Selling a Home in Florida? Key Legal Requirements
From contract forms to closings, here is what sellers of a Florida home should expect and plan for. Selling a home in Florida can be different than selling one in any other state, both in terms of laws and traditional procedures. Here are some important facts to know. Role of Real Estate Agents in Florida […]
Home Buying Agent vs. Real Estate Attorney
Purchasing a home will likely be the largest and most significant transaction of your life, which is why many people choose to hire a real estate agent to assist in the search and negotiate on their behalf. Real estate agents generally fall into two categories: home buying agents and home selling agents. Home buying agents […]
New Construction Home Inspections: Are They Necessary?
In the midst of the last recession that crippled the U.S. real estate economy, new construction home inspections virtually disappeared. For several years, there was too much available housing inventory at too low a price to make newly constructed homes competitive on cost. Essentially, buying a prebuilt house was more attractive to homebuyers than building […]
Attention Home Buyers: Why You Need A Lawyer
Although using the services of an attorney can easily add several thousand dollars to the cost of a real estate transaction, it’s often money well spent. Read on to find out how an attorney will help you close the deal and the pitfalls that may end up costing a lot of money. Contracts While most […]
How Long Must You Wait to Purchase a Home after Filing Bankruptcy
Filing for bankruptcy is no easy decision to make. For many, there is a sense of failure or loss. For others, it can be a clean start and an opportunity to start over. Let’s face it: financial education in this country is poor, and that’s putting it mildly! We learn by doing, and sometimes we […]
How Much Do We Need as a Down Payment to Buy a Home?
It can be confusing to understand the amount of money you’ll need for a down payment on a home because of the availability of different loan programs. Many people, anxious to buy their first home, want to find a loan that requires the smallest percentage down payment. For example, say that a couple has been […]
Buying a Home With Bad Credit
Put your fears about buying a home with bad credit aside. Just because you have bad credit or filed bankruptcy or gone through a foreclosure does not mean you cannot buy a home. You most certainly can buy a home with bad credit. But you’re going to pay more than a borrower who has sparkling […]
Repair Requests on Home Buying and Selling
Every house needs repairs. There is no perfect house. If a house were perfect, everything would break or fall apart at the same time. But as it is, the envelope of a home: its roof, floors, walls, windows, structural support members, all have different lifespans. Although, today, many appliances seem to stop working as soon […]
The One Room That’ll Make Buyers Bail, Even If They Love the House
In my yearlong house hunt, I’ve toured countless homes, and that first visit is a lot like a first date. It can be going great, right up until you spot your personal deal killer—like a pack of cigarettes in her purse, or white socks with sandals. Check, please! Same thing happens when shopping for a […]
How to Negotiate Repairs After a Home Inspection
Most would-be buyers and sellers believe the real estate “deal” is negotiated at the signing of the contract. Most would-be buyers and sellers believe the real estate “deal” is done at the signing of the contract. In many cases, the deal-making and negotiations only start at the contract signing. Even in more competitive real estate […]