Many people are looking for ways to increase their retirement income. For most of these individuals, their homes are the greatest asset. A large portion of the aging population has failed to plan effectively in order to have sufficient savings at retirement. We always think we have time. They now are looking to real estate [...]
The stock market and real estate can be considered the two major areas of investment. They both allow investors to participate in long term appreciation of values. Which one is a better investment? It is a personal choice, but due to the current economy real estate investment is a better choice. Understanding the difference between [...]
The current financial crisis, brought on by the collapse of the housing market has more and more people looking for solutions to their property when they are upside down. An upside down property is one in which the debt on the property is greater than the value. Today, millions of homeowner are now upside-down on [...]
There is a difference between getting Pre-Qualified & Pre-Approved. A Pre-Approval is a document from the lender that confirms to the borrower a loan up to a certain amount based on a completed loan application, credit check, and possibly tax returns and employment verification. This Pre-Approval goes much further with a seller when submitted with [...]
The younger generations have not had the pleasure of growing up with 8 track tapes, no cell phones or computers. Some are even asking the question, what is a starter home? This term is a throwback from post WWII. Not many real estate agents or lenders use this term anymore, so there are a lot [...]
Since current interest rates are low, now could be a good time to refinance your home in order to lower your mortgage payment. A lot of people are realizing that getting the mortgage paid off is the best way to put money in your pocket in the long. Of course, paying anything off early means [...]
Vancouver, Washington is a great city to live in if you are looking for a great community that is non-pretentious and affordable. The entire Northwest is beautiful and unassuming with an awesome climate. The below list of neighborhoods in Vancouver, Wa. should give you a glimpse of what kind of real estate you can own [...]
Like a lot of larger cities, Portland’s real estate community has divided the largest city in Oregon into 8 regions. These regions serve as guiding points for real estate agents and home buyers when searching for real estate to buy. Each region has its pros and cons in terms of real estate value and other [...]
Whenever you sell a home, it is very important to make sure the home’s problems have been taken care of as well as possible. It may cost you an out of pocket expense but at the same time, you may also be able to increase the selling price of your home to recoup those expenses. [...]
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 [...]
Lately you see a lot of homes sitting on the market for sale for months on end. Yet at the same time, you will see one that gets grabbed up as soon as it hits the market. What factors are involved in these quick sales and how can you get your home to sell faster. [...]
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 [...]
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 [...]
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 [...]
We have all gotten a raw deal in one way or another when it comes to where we live. It used to be that you couldn’t find much information on a neighborhood other than the school or Chamber of Commerce. And, their opinions may be a lot different than yours. A new way of looking [...]
So you think you’re ready to jump into home ownership. That’s good. I’ll always encourage people to take a look in that direction. But before you do, ask yourself these 16 questions. Is my income steady? You’ll need at least a year of proof of income, but I recommend that you have had the same [...]
Have you ever wondered how other people find their dream home? It takes time but it also takes searching for the specific needs that you want in your dream home. Everyone wants something different, such as a large kitchen, a pool, more than one bathroom or wheelchair access. It just takes searching for the criteria [...]
House flipping has long been a way to break into the real estate investment business not only for those who buy a sell numerous properties but for individuals as well. House flipping means buying a home that is usually a fixer-upper, making needed repairs, giving it a facelift and then reselling it for a profit. [...]
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 [...]
Investors tend to be a little crazy when it comes to pure logic. Real estate is one particular area that seems to suffer more from reverse logic than any other investment area. What do I mean by reverse logic? Consider the current scenario – home prices are low, rental demand is high, and interest rates [...]
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 [...]
While now is a questionable time to be selling and buying a new home, it is a good time to be putting your spare cash into real estate, particularly homes that are suitable for the rental market. There are even small groups, either family members or close friends, who are pooling their spare cash to [...]
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 [...]
If you are about to the enter the market as a home seller, your first steps should be to find a good real estate agent to handle the marketing and sale of your home. There are a lot of real estate agents in the marketplace now so it can be difficult to know who will [...]
Statistics can often be misleading and a quick look at the latest data published on Zillow wouldn’t offer much in the way of hope for home buyers. However, a closer look reveals that lower priced homes are weathering the financial storm reasonably well. It makes sense to an extent. Low priced homes don’t have a [...]
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 [...]
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 [...]
When it comes to real estate, and it doesn’t matter if you’re buying, selling, or leasing, you just can’t beat the knowledge and experience that comes with a local expert. In real estate, the local expert is going to be a local real estate agent. Real estate agents make their living by helping people buy, [...]
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 [...]
