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Steve Caldwell, Re/Max Valley

Fairway Forest Real Estate and Homes for Sale

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  • Call: 540 353-0051

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5 Things to Look for in a Mortgage Lender

Looking for a home can be a pretty fun experience most times. You are looking at homes, deciding where you would like to like and the features of the home that you would like to live in. This tends to be people’s favorite part of the home buying experience. Where a REALTOR and other professional help comes in is for the parts that are not as easy, are more stressful, or simply where guidance is needed. This is where having an expert on your side can save you time, money and stress. Big time.

Obtaining a mortgage is typically less fun at best and is often a stressful part of the real estate purchase process. While there are a lot of things that go into making the loan process smooth and as stress free as possible, here are 5 things provided by a mortgage broker in Fort McMurray, Grand Prairie and Red Deer to look for that will help the most. They are some of the most important characteristics that separate those that will provide a superior experience from those that will not.

    1. Closed transactions – Before choosing a person to work with, it is not only permissable, but encouraged to ask them how many transactions they have done this year, in the last 3 years and in the last 10 years. There is NO substitute for the experience that comes from actually doing it. If you were going in for surgery, you would totally be justified in asking the surgeon how many of these operations he or she had performed. This is no different.
    2. Honesty – It is important to make sure that the lender is specific and honest about any fees, paperwork needed and other items that may affect your transaction. Your REALTOR can help with this and I have seen a number of cases where a REALTOR was able to help guide people to a couple or three lenders who all had the level of honesty and character to help someone in a difficult position to buy a home.
  1. Transparency – This is a little bit different that just being honest. This is having a lender who will open up to you about potential pitfalls and help you avoid them. This is the lender who will tell you what you need to know even if you do not know what to ask.
  2. Friendliness – This person (your loan officer) will be able to see a lot of personal information about you. This can be disconcerting to some. Having someone who is friendly and kind can make this process much easier and stress free. At times when you feel like you are being asked for a lot of documentation about seemingly everything that you have done, a friendly caring voice on the other end of the line goes a long way.
  3. Accuracy and Timeliness – A mortgage broker or lender or loan officer will be preparing paperwork for the underwriting department (somewhere) to approve your loan. You want their paperwork, organization, accuracy and timeliness skills to be top notch. You want nothing extra to be an obstacle. Sometimes home mortgages do have REAL obstacles, you do not want one of them to be an unneccessary one. REALTORS can often be a great guide in this regard. They know which people have a proven track record that comes with top notch skills.

These are my 5 top things to look for. There are many others, but the key in all of the above is to choose someone that you can trust. Finding the RIGHT mortgage professional is important. It will reduce the home buying stress to the minimum possible amount and will make the process as enjoyable as possible.

 

Take a Tour

Roanoke is located midway between New York, NY and Atlanta, GA. on I-81. The city is the center of one of Virginia’s largest metropolitan regions, and a hub of transportation, finance, and industry for the southwestern part of the state. The city is at the heart of the beautiful Roanoke Valley which is between the Blue Ridge and Virginia Alleghany Highlands. With Roanoke’s position on the East Coast, it has ready access to almost two-thirds of the nations total population, and all within a radius of 500 miles. Roanoke is a thriving community that counts residents inside the city limits at over 97,000 and within the Roanoke Metropolitan Statistical Area the population is more than 303,000. Roanoke is the commercial and cultural hub of much of the surrounding area of Virginia and Southwest Virginia.

Amenities

Since Fairway Forest is located in the scenic, thriving Roanoke Valley, there is always something happening nearby. The public library in Salem is just a short drive from the neighborhood and holds several community events and programs including book clubs and reading programs. Also in Salem, there is a bustling farmers market. Vendors offer delicious produce, baked goods, unique crafts and more. Salem is known as a great place to find unique antiques. Downtown Salem also offers several vendors selling unique arts and crafts.

Nearby in the larger Roanoke Valley area, there is a veritable buffet of options. In Roanoke Valley, the possibilities are only limited by the hours in your day. There is so much to see, explore and discover in Roanoke Valley. Explore the past at the History Museum of Western Virginia or the National D-Day Memorial. Indulge your craving for adventure with hiking trails, cycling, fishing, geocaching, wildlife viewing and much more.

Roanoke Valley enjoys a vibrant cultural scene. Several performance venues,art centers and galleries thrive within the community. For those seeking a little retail therapy, Roanoke Valley is a great option. Shops selling unique crafts and one-of-a-kind gifts are easy to find in Roanoke Valley. You can find that perfect gift or eclectic outfit you’ve been searching for!

The Roanoke Valley is a foodie’s dream. Enjoy the soulful flavors of Blue 5, where everything is made from only the highest quality ingredients. Afterwards, stop by Chocolatepaper for a unique sweet treat or pick up a souvenir gift basket to take home. The Chateau Morrisette Winery is responsible for producing some of the finest wine in the region and the Salem and Roanoke farmers markets offer fresh produce, tantalizing baked goods, jams and much more.

No matter how you enjoy spending your day, Roanoke Valley has something to appeal to you. From outdoor adventures to finding that perfect souvenir, Roanoke Valley has it all.

Home Search

Whether you are new to town, or coming back home after being gone for a while. I want to welcome you to the area. I am a LIFELONG  ROANOKE RESIDENT and have the experience and local knowledge to help you find what you are looking for quickly and easily.

I specialize in helping clients in the purchase and sale of single-family homes, luxury homes, income producing property, second homes, lake homes, farms, and land.

All of that said, my main goal is to help you make a comfortable and smooth transition to the perfect home for you here in the Roanoke Valley. This welcome kit is part of that commitment. Take a look around and if you do not find what you need, please call me. I will be happy to assist you.

Country Club

The Hidden Valley Country Club is situated on the majestic Blue Ridge Mountains. Hidden Valley provides the full country club experience — excellent service, top-notch facilities and friendly staff. Hidden Valley Country Club is absolutely dedicated to providing the best golf experience possible. A wooded buffer and dark green fairways make the golf course striking and scenic, adding to the overall golfing experience. Golf lessons taught by highly-experienced instructors can help improve your swing and the golf shop carries the newest equipment from only the most trusted vendors.

The country club also boasts a strong tennis program complete with professional staff, a pro shop and informative lessons and clinics. A spa-quality fitness center, which includes personal trainers, top-of-the-line fitness equipment, a SpaFit dietitian and a chef, helps keep club members in peak health conditions. The club also features a heated Junior Olympic-size pool, a baby pool, changing rooms and poolside lounging area.

Hidden Valley Country Club is also a great place to host weddings, parties, events, meetings and gatherings. A devoted culinary and catering team will make sure you and your guests are completely satisfied during your event at the club. The club hosts several successful social events throughout the year including an Easter brunch, a fall festival, wine tastings, dances and much more.

Local Schools

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