If you need information on first time home buyer and  buying a home  in the Sumner, Robertson, Davdison or Cheatham County areas of Tennessee, including Goodlettsville, White House, Hendersonville, Springfield and Pleasant View, Tennessee, please visit my home page to get started on searching for homes and getting valuable information on buying or selling your home.  You may also want to chose where to live in Middle Tennessee.

Buying a first home can be a daunting experience. Here are five common and sometimes costly mistakes that new home buyers make:

1. Ignoring the costs of having a low credit score. Lower-score borrowers pay thousands of dollars in increased interest rates over the life of the loan. Don't think that not paying that cell phone bill is not going to make a difference, lenders will want to check everything.

2. Muddying the waters by shopping for other things before closing. Lenders continue to check credit scores right up until the time of closing. Too much shopping could cause the lender to take back the loan. Wait to buy new appliances and furniture and don't buy a new car during the middle of your loan process.

3. Scrimping on an inspection. Being surprised by the need for expensive repairs can be financially devastating.  Get a professional home inspector to give you an idea of any repairs that might be needed.

4. Buying without contingencies. Buyers should give themselves an out if the inspection turns up problems or the bank raises the interest rates.

5. Not using a Buyer's Agent.  Buyers should always use aRealtor or Buyer's Agent to help in the transaction of thier largest asset.  Stay away from For Sale By Owners or Builders that do not want you to have representation.  Your agent will insure you have the proper contingencies mentioned above.  

excerpts from: CNNMoney.com, Les Christie (04/19/2010)

Slow Cooker Southern Style Ribs

This slow cooker method for making country style ribs is so easy. If you like ribs, you will love this recipe! Shared from The Southern Lady Cooks.  Thanks Judy!

A special thanks to a long time client and friend, Chellsey Woolever who graciously offered to share one of her recipes with all of us.

Andes Mint Cookies

1 Devil's Food Cake Mix
1/2 cup oil
2 eggs
1 package of Andes Mints

Slow Cooker Ham and White Beans

Slow Cooker Ham & White Beans 1 lb package dried northern beans ham bone, hocks, shanks or diced ham (about 1 pound) 2 tsp onion powder 6 cups water salt & pepper to taste Rinse and sort the beans for any pebbles. Add the the rinsed beans, onion powder, salt, pepper, and ham to the crock pot. Add water. Cover and cook on low about 8 hours, until beans are tender. Remove ham bone, shanks or hocks and pull off the meat. Add meat to the crock pot and mix. Serve with cornbread.

Source of original recipe unknown.

If you are searching for a home in the Hendersonville, Springfield, White House or Goodlettsville area of Middle Tennsessee, please contact me and I will be happy to assist you.  Search for homes and get listings to your inbox.

By:  Rachel Louise Ensign

This New Year's, you may want to make a resolution to go house hunting.

Home prices are finally starting to recover, but they're still low enough to get a great deal. Add to that interest rates that are at historic lows, and 2013 may be the time for first-time home buyers to finally get in the game.

"We think the answer, definitively, is that home prices have bottomed," says Stan Humphries, chief economist of real-estate firm Zillow. "Right now, buying looks very attractive, even for short-term time horizons."

While the timing may be right, the tougher standards lenders imposed after the housing crash are still very much in place. So buyers with good credit and a hefty down payment may benefit the most.

"Now it's all about the rules," says Jeff Conn, a mortgage banker in the Atlanta area.

Window of Opportunity

A bevy of data suggest housing prices have finally begun to climb back. So there's a window of opportunity before prices start a faster upward march.

The median price of an existing single-family home was $178,700 in October, up 11% from a year earlier, according to the National Association of Realtors. But that's still down 13% from $204,800 in October 2007.

Prices are on the way up, but mortgage rates remain in the bargain bin. The average rate on a standard 30-year fixed-rate mortgage hit a record low 3.46% for the week ended Nov. 16, according to data provider HSH.com. The average rate on a standard 15-year, fixed-rate mortgage hit a low of 2.84%. And rates are expected to stay low next year and further out, thanks, in part, to the Federal Reserve's moves to keep interest rates low until mid-2015.

For first-time home buyers, it may be easier to buy. Many first-time buyers are opting for loans backed by the Federal Housing Administration, since they now have looser credit and down-payment criteria compared with the tougher criteria for standard loans. The typical rate on a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage backed by the FHA was 3.31% last week, according to HSH.com.

This article was reposted by homesbykimblanton.com.  Selling lifestyles not just homes in Middle Tennessee including Goodlettsville, Hendersonville, White House and Springfield TN.

For more information contact Kim Blanton