Looking to buy a home in Florida? Buying a new home can be tricky but we offer tips, tricks and advice for those seeking a new home in the sunny state of Florida. And when you’re ready, consider using ICI Homes as your builder in any of our fine communities or on your own lot.
GalleryWorried About Interest Rates? Consider an Extended Rate Lock
Wanting to build a new home but worried about rising interest rates? An extended rate lock may be the answer for you. Extended rate locks provide an option to lock in your loan at a set interest rate for up to 270 days. This provides protection against future interest rate increases in a rising rate environment.
Extended rate locks work by charging a fee to guarantee a rate in the future. The longer the period of time for the lock is needed, the higher the interest rate and fees may be. For example, a 270-day lock will be more expensive […]
GalleryWhat is the Difference Between Pre-Qualified and Pre-Approved?
These words sound so similar, but in the mortgage business, they mean two very different things.
A prequalification letter and a preapproval letter are similar. Both are free and provide you with the maximum amount of money the bank is willing to lend you, based on certain financial assumptions you provided the lender. Neither letter represents a guaranteed loan offer. This means you can receive prequalification and/or preapproval from multiple lenders at the same time. However, that is where the similarities end.
Prequalification
You can handle the prequalification process over the phone in a matter of minutes. You provide all of your information to the […]
GalleryTips for Buying Your New Florida Home From a Distance
Not everyone who moves to Florida comes from somewhere close enough to check out prospective communities in person, on the weekends.
If you live in Vancouver, British Columbia and are Sunshine State-bound, buying a new home on the opposite side of North America can be intimidating — doubly so if you’re not familiar with where you’re moving in Florida.
Friends and family who already live there, or prospective new co-workers willing to pass along house-hunting tips, can allay some of that where-do-I-start inertia.
But perhaps the best tactic is to formulate a game plan that takes you from clueless, to clued-in.
Read on […]
GalleryWhy an Inventory Home Might Be Right for You
On the hunt for a new Florida custom home, but dreading the process?
The struggle is real! We at ICI Homes hear it frequently from prospective customers and visitors who must (or want to) move, yet view the home-buying process as a chore.
Some people simply don’t enjoy selling a home, buying a new one, then enduring the move. Even when it’s to their dream destination or a long-awaited event like retirement.
We got your back, though.
If you’re not up for a custom build or want to short-circuit some moving hassles, consider buying a new home that’s already built.
Here’s why an inventory […]
GalleryHome-Buying Lingo Explained: What’s a Leaseback?
We at ICI Homes thought you might like us to define some of the terms used in the homebuilding industry.
Unfamiliar slang and jargon can confuse potential customers searching for, or building, a new custom Florida home. And who wants to go through such an important process feeling like you need a Homebuilding 101 translation app on your smartphone?
If you don’t understand a term, your alternatives are to (A) simply ask for an explanation, (B) pretend you know what the term means, or (C) google the term once you’re out of sight of the person who used it!
Our goal is […]
GalleryWhat Working Women Want in a New Home
No matter the industry, job or career path, women who command board rooms, teams, divisions and departments usually know what they want and need when it’s time to buy a new home. For dual-career couples, the new-home search can be tricky unless both partners’ job requirements are compatible. Convenience, commutes and access to work sites all are critical factors. So how do women balance their work needs when choosing a new home? Read on.
They need a home office
Or a studio, drafting table or writing room. Regardless of the types of jobs or careers, working women are as big a […]
GallerySingle Parent? Live Alone? You Can Own a Home
For many of us, home-buying may seem the primary domain of families and couples. Another fact many of us may take for granted is that there’s likely more than one income for those two household categories.
But as society has evolved over the past seven decades, so have trends in household composition, which — not surprisingly — can affect home buying. Here’s a look at how households have evolved in the United States during that time period, and how folks in any household category can making home buying a reality.
Statistics tell a story
The 2016 Current Population Survey Annual Social and Economic […]
GallerySpec Home or Custom Build? You Decide
Which is Right For You? Spec Home or Custom Build?
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If you plan to move to Florida from another state, or simply from one part of Florida to another, finding your new home can be a time-consuming exercise. Few of us make that decision quickly or lightly, so deciding whether to buy an existing new home — a “spec home” — or have one built to your specifications, is something worth pondering. But what if you don’t want to, or can’t take that kind of time? We’re here to help you decide whether a spec home or a custom […]
GalleryWorried About Mortgage Approval? Some Good News
Ready to buy a new Florida home, but fear you might not withstand a mortgage lender’s scrutiny? You might surprised. Regardless of economic climates, mortgage prospects exist for home buyers of all economic stripes. That’s because in everyday life, lenders exhibit more elasticity with financial home-buying requirements than you might think. The key? Don’t take hearsay about current mortgage trends for granted, whether it originates from office gossip, media, social media or our friend Google. Here are a few real-world tips for sizing up your mortgage potential.
First, You Need a Decent Credit Score
Must it be perfect? No. Few of […]
GalleryBefore You Buy a Home: Five Financial Tips
Not many of us have the financial reserves to pay cash for a new home. Most of us must finance that purchase. If that’s your situation, we at ICI Homes offer some handy tips before you apply for a mortgage. If you’re not sure your financial health can withstand a lender’s examination, read on. Our five tips will help you whip your finances into shape before you buy a home.
Get Your Credit Reports
Your credit rating is the baseline that lending institutions will use to determine your mortgage eligibility. They’ll examine more factors than only your credit rating, but it […]