The Advantages of Building Green
The U.S. Green Building Council recently issued a press release detailing the top 10 states that have been making strides in sustainable development and design. Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, or LEED, is the most widely used green building certification program in the world, and the USGBC report was based on the states with the most LEED-certified square footage …
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De-Clutter Your Home Before Selling
New sellers, take notice: less is more. Before you even consider putting your house on the market, you’re going to want to make sure it’s ready for fresh eyes. The goal is to clean your home so thoroughly it looks like a 4-star hotel room. It may seem like a daunting task, but you can make it less intimidating by …
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Get Smart About Home Buying
Do your research More and more buyers are turning to online listings in their real estate search. You may also want to drive around the neighborhoods you’ve been considering to find for sale signs and open house schedules. Don’t be afraid to ask plenty of questions: is the home in a flood plain? Have they ever had problems with pests? …
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Mortgage Rules You Should Know About
The latest mortgage initiative released by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) is for the purpose of helping consumers stay informed about the loan options that are available to them. The Know Before You Owe rule has replaced four mortgage disclosure forms with just two: the Loan Estimate and Closing Disclosure, which can be viewed here. Here are a few …
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Do I Need Professional Listing Photos?
The answer to this question is almost always YES. When the typical buyer looks at your listing, the first thing that will draw their attention is the photos you have chosen to represent your home. Listing photos can either encourage more offers, or inhibit them. With an increasing number of buyers turning to online listing services to shop for homes, …
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What to Expect for Closing Costs as a Buyer
Closing costs are the fees paid at the end of a real estate transaction when the title is transferred from seller to buyer, which are usually required to be in the form of a cashier’s check. According to federal guidelines, all closing costs associated with residential transactions financed by a mortgage must be documented within an HUD-1 form, a standard …
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Choosing the Right Home Insurance
The first thing you’ll want to do before shopping for homeowner’s insurance (ideally before even buying the home) is review the home’s insurance claim history report, which can either be obtained from the seller or one of the two largest insurance databases: CLUE and A-Plus. This is the best way to evaluate previous damages you may not have been aware …
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Understanding the Property Exchange Process
You’re probably already familiar with Section 1031 of the Internal Revenue Code, and it’s particularly useful to know when selling real estate. A 1031 exchange refers to the trade of one business or investment asset for another—in this case, property. If the exchange falls under certain conditions, both parties may be able to receive tax exemption for it. Below are …
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Modernize Your Kitchen Before Putting it on the Market
According to Remodeling’s 2015 Cost vs Value Report, a midrange major kitchen remodel costs about $62,441 on the West coast, but sellers were able to recoup an average of 81.1% of the cost. Below are the three best improvements to plan that promise the most return of investment. Cabinets Although replacing cabinetry is almost always the most expensive part of …
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Save Up For That Down Payment
In a few previous posts, I discussed how putting down 20% of the listing price helps buyers construct stronger, more competitive offers. However, 20% may be a good-sized chunk of your income. Here are a few tips to help you save your money and be able to present a great offer to buy the home of your dreams. Start budgeting …
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