The Latest Scam for Homeowners: Fake Utility Billing Websites
It’s the latest scam levied against unaware homeowners. And what makes it so dangerous is that criminals aren’t just blasting out random emails.
Late with Payments? Call Your Lender Now
The typical indicators of homeowner financial stress – mortgage delinquencies and foreclosure filings – are rising across the land.
Credit Scores Help Insurance Premiums, Not Just Mortgage Rates
The key to obtaining a lower mortgage rate is a good credit score. But new research has also found a direct link between credit scores and insurance premiums.
Few Changes in Real Estate Agent Fees
The supposedly “earthshaking” legal settlement that was supposed to drive down real estate commissions wasn’t so tumultuous after all.
An Untimely Death Changes Everything
What happens when the person buying your house dies before the closing date? Or when your tenant passes away mid-lease?
How to Save on Selling Expenses
If you think it costs a bundle to buy a house – what with a down payment and all – wait till you learn what it costs to sell one: more than $67,000, on average.
When Should Buyers Demand Repairs, or Seek Credits?
There comes a time in most house sales when the buyer and seller have to decide who will pay for any necessary repairs. As with all real estate matters, it depends.
Price Cuts A-Plenty in New-Home Market
Homebuilders are going to great lengths these days to move product. Many are still offering exceptional deals, especially on homes that are move-in ready.
Review Your Homeowners Insurance Yearly
The beginning of hurricane season should serve as a reminder to homeowners in affected areas to make sure their homeowners insurance is up to date.
Protection Against Condo Special Assessments
Tens of thousands, if not hundreds of thousands, of condominium apartments are languishing on the market these days, and not just because of high interest rates and high prices.
Protect Your House from Break-Ins
Thefts from the houses of sports stars Ketel Marte, Travis Kelce, Patrick Mahomes and Rob Gronkowski should raise the hackles of every homeowner – celebrity or not.
The Property Insurance Conundrum
Recent storms highlight just how few Americans go without homeowners’ insurance – 1 in 7 – and how nearly everyone does without flood insurance.
It’s Not All Bad for Buyers
Now might not be the best time to buy a house. But if you are a member of the must-buy group, fear not: the inventory of houses for sale hasn’t been this large since 2019.
Why Marketing Your Listings to Other Agents Still Wins Deals
You have just taken a new listing and plan to market it directly to consumers in print, on the web and on social media. Almost no one, however, has a game plan to market to other agents.
How Top Real Estate Teams Create Customers for Life
There’s an all-out war for consumers between Zillow, Homes.com (owned by CoStar) and the Rocket Companies-Redfin team. But solo agents and agent teams have an ace up their sleeve that can compete against predictive AI and massive ad spending.
Unhappy Agents Voice Concerns
According to the surprisingly candid results of a survey delving into agents’ psyche by the Redfin brokerage firm, half expect their fees to fall in the coming months.
The Green Mirage Sweeping America
A deceptive calling campaign is sweeping the country, costing homeowners hundreds of thousands of dollars in mortgage fraud, according to a federal watchdog.
What’s Better for Buyers: Commission Percentages or Dollar Figures?
Which would you rather pay a real estate agent to help you sell your $450,000 house: a 6 percent sales commission or $27,000? They’re exactly the same amounts, of course, but one sounds a lot less.
Presidential Plans Raise Anxiety in Housing Sector
In the market for a newly constructed house? You might want to hurry. Soon, new homes are likely to cost more and take longer to build.
More Homes Come with HOA Dues
Nearly two-thirds of all single-family houses started in 2023 were within HOA-governed properties. And fees those associations collect are rising.
