So, you’ve found a house you like, come up with a down payment and gotten preapproved. What could possibly go wrong? Plenty, if you and your agent rush through the deal without doing all the homework. Buying a house is like getting into a marriage: You must make sure there… read more →
Like the national pastime of baseball, purchasing a home supposedly comes with its own set of “unwritten rules.” Conventional wisdom and considered opinion have long led consumers to believe you never make an offer on the first home you tour, or you always close at the month’s end. The reality… read more →
Getting a mortgage can mean keeping track of a lot of moving parts. Savvy shoppers know to ask lenders about interest rates, closing costs and how much they can borrow. But even seasoned buyers may not know to dig a little deeper. Here’s a look at five key things that… read more →
Ideally, you would sell your current home and buy your new home on the same day, moving from one mortgage to the next. While this seamless transition has worked out for some repeat homebuyers, others have managed to sell their homes and rent them back until they find a new… read more →
With more than 1 million U.S. homes in some phase of foreclosure, great deals abound — if you know how to separate the wheat from the chaff. The No. 1 reason to buy a foreclosure is the potential for a good bargain.RealtyTrac figures show the average short sale fetched $192,129… read more →
Purchase agreements have been hammered out, inspections have been done and issues that were uncovered are being addressed, and the closing date has been set. There’s just one last hurdle to clear before certainty that you are moving: the appraisal. Over the past three months, real-estate appraisals have held back more… read more →
Like the iPhone 3G, a fast closing is a thing of the past. Or is it? In today’s massively regulated, monstrously documented, down-to-the-last-decimal-point, tabulated process, you should count on your mortgage-closing timeline reaching or perhaps even exceeding two months depending on your lender and banking rules.Here are 9 bits of… read more →
Interviewing candidates serves two purposes: You get an education about your local market while learning how the agent proposes to represent you. Ask detailed questions! Here are the most-important areas to investigate: May I See Your Resume? Since you’re searching for an above-average agent, look for evidence of advanced training… read more →
Before the days of online real estate listings, you knew a home sale was pending because you’d see a big red sticker across the “for sale” sign on the front lawn. But for home buyers searching listings online, it’s common to discover the words “pending” or “sale pending” only after… read more →
A growing segment of the housing industry is studying what in a home matters most to women. Real-estate agents, designers, marketers and researchers say some of women’s home preferences are purely functional: Moms like dining areas with easily wiped hardwood or tile floors, not carpeting, for example, and the location… read more →