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Closing Costs to Expect When Buying a Delaware Home

by Katina Geralis

Did you know the majority of today's homebuyers aren't aware of closing costs? You may find that you have prepared for homeownership with your down payment and even have your first month's mortgage ready in your bank account, but this very important set of costs is commonly overlooked. 

As your local real estate experts in Greater Wilmington DE and Southeastern PA, the Kat Geralis Home Team has included a few key notes on closing costs below so you are better equipped to make the biggest, most important purchase of your life!

What Are They?

Closing costs are recurring and non-recurring fees connected to both your lender and other parties in the sale—for instance, an attorney, inspector and title company—and are to be paid upfront at the closing table. Unless you have financed them ahead of time or worked your offer to arrange for the seller to pick up the tab, unfortunately there is no way around these costs.

Closing costs typically include:

  • Homeowners insurance
  • Title insurance
  • Loan origination
  • Home inspection
  • Appraisal
  • Document prep
  • Property line survey
  • Title search and recording
  • Loan underwriting
  • Wire transfer

How Much Will They Cost?

Closing costs tend to range between two and five percent of the total purchase price of the home

How Can You Prepare?

It is true that you may not know how much you will owe in closing costs until you find a home in Delaware or Pennsylvania and meet with a lender, but you can still gather a general idea based on your price range alone. Is your budget for a new home around $150,000? You can expect to pay between $3,000 and $7,500 in closing costs.

Once you've met with your lender in Wilmington, Newark, Chester County or Delaware County, you can estimate how much you will owe in closing costs given your loan product, loan amount and the interest rate you are offered. You can use a mortgage calculator to estimate your monthly payment and how that will fluctuate depending on if you've decided to finance the closing costs into it. 

Buying a home for the first time in Greater Wilmington and Southeastern PA is both an exciting and uncertain time. Let the Kat Geralis Home Team walk you through the process, every step of the way, so you can feel more at ease and enjoy the prospect of finding your dream home!

Give us a call today for more information about buying a home or available properties in the area! We even offer FREE First-Time Home Buyer Seminars!

Katina Geralis
DE and PA Real Estate Expert
eXp Realty

Wilmington Real Estate
Wilmington Homes for Sale
Visit My Website
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Celebrate Fall in Wilmington DE and Pennsylvania with These Events!

by Katina Geralis

In just a few days, it will officially be the start of a new season in Wilmington DE and Southeastern Pennsylvania and aside from cooler temperatures and falling leaves, the calendar is changing too! This September and October are filled with fall-themed events around the area, including a fall arts and crafts festival, Oktoberfest, and more!

Below are a few ways you can celebrate fall in Chester County, Delaware County, Greater Wilmington DE and Southeastern PA:

Delaware Saengerbund Oktoberfest
September 15-17, 2017
Friday 5 PM to 11 PM; Saturday 12 PM to 11 PM; Sunday 12 PM to 6 PM
Delaware Saengerbund
Newark DE

Friday night's parade marks the beginning of the three-day festival celebrating all things German food and culture! The parade will feature the Muenchner Kindl, or Munich Child, a symbol of the city of Munich, which will lead the march. Food for the festival will span everything from grilled Bratwurst and Weisswuurst or veal sausage, to pretzels and Rollmops or marinated herring with rye bread. You can also enjoy potato salad and sauerkraut made by the the Ladies organization in the Delaware Saengerbund kitchen. 

Art & Craft Fall Festival
September 30, 2017; 11 AM to 5 PM
Woodside Farm Creamery
Hockessin DE

This FREE fall festival will feature arts and crafts from local artists, including original paintings, prints and more. Meet the artists and stroll around, enjoy a free sample of Woodside's newest ice cream flavor, and take home some of their homemade fudge, farm fresh cheeses or one of the farm-grown mums or pumpkins for your entryway! There will be free parking and activities for the kids like pumpkin painting and scarecrow making!

Autumn Leaf Train Ride to Hockessin
October 7 through November 5, 2017
Held Saturday and Sunday; 12:30 PM and 2:30 PM
Greenbank Station
Wilmington DE

It's a beautiful time of year in Delaware and Pennsylvania, so why not take it all in with a special train ride? Bring a camera and enjoy a trip that follows the entire length of the railroad (17 miles round trip!) to Hockessin where you will spend thirty minutes picking up treats for the train ride back or visiting the local shops.

Apple Picking at Hopewell Furnace
September and October
Hopewell Furnace
Elverson PA

What better way to celebrate fall than with apple picking? Over the next two months, visitors are able to pick apples not commonly found in today's orchards from the park's historic orchard. 

​Longwood Gardens Chrysanthemum Festival
October 7 through November 19, 2017
Longwood Gardens
Kennett Square PA

Mums are a symbol of the fall season and Longwood Gardens has a special festival dedicated to the autumn beauty! Explore the Conservatory filled with thousands of mums, fashioned into orbs, spirals, pagodas and more. This October, the Thousand Bloom Mum will show off more than 1,500 flowers arranged on one single stem and with longer hours, the foliage glows with lanterns on seven specific nights in October. Outdoors, the gardens will also be open for visitors to marvel at the fall colors including the Pumpkin Playground!

You can count on the Kat Geralis Home Team to introduce you to the surrounding areas, as well as walk you through the processes of buying a home and selling a home. Contact us today for more information about the local real estate market!

Happy fall! 

Katina Geralis
DE and PA Real Estate Expert
eXp Realty

Wilmington Real Estate
Wilmington Homes for Sale
Visit My Website
Contact Me
Find me on Facebook

5 Tasks to Complete Around Your Chester County PA Home in September

by Katina Geralis

September is here and it's time to start getting your home ready for the fall season ahead. Say goodbye to summer by putting away garden tools, patio furniture and cleaning the gutters to make way for the falling leaves. 

As your local real estate experts in Wilmington DE and Southeastern PA, the Kat Geralis Home Team has listed five home improvement tasks to complete around your home this month:

Clean up siding
During the summer months, the siding on your home can easily become mildewed and damaged. Check for cracks in the siding that may need repaired and take the time to pressure wash away any dirt and grime that may have accumulated over the last few months. You will want to have any issues fixed before the cold arrives!

Check windows and doors
The seals around windows and doors become increasingly important during the fall and winter as they can let warm air escape and cold air enter. Check these seals in your Wilmington DE area home and if you spot a place where air can escape, you can apply a new bead of caulk or weatherstripping depending on its location.

Clean the chimney
If you have a fireplace in your Southeastern PA home, now is the time to have it swept for use in the fall and winter. The build up of soot can make you more prone to a chimney fire, so it's best to let the pros tackle this job.

Have HVAC inspected
When you go to reach for the thermostat this fall, you will want to know everything is in working order. Call your local technician to have your HVAC system inspected now and take care to change out your furnace filter. There is often a long waiting list to have systems inspected when the weather turns cold, so avoid this obstacle and cross it off your list now!

Clean and store yard equipment
It's time to put away the gardening tools, patio furniture, garden hose, and the like. While you may use them a few more times in the coming weeks, you can at least clean them now to ensure they will not rust or become damaged once in storage. Clear a space in the garage or shed to store all of your yard equipment and outdoor furniture and once you've decided to call it for the season, you'll know exactly where they go!

Ready to make a move this fall? Contact the Kat Geralis Home Team today for more information about selling your home and finding your next dream property in Greater Wilmington, Chester County and Delaware County PA!

We look forward to hearing from you! 

Katina Geralis
DE and PA Real Estate Expert
eXp Realty

Wilmington Real Estate
Wilmington Homes for Sale
Visit My Website
Contact Me
Find me on Facebook

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