It may be a wildly overused phrase, but "tipping point" applies to the Buying vs. Renting comparison, particularly as mortgage rates start to rise. And according to a finding published recently in Trulia, we're still a little ways away (nationally) from reaching that...
M&I, a part of BMO Financial Group, recently issued some advice for first time homebuyers. Although M&I is located in Indiana, the tips apply to non-Hoosiers, too. How does this sound? Assess Affordability It's widely accepted advice: Housing costs should not take up...
Builderonline.com recently reported that despite signs in November of a housing market recovery, reality will see the beginnings of a true turn-around sometime in 2013. Some of the stats that seasoned the article were noteworthy and not terribly promising, including:...
Negotiating home prices just got a little easier. Or at least more impersonal. The website BuyerCurious.com lets buyers make an offer on a property via the website, taking inconvenient -- and sometimes awkward -- phone calls out of the mix. Once a buyer identifies a...
Found the home of your dreams? Good, now keep it to yourself! Make no mistake: buying a home is a negotiation, and sometimes the less you reveal, the better off you are. You know what a poker face is? Put it on. Now. To ensure you get the best price possible, here are...
You have got to love those Brits! Across-the-pond property expert Phil Spencer has just released a vodcast for homebuyers on how to avoid the three Gs. I never knew there was one G, nevermind three. So what are the three Gs? They are gazumping, gazundering and...
It's fun to take a look at properties for sale in my area from time to time, especially the lakefront properties. They don't come up for sale often and at times there are some great opportunities to take on a quaint cottage with Lake Champlain lapping at the door....
The Joint Center for Housing Studies at Harvard University just released "The State of the Nation's Housing 2011." The annual examination of housing, homeownership and rental figures painted a pretty bleak picture for the home building industry. The summary of the...
I have recently spoken real estate with many people: my brother in Illinois, friends in Alabama, New York, Massachusetts, and on. Since I am a Realtor® they ask my professional opinion on buying and selling their homes. The math in the market is simple. If you have...
...buying, that is. This according to a recent "Demo Memo" report cited on Builderonline.com. The key age group for home buying -- 30-to-34 year olds -- has experienced a bigger decline in homeownership than any other age, with a rate falling from 56.8 to 51.6 percent...
