Most of us have a vision in our minds of the dream home we really, really want to build. Unfortunately, we also think that it will never become a reality. Truthfully, it is not impossible. There are challenges but it can be done as long as you know how to finance the home and if [...]
Before starting your home search and committing to any realtor, it is wise for you to research all the ones in your local area to find the best option for you. Buyers in the Washington, DC area have several options with realtors. Although it is routine for sellers to sign a listing agreement with a [...]
It has been an eye opening experience the last few years about jobs and real estate. Many had rose colored glasses on and kept telling themselves that everything would be alright. Others were just not motivated enough to think beyond today. Those two groups likely lost homes and/or businesses. While still others took a stand [...]
On the bright side, consumer confidence is better than it has been since 2008 but home prices continue to fall and are only slightly higher than in 2008. This coming year may prove to be the worst on record, according to The New York Times. With home prices continuing to fall, there is a real [...]
Foreclosure is not a pretty option for either the homeowner or the lending institution. The homeowner does not want to lose their home and the lending institution does not want to get stuck with an unpaid mortgage. That’s where loan modifications come in. So, do they work? Will the lending institutions agree to it? Probably [...]
Have you ever been on a drive and noticed a house that you particularly liked? Yet, you didn’t have a chance to write the Realtor’s number down or maybe they didn’t answer the phone. And, trying to find one particular home in a sea of real estate listing booklets is like find a needle in [...]
For many, giving up their home is a stressful and upsetting thing to do. But, a lot have done it because they simply could not keep up with the mortgage for any number of reasons. The current economy has caused so many to give up a mortgage. The are pros and cons to any decision [...]
With so many homes on the market today to choose from, it is very easy to find a home that fits your needs exactly. But, what if something has gone wrong during the buying stage and you are unsure about buying the home after all. Where do you stand and what are your options? It [...]
The Christmas Holiday season is coming up fast. Should you keep your home on the market or not? Many are asking this question. It really is a personal choice in the long run, but it can spell disaster if you do take it off the market. Of course the holiday season is a very busy [...]
The recent economic crisis has many people rethinking how to buy real estate at a lower cost. Something new that the Washington, DC area has started seeing popping up are modular homes. No, not manufactured or mobile homes, but modular homes. These homes are just as pretty as traditional real estate but cost less. If [...]
Since Washington, DC and the surrounding areas have such a large and diverse population, there is something for everyone. Of course, most people will want something that is comfortable to them and their lifestyle. Here are a few of the hottest markets in the real estate arena: Anacostia Waterfront – This is the fastest growing [...]
You are wanting to sell your house. You know you are up against some big odds as the real estate sales are practically at a stand still. So how are you going to make your home stand apart from the rest? You simply have to stage it, or flip it, or redo it. Whatever term [...]
Today’s economy is not a bowl of cherries. The nation has suffered a severe hardship the last few years and we are not out of the woods yet. Did you know that home prices have dropped more in this current depression than they did during the Great Depression of the 1930′s. That is staggering. This [...]
Certainly, it is a well known fact by now that the economy struck many homeowners hard in the last year or so. There are now an overabundance of foreclosed property in the Washington, DC area as well as other parts of the United States. The lenders don’t want to and can’t keep these homes on [...]
You will hear many people say you don’t have to worry about a home inspection when buying a home. They are wrong. You do have to worry. A home inspection should be one of the top priorities on your agenda when purchasing a home. It’s also important to not let a home inspection expire. There [...]
There are some areas in law that are total oxymoron’s. A good example is the restriction placed on real estate agents about neighborhoods. When discussing possible home purchases, the real estate is not permitted to discuss certain aspects of a neighborhood. They can, however, point home owners to where they can find that information. It’s [...]
One of the interesting trends of late is the offer by both real estate agents and sellers to pay closing costs. Real estate agents generally offer a cash back option, however, this is no different to paying closing costs. The sting for buyers is that these offers are generally tied to buying the home at [...]
According to Trulia, 80% of homeowners are still planning to buy again while 59% of renters intend buying. This is a good sign for a nation that has been racked by falling home prices and foreclosures reaching epidemic proportions. One of the measurements that economists love is consumer sentiment, so when it comes to the [...]
Buying a home is a complex business and while most real estate agents now refuse to act as a dual agent, there are some who will. There are many buyers who are also willing to navigate the home buying processes alone, or, at best, with an attorney and not a buyers real estate agent. Buying [...]
I know they are tough words, yet they are words that are often repeated in the legal world. They say if you represent yourself in court, you have a fool for a client, and that could also be true when it comes to real estate. Attorney’s and real estate agents are often called in to clean [...]
If you are in the market to buy a home, there’s a resource available that’s often under used – a buyers real estate agent. If you really want to save a lot of time, you can leave all the hard work to that real estate agent, and then just sit back and get on with [...]
There is a theory that is often floated by home buyers that real estate agents are always on the take. If they refer a buyer onto a local lender, it’s only because there is a kickback for them. This is far from the truth – in fact, illegal. There are many reasons why a real [...]
If you are looking to buy a home, then, considering the current market conditions, be prepared to lose value before you start to see any gains. This means any home purchases made in this environment has to be on the understanding that it’s a long term investment. While some areas are seeing slight gains, it’s [...]
One of the hardest pills for any home buyer to swallow is that of a home appraisal that comes in lower than the price they negotiated on a home. As a home buyer, you are caught in two minds. Have you agreed on too high a price for that home? Or has the appraiser got [...]
It seems that social media is a panacea to all problems – at least, if you believe marketers and heavy users of social media. When it comes to home buying, social media is not a great tool, especially when there are so many websites dedicated to home buying. It’s far easier to find a home [...]
If you are in the process of looking to buy a new home, prepare yourself for some interest rate shocks. That will be one of the first effects you’ll feel if Congress fails to reach any sort of agreement on extending the national debt limit. While an increase in interest rates will hurt, and it [...]
There are myths and legends that surround almost every instance of our lives and home buying in particular is full of these myths. What’s important is sifting the myths from the truths and only concentrating on the truths. Listening and following myths can actually harm your home buying efforts, including costing you extra – and [...]
With the housing market having gone through a huge devaluation period, the luxury home market has become easy pickings for many astute buyers. While considered ‘luxury’, there are many homes that are suffering from the period in which they were built. What was considered trendy ten or twelve years ago is now out of fashion, [...]
The second biggest group of home buyers (behind investors) in the market today are, believe it or not, single females. They make up 20% of all sales at present. Single males make up 12%. Both still way behind investors at 32%. Other groups include couples with no children, families, and retirees. For home sellers, there [...]
The real estate market is inundated with new statistics almost daily. Some are well worth looking at while others only serve to confuse both buyers and sellers. One set of statistics that is worth taking note of is the current rental market. While real estate home prices have been either falling, or remaining stable, rental [...]
