Why hire a Realtor?

O.K. I’m continuously baffled as to why a buyer would NOT hire a Realtor to help them buy a house.  Every week there are examples of people that really need to work with a professional and stories about people that did work with a Realtor and are soooo glad they did. This weeks hurrah:  in [...]

Getting married and need down payment for home purchase?

The Washington Post published an article today that is really better suited for spring but is a good article none-the-less. The gist of it is that if you are getting married and are hoping to get cash gifts so you have enough down payment on the purchase of a home, you can do so without [...]

Understanding Short Sales

There is a great article on MSN’s website about buying a short sale property. I’m including the link here and reproducing it below (as they do change their sites so this link may be no good shortly)

Buy a Home and Get a Great Deal!

This is a great market to buy a home. But, how do you know if you’re getting a good deal?

If you are like most buyers, you want to buy a home for a lot less that the asking price. This, however, does not determine whether or not you’re getting a good deal. Offering $40,000 less than asking price on a home that is overpriced by $80,000 is NOT such a good deal.

Home Inpsections and Picking a Home Inspector for Real Estate Buyers

Home inspections are critical to the homebuying process, especially if you have never owned your own home before. Good home inspectors check all of the mechanics of a home to make sure it’s in proper working order and up to code. They work well with you, the buyer, and will answer any questions you have along with showing you important components of the home (where is that main water shut-off valve?)

Buying Short Sale

A short sale is not short for the buyer. It’s called “short” because the sellers mortgage companyis going to accept less than what they are owed at the sale.
This can be a great deal for buyers. The mtg company is only looking at the numbers. is is cheaper for them to take your offer to buy or to foreclose. If it is… then they will generally accept it (generally without contingencies or buyer credits).

Tips for First Time Home Buyers

…if record-low mortgage rates and plummeting housing values have you primed to get intot he market, dont’ get antsy-get educated.