Isn’t it surprising that most people spend more time picking out a cell phone or planning a vacation than they do planning to retire. In a hypothetical situation where you are retiring in 15 years and are given $35K to invest, do you know where you might have the best rate of return (ROI)? You […]
In today’s world we are all caught up in the instant gratification era. We all walk around with our lives in our hands, literally in your phone. So expect people to react with “don’t waste my time.” Buyers, sellers or Real Estate agents can all feel this way. It has been ingrained in us that […]
Online shopping is the trend and it applies to real estate. One major factor in that marketing is listing photos. The National Association of Realtors reports that over 90 percent of buyers look on the internet first when looking for a home. It it more efficient for them to review photos of homes online than […]
As we live our lives it seems that change is the only constant in them. There was a lot of speculation last January that interest rates would increase right beside home prices. And while it is true that home prices have increased in most U.S. markets over the last five years, mortgage rates today are […]
All real estate contracts have their required elements, considerations, mutual assent, capacity and legality but there are some things that you can do to increase your offer being accepted. The homeseller would like to get the highest possible price in the shortest time period with the least inconveniences. Conversely, a buyer wants to get the […]
Over the last several years during the real estate recession, some homeowners who couldn’t sell their home decided to rent it instead. You may be one of these people. Now that the real estate market has turned around in most areas, that same home may now sell and bring a higher price. With all forecasts […]
If you have a good job and good steady income and a qualifying retirement program, you may be able to buy a home. The rules differ between a Roth IRA, a 401(k) or a traditional IRA With a 401(k) account, you can borrow up to half of the balance or $50K, whichever is less, for […]
During an election season, candidates are often criticized for making a higher income but in turn paying less in income tax. Although this may appear to be unfair, taxpayers are allowed the option to arrange their affairs so they can lessen the amount of taxes they pay. The salaries, wages and commissions we make, as […]
If you are a seller, you have three tools within your control that will affect the marketability of your home: price, condition and terms. Price is the easy one, easily adjusted against competing properties, inventory levels and market conditions. But lower your price may not be your best decision when you want the most from […]
Redfin recently conducted a survey of almost a 1000 home buyers where they stated that with inventory low, affordability is their number one concern. Competition from other buyers is getting stronger. But if you’re not in the game, then your chance of buying is even lower. Redfin’s survey showed that 26 percent choose affordability, 19 […]
