A Mechanic’s Lien Could Stop a Future Sale
Every homeowner who is considering hiring a contractor to do some work in or around their house should become familiar with the mechanic’s lien laws in their home state.
Real Estate Still Proves Fertile for Fraud
I hate to keep beating a dead horse – but then, real estate fraud is far from a dead horse. In fact, people are being taken in by crooks more than ever.
Tenants Face Numerous ‘Junk Fees’
When it comes to junk fees, nobody can hold a candle to landlords. Not even mortgage lenders. Now, the Biden administration is pushing landlords to cut back these charges.
Home Prices Rose Little, But Made Big Contribution to Inflation
In February, overall house prices registered their smallest year-over-year gain since September 2021. Even so, housing’s share of the Consumer Price Index rose at an accelerated pace.
How to Prep a Home for the All-Electric Future
The shift toward all-electric living is underway. But if you are a buyer in today’s new home market, how do you navigate the transition to make sure your house is not outdated before you’ve hardly settled in?
New Home Search Portal Set to Launch
Homebuyers and agents alike could soon benefit from a new listing portal with all the online bells and whistles they’ve come to expect – but with better service on the ground and no-fee leads.
Buyers: Know Your Share
Many of the nation’s largest real estate firms still do not publish the share of the commission paid to agents who work with homebuyers, leaving buyers to fend for themselves.
Tax Appeal May Bring Big Savings
Property taxes are rising right along with the cost of food, gas and other necessities. One main difference: You won’t have to wait for inflation to come down to lower your property taxes.
Higher Credit Report Fees Hit Homebuyers
As if rising mortgage rates and high house prices aren’t enough, some homebuyers are going to have to contend with credit reports that will cost 400 percent more in 2023 than it did in 2022.
Buyer’s Remorse in Store for ’23?
Buyer’s remorse is likely to take on a more sinister turn in the coming months, as people who purchased their houses at the top of the market take out their frustrations on their real estate agents.
War Stories: Selling During a Divorce
In a perfect world, a couple in the midst of a divorce would sit down together and calmly figure out what to do with their house. But, of course, this is not a perfect world.
What Truly Counts as ‘Falling’ Prices?
It’s that time of year when everyone makes bold predictions about what lies ahead in 2023. But I have my own theory. Yes, prices are coming down, but that doesn’t mean sellers are losing out.
Cons and How to Spot Them
Confidence games come and go. But some seem to go on forever. And some real estate cons are worth remembering, if only because how successful they were.
How to Exit a Sales Contract
There are a bunch of ways to get out of your contract if you get cold feet. But failing to show up at the scheduled closing is not one of them. It’s wrong, and you could open yourself up to lawsuits.
A $127K Student Loan Balance Makes Homebuying Hard
Yes, the combination of rising mortgage rates and house prices are probably insurmountable for many young homebuyers. But new research has found that what’s really holding many of them back is the truckload of debt they’re carrying.
Buyers of New Construction Have New Tastes
Messy kitchens; concierge services; coworking spaces; connections to local businesses: These are what homebuyers want in new developments.
Failed Deals Could Spell Bargains
The tea leaves are lining up in favor of homebuyers who can afford today’s higher mortgage rates.
Signs Are Still Silent Salespeople
Some sellers have a good reason for not wanting one. But for most people, “For Sale” signs are a 24-hour marketing tool that shouldn’t be ignored, even as house hunts mostly start online.
Hurricane Season Is Here Already. Are You Prepared?
The Atlantic hurricane season is upon us – it runs from June 1 to Nov. 30 – and it could be a big one. One agency is predicting almost two dozen named storms and six to 10 hurricanes.
Signs Point to Housing Slowdown
Owners who are just now putting their homes on the market appear to be an optimistic bunch. Whether they are too hopeful remains to be seen, but the signs are pointing to a slowdown that could stop the march of ever-higher prices.
