Real Estate
Markets, mortgages, and the cost of where we live.
Your Homeowners Policy Does Not Cover Flood Damage
Standard homeowners insurance excludes flood, and flood policies take thirty days to start. Most owners learn both facts during the week...
The 6 Percent Commission Rule Is Gone. Now What?
The old habit of a seller paying both agents out of one 6 percent check is over. Here is what replaced it and what it means for your next...
Why Your Neighbor Pays Less Property Tax Than You
A homestead exemption can cut your property tax bill and shield some home equity from creditors, yet many owners never file for it.
The Hidden Loan Feature That Lets a Buyer Keep Your Low Rate
When rates are high, an assumable mortgage can let a buyer take over the seller's old loan and keep its lower rate. Most people never ask...
What Mortgage Lenders Don't Want You to Know About Pre-Approval
A pre-approval letter shows the most a lender will give you, not the amount you can actually afford. Here is how to read that number the...
Earnest Money Is Usually 1 to 3 Percent of the Home Price
Earnest money usually runs 1 to 3 percent of a home's price, and first time buyers rarely know when they can lose it. Here is how the...
What You Risk When You Skip the Home Inspection
In a hot market, buyers waive the inspection to win the house. That single move can hand you tens of thousands in hidden repairs.
What an Adjustable Mortgage Costs You When It Resets
An adjustable-rate mortgage starts cheap and can jump years later. Here is how the reset works and what the higher payment can do to your...
The 43 Percent Rule That Decides If You Qualify
Lenders care less about your income than the slice of it your debts already claim. The 43 percent line is where many loans stop.
Zillow's Zestimate Misses by 7% on Off-Market Homes
That instant home value looks official, but for most houses it carries a median error of about seven percent. Here is why, and what to...
What Lenders Don't Want You to Know About Rate Shopping
Comparing mortgage offers from several lenders can save thousands, and the credit rules are built to let you do it. Here is how the rate...
The 78 Percent Rule That Cancels Your PMI for You
Private mortgage insurance does not last the life of your loan. Federal law forces it off at a set point, and you can often claim relief...
What an Escalation Clause Can Really Cost You
An escalation clause can win a bidding war, but it can also commit you to paying more than you planned. Here is how it works and where the...
Why Your Property Tax Bill Jumps the Year After You Buy
The tax figure on your listing came from the seller. Once you buy, the county resets the value to your price, and the bill can climb fast.
Can Your HOA Really Take Your Home?
A homeowners association is more than rules about paint colors. In many states it can place a lien and even push a home toward foreclosure...
Your Fixed Mortgage Payment Is Not Actually Fixed
A fixed rate loan locks your interest, but your monthly payment can still climb every year. Here is the part of homeownership buyers miss.
Push Your Home Budget to the Limit and Here Is the Risk
A loan approval is a ceiling, not a budget, and buying at the top of it is how good earners end up house poor. Here is the math to run...
The $250,000 Tax Break Every Home Seller Should Know
When you sell your main home at a profit, a large chunk of that gain can be free from federal tax. Most sellers never learn the rules that...
Your Home Is Not the Investment You Think It Is
A house can be a good place to live and still be a mediocre investment. Here is the honest math behind the belief that a home always builds...
The Earnest Money Mistakes That Cost Buyers Thousands
Your earnest money deposit can run into the thousands. Whether you get it back when a deal collapses comes down to a few clauses.
What You Risk When You Waive a Home Inspection
Waiving the inspection can win a bidding war and hand you a five-figure repair at the same time. Here is what you give up, and the smarter...
What Real Estate Agents Don't Want You to Know About Dual Agency
One agent for both the buyer and the seller sounds simple, but it quietly strips away the advice you are paying for. Here is how dual...
The Real Difference Between Pre-Qualified and Pre-Approved
These two words sound alike and get thrown around like twins, but only one of them carries real weight the moment you make an offer on a...
What a Real Estate Agent's Commission Really Costs
The commission on a home sale can run into tens of thousands of dollars. Knowing who pays it, and how it works, protects your money on both...