Category: General

Let’s cut right to it. For sellers, throwing in a home warranty can move a transaction along, because it appeals to the buyer’s need for peace of mind. But from a buyer’s side, if appliances or systems are expected to break down, it can make more sense to say “No, thanks” to the home warranty,…

The season is beginning. If you’re looking for the right place to put down roots, mental preparation will help you dig into the market. It’s all about knowing what you’re looking for, being conscious of your buying power, and having the right people in your corner. In this article, we’ll note the special circumstances in…

Thinking about buying a new home? What are the best options for selling one home while buying the next one? Here, we present several methods and strategic tips. One of these strategies, or a blend of them, could be the perfect plan for you.

In the past year, we’ve witnessed a technological tidal wave. It’s possible that this surge could help create an even playing field for hopeful homeowners of all backgrounds. Has progress in fact sped up? The short answer seems to be no, not yet. Yet we’re seeing action, and some of it involves members of the…

Maybe you’re looking to buy this year, and a local homeowner has recommended a fantastic mortgage company in the area. Perhaps you’re already pre-approved, and hoping to close with a lower interest rate by nudging your credit scores up. Or maybe you’d like to refinance and take advantage of a great chance to lower your…

While you’re taking out a mortgage loan and buying a house, vital tasks happen behind the scenes. One of those tasks is the title search. And you might be asking… What’s the point of a title search? You’ve made an offer and you hope to get to the closing table quickly. But before you can…

Real estate is different this year. So is the way people think about buying homes. Three standout themes have emerged so far in the 2021 home shopping experience: The buyers of 2021 are more health-conscious than ever. The public health emergency of 2020 transformed the real estate space. Virtual tours, once a snazzy extra feature,…

A deed of release serves to lift a restriction or claim, letting the owner buy or hold the property without the burden. This might come into play when: (1) A deed of trust comes off the title and the homeowner now owns the house free and clear. (2) Or it could refer to clearing a…

When embarking on a home shopping experience, or simply reading up on deeds, you enter a world of legal jargon and terms of art. We’re on a mission to help our readers become fluent in the language of deeds! In this spirit, we offer a concise guide to the key terminology every loan applicant and homeowner…

A Few Considerations for Property Investors A limited liability company, or LLC, is easily formed under state law. Its owners are technically called members, and one person can run an LLC as a sole member. If you plan to purchase investment properties, you might be thinking of an LLC as a shield, protecting your personal…

The enduring appeal of the family-run bed-and-breakfast has met technology. With an app from Airbnb (from “air mattress B&B”), or the somewhat similar VRBO (“vacation rental by owner”), homeowners can make money from their extra rooms or even their entire houses. More than 5 million listings appear today on Airbnb’s website, in more than 100,000…

House hacking is the art of making a primary residence out of an investment property, having rental income cover the homeowner’s costs. Millennial Money calls it a way to “use other people’s money (tenant rent) to pay down the mortgage and live for free.” Of course, this is not a new idea in real estate investing,…

Private mortgage insurance, commonly known as PMI, is a specific type of insurance you might have to pay when you take out a mortgage. As a rule, a mortgage lender tacks on the policy, which comes from a private insurance firm, if a buyer doesn’t put at least 20% down on the purchase price. PMI…