When it comes to renting, purchasing or selling property, a real estate agent may be your best bet in getting in really good deal. Most people have some sort of property dealings at one time or another. When you are young and just starting out, you usually just rent. When you have become more established [...]
All across the country are commercial properties just waiting to be used again. For someone who has always wanted to go into business now has numerous locations to choose from. With so many choices, a new business owner can start out with the right financing and possibly the perfect location. We always hear about location, [...]
The real estate crisis is still on shaky ground, especially commercial real estate. It is not expected to get any better. But for commercial real estate investors who have the funds, there are great prices to be found anywhere in the country. The values on commercial property are down about 30%, which makes prices very [...]
Not only is the housing crisis bad for consumers, it’s just as bad for real estate agents. Since selling homes is their livelihood and how they earn a living, they have taken a beating as well. In today’s market it takes more initiative and creativity get homes sold. In the good years, a lot of [...]
The Washington, DC area has hundreds of real estate agents to choose from. No matter if you are looking to buy or if you are wanting to sell your home, there are a lot of options for you. Some people will try to sell or purchase a home without an agent, but is that really [...]
Upward mobility is a growing trend in the United States. Not many people live and work in the same area for years and years like our parents and grandparents. Most of us were raised in the same home growing up. Today, most people move for that better paying job. Especially in this economy, you sometimes [...]
The past few years have been an absolute nightmare on many people’s finances and investments. Literally thousands of people lost their homes through foreclosure. And, as everyone knows, a foreclosure is a huge black mark on your credit scores. But, it is not as bad as it seems in today’s market. Some lenders are realizing [...]
Times are changing! Do you remember about 20 years ago when you had to actually visit a real estate agent to see what homes were for sale in an area that you wanted to live in? It was a time consuming process between working your free time around the free time of the real estate [...]
Police checks – we often request these when it comes to employment, but what about buying a home? When I say police check, I am not referring to the current owners, I am referring to the home itself. Now I know a home won’t have a criminal record, but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t have [...]
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 [...]
Home buyers, particularly first time home buyers, often have very unrealistic expectations of both the processes, and the home they are about to buy. Buying a home is not like renting a home, and it’s certainly not like buying a pair of shoes. Buying a home actually involves a lot of complex legal processes, most [...]
There are a lot of reasons why people decide to move to a new area, the most predominant being employment transfers. Trying to buy a home that is several hundred – or even a thousand – miles away can be difficult. If you are organized and plan well, then the feat is achievable. Here are [...]
When it comes to real estate, there is a whole new language that is often used. One term that is frequently used is that of a ‘short sale’. When considering a short sale, your real estate agent may refer to a BPO. This refers to a valuation of a home, not by an appraiser, but [...]
The Internet has become a welcome addition to the real estate industry, and potential home buyers are finding the many home listing services a quick and easy way to find their next home. While finding your next home over the Internet is now much easier, the Internet has become a great tool for researching various [...]
FSBO or For Sale By Owner homes are cropping up everywhere. For the seller, it can save them many thousands of dollars and the Internet has certainly made the marketing of these properties a lot easier. There are several myths surrounding FSBO homes, both for and against, and while the seller may not wish to [...]
If you have been trying to sell your home for several months, you’re not the only one. It’s a competitive market and home buyers are looking for homes that they feel are ‘perfect’ for their needs. That term ‘perfect’ is the one that is most difficult to determine, however, there are several areas that home [...]
Each state (and county for that matter) levies a tax on the transfer of real estate between owners. These taxes and recordation fees can be quite considerable, especially for properties in the higher price ranges. Homes in Washington D.C., for example, pay a tax of 1.1% if they are settled at $399,999 or less. However, for [...]
Buying a home can be an expensive process, however, if you are smart, you can often negate some of the costs involved. The only way to negate costs is to understand what those costs are, who charges you for them, and how much they are. Before you even reach settlement day, you may have to [...]
A series of articles on InmanNews related to the dangers that real estate agents face raises a number of issues that home owners should be considering. Real estate agents have had to face some unusual situations over the years, and these situations are on increase. They range from finding animals living in empty homes to [...]
Home buyers have three separate opportunities to look at your home, and each needs to be looked at carefully if you want a quicker sale. The first are the photos you have placed alongside your MLS listing. The second is what a potential buyer can see in a drive by, while the third is what [...]
Real estate agents are often faced with home buyers looking to buy in a hurry. In most cases, these are the buyers who have sold and settled their home, often at a low price, and are faced with limited funds. Having moved out of their former home, the last thing they want is to use [...]
If you are considering selling your home, you may be wondering about the state of the market in your neighborhood. The information is available although it can be hard to collate to give an accurate snapshot. Another problem with collecting that data yourself is knowing how to actually interpret it. There is a service available [...]
The housing market is considered to be a ‘buyers market’ at present and that generally means buyers get to dictate the shots. One contingency that is often found in a home buyers offer is the contract being executed once the contract has been signed. With home sales down, that could be months away from now. [...]
The Internet has become a great tool for home buyers. You can sit at home and wade your way through the MLS looking for that ‘perfect’ home. You can use Google maps to check out the neighborhood, you can even zoom in for a close up of the house, street, and neighbors (although it’s not [...]
It had to come at some stage – a real estate agent taking advantage of the group buying power that Groupon and others provide. A report in Inman News highlights a Chicago real estate broker that has used Groupon to offer $1000 cash to sellers and buyers at settlement. Of course, you have to have bought [...]
Finding a home and negotiating a price is a stressful period for most people. However, that isn’t the end of the stress by a long way. Before you settle, there are a number of contingencies that need to be meet, the most important two being an appraisal and a home inspection. If you are entering [...]
There is one aspect of selling a home that most home owners forget – competition. You are in a competitive market. It doesn’t matter how much you love your home, or how good you feel it looks in comparison to others. What is important is what potential buyers think of your home. There are several [...]
We are reaching an interesting point in the Virginia real estate market with little pockets appearing of what is known as a sellers market. These pockets are slowly growing, too slowly for some people, but growth is growth. What is interesting is that many of these pockets are very niche oriented. For example, in one [...]
If you are looking to buy a home, then you may want to consider the housing fairs that pop up from time to time. Howard County in Maryland is holding their annual housing fair in early April and they provide potential buyers the opportunity to meet with lenders, builders and real estate professionals. This is [...]
If you have a mortgage on your home and you’re planning to sell, then plan to closely examine your mortgage contract first. You’ll be surprised at what you may find hidden. Doug Francis (on his blog) has an interesting take on FHA mortgages and some of the fine print attached to them – and it [...]
