It’s been a decade since the housing market collapsed, and home prices have finally regained their previous peak. According to the State of the Nation’s Housing 2017 report, released today by the Joint Center for Housing Studies at Harvard University, U.S. home prices rose 5.6 percent in 2016, beating out their pre-recession highs. Across the [...]
What is your “forever” home? And, how old will you be when you buy it? Turns out, the magic age to buy forever homes, the home in which you will ostensibly spend the rest of your life, is anytime after you turn 52, according to the 2017 Home Buyer and Seller Generational Trends Report, published [...]
What is a lot line adjustment? Is this an easy way to transfer property between neighbors? What goes into a lot line adjustment? Q: My neighbor owns his property with no liens and no disputes. We have reached an agreement for me to purchase part of it with cash. I have heard that a lot [...]
If I pay back taxes on a property do I own it? This reader wants to know how the system works and if he becomes the property owner when he pays back taxes. Q: If I pay the back taxes on a property do I own it? My parents are about to lose our family [...]
What are the terms under which your professional home inspector is inspecting the house you want to buy? Liability caps on home inspections aren't wrong, but good home inspectors should disclose this information before they're paid. Q: I was buying a house and hired a home inspector. We went through the whole inspection and I [...]
How easy is it to finance vacant land? And, is it easier to finance vacant land if you're going to build a hour or a commercial-use property on the land within the first six months of owning it? Unfortunately, it's tough to finance vacant land and if you plan to live and work on the [...]
Millennial home buyers are buying up a storm of real estate. Finally. For the past decade, since the Great Recession forced so many Americans to put their lives on hold, the world of real estate has been praying for the arrival of Millennials on the home buying scene, to begin buying, selling, fixing up and [...]
Many homeowners ask if they should buy a new house before they sell their current home. Most people can't afford to own two homes at once, but there are many variables - such as your financial situation and housing needs - that can affect this answer. Q: I'm wondering if I should buy a new house before [...]
There are better and worse states to buy a home, much of which has to do with price. First-time homebuyers have a hard time competing in the real estate market, but looking in the right state can make buying your first home much easier. According to a recent study from Bankrate, first-time homebuyers looking for [...]
How clean should you leave your house when selling? That's what this new homeowner wants to know after the sellers left a mess for her at move-in. Q: I want to know how clean should a seller leave a house after the closing? My husband and I recently took possession of our new home this past [...]
