vicnt/iStock When it comes to home staging, there’s really one golden rule: Make your space look bigger to would-be buyers. And perhaps nowhere is that concept more vitally important than in the living room—the place where homeowners tend to spend most of their time entertaining and relaxing, and where potential buyers will be placing […]
SIphotography/iStock Most people with private mortgage insurance want to know how to get rid of it. And for good reason: PMI tacks on a substantial extra fee to your already massive mortgage payments. Lenders traditionally require PMI for borrowers who put down less than 20% on a house. Of course, it’s a godsend if you couldn’t afford a home otherwise. But once you have PMI, […]
NoDerog/iStock; realtor.com When you go through the process of buying a house, you might have to change the real estate closing date. It’s actually fairly common for the buyer or the seller to request this kind of adjustment, so don’t be alarmed if it happens to you. Let’s take a closer look at the closing process and why someone […]
designer491/Shutterstock What is a pre-qualification letter? A mortgage lender will give you this official document once you decide you might want to borrow money from the lender. But how much will that letter actually boost your chances of successfully making an offer on a house? Experts say it offers very little help. “I tell most people they can take […]
KatarzynaBialasiewicz/iStock What is a real estate broker? Many people think that real estate agent and real estate broker are interchangeable titles, but there are actually key differences. Here’s what you need to know. What is a real estate broker? A real estate broker is someone who has taken education beyond the agent level as required by state laws and […]
