The FOCUS Blog

Home Warranties Versus Homeowner’s Insurance: Why You May Want BothBy Susan DoktorIf you’re new to home buying or homeownership, you may be a little bit confused about the must-haves and the nice-to-haves in home protection. Home warranties and…

So you decided you are ready to buy a home! Now to decide what lender is the best for you and your purchase! You can always contact your Real Estate Professional at Sage Street Realty to help you make an informed decision, we are always available to help. But here are a few…

I am Sharina Van Syckle - Administrative Assistant & Transaction Coordinator ‘Extraordinaire’ for Sage Street Realty. My background is anything but Admin however, this opportunity fell into my lap and I LOVE IT! In deciding to write this post, I wanted to change my…

The big debate… Rent or Buy? The thing to remember when considering if you should be Renting or Buying a home is to know your own financial situation, your plans for the somewhat immediate future, and know what you are looking for in a home. If you cannot answer these…

With interest rates at historical lows, it is tempting to jump ship on your current mortgage whether through a refinance or the sell of your home. Here are a couple of questions to consider when trying to make this decision!

The first thing you need to know about homeowner’s insurance is that it’s not optional. Any lender you work with will require that your new home be adequately insured before they will write you a mortgage. You’ll need to show proof of insurance come closing time or…

Buying a home is always an anxiety-ridden process, and that goes triple for anyone who’s embarking on homeownership for the very first time. There’s so much to do and so much you don’t know that “overwhelming” hardly seems like an appropriate…

Not too long ago in our country's history, talking about making your house "greener" might get you labeled a hippie tree-hugger. But times change, and as gas, electricity, and water prices creep up, more and more homeowners are seeing the (strong) advantages that come with…

Just like in any other profession, there are good real estate agents ... and there are, unfortunately, subpar real estate agents, too. But how do you know if you've got a dreamboat or a dud handling your real estate transaction? One way to know whether you've got a good…

If you've never owned a house before, then it's entirely possible that you've never deep-cleaned a house. (Hey, no shame in that game.) But when the house is yours, the desire to see it as clean and sparkling as it can possibly be is strong -- and you might have no idea…

Between micro-apartments, tiny homes, and even #vanlife, the real estate industry is taking the saying “less is more” to previously unknown levels. And while we can all get behind the idea of streamlining your life and shedding possessions that no longer meet…

If you’ve been thinking about investing in real estate, getting your finances in order before you start searching for properties and scheduling appointments will save you from money headaches in the long run.  Real estate investments could be one of your largest…