When it comes to making the biggest purchase of your life, a lack of experience and strong emotions can get in the way. Here are a few tips to be the best buyer you can be. Be Persistent Start by setting realistic expectations. It’s rare that the first house you see will be the one … Read more
I don’t know if you’ve been watching the news, but the price of eggs has gone sky high. Apparently, the Avian flu has wiped out scores of birds, and the increasing costs of fuel and feed have only made matters worse. I was at the Lucky supermarket recently, and the egg cabinet was down to … Read more
Real estate transactions can be complex and often require the expertise of many different people, from lenders to licensed contractors. Realtors can help you navigate the whole experience by providing support within the scope of their license, and by referring you to others as needed. Public Records Search One way Realtors can support buyers is … Read more
As a board member of a statewide organization, I must sign an annual confidentiality agreement. This year, rather than signing a paper document, I received a request for an electronic signature. If you’ve read this column for any length of time, you know one of my favorite sayings: In any agreement, the large print giveth … Read more
Now that we’re a few weeks into 2023 and your new year’s resolutions are already starting to seem like more trouble than they’re worth, may I suggest a pivot to a different resolution? Make this the year you maximize your credit score. It’s not difficult and it can have big payoffs. If you plan to … Read more
Folks have been asking whether they should be concerned about a housing bubble bursting like it did in 2008. Rest assured–there is no housing bubble. Market indicators are very different than they were in 2008. Let me take you through it step by step. Recent interest rate hikes have caused housing prices to drop a … Read more
Oftentimes, I share real estate information from the perspective of either the buyer or the seller, but what if you’re both? Unless you’re a first-time homebuyer, chances are you’ll need to sell your current home to fund the purchase of your next one, and that complicates things. My first piece of advice is to forget … Read more
Some people think being a Realtor means ordering business cards, plunking a sign in someone’s front yard, and waiting for a buyer to make an offer—then picking up a commission check 30 days later. That, my friends, is not how this works. Get Licensed To be a real estate agent, you must be licensed by … Read more
Most of us look forward to retiring someday. If you own a home, it can be an important part of your financial future. Leverage Your Home Equity If you purchased a home 20 or 30 years ago, chances are it has appreciated during that time, making it worth more now than it was when you … Read more