Posts in category 'For Buyers'

You put in an offer on a house and it was accepted. Everything was going smoothly… until the appraisal came in significantly lower than expected.

A low appraisal can be a stressful situation. But there are ways to deal with it, and not all of them necessarily mean walking away from the house.

A recent article from realtor.com outlined different ways to deal if your appraisal comes in low, including:

• Order an additional appraisal. If you (or your agent) aren't convinced that your first appraisal is accurate, you can order a second (or even a third!) appraisal. Just keep in mind that, as...

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For most people, saving for a down payment is one of the first steps towards making their dream of homeownership a reality. But saving a significant chunk of change requires discipline, and the right habits.

So, what habits should you establish if you want to buy a home in the not-so-distant future?

A recent video from realtor.com outlined key habits to get into when you're saving to purchase a home, including:

• Cut back wherever possible. If you want to save for a down payment, you need to review your budget and look for areas to cut b...

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Considering buying a vacation home as a rental? It's a different process from buying a primary home, and if you don't know what you're doing, it can be easy to make a few (potentially expensive!) mistakes along the way.

So what, exactly, are those mistakes, and more importantly, how do you avoid them?

A recent article from realtor.com outlined common mistakes buyers make when purchasing a vacation home as a way to earn income, including:

• Not checking local rental regulations. Not all areas allow short-term or vacation rentals. If you're buying a property with the intention to rent it...

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Homeowners associations — more commonly known as HOAs — are neighborhood organizations that are responsible for the care and upkeep of the area, and require residents of the community to pay fees (either monthly, quarterly, or annually) to cover the costs of that care and upkeep. Not all neighborhoods have HOAs, but they're pretty common, especially in new-build communities.

But if you've never lived in a community with an HOA, chances are, you have questions.

A recent article from realtor.com answered common questions about HOAs, particularly about new-construction communities, including:

• How mu...

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