In a sellers’ real estate market when there are few homes available and a large pool of ready and willing buyers, many of those buyers get left in the dust. It’s aggravating to fall in love with a home only to learn that there are several other offers on the seller’s table. Competition, in this instance, isn’t healthy. Just because…

Just when you think the drain on your savings couldn’t get any worse, you close on your new home, unlock the door and move in. All is right with the world. Experienced homebuyers understand, however, that it takes living in a home for a few weeks to notice all those items that need fixing and those you simply wish to…

Landlords are a bit like dentists; folks typically try to avoid them as much as possible. But, it’s the dentist and the investment property owner who have the last laugh, all the way to the bank. For the latter to actually make bank, however, requires careful planning and a tried-and-true system. We’ll try to help you out with both of…

In the information age the chances are pretty good that your personal informationis in at least severaldatabases that you may not even be aware of. Auto and homeowner insurance companies, for instance, have a handy tool to help them make underwriting decisions – a database of previous insurance claims. The Comprehensive Loss Underwriting Exchange, also known as C.L.U.E., is generated…

In case you missed it, last summer Congress passed H.R. 3700, The Housing Opportunity Through Modernization Act of 2016. By the way, the bill passed unanimously in both the House and the Senate– not an easy feat, right? This law, among other aims, is supposed to help ease homelessness and improve “ . . . low-income tenants’ access to low-poverty…

If you can’t pay cash for your new home you’ll need a mortgage and, if you’re not in the market for a luxury home, you’ll need a mortgage created for those with a more modest income. Thankfully, the United States government offers several programs, including the VA loan, the FHA-backed loan and the USDA Rural Development guaranteed loan. If you…

Sure, we’re knee-deep in winter right now but before you know it, temperatures will warm, the garden will beckon and you’ll trade high heating bills for monstrous water bills. “Nationwide, landscape irrigation is estimated to account for nearly one-third of all residential water use, totaling nearly 9 billion gallons per day,” claims the EPA; a frightening statistic, when one considers…

Sometimes, it’s feast or famine in the house-hunting game. Depending on the market, you may find few, if any, suitable homes in your price range. Then there are times when you may find several that seem perfect. When that happens, how do you decide which home to pursue and which to leave behind? It’s an age-old solution, but one we’ve…

The holidays are officially over and millions of American’s are sitting, shell-shocked, in the massive mess left behind in their homes. From grease-spattered stoves and backsplashes to gift wrap and ribbon that needs to be stowed and a tree that needs to be un-trimmed, there’s work to be done to get your home back to normal. We’ve scoured the Internet…