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An Ode to the Suburbs: Why Suburbs Are Still Right for Most Americans

June 12, 2015

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The city or the suburbs? It’s a debate that’s been raging for some time now, and over the past five years or so, it appeared the scales were tipping back toward urban-living proponents. But something funny happened on the way to the city. Urban population growth is slowing, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Sure, […]

Homebuyer Beware: Due Diligence Can Save You From Despair

June 5, 2015

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Caveat emptor: Let the buyer beware. Sure, we’ve all heard it before and we know what it means. Sadly, many don’t pay heed. There is an investment rule that all homebuyers should learn about called “due diligence.” Investopedia defines due diligence as “an investigation or audit of a potential investment,” and notes that “generally, due […]

5 Expenses Most New Homebuyers Don’t Think About

May 29, 2015

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Hop in the car, find homes for sale, fall in love with one, put in an offer and off you go into the land of homeownership – right? Not exactly, although this is how the process works according to many first-time buyers. That is, until they become educated. From miscellaneous expenses of the purchase process […]

Top 3 Real Estate Deal Killers

March 20, 2015

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The way some people talk, it would take a miracle to make it from a signed purchase agreement to the closing table. But in reality, most real estate transactions go through with nary a hitch. Those that do hit snags, however, run the very real danger of completely falling apart. The problems are sometimes out […]

Homebuying Tips for Boat Owners

March 6, 2015

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When one of the most important aspects of house hunting becomes finding a suitable parking place for your boat, it’s time to admit that you’re a boater for life. You’re also using your noggin. When marina fees can run up to $500 a month in some parts of the country – and that’s without the […]

The 6 (Not-So-Simple) Steps to Securing a Home Loan

February 27, 2015

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From the word “mortgage” to the methods used by lenders to determine how much to loan, the home loan process can be confusing to first timers. In fact, one third of the respondents to a 2011 Wall Street Journal survey of homebuyers said that the most difficult part of buying a home was understanding the […]

Homebuyers Behaving Badly – And How to Avoid Being One

January 9, 2015

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When a home is on the market, the seller’s privacy goes out the window. It is almost guaranteed that some buyers will open drawers, peek inside cabinets and touch items that are obviously personal and not included in the sale. Coming home from work to find that the impeccably-made bed you left in the morning […]

Buyers Beware: 3 Points to Ponder About a Home’s Location

December 19, 2014

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When buyers are on the hunt for a new home, they’re usually very focused on one thing: the house. Blinders can get even worse if they fall in love with one, and the thought process becomes akin to one of those romantic photos with fuzzy edges—the only thing in focus is the house. What those […]

Should You Sell Your Home Before You Buy—or Wait?

December 5, 2014

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If you are a current homeowner that wants to purchase a new home, you’re most likely asking yourself a question common to folks in your situation: Should I sell before I buy? The answer to that question depends on several factors. Your Personality Just the thought of having two mortgage payments—even for a short period […]

Real Estate Jargon, Explained

November 11, 2014

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It pre-dates “textese” and pager codes, but even to individuals familiar with those modern informal languages, real estate lingo may still be incomprehensible. There are two types of real estate slang: the acronyms used in ads (of which there are over 6,000) and the daily jargon used by real estate industry professionals in their work. […]