Don’t let tax season get you down! Make the most of it and use your refund toward a down payment for closing costs to buy your new home. If this sounds like your kind of deal, you might find this information helpful as you plan. 

Below is a reality check, outlining down payment options and providing a mental checklist of the other possible costs associated with buying a home: 

Down Payment


Most lenders and loan programs require down payment money, which can be as much as 20% of the cost of the home. For some people, saving this amount of cash can be difficult to achieve. Especially if unexpected costs come up, like tax payouts! 

However, homeownership is still possible. Several programs are available that allow buyers to make down payments that are significantly less than 20% of the price of the home. Many programs offer 3.5-5% down payment options with approved credit. For veterans, there are zero-down programs so they can go to the closing table without even writing a check. 

Out of Pocket Expenses & Closing Costs 


Additional dollars should be saved for an estimated range of 1-3% of the value of the home for out of pocket or additional closing costs. This fact is particularly relevant for first-time buyers and those who haven’t been in the market for some time. Closing costs vary from city to city — and even from home to home.

Some examples of national averages include tax services for around $85, credit reports for around $20, and appraisals for $350-$500 or more, depending on the size of the home. Closing costs can also include fees related to home inspections, title fees, insurance, bank fees, and termite or flood inspections, to name a few.

The mortgage lender requires some of these services. Others are legally necessary depending on where the buyer lives. While not a requirement, extra dollars can be wisely spent if earmarked towards a home warranty that guarantees the appliances and inner workings of a home for the first year of ownership.

In some instances, your Realtor may be able to get the seller of your home to contribute toward the closing costs. Our team would be happy to discuss these options with you! 



The first step is to talk to a trustworthy lender who can give you your loan requirements for down payment and closing cost expectations.

Are you thinking of buying a house or selling a house? One of the first steps you'll want to take is to find a good realtor. There are many local realtors advertising their services, so the process of finding the right one can be quite daunting.

There are a lot of factors to consider, so how do you know which to work with? Consider the following tips to help with your search: 

1. Look for Plenty of Referrals

They say the best predictor of future performance is past performance. A realtor with strong knowledge and experience will invariably have a substantial list of past clients. These will either be past home buyers or sellers.

So don't hesitate to research online testimonials and ask for a list with contact information. If clients had a good experience working with that realtor, they won't mind sharing it with you. You should also expect to find good reviews online as well. 

There are several very useful questions you can ask past clients, like:

• Were they happy with the services rendered?
• Were they a good negotiator?
• Was the home in question bought or sold for an agreeable price?
• If it's a seller, did their home sell within an acceptable timeframe and for an acceptable price?
• If it's a buyer, did the realtor listen to their needs and find appropriate properties?
• If a home sale, did the home sell in a timely manner?
• If a home purchase, did the agent listen to the client's needs
• If a home purchase, did they work within the price range? 

We recommend contacting at least a handful of past clients, as it will help you compare and contrast answers to develop an accurate view of a realtor's level of competence.

2. Verify Their Licensure

Every state in the country requires realtors to obtain licenses before conducting real estate transactions. Before hiring a realtor, your first priority should be to verify that they are licensed.

A real estate license indicates that a realtor is complying with the rules and regulations that govern the industry. Furthermore, a license imposes an expectation of ethical behavior and honest business practices. It's a good way to ensure that the realtor you're working with is accountable.

More experienced realtors will have certifications and licenses beyond the standard state license. Ask any prospective realtors about these. The more they have, the more effort they have put into becoming knowledgable about their industry.

3. Remember that Experience Matters

When it comes to finding the right realtor, it's absolutely crucial to verify that they have extensive experience. There are several questions you can ask to get the information you need, such as:

• Does the agent understand the in's and out's of the local real estate market?
• How many clients have they worked with?
• What price range of homes have they been involved in buying/selling?
• Which specific neighborhoods have they worked in?

This is not to say that a novice can't effectively represent you. However, it is generally best to find someone who really knows their stuff.

4. Communication is Key

Buying or selling a home often is often a long and arduous process with much back and forth interaction. If your real estate agent lacks communication skills, it can make the process feel even longer. 

There are many ways to tell if an agent knows how to communicate well. An agent who communicates well will pay close attention to your instructions and act accordingly. Furthermore, they should update you on all pertinent information regarding your home sale or purchase. If you call or email requesting information, you should expect a prompt reply.

Part of good communication also includes replying to information requests, keeping you informed, and negotiating on your behalf. When it comes to real estate, good communication is key for successful transactions.

Perhaps most importantly, an agent who communicates effectively will be stronger during negotiations. They won't hesitate to speak up and articulate your interests. Also, they won't shy away from contentious exchanges, which often occur during real estate transactions.

Contact us 

We've successfully helped many home buyers and sellers throughout the Nashville area. If you are thinking about buying or selling real estate, you've come to the right place!

We'll be happy to provide you with plenty of references to past clients who loved working with us. Please give us a call or submit an inquiry and we'll get back to you promptly.

Congratulations, you are searching for a home! Whether it is your first time or fifth time, figuring out how to optimize your home search is critical to a smooth and successful experience.

The best way to optimize your searches on our website is to add a bunch of saved searches. Then you will be notified if new houses are listed that fall into the criteria you provided.

Follow these simple steps to save your first search and then create a library of them to optimize your home search: 

1. Create an account or log into homesbynashville.com. Click on the profile icon in the top right corner of the screen. As a reminder, your login will be the email you registered with and the password will be the phone number you registered with.  

2. Now if you click on the profile icon on the top right corner of the screen, it will show a snippet of your profile, along with any saved searches you may already have. Click on the "Saved Searches" section. 

3. A new screen will appear. Follow by clicking on the light blue button that says, "New Property Search." 

4. Simply fill in the criteria you want in a home, i.e., the zip codes you want, the price range, the number of bedrooms and baths, etc. Once done, click "Search" at the bottom and it will pull up all the properties that meet your criteria. 

5. Now click on + SAVE THIS SEARCH at the top under "property list." 

6. Name it so you will remember what the search is about, choose your preferred frequency, and click "save." Repeat steps 4 & 5 to create as many different searches as you like. You can be notified daily of new listings that come on the market. Call or text us if it's a home you want to see or need more information!

7. One last important step — Don't forget to FAVORITE your searches. We highly recommend favoriting the best properties in all of the searches that you use during your home search process. To do this, click on the green text that says, "Add Your Favorites." Favorite the homes that you love. This will help your agent assist you in finding the houses that best fit what you are looking for. 

CLICK HERE TO GET STARTED

If you're currently on the hunt for the perfect new home, you need to utilize monthly market reports. They are the hidden gem of the home buying process! Market Reports contain a list of area home values (aka comps) over a specified timeframe in your desired city, subdivision, or zip code.

These can be powerful tools if you're considering a purchase in the coming year, as they contain information that cannot be found on most websites, like homes under contract and homes that were recently sold. Interested?

Click on the button at the end and follow the instructions below to sign up for monthly market reports in your area of interest: 

1. When you click on the button at the end of this post, you will see this page. First, fill out the information under the "Location" section. From the drop-down menu, choose your county. If you live in this area, it will automatically be Placer County. Then select the city, neighborhood, and region you are interested in.

2. Next, fill in any of the information in the "property details" section. You can leave it as "no preference" if you are not interested in specific information for that section.

3. Click the teal button that says, "Go to Market Report"

4. Here you will see the market report lists below. Click the button at top of the page that says, "Save Market Report & Get Monthly Updates"

5. If you have an account, your screen should mirror below. Here you can name the market report and choose the frequency that you want to receive updates. If you do not have an account with us, it will prompt you to set one up for free. Once you are all set, click "Save Preferences" and you are done.

6. You are all set! You should start to receive monthly reports for the specific market report you created. Click below to get started:

CLICK HERE TO GET STARTED