Not Ready to Commit? Don’t!
Potential buyers and their real estate agents often engage in a complicated courtship dance. A top-flight real estate coach offers ways the best agents overcome prospective clients’ common objections.
Odd Lots: Refis, DTIs and More
Nothing is more devastating to a homebuyer than to search for months and finally find the place they want, only to be rejected by their lender. But it happens. According to LendingTree, 1 in 10 would-be borrowers are turned down.
Disaster Coverage is a Disaster for Most
Many – if not most – homeowners aren’t prepared for a flood, tornado or other natural disaster. And neither, apparently, are their insurance companies.
Accessory Units Gain Traction Nationwide
Today, proponents of accessory units believe they will help ease housing shortages by expanding the options for people of all ages. Now, many communities throughout the country have been relaxing their restrictions against ADUs, or outright encouraging them.
Tax Cut Hit Overshadows Paybacks
Homeowners, now and in the future, are paying more federal income tax in order to help corporations pay less federal income tax, to the tune of $620 billion.
Who Wants to Live Where Someone Died?
Trulia also discovered that if a house was haunted, buyers would rather it be possessed by a vengeful ghost than a demon. And, apparently, they’d be willing to live with the antics of the poltergeist: Less than half would be willing to pay for an exorcism.
Words Matter in Home Listings
Some real estate professionals say there are some words neither their colleagues nor their clients should use in their listings. These phrases and terms are so overused that they have become meaningless.
The Anatomy of a Real Estate Email Scam
Wire fraud has registered a year-over-year increase in losses of about 85-90 percent, and real estate transactions are one of scammers’ favorite targets. Luckily, there are a few simple things you can do to protect yourself and your customers.
Believe It or Not, Holidays Are a Good Time to Sell
With far fewer sellers distracting buyers from your listing and pretty holiday decorations providing excellent staging, the only challenge is keeping the walk shoveled and the piles of coats tucked away.
When Is a Fixer-Upper Worth the Pain?
People buy fixers for all sorts of reasons. Money, of course, is the main factor. But many simply like the house or the neighborhood, and a healthy minority figured they’d enjoy working on the place.
Buy as a Group, Ditch the Guilt Over Vacation Home
After a run of bad publicity and flagging sales, the business is enjoying renewed vigor. Timeshare sales increased in 2018 – the ninth straight year – rising nearly 7 percent to $10.2 billion.
Robotics, 3D Printing Far from Mainstream in Homebuilding
Nowadays, only a handful of residences are built entirely in a factory. Many more are built with factory-built components, such as floor and roof trusses, that are delivered to the building site. But no GM or Ford Motor Co. has emerged to take the industry by storm.
Odd Lots: Homebuyers Should Keep Cash in Reserve
Homebuyers sometimes pour every dollar they have into the transaction. But a new study found that buyers with post-closing liquidity of three months or more were five times less likely to default on their mortgages.
There is a Magic Day to List a House
Houses listed for sale on a Thursday tend to sell more quickly, and at higher prices, than those listed on any other day of the week, research shows. But what’s the best time of day to show a house?
National Market Shift May Mean Price Cuts
The American housing market is definitely changing. Maybe not everywhere, at least not yet. But in most places, sellers are slowly losing their dominance and buyers are taking control.
Consumer Groups Turn Up Heat on Warranties, Angie’s List
Many homeowners believe they can’t do without these two perks: home warranties that promise to replace appliances that cannot be repaired and Angie’s List, the popular website that recommends contractors and repair specialists.
As-Is Often Means As-Won’t Sell
Homeowners who sell their houses “as-is” may end up costing themselves more than they would have spent to make the necessary repairs – if they are able to sell their homes at all.
Odd Parcels: Why You Should Stage Your Home and Ditch the Barn Doors
Sellers who can’t decide whether to move into their next homes while their current ones remain unsold should consider this: According to a new analysis, empty houses remain on the market longer, and sell for less, than those that are still occupied.
Win a ‘Dream House?’ Take the Money and Run
Congratulations to Beverly Fulkerson of Osgood, Indiana, who was the winner of a Montana mountain retreat in this year’s HGTV Dream Home Giveaway. Here’s hoping she gets to keep the place.
Of Construction Miscues and Mishaps
Homebuyers who expect their newly built castles to be flawless masterpieces are only fooling themselves: The perfect, zero-defect house has yet to be built. But every builder has a whopper of a story about a big mistake.
