Don’t Miss the Chance to Refi
If the past is prologue, millions of homeowners with high-rate mortgages won’t refinance their loans, even as mortgage rates tumble.
Cash Buyers Can Get Their Money Back
Cash is king when it comes to buying a house. Always has been, and always will be. And these days, individual cash buyers – as opposed to cash-laden investors – have an even better shot of scoring the house of their dreams.
A Homeowner’s Playbook for the Day After Disaster
These days, disasters like wildfires, tornadoes, floods and hurricanes are more powerful than ever. It’s increasingly likely your home will be hit one way or another.
States Are Taking the Fight to Squatters
Some states are taking long-overdue legislative steps to deal with squatters: people who take over others’ properties without their consent, sometimes dumping the owner’s stuff and trashing their homes.
How Homeowners Can Save on Rising Insurance Premiums
Homeowners may be able to find some relief from rising property taxes and insurance premiums – without doing much work in the process.
Basic Customer Service Creates Big Opening for Agents
Nearly half of online property inquiries are simply ignored, according to new research from real estate analyst and consultant Mike DelPrete.
Thinking Solar? Beware of Crooked Lenders
Homeowners considering adding solar panels to their rooftops should beware of crooked lenders who mislead customers about the terms and conditions of their financing.
How Buyers Can Pay the Buy-Side Commission
Attention, buyers: How are you going to pay your share of the sales commission on the house you want to buy? There’s a lot to understand, now.
In a Home Inspection, Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff
There’s a lot of give-and-take when it comes to buying a house. But perhaps the most important bargaining takes place over the report from the buyer’s home inspector.
Listing a Home? Get the Sellers to ‘Edit’
Price, location and condition all play a part in whether or not someone decides to buy your house. But a homeowner can only control one of them, and it’s not price or location.
Overpriced Listings Become Stale
Right now, according to Redfin, more houses have been on the market for 30 days or more than any other time in recent memory
FHA Rehab Loan Program Gets Important Updates
At last, Uncle Sam’s primary program for helping homeowners and buyers rehab their properties is moving into the 21st century.
The Real Cost of Selling Goes Way Beyond Agent Commissions
Most people realize they’ll have to pay a hefty commission to sell their homes. But that’s not even the half of it – literally – according to new research.
Builders Building Small, But Maybe Not Small Enough
Builders are constructing their smallest houses in years, but they still may not be small enough for a significant portion of the population.
Casual Chitchat Can Cost You a Real Estate Deal
Loose lips can not only sink ships, they can also scuttle real estate transactions. That applies to what home sellers say on social media as well as during a showing.
Your House Can Hurt You
A new analysis of Consumer Product Safety Commission data shows that millions of visits to local emergency rooms are the result of accidents in the home.
Insuring Vacation Properties Has Its Share of Quirks
If you don’t tell the insurance company that their getaway home is not always occupied, they could be in for some surprises.
Sellers: Follow the Golden Rule
The manner in which sellers leave their homes for the next owners says a lot about their character. But considerate sellers exist, and they get rewarded by the housing market.
Spotting Design Flaws
No newly constructed house is perfect. That’s why builders employ customer service teams to go back after customers move in and rectify whatever issues have popped up.
Rejected for a Home Loan? Don’t Give Up Yet
Nothing is more devastating to homebuyers than to search for months and finally find the place they want, only to be rejected by their chosen lender. But it happens to 1 in 10 applicants.
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