5 mistakes to avoid when buying a house without a real estate agent. What to watch out for if you’re set on going through the homebuying process alone. Q: What do you think about buying a property without a buyer's agent? What tips would you share for home buyers who do not want to use [...]
Does an HOA have the power to restrict pool access due to COVID-19? This HOA board is concerned about liability and refuses to open it for residents. Q: How do I get our homeowner’s association board to open up our building’s three pools, all of which have been closed since March due to the pandemic? [...]
Buying a house during the COVID-19 pandemic: what you should know. Some homebuyers regret rushing the process to benefit from low mortgage rates. Mortgage rates reached another all-time low in September (9th time this year!), with Freddie Mac showing the 30-year fixed rate falling to 2.86 percent. But that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s the best [...]
Can you sell a house if you are on the title but not the mortgage? Two names were on the title, but only one was on the mortgage when one spouse died. Q: My stepfather bought a house in Miami in 1999 and he included my mom on the title of the property at that [...]
Why are pocket listings banned? Explaining the reasoning behind the National Association of Realtors (NAR) banning pocket listings. Q: You recently answered a question about a home seller paying the commission to an agent for a "pocket listing." You bypass the larger issue and the reason that so-called pocket listings are against the National Association [...]
Mortgage delinquency rates spike in 2020 due to COVID-19 pandemic. The latest loan insights show a 3.1 percent jump in overall delinquencies in just one year. Mortgage Delinquency Rates Spike in 2020 Due to COVID-19 Pandemic Having trouble paying your mortgage? If so, you’re not alone. Looking back in the early days of the pandemic, [...]
Do you need a closing attorney when buying a home? Closing attorneys facilitate real estate transactions but they can’t give legal advice on the deal. Q: I'm a little embarrassed to ask this question, but do I need to hire an attorney for closing? I'm a first-time homebuyer purchasing a new construction home and I [...]
What you should know about refinancing your mortgage before retirement. Four things to consider when refinancing your mortgage before retirement. We recently received a long comment on one of our questions regarding a homeowner who was deciding whether to refinance their home before retiring. Our correspondent is a mortgage industry veteran of many years and [...]
Utility costs by state: what state has the highest average utility bills? How much electricity, natural gas, water, cable and internet costs in each state. If you’re thinking about moving to a different state to lower your cost of living, there are a lot of factors to consider. Typically, people look at the weather, school [...]
Should you postpone condo board elections during COVID-19? This reader is hesitant to proceed with condo board meetings and elections during the COVID-19 pandemic. Q: I live in a condominium building with around 100 units. We have seven board members and we are supposed to vote on some new board members this fall. Residents will [...]
