How-To Guide: Buying Your First Home

Now's the time to ask yourself: Do I know what I want? Do I have the money? Is my financial house in order?

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Is Earnest Money Required In A Short Sale Situation?

Q: My agent informed me that earnest money for a short sale transaction was required to make a contract binding. Is that true? More importantly, is earnest money refundable if a buyer pulls out of a contract prior to bank approval even though our contract provides for bank approval within 60 days?
–Anonymous, Bartlett, IL

A: The promise of the earnest money deposit is needed, but the money does not have to be placed into escrow until the bank approves the sale. This is a common error.

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How to Attract Wildlife - Welcome all species of guests to your garden

Although some homeowners strive to rid their landscapes of insect and animal pests, others try to entice visitors from the animal kingdom to their gardens.

Many outdoor creatures that accent a beautiful landscape are also helpful participants in the community. Bees pollinate fruits and flowers, keeping gardens productive. Toads, frogs and lizards are fascinating to watch and eat pesky insects at a ferocious rate. Dragonflies, ladybugs and spiders also eat great numbers of unwelcome insects, such as aphids and mites. Here are tips for encouraging wildlife to come to your garden.

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Going Once…Going Twice…Sold

What image does the phrase “real estate auction” bring to mind?

Up until recently, it was probably a financial transaction carried out by a seller in dire straits such as foreclosure. Real estate auctions have never achieved the desirable reputations that art and antique auctions enjoy. But that’s changing.

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What Do Today’s Home Buyers Look Like?

There was so much helpful and interesting information presented at Annual. Sometimes it can be a little overwhelming! Only now, a few weeks later, am I catching up on all of the excellent information. One item that is particularly valuable and worth taking a closer look at is the results of our recent survey, The 2011 National Association of REALTORS® Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers. It’s a useful picture of the latest trends in real estate.

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19 Ways to Outshine the Realtor Competition

Everyone knows there’s always room for improvement. Sometimes it’s a little thing and sometimes it’s a change in strategy or philosophy. Here are 19 ways you can outshine the competition.

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10 Things to Do After the Sale

The paperwork is signed and all your hard work is finally coming to an end – but what should you do next? It’s in the days immediately after the sale where REALTORS® can really shine, build on their successes, and work towards the next sale. Here are 10 things you can do after a sale to keep that winning streak going.

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Are You Ready to Buy Your First Home?

Buying a home is almost a rite of passage in an American’s life, but it can be a daunting task — especially in the current market. Many 30-year-olds are beginning to look for places to settle down, and although real estate may not be the strongest investment, it is an investment that nearly 5.7 million Americans made in May 2010, according to the National Association of Realtors.

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Why You Can’t Get Approved: Commercial Real Estate Loans

The worst may be over, but the financial crisis still lingers for many banks and their customers in the form of bad commercial real estate loans.

The distressed loans harm banks because they weigh down their balance sheets, and in some cases, threaten to cause the banks into failure. Consumers are affected because unstable banks are less likely to issue loans to customers who might otherwise be deemed creditworthy.

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Save Money on Your Broadband Bill

Many people dread their monthly bills, including the one for their broadband internet. It’s no wonder that so many people are looking for ways to cut their monthly expenses in any way possible.

Electrical appliances get unplugged when not in use, the air and heat are turned down, and water is not wasted. But the broadband is not touched. It is so highly sought after that it is typically the last thing someone wants to cut. This practice raises your broadband bill and has you pulling out your hair in frustration. Abiding by these following tips can easily change that mindset, put your mind at ease and have you saving money in no time.

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Mortgage Rates Hit All-Time Lows

Mortgage rates continued to plummet this past week, reaching all-time lows, according to several mortgage-tracking services.

 

Average rates on all kinds of mortgages have steadily fallen in the past few months. The mortgage meltdown that helped spur the recession jolted the home loan industry and set mortgage rates on a downward spiral. Poor treasury rates and the Federal Reserve’s lack of confidence in the economic recovery have depressed rates in the past few months. The end of August saw a small uptick in mortgage rates across the board, but September and October have brought more stagnation. The threat of deflation has pushed mortgage rates down recently, according to Frank Nothaft, chief economist at mortgage-backing firm Freddie Mac.

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