The promises of a reverse mortgage -- never having to pay a mortgage bill again and using your home's equity to finance retirement -- can sound too good to be true. It almost was too good to be true during the Great Recession, when more borrowers were withdrawing most of their home equity at closing [...]
Energy prices may fluctuate from time to time, making it difficult for homeowners to estimate their monthly bills. However, there are a few actions individuals can take to keep their costs low without sacrificing efficiency. More owners conduct energy audits after initially buying a home, but it’s important to keep up on these examinations over [...]
I bought a house for a bit under $2 million in Los Altos, Calif., (about average for around here). The seller and I were both represented by (different) agents from the same local branch office. I was encouraged by my agent to bid aggressively for the house as “several disclosure packets had gone out” and [...]
Many existing homeowners choose summer time to spruce up their homes and make upgrades or improvements. While some home features, such as formal living rooms, have waned in popularity as of late, there are several common improvement projects that consumers still turn toward, to increase space and improve their real estate value. Storage Space Built-in [...]
New Study Reflects America's Changing Views on Marriage Should couples wait until marriage? Times are changing, and a new study from Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC uncovered that about one in four married couples between the ages of 18 to 34 purchased their first home together before their wedding date, compared to 14 percent of those [...]
Those that choose to sell their own homes often hope to avoid the commission paid to real estate agents. While those familiar with the housing market and process of selling a home may enjoy a successful sale, plenty of inexperienced home sellers have encountered nothing but headaches. Besides limiting the number of potential buyers, the [...]
No one wants to spend a fortune when it comes to selling a home, but most want to spruce up a few areas to make their property more appealing to potential buyers. There are several types of small improvements individuals can make that can transform the look of a home without forcing them to break [...]
It is common for homeowners to think that selling a home is an expensive endeavor, which may in turn cause them to hold off on putting their home on the market. From repairs to staging the process can seem overwhelming. However, with the advice of a real estate agent, sellers often find there are several [...]
Those that choose to sell their own homes often hope to avoid the commission paid to real estate agents. While those familiar with the housing market and process of selling a home may enjoy a successful sale, plenty of inexperienced home sellers have encountered nothing but headaches. Besides limiting the number of potential buyers, the [...]
Everyone’s heard the old saying, “If you want something done right, you have to do it yourself.” While this is true in many circumstances, it might not be the best practice to follow when selling a home. Handling complex legal issues, offering security when dealing with strangers in a home, properly staging a house for [...]
