Buying a House

When buying a short sale property, paying more than the house is worth is up to you. The lender can ask for more, but you don't have to agree. Q: I listen to your radio show every week – it is always so informative! Thank you for providing such great advice. I am in the [...]

The last few years have been tough for millions of homeowners. The loss of jobs, decreased hours and incomes, and declining home values have been devastating to communities and families alike. The entire real estate market has taken a big hit, as have consumers’ credit ratings. But the fundamentals of buying a home after a [...]

Getting a home appraisal before making an offer will help determine how a bank would look at the fair market value of the property. Q: We are trying to buy a new home and would like to hire a reputable home appraiser to look at the property to get a real sense of what the property [...]

Should I cut my broker's commission after a low real estate appraisal? If your appraisal is too low, the broker decides whether to take a cut. Q: First, thank you for your radio show. I listen to it as often as possible. I am in the process of buying a home listed for $180,000. We [...]

Is it still a good time to buy a house even though inventory is low, interest rates are rising and home prices are trending up?   Wouldn’t you know it: There are still buyers wondering if now is still a good time to buy a house. Now, when inventory is extremely low, mortgage interest rates [...]

Is the American Dream still alive? True wage growth and an improving employment outlook can help keep the Dream alive.  Is there still an American Dream? And if there is, is the essence of what makes up the American Dream shifting based on age and other demographics? Insurance giant Northwestern Mutual recently polled Americans for [...]