If you’re seizing the moment this year by purchasing a home in Middle Tennessee, you’ll have dozens of beautiful areas to choose from. The first step toward narrowing down your dream neighborhood is determining whether the city or the suburbs are right for you. Today, we’re examining the pros and cons of life in both the city and the suburbs. 

Depending on what you prioritize at this stage of your life, you will likely feel strongly drawn toward one way of life or the other. Whichever you choose, remember that properties tend to increase in value over time, so if you decide to pack up and move into—or out of—the city, contact Parks Realty for assistance making the leap ASAP!

Pros of Living in the City

1.) Reduced Commute Time

Let’s face

Thinking about buying a first home or a second? You have many loan options, and each one varies as far as their down payment requirements. Use this quick guide to get an idea of the amount you'll need to put down on your next purchase.

Is 20% Down Always Necessary to Buy a Home?

The down payment refers to the monies you'll put down during the mortgage closing, and it's often expressed as a percentage of the property price. For example, 20% down on a $200,000 home means paying $40,000 at closing.

20% down can make homeownership feel too out of reach. But take heart, very few loan programs are firm about needing 20% at closing. You can even get a conventional mortgage with as little as 3% down! Read on to learn more.

**Make better

With rates at incredible lows, Americans across the country are refinancing their mortgage. But if you have poor credit, you may be wondering if it's possible. 

Refinancing with a low credit score isn't the ideal position, but it is possible. Here's everything you need to know about refinancing into a lower rate mortgage while having bad credit. 

But first, why bother refinancing in the first place? 

Refinancing saves you money because you end up paying less interest over the life of the loan. That can also translate to lower monthly payment, but if nothing else, it means that more of your payment will go to the principal than the lender. 

A handsome prospect for anyone! But for those with less-than-ideal credit, refinancing at a fair

Most homes have an element that could use some improvement before putting on the market. Perhaps the wood flooring is looking scratched and dingey. Or the tub and shower are showing their years. Or maybe the shingled roof is making your home look outdated. 

No matter what needs improving, when it comes to selling your home, there's a decision to be made: will you invest in upgrading and repairs, or will you sell as is?

Both of these scenarios have their perks, so the deciding can be tough. One the one hand, investing in remodeling and renovation can boost your home's value so you'll likely recoup the money and gain some extra. 

On the other hand, value-minded shoppers aren't afraid of a fixer-upper and may even prefer a home that they

The idea of your home getting foreclosed on can send a chill up your spine. It's understandable. Thinking that a bank shuts you out of your home with ruined credit is an awful thought. 

But here's the reality check: Not everything that you've heard about foreclosing is true. Here are the most common misconceptions about the process.

Myth 1: Banks want to foreclose on your home

Not true. While the lender has a legal obligation to get back the money still owed, foreclosure is always the last resort. 

Remember that banks get revenue from collecting interest, not owning real estate. 

Myth 2: You can't refinance with another lender

Refinancing is one of the ways that many try to avoid foreclosure. But what you may not know

For real estate investors, waiting for the market to stabilize is usually the way to go. But considering the current pandemic, stabilizing could take some time. And with so much real estate opportunity on the horizon (and currently), waiting may not be something you want to do. 

If this sounds like you, here are four principles to help guide you through real estate investing during a crisis.

1. Be Patient

It's an unfortunate expectation, but with the recent spike in unemployment, it won't be lone before we see homeowners foreclose. As an investor, you need to be patient and be more selective. 

Wait for a property with a large profit margin and can withstand a possible hit in resale value (more on that below). There are still many

Springtime is the most popular time for homeowners to list their homes for sale. However, given the health crisis (and financial crisis for many), you may be wondering if it's still a good idea to sell your home this spring. What are the pros and cons of selling your home during the pandemic?

Here are two sides to that coin.

Pros of Selling Your Home This Spring

Mortgage rates are currently competitive, and many experts believe they'll hover on the low end of the spectrum. With rates so low, and the uncertainty of when they will rise again, homebuyers will be looking to capitalize on this opportunity. This puts your listing in a great position, and finding a buyer despite the challenges should still be easy. Looking at it from a

Your credit plays a key role in financial opportunities, today and in the future. Understandably, the current pandemic environment is making it more challenging. But still, there are actions you can take to protect your credit. 

Here are tips that the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau suggested for protecting your credit during these trying times.

Request A Free Copy of Your Credit

Did you know that you're entitled to a free credit report every year? Unlike the hard credit inquiries that creditors do when you apply for credit, this free annual report does not negatively affect your score. 

Additionally, Equifax, TransUnion, and Experian (the three nationwide credit reporting agencies), also provide you with a free credit report

When it comes to home buying it feels like there are already limitless decisions to comb through of wants, needs, hopes, and budgets. While it can feel like there isn’t an easy way to start narrowing down what you are going to prioritize looking at or searching for, there is one important distinction that, if an obvious choice comes to you, you could easily mitigate a lot of time-wasting in the process. That decision is whether or not you are interested in a new construction home, or a resale home. Below we’ve laid out some of the biggest benefits about each type of home-buying. We hope this helps make your decision even a tiny bit easier! 

Perks of New Construction Homes

The “Green” Aspect

Whether it’s more on a cost basis or an

Whether you are buying a home or are refinancing, there are fees required to finalize the loan. We lump all these together and call them closing costs. With refinance loans, the closing costs are a bit less because certain elements are missing (such as title fees, home appraisal fees, and other sale-related fees).

This article will focus on the closing costs that you can expect to pay when you buy a property.

How much can you expect to pay in closing costs? 

Closing costs are about 2% to 5% of your loan amount. So if your loan is for $250k, you can expect to pay about $5,000 and $12,500 in closing costs. Admittedly, this is a fairly large range but we’ll break down the costs so you can have a better understanding of why it varies so much.