Columbus downtown development is at an all time peak with riverfront loft condos, new restaurants, entertainment  and whitewater rafting.  We are excited to be literally right in the middle of it at our offices on Broadway in the historic district.  In jsut a little over 9 months the new Chattahoochee whitewater course, which is being billed as the longeset urban whitewater course in the world, will officially open (scheduled for August 2013).  This will just greatly instensify an already fabulous experience in Uptown Columbus.  There are numerous great restaurants and entertainment spots to gather and then take a casual stroll on the Riverwalk and soon onto the new 14th Street pedestiran bridge and plaza to view the rafting and kayaking.  A huge entertainment complex on the Phenix City side was recently announced which is being called the "Brickyard".  It is planned to ahve a marina, condos, restaurants and entertainment complex.  Just this week. ...

1. Start fixing up your credit score.
First, you need a mortgage, so check out your credit. If it is below perfect, your bank could refuse you.  Be careful about who you get to help you in this area.  There are some very good credit repair companies but many that are more interested in taking your money.
2. If you like to move about, consider only renting for a while
To buy a house in Columbus, GA or Phenix City AL, you should plan on staying in it for at least five years. House prices still have not completely stabilized; therefore you risk losing money when selling early.
3. If you are unable to put 20% down payment, you may still qualify.
If you cannot get a conventional mortgage with your bank, do not worry there are a lot of programs out there still today that offer 3-5% down payment options.  Most sellers will also help with closing costs.
4. Do not aim too high.
You can typically get a mortgage for two and a half times your salary.  You can use an online mort. ...

Assessing the values of homes in Columbus is critical prior to listing it on the market for sale or before buying one. It is not absolutely necessary but a homeowner or investor can benefit a great deal from obtaining and learning accurate of home values in the specific areas of interest. The two simple advantage and disadvantage of evaluation of homes is that either you would set a steep price which would make it hard to sell the property or you would quote a much lesser price in which case you would make less profit. As a buyer you easily pay too much depending on the valuation and accuracy of the data.
Home prices in Columbus, Georgia and the surrounding area are consistently appreciated, mostly because of the natural appreciation of real estate. Depending on the neighborhood the homes are, home prices typically appreciate by 3 to 5% per year; however, appreciation has been non-existent in recent years in some parts of the country due to the housing decline.  On the other hand . ...

Finding a home for sale on the internet is one of the most popular ways to begin your search with over ninety-percent of home buyers beginning their search on the World Wide Web. There are many homes for sale online, with over 4,000 current listings in the Columbus, GA and Phenix City, AL area. For that reason, it is important that you know the best methods for searching listings on the internet and how to get the most from your efforts. The following information allows you a better chance of tailoring your search as well as a great resource to finding the exact home that you want and need to meet your needs. 
Narrow Your Search
Part of narrowing your internet search of homes for sale in the Columbus, GA area is to filter your search criteria. There are at the present moment over four thousand different homes listed for sale on the market in this region and nearby areas. For that reason, investigating all of them to see if they are what you are looking for would be too much and ; ...

At some point many of us have embraced the idea of taking a rundown property, fixing it up and either turning a nice profit on it or just moving into it with a ton of equity.  You imagined the idea of taking an old house with no life in it, working your creative magic on it and “breathing” new life back into the home.  The dollar symbols from all of the “upside” potential float in front of your eyes. However, if you aren't careful when getting into the fixer upper game, it won't be imaginary dollars floating in your head, but real dollars being flushed down the toilet.  Columbus, Georgia and Phenix City, Alabama are prime areas for finding a bargain on a fixer upper home, be it a foreclosure, bank owned, short sale or estate property, but you need to be aware of some key tips and things to avoid during your search.
If you go beyond just dreaming about it and actually are ready to buy a distressed, bargain property, there are things you need to be ; ...