As you might suspect, coming up with material for these columns every week can be challenging. This week, as I reviewed industry newsletters, emails from readers, and conversations with my Realtors, it got me thinking about how much has changed since I started in this business and that if I had to do it all … Read more
Have you ever wanted to own the property next to yours? Maybe it would allow you to protect a beautiful view. Maybe it would allow you to bring your aging parent closer so you could provide more support. Maybe you just love that property and would rather have it as your primary residence instead of … Read more
Right now, people who want to sell their current home and buy a different one find themselves in a bit of a quandary. The market is hot and residential properties are selling like hot cakes, so sellers are understandably eager to get their property on the market. However, what do they do if their house … Read more
Choosing the right house for your retirement years depends on several factors. Many people downsize to a smaller home, either because their economic situation demands it or because they don’t want to deal with the maintenance and upkeep of a larger home. Others move to be closer to the amenities they now have time to … Read more
If you’ve been thinking of buying a home, now is the time, especially if Congress passes the First-Time Homebuyer Act, which would allow low- and middle-income earners who haven’t owned a home for at least three years to get a $15,000 tax credit when they purchase a primary residence and live there for at least … Read more
Last week, I shared some information about why title insurance is so valuable. This week, I’ll share a few more compelling reasons to get the best title insurance you can afford. As a reminder, title insurance isn’t like other insurance. Instead of paying ongoing premiums for protection against some problem in the future, for a … Read more
When Realtors explain the importance of title insurance to prospective homebuyers, many homebuyers understandably assume that title insurance is like other insurance—a policy for which they pay ongoing premiums that will protect them in some way against problems that could occur in the future. However, title insurance does the opposite. For a one-time fee, title … Read more
Recently, several people have asked me whether I think housing prices are inflated and likely to lead to a market correction. It’s an understandable question, especially for those who owned property in 2005-‘06 when the last housing bubble burst. For now, at least, I see no warning signals. Housing Prices First of all, in the … Read more
Recently, a fellow called me looking for a small, private-money loan of $14,000 to fund some home renovations. He had a credit score of 840, which is about as close to perfect as you’re likely to find. He had no outstanding debt to speak of, having just paid off his car loan a year after … Read more