Category: Articles of Interest

Foreclosure.  The very term strikes fear into the heart of any homeowner.  Would you believe that one in every 1000 homes in the U.S. were in the process of foreclosure at the end of 2006?  If you’re facing such circumstances, first understand that you are not alone.     Most people got into this position by taking…

Okay, it’s time to return to Real Estate 101. With so much gloom and doom reported, our successful sale stories are being pushed aside by national reports of overstocked inventories and reluctant buyers. Blaming slow sales on “the market” is just an excuse. There is only one reason that homes remain unsold: they are overpriced.…

At some point in your life you’re likely to find yourself either buying or selling a home. When that time comes, you might want to ask yourself some questions. Can I figure like an accountant? Can I measure like a surveyor?  Do I understand “legalese” like an attorney?  Can I spot defects like an inspector?  Can…

What does the phrase “title search” mean to you?  Aside from an activity at the local library, its purpose is critical to the successful sale of a home.  A title search is performed by an attorney in order to guarantee that there are no unknown liens on or claims to a property. Because title searches are…

Real estate is experiencing an unusual adjustment these days.  Unusual, because in the past, sales declined due to either high interest rates or economic slowdowns.  Neither of those factors exist right now, so where does the blame lie?  Quite frankly, one of the biggest reasons that home prices rose to such artificially high levels was…

When you prepare an offer to purchase a home, be sure that “uninvited guests” don’t appear at the closing.  The guests I’m talking about are termites!  Although termite inspections are not always required, you’ll find that most lenders will not approve a loan without one. A report prepared by a licensed pest control company will show…

I just received this special video from my friend Dave Ramsey. It shows simply what I have been telling my friends and clients all along. Below is a short introduction about the video:  We Americans love our cars, don’t we? How many times have you heard (or said), “I’ll always have a car payment”? That’s…

Homeowners who are preparing to sell realize there’s quite a bit of competition out there.  While presenting your home in model condition is one of the best ways to win the attention of potential buyers, be careful to avoid the pitfalls of improvements that may not produce the full-price offer you are seeking.  First and…

What’s the most important goal behind an Offer To Purchase?  Agreement!  How do buyers and sellers achieve that goal?  Negotiation!  And yet the term “negotiation” often sends people running for the door, because they believe that negotiation is simply another word for conflict.  Not true!  Negotiation is a golden opportunity for everyone involved to get…

Many homeowners are growing increasingly concerned about the emerging “buyers market.”  The biggest mistake a seller can make is to overprice the home in those circumstances.  Trying a higher asking price in order to “test the market” can be disastrous, because by the time the seller adjusts his price down, the home has become “old…

If you’re a parent, or plan to have children, then you already understand the advantages of a good school system.  Any real estate agent will also tell you that a home in a good school district is a gem when it comes to resale value.    As you scope out locations for your next move, there…

You may be aware that you can avoid capital gains taxes on the sale of your home if it was your primary residence for at least two of the five years prior to its sale.  Individuals may qualify for a $250K tax exemption, and married couples up to $500K.  But life is funny, and sometimes…