Category: Real Estate
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What Just Happened? Today’s Typical Buyer Aged More Than Six Years Since Last Year!
Congrats to all of you who, in middle life, are acquiring a deed to a home. It’s a major achievement. Chances are, you worked intensely to pull it off. And you’re not alone. A new publication from the National Association of REALTORS® says the average buyer out there is now 56 years old. That’s up…
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Should Brokers Keep For-Sale Homes Hidden?
It’s the Real Estate Industry’s Latest Debate — Pocket Listings Our regular readers know about recent changes in real estate practices. The big changes came out of settlements by the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR) and large brokerage firms in response to class-action court cases. NAR had to give up its long-running practice of having…
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Congrats on Closing! Now, How Will You Get Your Deed?
Closing is the last step before you have the keys to your new home in hand, and your deed is on its way. The all-important deed is a legal instrument (document) that shows the transfer of property ownership from the seller, over to you, the buyer. This document confirms your ownership status for the property…
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Bought a Home, Got Laid Off: Options for Homeowners Facing Financial Hardship
It’s possible to receive a final approval for your mortgage, make it through closing day, get your deed, and then… get laid off. It’s also possible to have an unexpected employment change before you close. When calamity strikes the innocent borrower, what’s next? What steps are best taken to make the path ahead bearable? Let’s…
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Gen Z Rising: Younger Buyers’ Strategies in the Housing Market
Twentysomethings acquiring deeds? It’s a thing. But in this market, how are Gen Zers pulling it off? According to the National Association of REALTORS®, Gen Z now holds 3% of U.S. home deeds. And the numbers also suggest that many young buyers had to be awfully scrappy to get these deeds.
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Mortgage Life Insurance: What Is It? Who Needs It?
As soon as you close on your new home and the deed is in your name, expect to find a whole lot of marketing materials in your mailbox. Some of these items will be from insurers. You might get offers for mortgage life insurance (a.k.a mortgage protection insurance) and wonder if it’s worth looking into.…
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Selling Without a Real Estate Agent? New Incentives, New Challenges
You might have heard that selling your home yourself could save you thousands of dollars in agent commissions. It’s a fact. Putting your home up For Sale By Owner (FSBO) is one way to get around agent commissions — which do still exist! Yet there are hurdles as well as potential rewards for the FSBO…
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Feds Target Predatory Lenders, Call Out “Nightmare” Scenarios for Deed Seekers
The U.S. Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) is acting to block predatory financing, redlining, and zombie mortgages. What’s all this about predators, red lines and zombies, you ask? Let’s break it down.
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Should My Spouse Add Me to the Deed?
Congratulations on your marriage! One of the many questions you might have about your life ahead is whether to go onto your life partner’s home deed. While we can’t provide personalized advice, we’re glad to offer a set of considerations for anyone asking this question. Follow up with your financial adviser on the points you…
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Transferring Your Deed Into Your LLC
Thinking about transferring the deed to your rental property into a limited liability company? Many investors do it. About 17% of investment properties across the country are held in LLCs. Here, we look at reasons to put real estate into an LLC, and how it’s done. And we’ll point to a few more things worth…
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Could Your Home Equity Help You Meet Longtime Goals? Pick Your Goal and See.
Lenders love sending direct mail, suggesting that deed holders borrow against the value of their homes. And you might be wondering: Maybe accessing some cash could really let me meet personal goals. Your home’s equity — your home’s value, minus what you owe on your current mortgage — is typically the collateral for the lender.…
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As Asheville Recovers, Home Buyers Rethink the Whole “Climate Haven” Idea
Asheville, a quaint and popular North Carolina town, has long been known for its welcoming atmosphere and a mild, inviting climate. Indeed, a public radio station once showcased Asheville as winning the real estate stakes of an unsettled climate. It’s now well understood that tropical storms get supercharged by human-driven effects on the atmosphere’s temperatures.…
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Someone’s Got to Do It: Are You Holding the Deed to a Haunted House?
Maybe you’re looking at homes you might want to buy. Maybe you already hold a deed. In any case, your late October thoughts may turn to spirits, and ghosts, and all kinds of past matters that haunt homes. It happens to the best of us — even well-known politicians have to deal with such matters,…
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LLC Owners: Read About the 2024 “Beneficial Ownership” Filing Rule, and the 2025 Reporting Rule for Cash Home Sales
This year, the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) announced a new rule on Transparency in Residential Real Estate Transfers. This is important to the owner of an LLC for real estate, and it’s triggered by cash transactions. Here are the basics you should know.
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Acquiring a Deed in Stormy Times: Consider the Contractors
If you’re making plans to buy a home, heads up. Especially if the location has been exposed to storms or other physical disruptions. When the Clever Real Estate company surveyed homeowners this year, a third of the poll responders said they might hire a contractor with a flawed reputation to save funds. In the aftermath…
