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Browse every published article connected to Steve Hattan, with exact attribution and full-archive search.
Articles
Browse every published article connected to Steve Hattan, or search within this exact expert archive.
What's my house worth? That's a questio I'm asked every time I meet with a home seller for the first time. My immediate thought is, "Whatever a buyer is willing to spend and whatever you're willing to sell it for." Of course, I would never say it like that even though it's the best answer anyone can give. Instead, I'll answer with something like this, "I'm not really sure yet.
Tax reassessment has been the main topic of discussion more times in the last six months than it has been in the last ten years. There seems to be a misguided assumption that if property values decrease then property taxes will also decrease. Of course, this is based on the fact that when property values increase so will the taxes. Unfortunately, the former is mostly false while the latter is mostly true. Like everything else, all you have to do is follow the dollar to see why it works this way.
Home down payment assistance programs are designed, in most cases, for first time home buyers. If I could a have just a simple dime for every first time home buyer who thought the home down payment assistance meant free money then I most likely wouldn't be writing articles. Before October 1, 2008 there were two competing charitable organizations that made it sound like first time home buyers could receive free money for their entire down payment. These organizations were called AmeriDream and Nehemiah.
A lease with option to buy is typically for people who want to buy a home but cannot meet the traditional guidelines set forth by banks and other lending institutions. If you recently filed for bankruptcy, foreclosed on your last home, sold your last home through a short sale, have bad credit, or have too much debt then you may want to consider a lease with option to buy. This article assumes you know what a lease with option to buy is.
Tax credit for home buyers are becoming more and more popular every day. Whether the economy is in an up cycle or a down, smart home buyers are looking for new ways to save money. The good news is, if you're a first time home buyer you may qualify for the Mortgage Credit Certificate. The Mortgage Credit Certificate is a federal program which allows first time home buyers to lower their final income tax bill in the amount equal to twenty percent of the mortgage interest they pay as part of their mortgage.
What is FHA loan insurance exactly? When it comes to FHA loan insurance, or FHA loans in general, there seems to be some misconceptions. It won't take long but I'd like to clear some of them up for you. First, it's important to understand a few things about FHA. FHA is short for the Federal Housing Administration which is under the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). It was created during the depression as a way to stimulate homeownership. One of the biggest misconceptions out there is that FHA loans are loans issued by the federal government.
The typical commission a realtor charges can be anywhere from three to seven percent depending on the area and realtor competition in the marketplace. In most every case the typical commission can be negotiated if you know how. The challenge most consumers have when it comes to negotiating real estate commissions is they are negotiating against a professional negotiator. Realtors negotiate for a living and you're hiring them to negotiate for you when a buyer is found.
The commission in real estate typically runs between three to seven percent with services ranging anywhere from a basic MLS listing to a full blown marketing campaign with all the bells and whistles.
The typical sales commission for real estate can run anywhere from three to seven percent depending on many different circumstances including geographic location and competition among realtors. With the way everything in the world is today, many homeowners do not want or cannot afford to pay high real estate commissions. No worries, though. The typical sales commission that realtors charge can and should be negotiated. There is a challenge, however. Most home owners do not have the knowledge or capacity to go against a highly trained professional to get a reduced commission.
It goes without saying that most homeowners, regardless of market conditions, would like to make as much as they can when they sell their property. You do, I do, everyone does. Of course, when the market conditions are down it's even more important to squeeze out every last penny you can.
First time home buyer assistance programs such as the AmeriDream and Nehemiah were extremely popular over the last several years. They were popular because the down payment provided to the buyer was considered a gift that didn't have to be paid back and it covered the entire down payment amount. Unfortunately, for whatever reason, these first time home buyer assistance programs were put to rest on October 1, 2008. Whether they will be revived is yet to be seen. So what are the first time home buyer options?
A broker commission agreement in real estate is also called a listing agreement. This is the contract between the home seller and the realtor which sets forth the terms of the listing (marketing of the home). Obviously, one of the terms in the broker commission agreement includes the commission you will pay your realtor when the home is sold. What's important to know is it can and should be negotiated. The typical commission can be anywhere from three to seven percent depending on certain circumstances. As expected, the realtor will try to get the highest commission payable.
A competitive marketing analysis is a tool realtors use to help home sellers determine what their marketing price should be in today's current market. The good news is it's a free service; the not so good news is how accurate they might be. When it's time to sell a home it's recommended that each home seller should interview several agents before choosing the best one.
The term 'lease option to buy' might also be referred to as 'rent to own' or simply as 'lease option'. In its most basic definition a lease option to buy is when a consumer leases (or rents) a property for a certain period of time and at the end of that time the consumer has the option to buy the property. Let's discuss who would consider a lease option to buy and how they actually work.