Real Estate Investing
How to Finance Your Investment Property
Looking for investment properties can be a lot of fun. It is a pleasure to go into a property just dreaming of the profits it could bring. But before you start seriously looking, you need to have your financing plan lined up. more...
8 Steps to Making Huge Profits
Buying properties that are in need of repair is one of the quickest ways to make money in real estate and in the shortest period of time. These properties are known in the industry as "fixer uppers," "ugly properties," or "junkers." more...
Secrets to Uncovering Hidden Properties
Oftentimes, I hear the question "How do I beat other investors to the best deals?" Everyone wants to know these mysterious secrets when they hear about huge profits made on investment properties. more...
Your Real Estate Investment Strategy
You have heard of the fortunes made in real estate investing and you want to jump in the game as well. I don't blame you at all. It continues to be one of the most stable investments you can make. And, they aren't making any more land! more...
How to Avoid Real Estate Investing Pitfalls
Imagine you have researched the local real estate market, put a plan of attack together, had an offer accepted, secured financing and finally purchased a property. How do you make sure your investment becomes profitable? more...
Buying a Home
3 Easy Steps to Getting a Mortgage
Examine your finances and shop around before you apply for a mortgage. Shopping for a mortgage is the first step toward owning a home and perhaps the most daunting, especially if you are not prepared. more...
10 Home Financing Mistakes
Most advice columns tell you what you should do, but just as importantly, there are some things you shouldn't do. Here are 10 frequent home finance mistakes that consumers make--and that you should avoid. more...
Choosing a Home
Once you've settled on a couple of preferred neighborhoods for your home search, it's time to pick out a few homes to view. Having a house features “wish list” keeps you focused on which features are most important to you. more...
Choosing a Neighborhood
Narrow your home search by identifying neighborhoods that are right for you. This helps you become more efficient. We can offer neighborhood information to guide you in your search. more...
Don't Forget Your Home Inspection(s)
Suppose you bought a house and later discovered, to your dismay, that the stucco exterior concealed a nasty case of dry rot. Or, suppose that when you fired up the furnace in the winter, you discovered a cracked heat exchanger that's leaking gas into your home. The best way to avoid unpleasant surprises like these is to arrange for a home inspection before you buy. more...
Making an Offer
A written proposal is the foundation of a real estate transaction. Oral promises are not legally enforceable when it comes to the sale of real estate. Therefore, everything needs to be in writing. more...
Taking Charge
If you approach the home buying process intelligently and with confidence, you are much more likely to buy a house you'll be proud to call home. more...
Why Use a Realtor?
A real estate agent can help you understand everything you need to know about the home buying process. more...
What a Realtor Can Do for You
The Realtor® you work with can be one of your most valuable resources in the home buying process. Unlike many real estate agents who are simply licensed by their state to do business, Realtors® have taken additional steps... more...
Who Represents You?
An important topic in the world of real estate is the issue of agency. Some people might have you believe that it really doesn't affect you, the buyer, and that nothing much has changed. But they are wrong. more...
Are You Ready to Buy a Home?
The Internet is an enormous library of valuable real estate related information. Doing your research to gather knowledge as well as working with local Realtors®, whose expertise and experience can interpret and guide you through the information, can be essential to your success in buying a home that is right for you. more...
Get a Realtor when You Buy
Real estate is a tough business with a steep dropout rate. And, although many people have earned real estate licenses, only a small percentage of them actively help buyers and sellers. more...
Get Loan Pre-Approval
Few people can buy a home for cash. Most buyers, especially first-time purchasers, require a loan. Real estate financing is not just about getting a loan, it's about getting the loan that's right for you. more...
Offers, Counteroffers and Negotiation
When you are ready to buy, you will need to make a written offer. Your Realtor® will guide you through the offer, counteroffer, negotiating and closing processes. more...
More on Home Inspections
Home inspections give you a professional assessment of a home's condition. With such a major purchase as a home, an inspection gives you peace of mind in knowing whether there are any deficiencies that need to be dealt with now or in the future. more...
Title Search & Finalize Your Financing
After making an offer, you need to do a title search on the property you wish to buy. These records are important because they provide proof that the owner has valid, marketable and insurable title to the property they are selling. more...
Closing & Settlement
It might seem as though once a sale agreement has been signed that the buying process is complete. Not only is it not over yet, but some of the most complex aspects of a real estate transaction now begin. more...
Get Homeowner's Insurance
Homeowner insurance protects homeowners in the event of catastrophe. If something goes wrong, insurance can be the bargain of a lifetime. more...
What's Left to Do After Closing?
You've done it. You've looked at properties, made an offer, obtained financing and made it to closing. The home is yours. Is there any more to the home buying process? Whether you're a first-time buyer or a repeat buyer, there are several more steps you'll want to take. more...
Things You Need to Know about Moving
Even the smallest home contains a lot of furniture, clothes, kitchen equipment, pictures and other items. For a short move, it may be worthwhile to transport small goods by yourself, but larger items may require a professional mover. more...
Decoding Real Estate Listings
Real estate ads are usually full of acronyms and terms that are unfamiliar to first-time buyers. Here's a cheat sheet to let you in on the lingo. more...
How Much Can You Afford?
As you think about applying for a home loan, you need to consider your personal finances. How much you earn versus how much you owe will likely determine how much a lender will allow you to borrow. more...
What is a Mortgage?
A mortgage is a loan to finance the purchase of a home, and it is probably the largest debt you'll ever take on. Your home is the collateral for the loan, which is also a legal contract you sign to promise that you'll pay the debt, with interest and other costs, typically over 15 to 30 years. more...
10 Steps to House Hunting
It sounds like a great listing--in your price range and in a good neighborhood--with features you're looking for. First impressions mean a lot, but you find the bushes are overgrown, the front hallway is covered with tacky foil wallpaper, the kitchen cabinets are painted dark brown, the living room rug smells musty, and the hardwood floors have black water marks on them. Do you walk? more...
10 "No Money Down" Ways to Purchase
Turn the television on any late night and you'll find yourself in the middle of a "how to buy real estate" infomercial. Can you really buy a house with no down payment? more...
Selling a Home
Getting Your House Ready
A house that "sparkles" on the surface will sell faster than its shabby neighbor, even though both are structurally well maintained. more...
Marketing Your Home
Your Realtor’s marketing efforts and considerations will include advertising, showing the property, how long the house has been on the market and whether you're buying another home. Your home should be listed, whenever possible, through a Multiple Listing Service (MLS). more...
Setting the List Price
All owners want the best possible price and terms when selling their home. Several factors, including market conditions and interest rates, will determine how much you can get for your home. The idea is to get the maximum price and the best terms during the window of time when your home is on the market. more...
Why Use a Realtor?
A real estate agent can help you understand everything you need to know about the home selling process. more...
11 Mistakes that Could Cost You Hundreds
Selling your home can be an exhausting experience. Last minute walk-throughs, inconvenient calls, price adjustments and the possibility of being stuck with two mortgages are real concerns. more...
Are You Ready to Sell Your Home?
Millions of homes are sold each year. And, while each transaction is different, every seller wants the same thing--the highest price with the least amount of hassle and aggravation. more...
Get a Realtor when You Sell
Before placing a home on the market you should identify RealtorS in your community who can assist with the sale. more...
More on Setting the List Price
Setting the list price for your home involves evaluating various market conditions and financial factors. During this phase of the home selling process, your Realtor® will help you set your list price. more...
More on Marketing Your Home
Marketing a home requires a specialized approach because each home is unique, the marketplace is always in flux, interest rates frequently change and new buyers search for homes each day. more...
Offers, Counteroffers and Negotiation
Selling your home involves both business and personal concerns: you will have people looking at your house, and buyers presenting offers and counteroffers; and you'll have to deal with bargaining, negotiating and signing documents. more...
The Sale Agreement and Closing
It might seem that once a sale agreement has been signed that the selling process is complete. Not only is it not over yet, but some of the most complex aspects of a real estate transaction has just begun. more...
When an Offer is Made?
A written proposal is the foundation of a real estate transaction. Oral promises are not legally enforceable when it comes to the sale of real estate. Therefore, everything needs to be in writing. more...
Preparing Your Home for Sale--Small Fixes
If you're getting ready to move out or let prospective home buyers snoop through your home, you should check and fix, if necessary, the following common problem areas. more...
Selling Your Home--Improve It or Leave It?
Should you make home improvements when you plan to move anyway? Generating curb appeal and using model home staging techniques are better ways to spend your money than loading up on major home improvements when it's time to sell your home in any market. Curb appeal and staging won't work, however, if your home is a wreck. more...
Attention: For Sale By Owners!
Many homeowners believe that to maximize their profit on a home sale, they should sell it themselves. more...
How to Get Every Dollar You Deserve
The ability to reap additional profits on the sale of your home can be accomplished easily enough if you make the right improvements. Basic, simple and inexpensive improvements provide the prospective buyer with enhanced feelings about your home, feelings of more space, more light, more rooms, more closet space, greater privacy, warmth and security. more...
Sell Your Home at the Highest Price
Making a mistake in selling a home can cost you hundreds or thousands of dollars in lost profit. Oftentimes, home sellers make the same mistakes over and over. more...
To Use or Not Use a Realtor
Selling your home can be one of the most profitable sales you ever make in your life. But one of the most important decisions can be deciding whether to sell the house yourself or to use a Realtor's service to help sell it for you. more...
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