Laurie Hensel's Blog Posts

WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN PREAPPROVED AND PREQUALIFIED?Securing a mortgage can be a complicated and timely process.  When you are preapproved or prequalified for a mortgage, you gain an

WHAT IS HOME EQUITY?Did you know that purchasing a home could actually help you build your wealth? If you are currently renting a property, you might want to look into purchasing a home within your

MONEY MANAGEMENT APPS TO HELP KEEP YOUR BUDGET ON TRACKSticking to a budget and keeping track of your finances is key to money management.  Keeping track of all your finances in one place will

TIPS TO AVOID OVERSPENDING During HOLIDAY SEASON With so many deals before the holidays arrive, it is incredibly easy to go spend-crazy.But, what if you have financial goals like saving money

IMPROVE YOUR CREDITWith a few simple changes to your spending habits and payments, you can be well on your way to a better credit score in a couple of months! Here are some resolutions to help raise

TAX GUIDE FOR HOMEOWNERSHere are a few homeowner credits, deductions and exclusions that you may want to discuss with your accountant before filing your taxes: PMI Deductions: Many of today

FIVE MYTHS FIRST-TIME HOMEBUYERS SHOULD IGNOREFrom searching for homes to picking up your new keys on closing day, buying a home is an exciting process. Many first-time homebuyers also have the

FROM CMA TO MLS AND MORE: REAL ESTATE TERMS TO KNOWFall is upon us, and by now, most of our students have begun to bring home a few assignments. To keep pace with this year’s scholarly crowd,

FIVE TIPS FOR BUYING A HOME IN YOUR 20SFor anyone, buying a home is a daunting task. But for a 20-something, you know—today’s millennials, buying a home can be an enormous undertaking.

UNEXPECTED EXPENSES AFTER BUYING YOUR FIRST HOMEBuying your first home is a very exciting time, but many first-time homebuyers are unaware of the added expenses come closing time.  If you are

QUESTIONS FOR FIRST TIME HOME BUYER You might be considering taking the leap from renting to buying your first home!  This is a very exciting step to take, but it also comes with a lot of

SELLERS - LEARN THE BASICS ABOUT A COMPARATIVE MARKET ANALYSISAs fall approaches, home sellers are doing whatever they can to make their homes the most on the market. To attract prospective buyers,

FIVE THINGS TO EXPECT AFTER PUTTING YOUR HOME ON THE MARKETSo, you’ve just put your home on the market… congratulations! Surely, it took a lot of effort to get to this point. You had to

CURB APPEAL MATTERS: FIVE TIPS TO KEEP YOURS CURRENTBy now, you’ve surely put away your witches, skeletons and other scary Halloween outdoor decorations. While they were fun for welcoming

5 REASONS NOT TO GIVE LISTING YOUR HOME IN WINTER THE COLD SHOULDERThe weather outside might be getting colder, but that is no reason for home sellers to think their potential for selling during

FIVE THINGS YOUR REAL ESTATE AGENT CANNOT TELL YOUIt doesn’t matter if you are buying or selling a home. When you’re completing a major real estate transaction, you often rely on the

FIVE WAYS TO AVOID BEING A DIFFICULT SELLERThe spring home-buying season is on! If you’re on the buying end of the season, you know that means you could be facing a lot of competition for the

QUICK REPAIRS TO MAKE BEFORE SELLING YOUR HOMEWhen you are preparing to sell your home, you want to make sure it’s in tip-top shape before it hits the market! Now that the holidays have

THE BENEFITS OF HOME STAGINGStaging a home for sale is not a new concept, but it is a practice that could help your home sell a lot faster.  In today’s market, buyers are looking for a

HOW TO PREPARE YOUR KIDS FOR A MOVEIf you’re preparing for a move, you’ve likely got a ton on your mind… selling your home, packing your belongings, saying goodbyes and getting

BUDGET FRIENDLY HOME STAGING    Home staging has become something of a minor craze for real estate professionals in the past few years, and the actual science behind how best to set

TIPS TO PROTECT YOUR HOME WHEN IT'S ON THE MARKETWhen you’re trying to sell your home, you want prospective buyers to explore a bit during showings, right?  Buyers often open closets,

IMPRESS YOUR GUESTS: 8 STEPS TO HOST A SUCCESSFUL OPEN HouseDid you know, open houses are a great way to show off your home and attract prospective buyers? Preparing the house and property for

THINGS TO CONSIDER AS AN EMPTY NESTERIt’s that time of year when many homeowners around the nation find themselves facing a new chapter in their lives, we like to call it the empty nest.

EASY WAYS TO IMPROVE YOUR HOME’S VALUE If you have the renovation bug or just want to increase your home’s value, here are three places to start :1. Observe the OutsideThe first

SIX BENEFITS FROM A FRESH COAT OF PAINTSellers, are you stuck on how to update your home before listing it?   How about adding a touch of paint? We have put together a list of benefits that a

HOW TO SAVE MONEY ON A FIXER UPPERYou might find yourself binge watching shows on HGTV like “Fixer Upper”, “Property Brothers” or “Flip or Flop” and thinking that

FIVE REASONS TO REPLACE YOUR WINDOWSReplacing your home’s windows can seem like a task that is not your top priority, but the benefits you can gain will make a huge difference.  Over,

FOUR REASONS TO UPGRADE YOUR COUNTERTOPS TO GRANITEAre you dreaming of making upgrades to your kitchen in the new year? When you are thinking of what upgrades to make, you might want to consider

HOW TO UPGRADE YOUR KITCHEN WITHOUT A COMPLETE REMODELEveryone wants an upgraded kitchen, but that can cost you a lot of time and money if you are planning to do a complete remodel.   If you&

THREE REASONS TO LIVE IN YOUR HOME BEFORE YOU RENOVATEBeing able to make improvements and customize your space is one of the best parts of being a homeowner.  That being said, most new

FIVE HOME FEATURES THAT MILLENNIALS LOVE2022 is the year of the Millennial – at least when it comes to home buying. With the oldest of them turning 40, this is a generation ready to put down

WEIGHING THE BENEFITS OF A HOME WARRANTYWhen you invest in a home, whether it is brand new or beautifully aged, you want to make sure it is protected. Homeowners insurance, which is required when

FIVE TIPS FOR BUYING A HOME OUT OF STATEThe past few days of beautiful weather have most of us eagerly awaiting spring’s arrival, so you know what that means. The spring home-buying season is

FIVE THINGS TO EXPECT WHEN BUYING A HOME AFTER A FORECLOSUREIt is common for homeowners who’ve lost a home to foreclosure to feel a certain sense of defeat—and even a little fear&mdash

WANT TO BUY A HOME? AVOID THESE COMMON CREDIT MISTAKESThere is a lot of preparation and effort that goes into buying a home. From searching through various listings to saving up for a down payment

TIPS FOR A STRESS FREE BUYING PROCEssWhether you are a first-time home buyer or a seasoned moving professional, the home buying process is stressful.  It’s a complicated process involving

UNDERSTANDING THE HOME BUYING PROCESSThe home buying process can be slightly stressful and intimidating, especially if this is your first time around the block.  Even if you are a seasoned

16 REAL ESTATE TERMS YOU SHOULD KNOW BEFORE YOU BUYSearching for a new home is difficult. Potential buyers often have to balance their wants with their needs and try to prioritize factors like

HOW TO SAVE FOR A HOME THIS YearHave you been dreaming of owning your own home or even upgrading the one you currently have? This could be the year that you are finally able to purchase a new home!

WHAT YOU SHOULDN’T DO RIGHT BEFORE YOU BUY A HOMEDeciding to purchase a home is a very exciting step to take! Now that you have gone through the necessary final steps, it’s still

HOW TO BUY A HOME WHEN YOU HAVE STUDENT LOAN DEBTMany people who want to buy a home put it off until they can completely pay off their student loan debt. And while that is a responsible choice, it

From crisp, cooler mornings and evenings to the aromas of hot apple cider and pumpkin-spiced goodies all around, fall is here! With this bright and beautiful season comes an awesome time for serious

                           You’ve made the decision to buy your first home.  First of all, congratulations! &