Have real estate questions? Here, you’ll find helpful articles and other resources that cover issues related to real estate, buying, selling, financing, refinancing, credit and debt, insurance, second homes, vacation homes, real estate investment, new construction, and renovation.
Loans Financing New Construction
There are several loans you can get to finance new construction. The loans you can get to finance your new construction include a construction loan and equity from an existing home. However, you must make sure you can make the payments on the loans financing your new construction, especially if you are planning to keep the current home you're living in. Without the sale of that home, you may not be able to afford loans that finance the new construction home you are building.
Mortgage Lender Misrepresents Mortgage Loan
When you get an FHA mortgage loan you get an FHA number. But is an FHA number enough to prove that you have an FHA mortgage? What if your mortgage lender has you pay FHA mortgage fees but you later discover you don't have an FHA mortgage loan?
Seller Disclosure Laws
Most states have seller disclosure laws that require the seller to disclose to you material defects that affect the home. If a seller lies to a buyer about a material defect in the home, you can sue the seller to recover your damages. In some cases you can even recover your attorneys' fees in suing the seller.
Sellers Not Required To Attend Closing
In most cases, sellers do not have to show up to the closing. If you're selling, you may be able to sign your paperwork in advance, and give your attorney a power of attorney to close the deal on your behalf..
Selling Nightmares: How A Few Months Can Change An Entire Marketplace
Unfortunately for home sellers nationwide, the red hot seller's market of the last few years has cooled -- dramatically in some places. The best thing you can do is be realistic about your local market. Here are some things to keep in mind in a down seller's market.
Ilyce Glink on WSB Radio – April 16, 2006
In her April 16 show, Ilyce Glink offers her WSB listeners useful real estate advice, personal finance advice, and tips on making life just a little bit easier.
Court Assigns Guardian For Elderly Homeowner
A homeowner who is in a nursing home and has a management company assigned by the court to manage her home. Her home of 28 years was foreclosed back in early 2005. The management company was not her guardian at the time. But, her son wants to redeem this house and have her quit claim a deed to him. Is this legal? There could be all kinds of legal problems with this arrangement.
Refinancing When Interest Rates Are Climbing
Many homeowners who have adjustable rate mortgages are closing watching the rising mortgage rate. If you have a great rate, you should wait as long as possible to refinance. If you start paying down your loan quickly, you can help avoid a huge payment increase when it is time to refinance.
Selling Appliances With The Home
In some areas, home buyers typically expect a house to come with appliances. But in others, home sellers take the home's appliances with them. If you want to take your appliances with you when you sell, it's safe to specifically exclude them in writing in the contract.
Selling Entire Neighborhood To Developer
A neighborhood is thinking about selling all of their properties to a developer. They are working out how to make sure each homeowner is compensated equitably. Selling an entire neighborhood will be a very complex deal and a top rated real estate agent and developer need to be consulted.