Ah, spring! When the trees blossom, the lovely tulips and daffodils bloom, and everyone's mood brightens. But aside from our daily dose of sunshine during spring, we also see the high season for real estate. As the temperature rises, the housing market starts to heat up.  Even in areas ...

A short sale transaction is different from the usual home buying process. It involves more waiting time, and more leg work for your agent. Due to the rise of short sale properties on the market, training companies see it as an opportunity to train agents specifically in this area, giving them ...

Ugh, bidding wars. They can be nasty, nerve-wracking, and even heart-breaking. Nowadays, most real estate markets present buyers with huge challenges, due to high demand coupled with low housing inventory. Oftentimes, bidding wars become the rule, especially in a seller's market. Buyers who ...

When a homeowner starts to consider a home renovation, it’s easy to grow overwhelmed, because it seems like such a monumental task. Perhaps this comes from the notion that all makeovers have to big, bold, and new. Think shows like “Extreme Makeover” and “House Flippers”. Most think the only ...

In the process of finding a new home, your real estate agent should become your new best friend. For a few weeks or longer, you will probably talk to them more than anyone else you know! So how do you make sure you’re doing your part to build a good relationship with your agent?We’ve listed ...

Just like buying a move-in ready home, a fixer-upper has its fair share of advantages and disadvantages. Buying a fixer-upper can be a great way to own a home you really love once you put some work into it, but it can also quickly swallow up your savings if you aren’t prepared. Just remember ...

Keeping up with home maintenance tasks can be daunting, especially for new homeowners. It may be hard to accept the fact that sometimes you have to cancel a weekend brunch so you can clean out the gutters and mow the lawn. While these responsibilities could be frustrating, it’s what you have ...

We often talk about starting a home improvement project, like a bathroom or kitchen remodel, because we're dissatisfied with the house and are looking for ways to make it even better. But what if the first thing that’s hindering us from appreciating our biggest investment is the enormous ...

The recent catastrophic wildfires in California have been beyond devastating. These violent infernos destroyed thousands of properties and structures and displaced hundreds of thousands of people living in the affected areas. But if there’s one takeaway from this widespread fire damage, it’s ...

We’ve helped you understand the roles of different real estate experts in previous posts. After securing everything needed for your dream home with your agent’s help, you’ll be needing a mortgage lender who will provide the mortgage loan that will be used to purchase the property. ...