Before you sell your house, the ceiling and walls should look their best. Once you remove the furniture, there is really nothing left to sell the house by other than its foundation and its appearance. Check all the ceilings for water stains, whether the leak is caused by plumbing or a faulty roof. Find the [...]
If you have your real estate licence and are thinking about your next move, don’t ask yourself how you should begin, but how should you excel. The first thing you need to think about is connections. Build and maintain relationships with your clients because returning customers and referrals is where you will get the majority [...]
I’m posting this for some friends of mine who are a really nice couple. They are renting out their condo in Ponce Inlet, FL. It is a great place to get away if you’re looking for something on the beach. The price is pretty good also. Check out their website for more info, or to [...]
Have you ever wondered what the difference is between a commercial real estate agent and a residential agent? It is not all that complicated, really. Commercial real estate agents market and lease apartment buildings, office buildings, shopping centers, hotels and industrial buildings. They typically work for large commercial property brokerages in a formal, high-pressure and [...]
Should you buy a new home or a resale house? The choice is up to you, of course, based on what you can afford and where you want to live, but buying new offers a whole range of advantages that are not available in a resale property. Here are some of the reasons that have [...]
Most home buyers take advantage of the home appraisal when they buy a new home, however, others toss the notion aside, especially when the market is hot, and that’s not a very wise decision when putting so much into something so valuable. If you’re looking to use mortgage financing, it’s hard to overlook an appraisal. [...]
You’ve seen them, as we all have: Foreclosure homes that are being sold for a fraction of the cost of market price. Who doesn’t want to hit on a good deal and get their future home or future rental property for 1/3 or less the price it would cost on the traditional market? But this [...]
If you are in the market for a new home in Washington D.C. but are concerned about the cost of building from scratch – and the time it takes to build a house – you may want to investigate manufactured houses. The term “manufactured house” specifically refers to a home built entirely in a protected [...]
Right now, the housing market is less than perfect. This is known knowledge. However, what if you are sitting on some real estate you no longer need to own? Do you sell and take your chances in the market, possibly losing money? Or do you become a landlord and rent the property out until the [...]
Home buying is a big and stressful ordeal. A bad outcome can be right around the corner, unless you are diligent and watch your step – every step – along the way. One of the keys to ensuring that your real estate venture will have a happy ending is to make a commitment to stay [...]
It’s not new news that the housing market is in a crash. Though house prices continue to fall in many locations, prices are still dangerously high compared to incomes and rents. Banks say a safe mortgage is a maximum of 3 times the buyer’s annual income with 20% down payment. Landlords say a safe price [...]
You are searching for the perfect commercial property for your business. Perhaps this is the first time or you are looking to relocate your current brick and mortar store. Once you find that property, you need to sit down with the landlord and discuss a few things. The first item of business usually is the [...]
So often landlords and tenants find themselves looking for guidance because an unpleasant surprise has cropped up during the course of a lease. In most every case, such surprises are the result of having signed a poorly understood or poorly constructed lease agreement. For example, less sophisticated tenants might not know the technical lingo of [...]
Buying a home is a huge purchase, probably one of the biggest purchases most people ever make. Naturally, people want to protect the value of their property. Homeowners insurance is a contract between a homeowner and an insurance company. As long as the owner pays the required premiums and meets the other policy requirements, the insurance [...]
Fraud is everywhere and in the real estate business it abounds. Even home appraisers have been known to dip their hands into the fraud bucket. The government is seeking out fraud companies in their own way, but they also encourage the public to take their own measures against these crooks. If you are looking to get your home [...]
It can be a renter’s dream (personal attention, prompt repairs), or a nightmare (too much and too personal attention). Here’s what to know before moving into that basement apartment. It can be very convenient to rent an apartment where your landlord lives in the same building, it can also come with its fair share of [...]
When investing in anything, including real estate, having a budget planned out is a great idea. By having an investing budget you will be able to stay on track and ensure that you do not get yourself into any hot water. Time and time again real estate investors make bad mistakes when it comes to [...]
What to do before buying a new home is a common topic and very important, but what many people don’t think of is what not to do before buying a home. Make no major purchases. Avoid buying a car, or major appliances or purchases of any kind that will add debt. This can also include [...]
When you buy your first home and you see that 30 year term, it seems like you’ll be paying for your home forever. However, there are ways to shorten your mortgage term without refinancing or paying extra penalties. Pay a little extra money every month towards your principal. You can usually add a dollar amount [...]
Fairfax County, VA. In 2008, the residential real estate market experienced a decline due in part to the over supply of homes for sale. This led to lower sale prices in many neighborhoods. In 2009, the market continued a decline but at a much slower rate. As of January 1, 2010, the real estate market changed [...]
Getting a mortgage can make a new home buyer, or even a seasoned home buyer, quake. What are all those terms? What do I need to know? You want to make an informed decision and a mortgage broker can help you do that. Mortgage Brokers. Finding the right home may seem like the hard part [...]
There are a lot of methods to utilize on the search for a perfect home. Below are the most popular ways, as well as some not so popular methods of house searching and reasons for their success or failure. Yard Signs. Many people see a house as they drive by and see the For Sale [...]
Basic rental is an old practice. You buy a piece of property and rent it out to someone else, whether it is a house, a condo, a townhouse, etc. You, as the owner of the property, pay the mortgage, taxes and cost of maintaining the property. To invest, this means you need to make a [...]
There are times when buyers will push sellers, making demands that could be bad news for sellers in the long term. One practice that is creeping in is the handing over of keys before the sale has been settled. One of the causes behind this situation is the market itself – buyers are selling and [...]
Home buying today is very different to what it was five years ago. When the market was at its peak the moment a home came on the market there were people falling over themselves to get a view and perhaps submit an offer. Today, a home comes onto the market and while there may be [...]
Real estate agents probably have one huge beef when it comes to home owners putting their properties on the market – their unrealistic expectations when it comes to selling prices. If the home owner can’t at least value their home for what they paid for it, it is the real estate agent’s, or the appraiser’s [...]
If you’re in the market to buy a home, consider casting your net just a little bit wider. Research is becoming a real key to home buying and some of that research should include settlement and ongoing costs. There can be a huge variation between states when it comes to transfer and annual taxes – [...]
Obtaining a mortgage today can seem like an impossibility for many home buyers. Lenders have gone from virtually throwing money at anyone who walked in their door to holding back loans even to those well qualified. There are a couple of things that you can do to ensure a smoother mortgage journey. Lenders today are [...]
If you’re looking to buy a home in Maryland and you don’t know the state, you will need to do some research first to ensure you select the right area for your research. For many new residents, their move is motivated by employment so the general area will be known, but sometimes you need to [...]
Interest rates on 15 and 30 year mortgages are at record lows this week yet buyers seem to be leaving the market in droves. One reason for this is the increase in those looking to refinance rather than buy. It’s a catch 22 since fewer buyers lead to fewer sales, and a dropping in real [...]
