12 Safety Tips For Women Home Buyers
Home Buying Advice for Women With Security In Mind
By Elizabeth Weintraub, About.com Guide
Women have special concerns about personal safety. The US Census Bureau says there are more than 14 million women who live alone in cities. Moreover, 118.5 million women populate cities and their suburbs.
As security issues loom large in our cities, single ...
Facts About Residential Real Estate Appraisals
Appraisals are an Important Part of Your Home Buying Transaction
A real estate appraisal helps to establish a property's market value–the likely sales price it would bring if offered in an open and competitive real estate market.
Your lender will require an appraisal when you ask to use a home or other real estate as security for a loan, because ...
Today's choices include banks, mortgage brokers, home builders, and Internet lenders. Each has its advantages and disadvantages, and rates vary from lender to lender.
Types of Mortgage Lenders
TypeAdvantagesDisadvantages
Banks
Regulated by state and federal agencies
Current banking relationship can get you a reduced mortgage rate
Numerous branches provide you with face-to-face ...
This Month in Real Estate - February
Home Buying Purchase Contract Contingencies
By Elizabeth Weintraub, About.com Guide
Contingencies Allow Cancellation
Back in the old days, when Barry Manilow was cool -- OK, he was never cool, I just made that up -- but a long time ago, agents used to call contingencies weasel clauses. That's because a contingency would let buyers weasel out of a contract. That is, to cancel a contract ...
Home Buyers Who Walk Away from Closing Escrow
Walking away from closing happens more often in buyer's markets than in seller's markets. That's because in buyer's markets, when prices are soft, some buyers become frightened when they should be jumping for joy. Many are afraid of further declines in the market and don't feel comfortable because all their friends aren't buying.
The ...
Did Your Home Inspector Check the Essentials?
Home buyers have it drilled into their heads that they need to get a home inspection. In California, for example, real estate agents advise home buyers to do a home inspection 15 ways from Sunday. Our purchase contracts contain two pages that talk about doing a home inspection, and those two pages are repeated in the buyer's broker agreement. ...
Lots of savvy home buyers want to hit the jackpot and buy that REO foreclosed home, many of which are often under-priced. When banks price REOs under the comparable sales, multiple offers are often the response. This means you could be up against stiff competition for that bank-owned home.
It's not unusual for some REO homes in Sacramento to receive 15 or 20 offers. Sometimes the bank will throw ...
Myths About Agents: What's True and What's Not
Just when you think you've found out everything you need to know about the "dirty, little secrets agents don't want you to know" from a bazillion of misinformed and, in all fairness, probably well meaning Web sites, here's what you really need to know:
Forget the hype. Forget the books you need to buy, the online services you need to subscribe ...
How To Prepare Your House For Sale
The first step to preparing a home for sale is to let go of your emotional attachment to it.
Here's How:
Disassociate Yourself With Your Home.
Say to yourself, "This is not my home; it is a house -- a product to be sold much like a box of cereal on the grocery store shelf.
Make the mental decision to "let go" of your emotions and ...