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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 […]

Sellers Behaving Badly: The Top 3 Ways to Turn Off a Buyer

April 10, 2015

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Not all real estate transactions turn sour. In fact, few do. But once in a while, a bad apple ends up either selling or buying a home, and can throw the entire transaction into chaos. From buyers allowing their children to run wild through a house they’re viewing to sellers trying to hide home defects, […]

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 […]

How to Sell Your Home Despite Having Lousy Neighbors

February 13, 2015

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A shaken Rebecca Rand said the bulldozer ripped right through her kitchen. Another neighbor, Mary Davis, upon receipt of a frantic call from her husband, ran from her home just before the colossal machine demolished it. While good fences are said to make good neighbors, it was a fence that set Barry Swegle off. This […]

3 Tips to Attain a Higher Home Appraisal

January 30, 2015

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Somewhere between applying for a home loan and the close of escrow comes a most crucial step: the home appraisal. Since the transaction that got you to this point is one in which a buyer and seller agreed on a price, an actual market dynamic, the appraisal is likely to match the purchase price. In […]

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. […]

Selling Your Home: 3 Must-Knows Before You List

September 12, 2014

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Sometimes the hardest part of selling a home is making the decision to sell it. Our homes give us roots, provide sanctuary, house memories and, hopefully, give us some financial security. It’s a huge decision to sell a home. Once made, however, additional decisions will come fast and furious, so take some time now, before […]

Avoid These 5 First-Time Homebuyer Mistakes

August 29, 2014

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According to the dictionary, a mistake is an error resulting from deficient knowledge or carelessness. While we can’t do anything about carelessness, when it comes to counseling first-time homebuyers, it’s up to the real estate agent to cure any deficiency in knowledge. That homebuyers lack knowledge about the process only makes sense when you understand […]