AI Helps Compare Contractor Bids
One of the most difficult parts of beginning a home improvement project is comparing bids from various contractors. It’s almost impossible.
What Happens When You Lie on Your Loan Application
Even if you are not prosecuted, if your lender finds out you equivocated, they can call your loan due and payable on the spot.
Scam Artists Flogging Real Estate Get-Rich Schemes
Buyer beware: Recent Federal Trade Commission actions show that scam artists are still out there, trying to separate you from your money.
Good Buyers Look Beyond Home Staging
House hunters who visit homes that look like they belong in Architectural Digest need to take a closer look. Those places have been staged to hide their flaws.
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.
Contractors Air Their Gripes
Contractors and tradespeople have tales of their own to tell. From their point of view, it’s not always their fault when things don’t go smoothly.
Equity Contracts Aren’t So Hot
There comes a time in practically every homeowner’s life when they consider using the equity they’ve built up in their house for one purpose or another.
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.
40-Year Listing Firm Run Out of Business
Remember the company that was offering homeowners a few thousand dollars in exchange for the right to list their homes any time in the next 40 years?
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.
Low-Fee Brokers Look Increasingly Appealing
Selling your house doesn’t need to cost as much as most agents charge. How does 1 percent of the selling price grab you? Or a flat fee of around $500?
Celebs Help Sell Houses, Loans
A spokesperson doesn’t necessarily need to be super famous, but they should at least be recognizable.
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.
Planning Is Key for Senior Homeowners
Survey after survey has shown that seniors have a strong desire to remain in their homes until they pass. But some will eventually experience a life event that will alter their thinking.
Don’t Pocket Those Listings
Do you really want to withhold your property from the widest possible audience just to give your agent a chance to bank the entire commission, or at least keep the payday in-house?
This Real Estate Agent Went FSBO
This agent – licensed in another state – sold his parent’s home in a highly sought-after area in the Maryland suburbs of Washington, D.C., for $100,000 over the asking price, but regrets his decision.
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.
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