Financing INTEREST-ONLY MORTGAGES Here’s How [They] Work by Tara Mastroeni, Contributor FORBES – Real Estate Many buyers have heard about interest-only mortgages and the low payments that they promise. While they aren’t very common anymore, it is still possible to get one of these loans. However, if you’re considering going this route, you need to know what to […]
Selling WHAT WILL SELLING TO AN iBUYER COST YOU? HOMEOWNER, BEWARE!   [The IBuyer] by Elizabeth Ann Stribling-Kivlan FORBES Real Estate Council Anyone who has ever worked with a good real estate agent knows how invaluable they are when it comes to buying or selling a home. However, these days it seems more companies are trying to spin the role of a real estate agent […]
Home Improvement RENOVATIONS THAT DON’T ADD RESALE VALUE by Amanda Lauren, Contributor  FORBES – Real Estate While your home is the place you live, it’s also the most expensive investment that most people will ever make. And when you’re trying to re-sell, the wrong renovation can have a long-term cost you probably didn’t think about at the time.   The number one mistake sellers […]
Financing HOW TO GET THE BEST REFINANCE RATES 4 Things That You Can Do To Get The Best Refinance Rates Tara Mastroeni, Contributor FORBES – Real Estate When it’s time to refinance, one of the biggest hurdles homeowners face is securing the best interest rates. With that in mind, I’ve brought you four things that you can do to set yourself up to […]
Home Improvement FINDING THE RIGHT PLACE FOR A HOME OFFICE When working from home, where you work is often an afterthought.   It shouldn’t be. By Ronda Kaysen THE NEW YORK TIMES – Right at Home Earlier this year, I faced a conundrum that many of us who work from home know well: Where in the house can I actually work? Unless you’re blessed with a home […]
Buying/Investing DON’T [STRESS] WHEN HOUSE HUNTING FOUR WAYS TO KEEP FROM GETTING OVERWHELMED Tara Mastroeni Contributor FORBES – Real Estate There’s no getting around the fact that house hunting can be stressful at times, especially in this market where the few properties available tend to move fast. However, there are things that you can do to keep yourself from getting overwhelmed during […]
Financing APPLYING FOR AN ONLINE MORTGAGE? Hmmmm… Five Things To Think About When Applying OnLine by Tara Mastroeni, Contributor FORBES – Real Estate Online mortgages are becoming increasingly popular. While these loans are a good fit for some, they’re not right for everyone. To that end, I’ve laid out five things that you should know about online mortgages before submitting an application. […]
Selling WANT TO SELL YOUR HOME FAST? QUICK FIXES by Amanda Lauren, Contributor FORBES – Real Estate With the summer selling season ramping up, the process of getting a property ready to put on the market can seem daunting enough. It doesn’t matter if the home has been recently renovated, it’s a fixer-upper or somewhere in between. Every home has its own unique selling […]
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Buying/Investing WANT TO DOWNSIZE? LISTEN UP! Expert Tips For Choosing A Smaller Home by Heather Senison, Contributor FORBES – Real Estate Bigger is not always better when it comes to home sizes nowadays. Unlike in the 1990s, when square footage was a venerable measure of success, homeowners today are more aware of their carbon footprints, household budgets and other factors that […]
Selling SELLER, IS THE OFFER RIGHT FOR YOU? Ask These 4 Questions by Tara Mastroeni, Contributor FORBES – Real Estate Evaluating an offer can be tricky, especially if there’s more than one of them to consider at the time. After all, it only makes sense that you’d want to pick the offer that works best for you. To that end, I’ve laid out […]
Buying/Investing THINKING OF BUYING PROPERTY WITH A FRIEND? 4 Questions You Should Ask Before Buying a House With a Friend Friends and unmarried couples make up a growing segment of the housing market. If that’s you, here’s what you need to know before buying. by Emma Pattee THE NEW YORK TIMES (Real Estate) If you’re unmarried and interested in owning a house, the idea […]
Financing DON’T UNDERSTAND THE MORTGAGE PROCESS? You’re Not Alone by Aly J. Yale, Contributor FORBES – Real Estate American consumers are vastly under-educated about the mortgage process, according to a new survey from Fannie Mae.   From having unrealistic assumptions regarding credit score, down payments and income requirements to simply being unaware of the assistance programs and resources that are out there, it […]
Buying/Investing SEARCHING FOR A FIRST HOME? 12 RED FLAGS Searching For Your First Home? Watch Out For These 12 Red Flags Expert Panel FORBES REAL ESTATE COUNCIL When browsing the market for a new home, first-time homebuyers are often eager to find their dream property. Unfortunately, some are so eager that they can blind themselves to potential red flags. Settling for a house that’s […]
Financing UNCONVENTIONAL MORTGAGES ARE BACK ARE THEY HERE TO STAY? by Matt Woods FORBES REAL ESATE COUNCIL Unconventional loans are making a comeback, allowing borrowers with undocumented income streams to achieve their dreams of homeownership. While there are many benefits brought around by this trend, it’s also important to consider the potential risks before determining if this method is the […]
Selling SELLING YOUR FIRST HOME? WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW. by Joe Houghton FORBES REAL ESTATE COUNCIL When I bought my first home, I had not been in the real estate business for long. It was just before I married my wife, and as a surprise for her, I arranged to have the whole house renovated while we were on our honeymoon. Kate was over […]
Buying/Investing LOOKING AT A FORECLOSED PROPERTY? 11 IMPORTANT THINGS TO CONSIDER BEFORE INVESTING Expert Panel FORBES REAL ESTATE COUNCIL For investors, foreclosed properties can be a golden opportunity to get a property at a great price. However, it’s important to remember that, with foreclosures, the previous owner had issues with maintaining their mortgage payments—and possibly the property itself. Often, foreclosures need a lot of work to restore them to a condition […]
Home Improvement TOP 5 REMODELING MISTAKES THAT HOMEOWNERS MAKE Tara Mastroeni, Contributor (Real Estate) FORBES Unfortunately, while renovation mistakes do happen, they can be costly. If you can avoid them, you should. With that in mind, I’ve laid out a list of the top renovation mistakes that homeowners make, as well as some advice on what you can do to ensure that they don’t […]
Moving/Relocation RELOCATING TO A NEW CITY, STATE OR COUNTRY? 4 TIPS FOR FINDING THAT RIGHT HOUSE Tara Mastroeni, Contributor FORBES Some moves are bigger than others. When you’re moving to a new city, you’ll have a different set of needs than if you’d simply been making a move across town. With that in mind, I decided to lay out a list of tips to […]
Financing BUY WITH LESS-THAN-PERFECT CREDIT 4 FACTORS THAT CAN HELP By Tara Mastroeni Contributor – Real Estate FORBES __________________________________________________ There’s no getting around the fact that one’s credit score is an important factor in being approved for a loan. However, it isn’t the be-all-and-end-all, and there are definitely other factors involved in determining one’s ability to afford to buy a […]
Buying/Investing MILLENNIAL HOMEBUYER’S CHECKLIST & SURVIVAL GUIDE By Corey Burr FORBES Real Estate Council The reluctance of many millennials to buy a home has been well-documented over the last few years, but that is changing. According to realtor.com, millennials now account for the largest share of loan volume — 42% in December of last year. In spite of significant home price appreciation and […]