What is an appraisal? An appraisal is a professional estimate of the value of a home done by a certified appraiser. It is a critical process for buyers because lenders always require a home appraisal before they issue a mortgage. Meanwhile, for sellers, a good understanding of the appraisal process will help them understand how their home’s value is determined.Here, we uncover the most common home...
2018
You may think that your house is the only thing that needs to be in its best shape during the selling period. But the truth is, how you are as a seller holds an equal amount of importance to your potential buyer. They may like the house, but if they don’t like who’s selling it, they probably won’t push through with the purchase.So, to ensure that you are also at your best behavior while your house...
You are finally done with house hunting, and you think you're ready to make an offer. What are the things you have to consider in settling on a price? Here are the top 10 things you should know to successfully close the deal with your offer. 1. Your budgetBefore even thinking about looking at houses you might one day call your own, this should have already...
Before you can be honest with anyone else, you have to be honest with yourself first. The first step to effective communication is knowing what YOU truly feel and what you really want to say. Before talking to an agent, be sure that you are 100% ready to sell your home. You don't want to make impractical decisions, so you need to ask yourself the difficult questions. Make sure...
They say buying a house together test a couple’s relationship like no other. It’s undoubtedly true because many factors come into play when it comes to real estate, and little challenges can become difficult problems in a relationship later on. If you both share the same preferences, then it shouldn’t be too difficult. But if one is swooning over a sophisticated Victorian house which the other...
Just like any sale, both the buyer and the seller have their own rights in making a home purchase. Are you knowledgeable about these? Don’t get into a deal just yet if you don’t know your rights! In investing in a property, you must be familiar with your own legal advantages and limitations, and always remember that the seller has his/her own rights as...
Choosing the right home is much like finding the best candidate for a job opening. You’re the boss and the house is your potential new employee. But more than only seeing a new face in the office 8-9 hours a day, 5 times a week, you’d be living with (or in it) for up to 24 hours a day!But since houses can’t talk, how do you make sure you’re hiring the right home? Here are 10 tips on being the...
Whether you are buying, selling, investing, or simply enjoying being a homeowner - there's no reason why you wouldn't want your house to be in its best shape..For buyers (especially first-time home buyers), you may already have a list of the features you want in a home, but it would be great to consider adding the following to your list just to be sure that you can sell your home at a great price in the...
If you keep dogs, cats or other pets and regard them as family members, you’re more likely to keep their needs in mind when purchasing a home. Some people even think of their pets as their “furever friends” or their “furbabies,” so their home buying preferences and decisions will be greatly influenced by them. After all, 68 percent of US households own a pet according to the 2017-2018 National...
The main reason cited by non-homeowners as to why they currently do not own a house is because they cannot afford to buy one, as revealed in the 2018 NAR Aspiring Home Buyers Profile. The results are highest at 56 percent in the last quarter of 2017. Also, many home buyers have already indicated that the most difficult step in the home buying process is saving for a down payment. Likewise, many...