Pre-approval is a comprehensive process where the lender verifies the buyer’s financial information, including credit history, income, and assets. Pre-approval provides a conditional commitment from the mortgage company to lend a specific amount, pending appraisal of the property. Pre-qualification is an initial assessment based on...
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Real Estate Blog
Addressing the Buyer Agent’s Fee
Traditionally in the U.S. housing market, the seller has offered the buyer’s broker and agent a share in the commission specified in the listing agreement between the seller and the listing broker and agent. In a settlement between the National Association of REALTORS�, beginning on...
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U.S. Homeowners Property Tax Increase
Last year, U.S. homeowners faced an average property tax bill exceeding $4,000, marking the highest increase in five years, according to data from Attom Data Solutions, a real estate data firm. Property taxes nationwide amounted to over $363 billion in 2023, reflecting a 6.9% rise,...
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Use Ben’s Balance Sheet to Decide
There is a technique that has been attributed to Benjamin Franklin and used when faced with a decision. As the lore goes, whenever Ben was faced with a decision, like you are now, he’d take a piece of paper, draw a line down the middle...
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Is a written buyer’s agreement necessary?
Beginning August 17, 2024, many agents will be required to enter into a written agreement with a buyer before touring a home either in-person or through a live virtual tour and buyers should be familiar with what it entails. There have been buyer agreements for...
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