Boo! Who wants to live where someone has died?
Most buyers, understandably, would want to know if a violent death occurred in the houses they are considering. And as it turns out, most states require sellers to divulge the...
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Don’t skip final walk-through inspection
There's no rule or legal requirement that homebuyers must participate in a final walk-through inspection right before closing. But those who skip it could be making a costly mistake. Problems...
Purchasing tips for first-time homebuyers
The toughest challenge facing people looking to purchase a home this year is other buyers. And the competition is especially rough among first-time buyers who are searching for houses in...
How to spot a con
John T. Reed is a real estate investor and prolific author. He's also a pain in the backside for the modern-day snake-oil hucksters who peddle get-rich-quick real estate schemes on...
Many couples are buying a house together before getting hitched
Remember the "k-i-s-s-i-n-g" song from when you were a kid? "First comes love, then comes marriage, then comes a baby in a baby carriage." In the old days, a mortgage...
Even rent is negotiable
Everything is negotiable in real estate -- even when it comes to renting a place to live. Most people don't realize that landlords are sometimes willing to bargain. That's particularly...
Getting rid of private mortgage insurance
Many homeowners don't realize they have private mortgage insurance (PMI). But if you put less than 20 percent down, you are paying it each and every month in order to...
Private adjusters work on the behalf of the insured, not insurance company
When Vince Barnaba discovered water had flooded his vacation apartment in Ocean City, Maryland, this spring, he did what any homeowner would have done: He had his plumber shut off...
Seniors who want to stay in longtime homes need to plan ahead
The term "aging in place" refers to the millions of seniors who would rather remain in their longtime homes than pull up stakes and move -- whether to a warmer...
Master-planned communities ‘zip’ ahead
Zip lines, velodromes and children-designed play areas are among the hot new amenities uncovered by the John Burns Real Estate Consulting firm in its annual census of master-planned communities. A...