Posts in category 'For Buyers'

Low inventory in markets across the country have been driving up prices and creating bidding wars, making it extremely difficult for many potential buyers to successfully find and purchase homes.

But it looks like things are (finally!) starting to look up for buyers.

According to realtor.com's Monthly Housing Report for July 2021, while inventory is still low, more homes are starting to hit the market. New home listings were up 6.5 percent nationally year-over-year—and up even more (11.1 percent) in large metro areas. The more homes that become available, the more options there are for buyers—and the more the market shifts in their favor.

"July housing trends show a market still working its way back toward some version of normal. The feverish pace of home sales is beginning to follow...

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You know that old phone prank…

Someone calls and says, "Is your refrigerator running?"

The person on the other end then says, "Yes. Why?"

And then the caller says something like, "You better catch it before it gets too far away!!"

The joke worked because, for the most part, everyone has a fridge, and it is probably working.

And that is when you should have a home warranty in place… when your fridge is working, not once it is broken.

Do you have a list of worries?

There's a lot of things you probably notice, but ignore around your house. Until it is too late, and becomes a much bigger problem.

It's not broken…but maybe you notice that your fridge is making a different sound lately.

Your garage door isn't working quite right. It goes half way down and gets stuck.

The bathroom faucet is dripping.

You notice a little leak in your bedroom ceiling.

Little worries like these are super co...

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Getting homeowners insurance when you purchase a house is a non-negotiable. But while standard home insurance policies provide a high level of coverage and protection, they don't cover everything—and in order to protect your home (and your investment), it's important to understand what potential issues might fall outside your home insurance umbrella.

A recent article from realtor.com outlined the surprising things home insurance doesn't cover, including:

• Floods. While home insurance typically covers water issues like burst pipes, if your home is flooded due to a hurricane or excessive rain, most standard home insurance policies won't cover the damage. In order to get coverage, you'll need to purchase additional flood insurance.
• Earthqu...

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When COVID-19 first hit, much of the country was under stay-at-home orders, which made it impossible for buyers to get out and see potential homes in person. And while stay-at-home orders have been lifted in most places, many buyers are still wary about hitting open houses or touring homes in person.

But, as it turns out, that's not stopping them from actually buying homes.

Thanks to video technology like FaceTime tours, buyers are able to get an inside look at properties—without having to physically see the property in person. And for many buyers, that's enough; according to Redfin data (outlined in a recent article in REALTOR Magazine), 45 percent of buyers who purchased a home in the past year made an offer on the property without ever seeing it in pe...

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Home renovation and DIY shows have increased the appeal of fixer-uppers for a ton of buyers. But before you commit to buying a fixer-upper—and investing the time, money, and resources in fixing it up—there are a few things you need to know.

According to a recent article from real estate resource houselogic, there are a few key issues all buyers need to consider before purchasing a fixer-upper, including:

• The price. The entire point of a fixer upper is to buy it, then invest in fixing up the property, and transform it into your dream home (or flip it and sell it for a profit). But in order for that to happen, you need to purchase the home at a fixer-upper price point—and have plenty of budget left for renovations. If the price is too high, you're goin...

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