Being the Best Homebuyer that You Can Be

The spring season tends to flood the housing market with buyers, and in markets with low inventory levels, the competition is stiff. Read more

Is Downsizing a trend of the past? Homebuyers still want larger homes!

After five years of downsizing, home owners are showing a desire for more space. In the past year, builders are reporting higher demand for larger homes. Read more

A Guide to Taxes as a Homeowner

Hey there, homeowner! We’re happy you’ve got a slice of the American dream, and you’ll get the tax breaks that go along with it. In fact, some of these tax incentives apply to even a second home. Ooh la la!

Whether you bought, sold or just happily lived in your home this year, we’ll walk you through all the tax stuff you need to know.

Just skim the “If you …” headers to find the sections that affect you.

If You Paid Interest on Your Mortgage … Read more

How to Spot Fraudulent Rental Posts

Identity thieves have increased their presence in the housing and rental  markets making it even more important for potential homebuyers and renters to do  due their diligence and know the warning signs of a scam. Read more

If A Starbucks Opens In A New Neighborhood, It’s Time To Buy A Home There

“Wake up and smell the coffee,” writes Michael Corbett, Trulia’s real estate expert and and host of NBC’s “Extra’s Mansions & Millionaires!” in his book, “Before you Buy! The Homebuyer’s Handbook for Today’s Market”. Read more

What to Know About a Down Payment

When you buy real estate, it’s very exciting. First, you shop until you find your dream home (or maybe your dream home minus some bedrooms and closets). Then, you write possibly the biggest check of your life.

What is it? What happens to it? Read more

You Just Signed a Real Estate Contract. Now What?

After months of open house tours, private appointments with your agent and looking at listings online, you’ve found the home of your dreams. You’ve written an offer and maybe even gone through a few rounds of counter offers with the seller. You and the seller have come to terms at last and you now have a signed contract.

At this point, everyone is ecstatic. But most, especially first-time home buyers, are also a bit anxious. What was once just a dream of actually owning this particular property is now about to become a reality, and it can be scary. Read more

Buying a Home Won’t Get Much Cheaper

Buying a home may never get any cheaper than this. Several housing experts are predicting that this year will be the last chance for bargain hunters to cash in on the best deals of the weak housing market.

With home prices down 34% nationally since 2006 and mortgage rates at historic lows, homes have never been more affordable — but it won’t stay this way for much longer.

Stuart Hoffman, chief economist for PNC Financial Services, said he expects home prices to flatten out by the third quarter and start climbing by next year. Read more

Become your kid’s mortgage lender

Between slumping prices and low mortgage rates, it’s a good time to look for real estate bargains. But thanks to tightened lending standards, legions of young would-be homebuyers aren’t exactly in a position to take advantage of the opportunity. That’s where their parents come in: One in three first-time buyers received either a gift or a loan from their families to help buy a home in 2011, according to the National Association of Realtors.

Such a move can provide significant financial benefits to child and parent alike. But you need to proceed carefully to maximize the tax and estate-planning advantages and avoid unpleasant family conflicts.

The most straightforward way for a parent to lend a hand is to simply give your child some cash. There is a limit, however, to how much money the federal government will let you give away tax-free in any one year. In 2012, a taxpayer can give $13,000 to an individual without triggering so-called gift taxes. Married couples may underwrite their child to the tune of $26,000 a year. Read more

Get Out Of Debt

Get out of debt today! It sounds a bit like a late-night infomercial, but the truth is that a debt-free lifestyle can be within reach for you and your family.

Reducing your debt-load can be the next, and biggest step, towards owning a home of your own. This is because you must have a strong credit score to buy in today’s market and a strong credit score comes from healthy spending habits and low debt ratio.

Credit used to be something different than it is today. Some reports show that the volume of consumer loans more than doubled in from 1990 to 2000. Changes in credit were happening long before this decade, though. People used to buy only what they had the cash to use. Times have changed. Read more

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