4 Reasons to Buy Your First Home in Your 30s
andresr/iStock There was a time in my life when I thought I’d never own a home. As someone who had preferred life in big cities and prioritized travel
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How to Get Rid of PMI: Tips to Ditch Private Mortgage Insurance Fast
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
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How Do I Change the Real Estate Closing Date on a House?
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
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What Is a Pre-Qualification Letter? Not a Guarantee You’ll Get That House
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
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What Is a Real Estate Broker vs. a Real Estate Agent (and Which Should You Hire)?
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
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When Does the Full Down Payment on a House Need to Be Made?
HAKINMHAN/iStock; realtor.com It’s fair to say that one of the things buyers are most concerned with is coming up with a down payment on a house. What’s not clear is when a buyer is
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What If Your Mortgage Commitment Letter Expires Before Your Closing Date?
LdF/iStock With your mortgage commitment letter in hand, you’re all set to close on a home—then something goes awry. Perhaps it’s a new construction and the builders are behind schedule, or maybe
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When Is an Earnest Money Check Supposed to Be Cashed?
AndreyPopov/iStock In the real estate market, the earnest money check is one of the essential ways buyers prove they’re serious to sellers. It’s a substantial chunk of change that will be included with your offer to the seller
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How to Negotiate Repairs After a Home Inspection: Haggling Tips for Buyers
fstop123/iStock If you’re buying a home, you’ll want to know how to negotiate repairs after a home inspection. After all, odds are even the dreamiest house will have problems, and sellers
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7 Tips on How to Find a Good Real Estate Agent
sturti/iStock Whether you’re buying or selling a house, understanding how to find a good real estate agent is essential. Your agent will help you through all steps of the process and
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