Deeds.com

Many people look for workarounds in an off-putting real estate market. For a lot of buyers who simply seek a decent home to own, bidding wars aren’t winnable.    

Shut out of a seller’s market but refusing to give in, some people are co-buying as tenants in common. And some are willing to “hack” homebuying — alone or as tenants in common — by renting out sections of the buildings they buy to others who need a roof overhead. After all, the shift to remote-first work creates new chances for homeowners to rent out rooms in various places. And fair rental opportunities are very much needed.

So, our hats are off to determined buyers who refuse to be left out of this market. Their decision to pool resources can be the perfect answer to high down payments and strict lender criteria.

Now, let’s take a look at reasons not to do house hacking. Looking at the downsides can help a buyer decide whether it’s the best answer — or not — to the tricky question of how to buy when prices are soaring.

Continue reading “House Hacking. It’s One Way to Buy—But Know the Risks”

With Hopeful Buyers Looking Everywhere…

It’s Spring 2022. We have just lived through a remarkable migration phase in U.S. real estate history. The coronavirus emergency, followed by the shift to remote and hybrid workplaces, sent many home buyers out of crowded and expensive cities, and into suburban and rural areas. Throughout the past two years, demand for single-unit houses has done nothing but shoot up. And the price of houses got so high (average is now $400K-plus!) that most hopeful buyers today are priced out.

The latest push out there? Finding a condo for sale. It’s a cheaper path — but only relatively, and maybe not for much longer.

Continue reading “Condo Prices Surge”

When one co-owner of a home dies, what happens? Does the deceased person’s will control what’s next for the home ownership? Not necessarily.

When a co-owner of real property passes away, how the co-owners vested their title is the threshold question. So, the surviving owner turns to the deed. Its language states how the property is owned.

The deed represents the title’s transfer from one owner to the next, and is proof of ownership. It tells how the property will transfer again upon a co-owner’s death. It tells us if the title passes to the survivor by way of survivorship rights, or if, instead, the property will need to be redistributed through the local probate court.   

After its named owners acquired their house, the county recorded the deed and sent a copy to the owners. If the deed is impossible to find, check for the county’s online registry system. Homeowners can also get a copy of the house deed here, at Deeds.com.

Continue reading “One of the Homeowners Dies. What’s Next for the House Title?”

The Key to Buying a Home Online

Many buyers today are entirely comfortable finding their qualified real estate agents by searching online. Buyers who know what they’re looking for can have a successful journey to homeownership with an online brokerage, saving some time in the process. Just what is it, though, that buyers would need to look for? Let’s take a look at what’s going on here.

Continue reading “Finding a Good Online Real Estate Agent”

Know the Signs

Have you noticed homes for sale on the Facebook (Meta) Marketplace? Or Craigslist? Some of the listings offer a great way to spot a home. But shopping for homes online is not without risks.

This year in Florida, three scammers have swindled more than a dozen people who thought they were browsing homes for rent on Facebook. The three are accused of perpetrating real estate fraud crimes in the city of Homestead and in Miami-Dade County.

As reported by Local 10 News, police are investigating the three suspects. All three could be implicated in an organized scheme in at least nine separate fraud cases carried out in February and March 2022.

One of the three, Priscilla, has been identified as a tenant in a home the group listed. Priscilla is currently resisting an eviction notice from the real homeowner.

Priscilla has repeatedly masqueraded as a listing agent. The other two have presented themselves as homeowners. Together, the clique has drawn hopeful residents to the unoccupied houses they claim to be renting out.

Continue reading “Social Media Real Estate Scams”

Smart Construction Gains Ground

In San Mateo, California, tech-focused real estate developer Veev wants to turn the U.S. housing crisis into an opportunity. The state needs about three million more housing units.

Veev has multiple backers, including homebuilding giant Lennar’s future-focused LenX arm. Veev says its panel construction method is faster cheaper, and eco-friendlier than the typical builder’s approach. Its steel-frame structures have smart sensors and use electricity sources sparingly.

The company started with accessory units for home properties, and it’s now doing full-sized homes in its factory, TechCrunch recently reported. Veev has already partnered with Lennar to build a townhome community with more than 100 units in Northern California.

Veev’s version of housing materials are specially designed to be lighter, stronger, and lower in waste and carbon emissions than their traditional counterparts. And the company says its end-to-end manufacturing process gets homes ready for buyers about four times as fast.

Continue reading “The Rise of the Digital Pre-Fab Home”

Vacant “Zombies”? Someone’s Investments?

More than 16 million homes in the United States are empty. Right in the middle of a painful housing shortage. What is going on?

One issue involves mortgage default. A few people are starting to walk away from their mortgage debt, now that lenders are allowed to foreclose on borrowers. There are other reasons — owners moving into care settings, people holding second homes, or investors accumulating real estate as a store of value — that account for empty homes.

Census data indicate high rates of vacant homes in Vermont, Maine, Alaska, West Virginia, Alabama, and Florida. Some, of course, are vacation homes. Some are on the market, waiting for buyers — but usually not for long. Some have been collecting cobwebs for years.

Whatever the reasons, something needs to be done. And cities are being pressed to bring unattended living spaces back to the market for people who need them.

Continue reading “Cities Zero In on Empty Homes”

Buying a home? Wondering how much the seller has to tell you about its condition?

It’s an important question to ask, so let’s explore it.

Under the laws of most states, it’s a seller’s duty to inform a buyer about known “material defects” that could otherwise go unnoticed by the buyer. So, the homeowner’s agent provides a state-approved form, the seller’s property disclosure statement, to the homeowner. The form must be completed according to the owner’s first-hand knowledge of the home.

After declaring known, house-specific issues on the form, the owner discloses any anticipated impacts (negative or positive) on the property value and desirability. News of future construction planned in the area, or similar information, is pertinent. It’s best for a seller to be open about information a typical buyer would want to know. 

Continue reading “Defining “Material Defects” in the Seller’s Disclosure”

The New Market Influencers

Millennials, according to Goldman Sachs, are seeking something previous generations might not have prioritized. The bulk of today’s new homeowners don’t just seek curb appeal. They have developed an eye for what supports their long-term health and the health of the planet. These are key areas where millennials and younger buyers are comfortable spending their money.

Homes that integrate sustainability and wellness are all the more attractive because of their scarcity. This point isn’t lost on home designers, real estate agents, and a growing number of sellers. Let’s see what’s happening for 2022 and beyond.

Continue reading “How Younger Buyers Are Changing Home Preferences”