Is Now the Time to Buy a New Home? We’ve asked this question before. But now, with the stimulus package being offered by the federal government for first time home buyers, home sales have been increasing on a regular basis. This, coupled with some of the lowest home prices in decades, and the competitive mortgage rates hovering […]

Tips for Buying a Foreclosure Foreclosures are dominating the housing market. Right now, there are 1.5 million such homes for sale, and more are expected to be available soon. That provides both opportunities and pitfalls for bargain hunters. Here are a few tips for making sure you don’t get taken when buying a foreclosure. 1 […]

10 Mistakes First-Time Home Buyers Make Smart Money lists ten mistakes first-time home buyers make as follows: 1. Not knowing how much house you can afford. 2. Assuming foreclosures are great deals. 3. Letting your true feelings show. 4. Failing to find a good buyer’s agent. 5. Underestimating the costs of owning a home. 6. […]

Buying A Home vs Renting If you’re renting a home (as opposed to owning) is it cheaper, or more expensive? After all, if you’re renting, you don’t have repair costs, homeowner’s insurance, mortgage payments, interest, and possibly private mortgage insurance. Buying a home can also be a lot of work, keeping in mind the costs […]

Title and Escrow Services: Shop Around When it comes to real estate, just about everything is negotiable, so don’t ever let anyone tell you that services like title insurance and closing costs (escrow services) aren’t. Title insurance companies are hired, in part, to issue title insurance protection for home buyers and lenders. Lenders require the […]

Five Powerful Buying Strategies In today’s crazy Richmond area real estate housing market, making rational decisions based on sound information is a must! In reality, emotions often take over, and sometimes, it’s all you can do not to lose all conscientiousness when you think you have found that dream home. But if you’ll follow these […]

Questions To Answer Before Buying A House If you’re buying a home for the first time you should take the time to learn something about real estate.  Make sure you understand the terms of real estate contracts and mortgages.  Don’t buy a home that costs more than you can afford to spend. Make sure the […]