Homebuyer's Blog
The Federal Fair Housing Act, enacted in 1968, is designed to prohibit discriminatory practices when buying and selling homes. Administered by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), the law prohibits housing discrimination against seven protected classes—race, color, sex, religion, national origin, familial status and/or physical and mental handicaps.
You’ve found a home you’d like to buy. How much should you offer to pay?
Moving into your new home is a big job. The further you plan in advance, the smoother it will go. This list contains most of the big tasks you’ll need to do and suggested timeframes. Depending on your situation, you might be able to delete (or may need to add) some items.
Buying a home can present hidden risks. While sellers must provide prospective buyers with complete and accurate descriptions of properties for sale, each state varies regarding the details sellers must legally disclose to buyers.
When two parties enter into negotiations on a home, there are far too many opportunities for bumps and obstacles to get in the way. What are the most common traps, and how can you avoid them?
Real estate agents frequently use a Comparative Market Analysis (CMA) to estimate a property’s probable selling price. CMAs help sellers decide on a listing price, whereas buyers use them to determine how much they want to offer for a property.
After weeks of house hunting, negotiating, and packing, the time has finally arrived to close on your new home. It's an exciting time! But before signing your closing papers and receiving your keys, a few important details remain, including ensuring that the condition of the home you’re about to purchase has not changed substantially.
If you’re like most buyers, you probably started your home search online. What you’ve found, however, may have raised more questions than answers
Accredited Buyer’s Representatives (ABR®) are real estate professionals who have special training and experience in working with buyers. They aren’t, however, the only people with helpful advice for future homebuyers. Consider these tips from other consumers—people who recently completed their own real estate transaction—and the suggestions they’re offering to other buyers.
Scenario: A buyer is eager to purchase a home, but needs more time to qualify for a mortgage. A seller is eager to generate income on a vacant property. For this buyer and seller, a rent-to-own contract may be an attractive alternative to an immediate transaction.
When a home has particular energy-related problems, homeowners (or potential buyers) can begin the diagnostic process.
The decision to purchase a home is a highly personal one, based on both tangible and intangible factors.
Moving to a new, unfamiliar community can be stressful and demanding. To make your transfer go smoothly, consider these suggestions:
You’ve been searching for homes online, driving by interesting properties in your car, and found one that looks perfect. What do you do next? Contact the agent featured on the yard sign and the online listing?
If you plan to buy a house in the future, there are several things you need to know now about how banks make decisions on approving mortgage applications.
Many would-be home buyers have fantasies of purchasing a house that’s a diamond in the rough, then fixing it up to be a showplace. Only on occasion does it happen this way.
You’re planning to buy your first house? How exciting! Just make sure you avoid these expensive mistakes, so your new home will measure up to your dreams.
It may seem like a good idea to work with the same agent to sell your existing home and help you purchase a new one, but is this the right choice for you?
Here are some of the potential pros and cons you should consider for using the same real estate professional in two different capacities.
Buying a home is one of the biggest purchases of your life. Every bit of money you can save, without sacrificing, is worthwhile. One great way to realize substantial savings is taking time to find the best mortgage product.
Buying your first home is exciting! Even so, smart homebuyers take time to consider these five essential steps for achieving the best results.