Home Buying Archives

Buying a home is often the biggest single purchase you’ll ever make. But it isn’t just choosing a home to buy that’s complicated. You’ve got to think through neighborhood issues, size issues, and cost issues. Buying a home can also include legal issues, construction or building concerns, and have serious tax implications. Financing your home purchase is another big topic of interest for most home buyers. From this topic page, you’ll be able to find articles and videos that help you understand how to balance what you want in a home with what you can afford to spend. You’ll also be able to refine your search about buying a home by using the topic cloud on the right navigation.

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What Will Homes of the Future Look Like?

What Will Homes of the Future Look Like?

By Liz Stevens| 2018-08-27T12:12:19+00:00 August 23rd, 2018|

Real estate research predicts what new construction homes will look like twenty years into the future based on historical housing trends. Hello, central air conditioning and two-car garages. Goodbye basements and fireplaces! A recent real estate study from Porch analyzed census data from 1999 through 2016 to forecast new construction home building trends in the [...]

Ask Ilyce – March 9, 2004

By Ilyce Glink| 2009-01-19T01:02:03+00:00 January 19th, 2009|

How much of your savings should go toward a down payment? What's the best way to turn the home your renting into a home you'd like to buy? WGN's Money Saving Expert Ilyce Glink answers questions from the Mailbag about buying and selling real estate.

Expert Real Estate Tips: What Is A HUD-1 Form?

By Ilyce Glink| 2009-01-06T21:48:56+00:00 January 6th, 2009|

What is a HUD-1 Form in real estate? The HUD-1 Form is a record of all money spent during the purchase of a home. Appraisals and other services are listed on the HUD-1 Form and many are tax deductible items. Learn more about HUD-1 Forms from this Expert Real Estate Tips segment.

Short Sale Buyer May Lose Money

By Ilyce Glink| 2008-12-19T00:00:00+00:00 December 19th, 2008|

In a short sale, a bank agrees to let a homeowner sell a home for less than what the homeowner owes the bank on the mortgage. But what happens when a short sale falls through -- when the home seller changes his mind at the last minute? The short sale buyer may lose money on an uncompleted short sale. The short sale buyer should contact a real estate attorney to understand his rights.

Expert Real Estate Tips: Down Payment Information

By Ilyce Glink| 2008-12-18T21:00:41+00:00 December 18th, 2008|

How much down payment is required to buy a home today and how does location and house price affect your down payment requirements? Learn what percent of the house price you will need as down payment when buying your new home in this Expert Real Estate Tips segment on down payments.

Making An Offer On A House

By Ilyce Glink| 2008-12-12T00:00:00+00:00 December 12th, 2008|

When making an offer on a house you want to buy, you should make it in writing and set an expiration date. Making an offer in the right way will lead to buying your dream home. What can you do if after making an offer on a house you want to buy, you get word from your real estate agent that the home seller received a better offer?

Earnest Money: Home Buyer Must Follow Home Contract

By Ilyce Glink| 2008-11-12T00:00:00+00:00 November 12th, 2008|

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 money if the contract allows the builder to keep it, regardless of whether the credit crisis affects the your ability to qualify for a mortgage loan.

Mistakes Home Buyers Make

By Ilyce Glink| 2008-10-14T17:19:44+00:00 October 14th, 2008|

How to avoid common mistakes home buyers make, including being afraid to ask questions or being suspicious of the real estate agent's motives. Become a savvy home buyer and avoid mistakes by viewing this Expert Real Estate Tips segment.

Importance Of Neighborhoods In Real Estate

By Ilyce Glink| 2008-10-14T15:15:18+00:00 October 14th, 2008|

Why is a neighborhood important to consider when buying a house? For one thing, you can move a house but you can't move the neighborhood. For another, you'll go through the neighborhood every day to get to your home. If you don't like the neighborhood, you probably won't be happy in your house.

Buying Real Estate During Economic Crisis

By Ilyce Glink| 2008-10-09T00:00:00+00:00 October 9th, 2008|

Buying real estate during the economic crisis has become more difficult. The current economic crisis has brought many challenges, including the drop in retirement savings and a rise in the unemployment rate that affect the real estate market and home buyers. There is a strong connection between unemployment and real estate, because lenders won't give you a mortgage without a job to cover the payments.

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