While a home inspection report is vital before purchasing an older home, experts agree that even newer homes should be checked.Not only will the report help you learn about repairs that should be made immediately, it’s a handy reference guide to keep on-hand throughout the time you live in the home. Because there are so […]

There is any number of reasons that real estate consumers seek a quick close – from the need for speed to start a new job in a new city to the need to beat a lease’s expiration. Today, the nationwide average closing time on a home purchase is 48 days, according to Ellie Mae’s Origination […]

Once you’ve chosen a moving company it’s time to go over the contract. Read it thoroughly before signing it. Scrutinize it to ensure that it lists the correct price, that the pickup and delivery dates and times are as promised and that everything you asked to be put in writing is included. Don’t sign any […]

Whether you are moving down the street or across the globe, the thought of packing up all of your belongings and transporting them safely to your new home can be paralyzing. If you think of it as being akin to “eating an elephant” (one bite at a time), it will all fall into place. Your […]

In part 1 of our relocation guide we talked about preparing for the big move and how important it is to get clear on exactly what you want in not only a new home, but in a neighborhood as well. Now it’s time to consider the financial implications involved in relocating to a new area. […]

Quick! Name something that’s chaotic, scary, exhausting and sometimes sad. If “moving” didn’t come to mind first, you’ve been spared from one of life’s major upheavals. Moving, by the way, isn’t the same as relocating. In fact, relocating is like moving on steroids, without the benefit of performance enhancement. Imagine all of your stuff loaded […]

A big part of the home sale process is the appraisal. No matter how much a seller wants for his home, or how much a buyer is willing to pay for a home, in the end, it all comes down to the appraisal. What is an Appraisal? A real estate appraisal establishes the market value […]

As a homebuyer, you’ll face one of three types of real estate markets as you embark on home ownership: buyers’, sellers’ and balanced. The type of offer you’ll want to submit is highly dependent on the current market. In a market where there are lots of homes for sale and few buyers competing for them, […]

If you purchase a home in a managed community, congratulations, you’re about to become a member of, and be governed by, a homeowner’s association, also known as a HOA. You’ll be given a mountain of paperwork by this association and, believe me, these are some of the most important documents you’ll read in your lifetime. […]

Parting with a big chunk of money isn’t easy. What is easy is giving in to the tendency to want to beat yourself up after spending it. It’s classic buyer’s remorse, and, while it’s not common, we have seen a few cases of it during our time in real estate. Buyer’s remorse is more common in buyer’s […]