Crist and Sharon Fanning

First time home buyers tend to focus solely on saving for a down payment when they are interested in purchasing a Lake of the Ozarks/Truman Lake home .  The more money you can put down, the less you’ll have to borrow, resulting in a lower monthly mortgage payment.  However, it takes more than a downpayment to buy a home .  There are other expenses that first time home buyers tend to overlook or are simply unaware of when they get caught up in the whirlwind that is homeownership. One expense... Read Full Story

When selling your Lake of the Ozarks/Truman Lake home , you want to make every room look as enticing as possible by removing clutter, depersonalizing the space and arranging your furniture so that it shows off the room’s best assets as well as its size.  This is called home staging.  What some homeowners don’t realize, however, is that potential buyers go through every bit of a home when considering whether to buy it or not.  This includes opening up drawers, cabinets and even closets.  These... Read Full Story

You need a good credit score to help secure the best deals when buying a Lake of the Ozarks/Truman Lake home .   The higher your credit score, the lower your interest rate will be and the lower your monthly mortgage payment will be.  Let’s face it, though.  Not everyone has stellar credit.  Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac won’t even consider applicants with a score of less than 620.  But, how do you whip your credit into shape for buying a home ?  The key is to start now. The first thing you... Read Full Story

The kitchen is the heart of the home…and the home sale .   Have you noticed that, whenever you have guests over, you inevitably end up in the kitchen?  This is especially true when you have an open floor plan that allows a direct line-of-sight from the kitchen to the family room.  If you are considering selling your Lake of the Ozarks/Truman Lake home in the next six months to a year, you may want to take a good look at your kitchen to see if it is in dire need of an update. Making your... Read Full Story

One of the most important decisions to make when you sell your Lake of the Ozarks/Truman Lake home is what amount you should sell it for.  Ask too little and you won’t get the best deal.  Ask too much and you risk alienating potential buyers, forcing you to eventually drop your price and, more often than not, sell it for less than if you had priced it more appropriately to being with.  How do you make sure the sales price is right? Your first step in pricing your Twin Lakes home to sell is... Read Full Story

Buying a home, even in the Lake of the Ozarks/Truman Lake area , can be a big financial decision for anyone.   That is why it shouldn’t be taken lightly.  Smart home buyers consider the who, what where, when and why of buying a home before they even start looking. Who should I use to represent me?   Finding the right Twin Lakes real estate agent is important.  You want someone who has knowledge of the area as well as experience in local real estate sales partnered with great negotiation... Read Full Story

Foreclosures are a popular choice with buyers.  However, they do come with some risks.  That doesn’t mean they aren’t worth the effort, though.  If you know what to expect with a Lake of the Ozarks or Truman Lake foreclosure, you are better armed to make a wise decision when it comes time to decide whether to purchase a foreclosure or go with a traditional home sale. The biggest risks associated with a foreclosure come when you go through a foreclosure auction.   Buyers typically bid on a... Read Full Story