Great. Now that you’ve already moved in — lease signed and sealed — the landlord starts acting nutty. He stops by. He asks too many questions. He knows when you leave the lights on, where you leave your shoes and who you’re dating. Or, worse, it turns out he has… read more →
If you’re in the market for a new home, there’s a lot to consider: price, neighborhood, square footage, number of bedrooms and bathrooms, the size of the lot and the home’s condition, to name a few. But have you taken into account the local school district? Even if you don’t… read more →
A real estate agent’s job entails more than assisting clients with the nitty-gritty details of buying or selling a home. Good agents also tour as many homes as possible. Knowing the local inventory gives them an edge over the competition and provides great value for future buyers and sellers because those agents know… read more →
If you’ve been thinking about taking the plunge and buying a home, the last quarter of 2013 might just be the time to do it. Rates on fixed-rate loans are still appealing, and experts say it’s still cheaper to buy than rent. Some financial institutions are also a little more… read more →
What distinguishes a great neighborhood from the merely so-so? It’s a difficult question, encompassing everything from physical attributes such as good design to the right number of parks and public gathering places. Is it a charming Main Street, good schools or an abundance of interesting shops, restaurants and other diversions?… read more →
Selling your home is a real art form these days. The marketing! The staging! Yet there’s one thing that you, Joe or Sally Homeowner, often forget: Would-be buyers don’t care how much you love your pets. And they’re not interested in seeing — or smelling — evidence of Fido or… read more →
Many factors contribute to the experience and success of buying and selling homes, but even in the digital age of a more transparent real estate market, working with a good real estate agent continues to be one of biggest impacts on either side of the transaction. But how do you pick… read more →
Activity in the Washington DC Metro Region continues to be steady and strong as we enter fall. Sales increased in September as compared to this time last year. Pending contracts also increased, but at a slower rate than earlier this year. The increase in pending contracts was driven by condos… read more →
With the housing market heating up in many parts of the country, it can be hard to find the bargain homes that were common in the Great Recession, when many sellers were desperate to unload their homes. Today, Sellers trying to get as much money as possible. Nonetheless, it’s still possible… read more →
Beginning this week, thousands of home buyers will be unable to get approvals for their mortgages because of the government shutdown, potentially undercutting the nation’s resurgent housing market. Without paperwork from the Internal Revenue Service, the Social Security Administration and in many cases the Federal Housing Administration, banks and other… read more →