Common questions about selling your home
Should I add on or buy a bigger home? Consider these questions before making a choice between adding on to an existing home or moving up in the market to a bigger house: How much money is available, either from cash reserves or through a home improvement loan, to remodel the current house? How much […]
Disclosure
Whose obligation is it to disclose pertinent information about a property? In most states, it is the seller, but obligations to disclose information about a property vary. Under the strictest laws, you and your agent, if you have one, are required to disclose all facts materially affecting the value or desirability of the property which […]
Negotiating
Is there a secret to good negotiating? There are several cardinal rules to negotiating effectively. One is do your homework, and learn as much about the seller or the buyer as you can. Another is to play your cards close to your vest and not reveal too much information to the other party or their […]
Price the house to sell
What is the difference between list and sales prices? The list price is how much a house is advertised for and is usually only an estimate of what a seller would like to get for the property. The sales price is the amount a property actually sells for. It may be the same as the […]
Property taxes
Where can I learn more about appealing my property taxes? Contact your local tax assessor’s office to see what procedures to follow to appeal your property tax assessment. You may be able to appeal your assessment informally. Mostly likely, however, you will have to go through a formal tax-appeal processes, which begin with an appeal […]
Seller financing
What is seller financing? Seller financing is when a seller helps to finance a real estate transaction by taking back a second note, or even financing the entire purchase if the seller owns the home free and clear. Usually sellers do this when a buyer has difficulty qualifying for a conventional loan or meeting the […]
Selling at a loss
Can a home seller sell a home for less than its mortgage? Yes, in some case you can sell your home for less than what you still owe on the mortgage, but this is complicated and depends on the lender. This situation is known as a “short sale.” Sometimes a lender will be willing to […]
Short Sales
When does foreclosure begin? Lenders will initiate foreclosure proceedings when borrowers become delinquent in their mortgage obligations, usually after three payments are missed. The lender will then notify the borrower in writing that he or she is in default. The lender can request a trustee’s sale or a judicial foreclosure, in which the property is […]
Appraisals and market value
What is the return on new versus previously owned homes? Buying into a new-home community may seem riskier than purchasing a house in an established neighborhood, but any increase in home value depends upon the same factors: quality of the neighborhood, growth in the local housing market and the state of the overall economy. One […]