One of the most expensive line items on the buyer side of the settlement sheet is title insurance. Most folks don’t understand what it is and whether or not they should get it. If you are getting a mortgage on the property, the lender will require lenders coverage but buyer coverage is optional. Before deciding […]
Sounds like a Freakanomics headline. If you have read Steven Levitt’s book, you know his chapter headings often combine seemingly unrelated items to make his points. For instance the first chapter is “What Do Schoolteachers and Sumo Wrestlers Have in Common?” I won’t tell you what he pairs real estate agents with but I will […]
I often get calls from folks who want to buy distressed homes, rehab them and sell them for huge profits. Looks easy on TV doesn’t it? The reality is that flipping homes is a very, very hard business and extremely difficult to keep profitable over the the long haul. (key – long haul) I […]
Last month I had two settlements delayed. On both I was representing the seller and both were delayed due to appraisal issues. The appraisal issues were outside the control of the lenders but how they were handled demonstrates why I prefer local, direct lenders. Here are the stories…
Inventory , Inventory. Inventory. March 2012 was the 15th month in a row where the month over month inventory numbers were less than the prior year. And it was the 7th month in a row with a deficiency greater than 10%. Many of my buyers are either not finding the type of home they want […]
