Using your retirement account to purchase a home isn’t for everyone, but there are other ways to invest in Real Estate if you already own your home or you’re not quite ready to buy a property outright. Consider the Real Estate IRA. What is a Real Estate IRA? It is a self-directed retirement account that you can… Read More
A large percentage of the homes I’ve listed or sold have some sort of security system. With or without monitoring, with or without cameras, security systems can be simple or complicated- they’re almost always a good idea. Many have lighting features, smoke, CO or water alerts. Some are integrated with other smart-home systems and need… Read More
The all-white kitchen may be on its way out but a white kitchen with character is still very much in vogue. The sleek and calming visual of monochromatic in in any hue has been a key design element in contemporary kitchens. You can easily keep that clean, polished look while remaining trendy, by breaking up the… Read More
Without question, the Real Estate market is tough for home buyers. Multiple offers, competition with cash buyers, escalating home prices, inadequate inventory and insanely limited showing times are all plaguing buyers in today’s Real Estate environment. It’s difficult to remain positive in the face of these unprecedented market conditions. Those who succeed are faced with… Read More
The two most important elements of a home inspection, and the ones most often called out by home inspectors, are the roof and the HVAC system. These are also probably the two most expensive items to fix. I’m always reassured when either or both of these are new, but more often they are not. Home… Read More
Quality is a matter of value, not a reflection of price. What is valuable to you may mean little to the next home buyer. Top quality in Real Estate commonly refers to lifestyle, enjoyment and suitability. Does ‘home’ conform to and enhance the way we want to live our lives? Your home’s location will certainly… Read More
It’s a given, that home ownership of any kind comes with a steady diet of upkeep and repairs. Even a newly built home is going to require some level of routine maintenance. However, if your dream home happens to fall into the ‘historic home’ category, or a location within in a historic district, be advised… Read More
At implementation of the Dodd-Frank Act in 2010, shortly after the collapse of the Real Estate market, condominium owners watched the value of their investment plummet. FHA financing would no longer be available for vast numbers of condominium complexes, severely limiting a condo owners opportunity to sell their home. Home Buyers looking for affordable choices… Read More
When you look around your home, really look, what do you see? Almost all of us will notice a few small projects that have been neglected or even one or two big ones we’ve been avoiding. You could be seriously risking your home’s value when you disregard necessary repairs, and by brushing aside the small… Read More
Gone are the days of the guaranteed 30-day closing. Though not impossible, in light of tighter mortgage regulation a 30-day closing is no longer the norm. Realistically you’re probably looking at 45 days from contract to close, and that’s without additional contingencies. Even with this extended contract period there are a number of things that… Read More
