is the year to ramp up your home-buying savings. You’ve finally zeroed in on one of the adorable bungalows you bookmarked online. To do that, you’ll need to make a down payment, which nearly three-quarters of millennials say is the biggest hurdle to home buying, according to a survey.But there are plenty of ways to put less than the traditional 30% down for a house, as long as...
Once you first consider when and how to buy a house, you’ll likely get all sorts of advice — some helpful, some not so much. And while it can be a long process, buying a home is exhilarating, rewarding, and a big commitment. Before taking the plunge, use this checklist as a guide to buying a house — and ensure you’re prepared for the various steps in the home-buying process. Here are a few tips to...
The popular view is that only some people can sell, that sales associates are born, not made. The reality is that anyone can sell, and the art of selling can be learned. Certainly, some people will have a natural aptitude for selling in the same way that some people have an aptitude for music or foreign languages. Still, anybody can achieve competence in selling if they want to. At a very basic level,...
Financing is providing funds for business activities, making purchases, or investing. Financial institutions, such as banks, provide capital to businesses, consumers, and investors to help them achieve their goals. The use of financing is vital in any economic system, as it allows companies to purchase products out of their immediate reach. Put differently, and financing is a way to leverage the time...
Real estate is all about location. Location is perhaps the greatest determining factor in the affordability, availability, and demand for housing. A more desirable location will almost always result in higher prices when compared to similar homes in less desirable locations. Picking the wrong location is likely to be more detrimental to the outcome of your investment than the level of investment you’re...
The difference between pre-qualification vs. pre-approval is the verification process lenders use to determine how much you qualify for. They may seem interchangeable, but they mean different things. With a pre-qualification, lenders rely on self-reported information to offer you a quote. It doesn’t typically require them to verify your credit, employment, or financial documentation. On the other hand,...
