If you’re thinking about moving, you have to make a decision: do you buy your new home first and then sell your old one? Or sell first and then buy?

The biggest obstacle to selling first is that you may have to move twice – first into a rental, then again into the next home. Many buyers need to sell first in order to free up cash to purchase a new home. If you buy before you sell, making a contingent offer on the new home or taking out a bridge loan can make your decision, and the moving process, easier. But there are some important factors worth considering:

• An offer to purchase a new home that’s contingent upon the sale of your current home can be "bumped" if another buyer makes an offer that is not contingent.

• To make the contingent offer more appealing to the seller, many buyers offer full price. But making a contingent offer may cost you negotiating leverage on both ends. A full price offer to the seller means you lose the ability to negotiate the sale price, and also puts pressure on you to accept a lower price on your current home in order to sell it quickly.

• A bridge loan provides interim financing to “bridge the gap” until your first home sells. It also means making two house payments until your old home sells, so you need to decide how long you will be comfortable paying for two homes at the same time.

Your decision to buy first or sell first depends on your individual circumstances and the market conditions in your area. Please call or send me an email if I can help with more information to make your decision easier.

Recent news stories about so-called ‘subprime’ loans illustrate that it’s a good idea to shop carefully for a loan, especially one whose payment amount won’t abruptly increase and jeopardize your ability to make monthly payments and possibly lead to foreclosure.

If you’re shopping for a loan, here are some important things to ask a prospective mortgage broker:

• What will his total compensation be from you and the lender for the loan he helps you to get?

• How will her compensation vary depending on what type of loan you choose or which lender makes the loan?

• Is he willing to work for a flat fee agreed to in advance and to rebate to you any additional compensation he receives from the lender?

• How many lenders does she work with on a regular basis? Do any of them account for a majority of her business?

If you are thinking of purchasing a home, I can help you. I have a team of professionals to help you select a loan that will be best for your needs.

If you are considering a refinance, a home evaluation can give you a good idea of what your home is worth and I can give you a general price range right online based on recent sale prices of comparable homes in your area. For a more precise estimation of value, I can drop by for a quick review of your home.

As the price of energy continues to rise, so too does the importance of using it efficiently in your home.

Increasing your home’s energy efficiency doesn’t cost a lot and the financial savings can add up quickly. Plus, when you decide to sell, the resulting lower utility costs give you a marketing advantage with today’s savvy buyers.

Take these 5 steps to make your home more efficient:

1. Replace your old thermostat with a new programmable digital model.

2. Replace incandescent light bulbs with compact fluorescent lights (CFLs).

3. Replace the seal around your refrigerator and freezer doors.

4. Get a furnace tune-up and replace the filter every three months.

5. Install a ceiling fan to circulate warm air from the top of a room down to the bottom.

Many utility companies offer free energy audits that show you where your home is wasting the most energy. The audit pinpoints areas for home improvement.