It Pays to Heed Performance Dates
If you think the slog of going out week after week to find a house, and then beat competitors, is a marathon, get ready for the sprint.
Lew Sichelman
Special to Banker & Tradesman
Are Home Prices Headed for a Correction?
The housing market is not likely to implode like it did in 2008, when it ushered in what’s now known as the Great Recession. But could a price correction be coming?
Is Cold-Calling to Find a Willing Seller an Option?
The latest evidence indicates the market is tightening again – not loosening, as had been expected. At this writing, the number of new listings has declined for the seventh straight week. So, it’s time for serious buyers to start knocking on doors.
Some Closings Hit a Wall with AWOL Buyers
The closing is the last step in the long, sometimes difficult, almost always anxious journey in buying and selling a house. And it can be just as ripe for pitfalls as any other part of the process.
State Regulators Shortchange Consumers
Many state regulators of real estate agents are supposed to look out for buyers and sellers. But not one such institution has the authority to provide restitution to consumers who are found to have been treated unfairly or unlawfully.
Haunted House? Most Buyers Say ‘No Worries’
There are “haunted houses” – you know, the ones that pop up this time of year where you pay to have the bejesus frightened out of you. And then there are “real” haunted houses – the ones where ghastly spooks supposedly live on, long after they should have transferred into the afterlife.
Seniors Often Targeted in Realty Fraud
Elder abuse takes many forms. But seniors are especially vulnerable when it comes to financial abuse and scams. Here are some of the most likely ways seniors are victimized.
Homebuyers Have Rare Chance to Save
For the next 60-odd days, some homebuyers have an unusual opportunity to find financing at a tad lower cost.
Secure Winter Curb Appeal, From the Top Down
The number of houses for sale is beginning to increase, bidding wars are not as prevalent, and the housing sector is moving into what are normally the slower fall and winter months. So, sellers need to be doing more to attract the attention of would-be buyers.
The Fight to End Money Laundering Comes to America
Nowhere is this criminal enterprise more prominent than in real estate, both residential and commercial. And a new report says America has become a “safe haven” for this kind of money laundering.
Offensive Deed Language Targeted
A little-known but highly effective legal group is working on drafting model legislation that would help property owners remove discriminatory, restrictive covenants from their deeds.
Most Listings Lack Key Elements
Sellers whose listings do not include virtual tours, professional photographs and floor plans are being cheated by their real estate agents. Without the proper visuals, homes will likely take longer to sell and fetch a lower price.
Lots of Lots Are Coming … Eventually
Home builders are running out of buildable home sites, with inventory at its lowest point since 2015. And relief is on the way – just not soon.
Closing Delayed? Blame Hackers
If your closing was postponed recently, cybercriminals may be to blame.
Private Flood Policies Bear Scrutiny
Because of climate change, Spencer Glendon – a senior fellow at the Woodwell Climate Research Center, one of the world’s most respected climate think tanks – said recently that it may not be long before every homeowner in the country will need flood insurance.
The Basics of Homeowners’ Insurance
Many homeowners, especially rookies who are new to the game, have no clue what their homeowner’s insurance policies cover.
Foreclosures and Evictions Aren’t Instantaneous
Not to downplay the pending foreclosures and evictions faced by millions of families, but the current national furor is a bit overblown.
New Ways of Homebuilding, Selling Find Openings
Sure, stick building is still the norm. And most builders are still using model homes to show off their wares in the best light possible. But slowly and surely, they are changing the way they do business – some say for the better.
Testing the Market Could Be Costly
Home sellers have made a killing over the past year, as buyers outbid one another on practically every property that comes to market.
Change of Work Status Leads to Buyers’ Change of Heart
Now that the country is reopening and some companies are calling their employees back to the office, more than a few pandemic-inspired buyers are having a change of heart.
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