Building A New Construction Home? Get An Independent Home Inspector
An owner of a new construction home is wondering if they need an independent inspector. Ilyce's answer is yes, you should have your new construction home inspected by an independent home inspector at various points during the construction. You should make the builder aware that you are going to do…
Contractor Fakes Out Title Company
A contractor submits fake documents to a title company and then gets paid. The home buyer asks if he has any recourse for when a contractor submits fake documents. Ilyce says it depends on the type of escrow account involved in the home purchase and that the home buyer should consult a real estate…
Buyer's Agent Needed For New Home Purchase
A prospective home buyer looks at several new home developments without an agent and then wonders if they will have trouble using an agent when they buy property. The buyers can tell the developer that if it will not recognize a buyer's agent, they will not be buying a home there. Most developers…
New Construction: Purchase Property, Hire Builders After Moving To Area
A couple nearly 2 years from retirement are planning a move out of state and ask for advice about purchasing property and beginning new construction before they move. The couple can wait to purchase property, hire builders and begin new construction until after they move to the new state. It's too…
Tips To Prepare For Moving Day
Planning a move? New figures released by the National Association of Realtors indicate more homes are on the market. Here's some advice to those planning on moving in the future, because it's never too early to prepare for the big day.
New Green Remodeling Website From NARI:
Who says it's not easy being green? It seems like everyone is getting more environmentally conscious and so is the remodeling industry.
The National Association of the Remodeling Industry (NARI) just launched a new website, www.greenremodeling.org, which highlights green practices in the industry and…
A recent survey commissioned by AARP found that 79 percent of baby boomers want to stay in the home they are currently living in.
Less than 10 percent say they think they won't be able to stay in their home.
Still 26 percent say they expect to move, likely to a single-level home for comfort or…
Earnest Money: Home Buyer Must Follow Home Contract
Can you as a home buyer get your earnest money back on the purchase of a home if the financial markets prevent you from getting a loan to buy the home? When you as a home buyer put earnest money down on a home you're bound by whatever the home purchase contract states. You can lose your earnest…
Home Warranty Unenforceable When Builder Disappears
A home buyer says he recently bought a home and the builder has not followed through on a home inspection or repair requests. The buyer is experiencing buyer's remorse because of the builder's bad behavior. The builder may be going under due to the economic climate and unable to provide the warranty…
New Home Construction Buyers Feel Satisfied
The 2008 J.D. Power and Associates survey of new home construction buyers showed an increase in home purchase satisfaction from 2007. A J.D. Power spokeswoman says buyers get more for their money because home builders include once optional features such as granite countertops as standard. Builders…
Sarah Susanka: Home And Garden
When you're designing your home you should design the garden at the same time. Architect Sarah Susanka talks about the interplay between home and garden. Often people consider home and garden separately but they should be treated as one unit.
Sarah Susanka: Home Design And Money
Architect Sarah Susanka discusses the home design process and money. When you're doing a home design with an architect you should discuss money at every meeting. Home design includes balancing dreams against the money you have to spend.
Architect Sarah Susanka talks about designing your own house with an architect. When you design your own house you should design it for you, not for resale. What's the best way to design your own house?
How Much Does An Architect Charge?
Architect Sarah Susanka describes how architects charge for their work. The more experience an architect has the more he or she will charge a client. Younger architects will cost less but can be very talented. Learn about how much architects charge and why.
Lien Waiver Offers Protection For New Construction Buyers
A lien waiver is a legal form that builders and suppliers fill out indicating that they have been paid in full from a job and that they waive any right against the property they worked on or delivered materials to. If building a home, you should make sure you get the lien waiver from the supplier…
Learn about community design trends from master plan developers. What are the trends in community design that will affect the future? Community design trends come from what residents want and how they use their community's amenities. What are some community design trends for recreation and proximity…
Planned Communities Bring People Together
How does a master planned community get designed? How do developers know what to include in neighborhood ? Creating a sense of belonging means including amenities to foster community in the neighborhood. Developers and architects try to allow for community as populations age.
ThinkGlink Radio Show for May 4, 2008
Today on the Ilyce Glink Show, Ilyce ran down some of the ways loan options will be restricted, thanks to a new set of guidelines that has just been published by some of the country's top lenders. She answered questions about whether to go through with a new construction purchase, and talked to a…
New Home Construction Declines
More bleak housing data.
The number of building permits issued fell 5.8 percent from February to March, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and the Census Bureau announced today.
They declined by almost 41 percent from a year earlier.
Builders started constructing fewer new homes as…
New Construction: Pay Attention To Vacant Lots
When you're building a home next to a vacant lot you need to be aware of plans for the property next door. What can you do if the builder of new construction in your neighborhood follows different plans? It helps to talk with a real estate attorney to understand your recourse when you build a home…
Asking For Trouble With Synthetic Stucco
Synthetic stucco may trap moisture between exterior and plywood leading to mold and rot. A developer asks about using synthetic stucco over concrete blocks. There has been more success using synthetic stucco over concrete blocks, but this developer will still have to fight the negative public…
Builder Won't Fix Problems In New Home
A buyer says his home has problems like a leaky roof. He says the builder will not fix the home problems. Who can he contact to help with these home problems?
New Construction Condo Change Could Affect Earnest Money
When you buy a condo or a home as part of a new construction development the developer will provide you with a contract outlining the specifications of the property you're buying. What if your condo then does not meet those specifications? Can you break the contract and let the bank keep the earnest…
Using A Real Estate Agent To Buy A New Home
You should definitely hire a real estate agent to help you negotiate with a builder on a new construction home. Hiring an agent won't cost any more and will give you someone who is well-acquainted with deals like yours. Just because you are a good negotiator doesn't mean you're able to navigate a…
Construction, Condo Sales Continue To Drop
Construction spending in January 2008 fell 1.7 percent from December 2007 and dropped 3.3 percent from one year earlier, to $1,121.5 billion, according to the government.
Chicago Condos Online released the following stats: year-to-date, units closed are down 24 percent. In January, they were down 36…
