Free Range Life

A Bill That Could Help First-Home Homebuyers with a Downpayment – the Details

By Rachel Puryear As always, coming up with a downpayment is a major sticking point for many in owning a home. Proposed federal legislation – if passed – could give some first-time buyers a downpayment boost. The Downpayment Toward Equity Act of 2021 would offer at least $20,000.00 of downpayment grant assistance to qualifying buyers.…

Know a Teen who Wants to be Vaccinated, but their Parents Won’t Consent? Here’s a Resource for Them.

By Rachel Puryear In the U.S., all persons 16 and older are now eligible to receive the vaccination against Covid-19. Needless to say, getting vaccinated offers numerous economic, social, and travel opportunities – in addition to protection against the virus – that have not been available until now since the start of the pandemic. For…

If You’ve Never Invested Yet, Here’s an Easy, Low-Cost Place to Start

By Rachel Puryear Investing money regularly can add up to a lot of financial growth over time. And contrary to popular belief, you do not need to already have a lot of money to start investing. No matter what your financial and life goals are – retiring early, traveling, pursuing passions, starting a business, raising…

DACA Recipients are Now Eligible for FHA-Backed Mortgages. Why this is a Big Deal for Civil Rights.

By Rachel Puryear, Realtor with Berkshire Hathaway, (DRE 02099554), Legal Consultant, and Mortgage Loan Originator (NMLS 2019354) Earlier this year, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) announced that the FHA would back mortgages for recipients of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. FHA loans are popular for first-time homebuyers, as they…

Buying a Home with Student Debt.

By Rachel Puryear, Realtor with Berkshire Hathaway, (DRE 02099554), Legal Consultant, and Mortgage Loan Originator (NMLS 2019354) If you have student loan debt, and are worried how that affects your ability to buy a home (and achieve other financial milestones), you’re certainly not alone on either of those counts. In fact, as a law school graduate,…

Want to Sell Your Home, but Short on Cash to Spruce it Up? Here’s a Program to Help.

By Rachel Puryear, Realtor with Berkshire Hathaway, (DRE 02099554), Legal Consultant, and Mortgage Loan Originator (NMLS 2019354) Before you sell a home to get the proceeds, it is usually a good idea to invest something into it to increase the curb appeal. If a seller is short on funds to do so, though, there is a…

Want to Learn how to Do More of Your Own Home Repairs, but Not Sure Where to Start? Here’s a Great Resource.

By Rachel Puryear, Realtor with Berkshire Hathaway, (DRE 02099554), Legal Consultant, and Mortgage Loan Originator (NMLS 2019354) If you would like to do more of your own repairs and maintenance around the house, but don’t know where to begin – or are intimidated by tools – you are not alone. Many people do not get a…

Need to Sell an Inherited Property? Tips for Selling Homes in Probate Proceedings.

By Rachel Puryear, Consulting Attorney and Realtor with Berkshire Hathaway, (DRE 02099554) Losing a loved one is always very hard. In the midst of grief, dealing with all of the administrative matters that come along with a death can be overwhelming. Having the right kind of professionals assisting you with all the tasks to be done,…

Struggling to Come Up With a Home Down Payment? There are Programs that Can Help.

By Rachel Puryear, Realtor with Berkshire Hathaway, (DRE 02099554), Legal Consultant, and Mortgage Loan Originator (NMLS 2019354) One of the most difficult stumbling blocks for people trying to buy their first home, is coming up with the down payment. Fortunately, there are a wide variety of programs that can help with that. You Might Not Need…

Getting Divorced, but Wondering if You Can Keep Your Home? This Type of Refinance Might Help You Do So.

By Rachel Puryear, Realtor with Berkshire Hathaway, (DRE 02099554), Legal Consultant, and Mortgage Loan Originator (NMLS 2019354) Breaking up is always hard to do. Many divorcing couples decide to sell their marital home, divvy the proceeds, and live elsewhere. But if you have a home you have loved for a long time and are worried…