Anne Linehan at blogHOUSON.net posted this story from the Houston area, about a woman whose home was foreclosed by a local home owner's association for non-payment of a $420 assocation fee. The owner, Pamela Bernhardt, had been renovating the house...
It's easy for home sellers to be overwhelmed by all the preparation required to sell a home. They're dealing with curb appeal, an essential prep step, and getting the house ready for buyers to see inside. And those two tasks...
Nearly all home buyers do a formal inspection when they buy a home, but that's only one of the critical look-sees you should do before closing. There's the pest inspection, which uncovers existing or previous wood-eating insects, and there's the...
I'm getting on a bandwagon here, so if you don't want to hear it, you might want to move on to the post below. Buying--or selling--a home can be stressful, so maybe that's why it brings out the worst in...
The Saffir-Simpson Scale is the gauge forecasters use to classify the strength of a hurricane. Its counterpart, the Fujita Scale, tells us how strong a tornado is likely to be. Have you seen photos that show the variations in destruction...
Yesterday's London bombings re-exposed the emotional wounds Americans have had since the 9/11 attacks, and those feelings brought along rekindled desires to increase protection for our own homes and families. Protection is difficult when we don't know what we are...
We had a bit of a wake-up call last week when lightning struck a huge oak tree fifteen feet from the house, sending flames upwards and branching out to affect nearby trees. Although electronics and many systems in the house...
Do you really understand every clause within the contract you just signed? Working with home buyers and sellers, I find that the repair contingency clauses are one of the least understood parts of a home sales contract, even though they're...
The Supreme Court's June 23rd ruling in the case Kelo vs. New London opened the doors for cities to seize property for private development. Congress is taking a close look at the ruling to determine if and how it can...
Enacted to protect consumers during a real estate transaction, the Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act (RESPA) is over thirty years old and overdue for some serious reform in order to make loan comparisons an easier process. HUD proposed changes a...
Home warranties cover repair and replacement costs for appliances and other home systems that break down. A home warranty can be purchased by either a home buyer or current home owner, and are often paid for when buyers close on...
The real estate laws in your state probably require home sellers to disclose material facts about the condition of the house they are selling, and that includes any known problems associated with important areas like the roof, electrical system, plumbing,...
Don't include an earnest money deposit with your offer to purchase real estate until you know exactly how it will be handled once it leaves your hands. Use these tips to help make sure your good faith deposit is secure....
With five votes in favor, four against, the US Supreme Court ruled yesterday to allow the city of New London, Connecticut, to seize homes through eminent domain in order to acquire the real estate to build a hotel and convention...
Let's face it, your house isn't a home now, it's a commodity that you intend to market. It's time to put your personal feelings aside and take a fresh look at the property, analyzing it in order to make enhancements...