How to Make a Purchase Offer on a Home for Sale by Owner
Many home buyers want to purchase a home directly from the seller to cut out the middle man, but when it comes time to make a formal offer it is often the case that neither buyer or seller knows what to do. Without the aid of a professional real estate agent, making an offer to buy a home that is ... more...

Be Prepared With Your Home Equity Loan Checklist
A home equity loan can be an excellent way to obtain money in order to pay off high interest bills or consolidate your current debt into one monthly payment. A home equity line of credit is a form of revolving credit in which your home serves as collateral. Because the home is likely to be a ... more...

10 Frequently Asked Short Sale Questions
1. What happens to the seller's credit rating when they allow an investor to short sell their property?What typically happens is the loan will show up as "paid" on their credit report; however there will be a notation that says "settled for less than originally owed" or something along these lines. ... more...

Home Equity Lines of Credit - the Basics
A Home equity line of credit is a loan which is similar to a credit card. These often have a very low interest rate (In most cases even lower than home equity loans). A Home equity lines of credit acts as a form of revolving which your home equity services.For example,-You take out a Home Equity ... more...

Selling Your Home Yourself Pricing It Appropriately
When youre selling your own property, whether its a house, townhouse, condo, apartment, a finished lot, raw land, a farm, a ranch, or whatever, the first thing to get right is the price you ask for it. If you work with a broker, the legwork is done for you. When you work as a FSBO (for sale by ... more...

What Are VA Loans?
VA loans are basically mortgages or home loans geared towards ex-military servicemen and women. The VA loan programme was created in 1944, and was initially known as the Servicemen's Readjustment Act, to help returning servicemen settle down and purchase their first home.There are, on average, ... more...

Top Tips from Real Estate Author Mark Nash for Negotiating a Home Purchase Contract
These tips are excerpted from my fourth real estate book: "1001 Tips for Buying and Selling a Home" by Mark Nash. ISBN: 0324232896 Thomson/South-Western 2004.464 unless you are in a "hot" market area, do not feel pressured to write a purchase agreement after a showing. -If you need some time, use ... more...

How to Use a Home Equity Line of Credit Calculator
Most home owners know that the lower the interest rate, the lower the monthly payments. But then the process may get a bit fuzzy. While your monthly payments may be the same every month, you are not applying the same amount to the principal of the loan. Your amortization will vary month to month. ... more...

5 Things to Look for in a Property Appraiser
Homeowners who are seeking a property appraiser often ask How should I choose which real estate appraiser to use? When selecting a property appraiser, keep the following in mind:Always make sure a property appraiser is licensed or certified by the state to perform real estate appraisals. While ... more...

Buying a Home with Zero Down Payment in Irvine, CA
Years ago, the only person that could buy a home in Irvine with zero down payment using a new purchase money loan were Veterans of War (called a VA loan). In the past several years, there has been an explosion of new loan programs designed to fit most any buyers circumstances. Today, most anyone ... more...

Home Buying: Things To Keep In Mind
So youve decided you want to own a home and now you want to begin your search for one. Before jumping into a home search, there are a few things you should keep in mind when going about buying a home.First things first, you cannot buy a home if you cant afford it! Dont assume how much you can ... more...

Termite and Moisture Damage Not Reported
I have done so many appraisals where I saw obvious damage that was not reported by the other inspectors. The first couple of times I thought it was just carelessness. I came to realize it was the same agents who had found what I call pocket contractors or repeat business. Most buyers are not aware ... more...

New or Old House?
A lot of buyers think that a new house is the way to go but it's important to have some knowledge of quality and of the builder. New paint, carpet, doors, windows and cabinets are a quick and easy sell. But are the cabinets even level. I have seen cabinets in a $300,000 house that the dishes would ... more...