TwinStar Credit Union officially rolled out a new home buyer program this February. Home Advantage is a member program that walks home buyers through the home-buying process with first-class service, says Racardo McLaughlin, head of mortgage origination for Twin Star.
Home Advantage helps buyers investigate the local market, work with a real estate agent and purchase a home—saving money in the process. By logging on, members have access to online property listings, local demographics, and recent home sales. This means you can search through online MLS listings to find the home you want that matches the options you need. When you save your search criteria, you can receive email alerts when new properties matching your preferences become available.
Next, members have the opportunity to find a preferred real estate agent who has been pre-screened and handpicked by TwinStar for service quality. Members choose an agent from a network of experienced agents ready to help with buying, selling or both.
One of the biggest advantages of using the Home Advantage service is the ability to earn a rebate on the home purchase (equal to 20% of the agent’s commission, for an average savings of $1,500 per transaction). The rebate is then applied to the closing costs, giving the home buyer extra dollars for other home expenses, such as furnishings or window treatments.
“It’s important that members know we have them in mind,” says McLaughlin. “Our philosophy is that we want to build a better and stronger member relationship, while saving the member time and money.”
LEAH GROUT
For additional information: twinstarcu.com