Too many homebuyers don't hunt for the lowest mortgage rate. They spend weeks, sometimes months, looking for a house. But when it comes to shopping around for a loan, they don't bother.... more
Many of the nation's largest real estate firms still do not publish the share of the commission paid to agents who work with homebuyers, leaving buyers to fend for themselves.... more
Property taxes are rising right along with the cost of food, gas and other necessities. One main difference: You won't have to wait for inflation to come down to lower your property taxes. And you can... more
With the inventory of unsold houses rising on a daily basis, it's time for sellers to consider taking a page out of the homebuilders' playbook -- especially when it comes to financing.... more
Would you design and buy a home entirely online -- picking everything from the lot to the cabinets without ever seeing or touching them in person? Many people say they would, according to a company th... more
As if rising mortgage rates and high house prices aren't enough, homebuyers in the new year are going to have to contend with higher fees to obtain their credit reports. In some instances, a credit re... more
Buyer's remorse is likely to take on a more sinister turn in the coming months, as people who purchased their houses at the top of the market take out their frustrations on their real estate agents.... more
In a perfect world, a couple in the midst of a divorce would sit down together and calmly figure out what to do with their house. But, of course, this is not a perfect world.... more
There's no one-size-fits-all when it comes to real estate. Each deal is different, and rarely does one go off without a hitch. But when it comes to divorce, selling a house becomes that much more comp... more
With the end of the year rapidly approaching, it's time to catch up on a few of the hottest topics this column covered since the first of the year:... more
It's that time of year when everyone makes bold predictions about what lies ahead in 2023. Just last month, the California Association of Realtors projected the average price of houses in the Golden S... more
Selling a property fully furnished is fairly common in vacation-home markets, where a house without furnishings can become a chore for buyers rather than an immediate retreat. But it's probably not a ... more
As part of Uncle Sam's efforts to make housing more affordable, some lenders are starting to accept alternatives to expensive title insurance. But at what price?... more
The loan approval process can be a haunting experience, full of gremlins and "gotchas" that can jump out to derail your financing without warning.... more