home buying: Can we just use the first home buyers inspection?
- 02/11/11 10:14 AM
"Can we just use the first home buyers inspection? " is a question I have heard over the years from both buyers and sellers.
Home went on the market, home went under contract. Home went back on the market. Perhaps the buyer was unable to get financing. Or there was a failure to come to an agreement with the seller about the terms of a buyers request to remedy.
Tempted to just ask "Can we just use the first home buyers inspection? " ? Save money?
There are lots of problems with that. The home inspection is the property of the … (4 comments)
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home buying: You sure can cut up a rug.
- 01/17/11 04:59 AM
Hardwood Floors... International real estate advice... or maybe International flooring advice from across the border from Ottawa, Ontario, Canada (isn't that exotic?) Valerie Zinger offers advice about flooring for home buyers. There are two lessons here from Valerie about flooring / home buying for home buyers. Thanks to Valerie with Royal Lepage Gale Ottawa-Ontario-Canada for allowing her flooring post to be Re-Blogged for home buyers.
If you jitterbug dance then go for it. If you are house hunting then that is another story.
You are out with your real estate agent looking at homes. There is a wonderful house … (0 comments)
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home buying: "Why so cheap? Well here's the bad news"
- 08/17/10 10:49 PM
As a home buyer wouldn't you love it if more property descriptions were honest about the condition of the home?
Here is a property description that is honest and funny. The showing instructions for other real estate agents are very funny. Thanks to Heath Coker in Massachusetts for allowing his post titled 'Funny Showing Instructions' to be Re-Blogged.
I had to throw my head back and laugh at this one. WYSIWYG pictures and hilarious showing instructions make this one good for a giggle. The house is in an estate. The contents are strewn throughout, the landscaping hasn't been maintained, … (8 comments)
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home buying: The house you fell in love with today...
- 07/13/10 12:38 AM
The house you fell in love with today...
This is a Re-Blog of a post written by Marcie Sandalow for buyers in her market.
"Good houses don't stick around. At least, not in this local market. "
Sometimes in our market GOOD houses do stick around but you are NOT the only buyer looking at it. I thought Pre-Inspections" was common in our market.
Thanks to Marcie for writing the post and allowing it to be Re-Blogged!
The house you fell in love with today...
You hear it all the time... "Oh- we made an offer on a great … (1 comments)
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home buying: Home Buyers: Change the Locks
- 07/05/10 10:07 PM
Home Buyers: Change the Locks when you buy a new home!
This is a Re-Blog of a post from a California real estate agent... kooky Californians? No this could happen anywhere.... home buyers change your locks. You never know who the seller has given a key to.
Thanks Keisha for allowing this to be Re-Blogged!
Here's a Good Reason To Change Your Locks When You Buy A New Home:
A Simi Valley, California woman arrived home to find a strange man in her bed.
The woman called the Simi Valley Police Department to report that a man with a … (5 comments)
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home buying: Wear Socks While Househunting!
- 03/28/10 10:59 PM
This is a Re-Blog of a funny but true post from Brian Block. You are going to be asked to take your shoes off looking at homes. Unless you want to feel the cold tile wear socks...
Wearing sandals? Bring along a pair of socks if walking barefoot through a house is a problem for you.
I have at least one Real Living HER Open House list post where I recommend slip ons for visiting open houses but I did not say wear socks... it was the middle of winter..
Fashion advice on a real estate blog? Sure... why not?
… (1 comments)
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home buying: 10 Questions a Buyer Must Ask Before Purchasing A Condominium Unit
- 03/28/10 01:54 AM
Richard Vetstein who wrote this is an attorney in Massachusetts. While he gives examples in the Boston area these questions are applicable and often hard to get answered in our market.
I will try to write about our Central Ohio Condomnium questionaire soon.
Richard is talking to agents and buyers. His suggestion to real estate agents at the end is interesting and might speed up the answers being provided to condo buyers: "Do not have your buyer put earnest money down until satisfactory answers are received. "
Buying a condominium unit can be more involved than buying a single … (0 comments)
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home buying: Free home inspections for returning veterans
- 01/12/10 08:32 AM
Criterium-Liszkay Engineers is offering Free home inspections for veterans returning from duty in Afghanistan and Iraq in appreciation of their service according to In Contract Magazine a publication of the Columbus Board of Realtors ®.
To determine if you are eligible contact Criterium-Lizkay Engineers at 614-418-7200.
Art Wickerham with Criterium - Liszkay Engineers
Criterium-Liszkay is one of my favorite Central Ohio home inspection companies. They are featured on the home inspection page of my website. All of the inspection staff are licensed engineers.
… (0 comments)
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home buying: Real Living HER offers Free Job Loss Insurance to home buyers
- 12/31/09 05:29 AM
Real Living HER offers Free Job-loss Insurance to home buyers... is old news.
The news today is that the FREE Job Loss Insurance has been EXTENDED AGAIN.
Happy New Year!
All buyers must be in contract no later than January 31, 2010 and must close no later than March 31st to receive the Peace of Mind benefits. Restrictions apply, this is an insurance policy that is FREE to buyers. A Real Living HER seller does NOT pay anything to provide this benefits to buyers of HER listings.
Extended again and again
Previous Real Living Peace of Mind Program News … (0 comments)
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home buying: When you buy, rekey or change the locks.
- 12/17/09 10:05 PM
Good advice for buyers that I may sometimes forget. This is a Re-Blog of a post from Tammy Lankford of Lane Realty in Lake Sinclair, Georgia.
I say... Change the locks no matter what, you never know WHO had a key. A comment on Tammy's blog from another real estate agent said change the code on the garage door too... more good advice!
At a closing on Monday I was the listing agent and the property was a foreclosure. Sometimes I don't attend these closing, but from time to time there will be a document that I have to … (2 comments)
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home buying: This Is A Test - And Only A Test. If This Was A Real Offer ...
- 12/10/09 10:39 PM
This is a Re-Blog. Gabriele is in Tucson AZ where they say some things different than we do in Central Ohio.
We don't say:
"... it would be in escrow."
We say:
"it would be in contract"
Gabrielle offers some good advice on buying a home. Not just making offers on homes.
Inventory levels are important, Central Ohio real estate market news updates:
Worthington homes for sale - a market report
Clintonville homes for sale- a market report
Olentangy schools homes for sale - a market report
Worthington home prices - a market report
ActiveRain members please move along and … (2 comments)
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home buying: When It Is A House Divided
- 11/17/09 02:02 AM
I remember the movie "War of the Roses" sad, sad movie...
Myrl Jeffcoat of Great West GMAC (soon to be Real Living I assume) wrote this post to consumers in her market Sacramento California but it is of course probably universally applicable. This is a "Re-Blog."
In Central Ohio with relatively low housing costs, the
"Current real estate market conditions have some divorcing couples looking to separate their lives, but realizing they can't afford to live apart until their home is sold."
is probably a problem for fewer couples. Still ideas worth sharing.
Hard economic times often … (1 comments)
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home buying: Poker Face - Do You Wear Yours When Searching for a Home?
- 11/13/09 10:57 AM
This is great advice for home buyers. In Central Ohio you are usually not exposed to the listing agents at showings, unless you go through an open house. Thanks to Judy for allowing it to be Re-Blogged.
When I am working with Buyer's, I explain all of the benefits of working with a Buyer's Agent. I also warn them that they should NOT disclose any personal information or express too much interest or enthusiasm when touring a property, especially when the Listing Agent is present. I tell them to put on their "poker face" and to be the … (2 comments)
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home buying: Buying a bank owned home
- 10/09/09 05:42 AM
Buying a bank owned home
Real estate in 2009 !
I wanted to Re-Blog Lisa Wetzel's post... How to buy a bank owned home! in fact I did but the size of the video infringed on my sidebar on my outside blogs.... This is too good to just laugh about with those in the real estate industry... the "end users" deserves to laugh about it too...
National Foreclosure Search
… (6 comments)
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home buying: Don’t Wait-Only 138 Days to Claim Your Share of the Tax Credit
- 07/15/09 01:56 AM
Claim your share of the First Time Buyer Tax Credit
This is a Re-Blog of a post from Cindy Jones in the Washington DC area... pricing is a bit more affordable in Central Ohio. Real estate is local but some of this is universal information and time frames. We don't use the term "ratified" in Central Ohio but I believe Cindy's point is that if you are buying a home that is not a short sale or a bank owned property you can get in contract more quickly. The good news is we do have homes in many neighborhoods that are … (0 comments)
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home buying: Home Inspection - Answers
- 07/06/09 11:28 PM
Note there may be errors! see comment
Home Inspection Answers - Home Buyers
As a home buyer you will want to inspect your prospective home, and your purchase contract (the Columbus Board of REALTORS® purchase contract) has a lot of information about your rights to have a home inspection(s) and tests on the property. Central Ohio Home Inspection recommendations on my website.
Read your contract for your time frames, rights and obligations when it comes to inspecting the Central Ohio home you are in contract on.
The Home Inspection Crossword Puzzle - Answers
It is not too … (2 comments)
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home buying: Home Inspection Crossword Puzzle
- 07/01/09 04:05 AM
Home Inspection
"The American Society of Home Inspectors" is a professional organization for home inspectors... it is sometimes referred to as ASHI.
I have information on the home inspection page on my website about home inspectors who are ASHI. I also have info on NAHI and NIBI (other home inspector professional organizations) as well as a local company which is not affiliated with any inspection organization.... one of my favorite local home inspection companies...
The Home Inspection page on my website.
Here is some home inspection advice from Real Living:
"Real Living suggests that buyers select an inspector who can provide … (3 comments)
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home buying: FREE... Peace of Mind Mortgage Protection
- 06/26/09 12:48 AM
Did I mention it is FREE?
FREE, no cost to you or the seller.....
Real Living's Peace of Mind Mortgage Payment Protection Plan is free to you and to the seller.
The Peace of Mind Mortgage Payment Protection Plan (.pdf with more details) is FREE to you and the seller....
Effective June 1, 2009 Real Living HER and Real Living Mortgage offered a one year mortgage payment protection plan to Central Ohio buyers.
For first time home buyers:
8000 reasons get your butt in gear deadline for first time homebuyer tax credit looms
First Time Home Buyer Tax Credit
For … (2 comments)
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home buying: Get Ready - Homebuyer Credit About to Expand!
- 06/12/09 12:46 AM
Could it happen? Will it happen this time?
This is a Re-Blog of a post written by Dawn Maloney in Hudson Ohio.
Thanks Dawn!
What would happen if the 1st Time Homebuyer Tax Credit was for $15,000 instead of $8,000?
What would happen if the credit was available to EVERYONE, not just first time buyers?
What if it were retroactive to Jan. 1, 2009????
It looks like we are about to find out:
Bloomberg's story here...
Wall Street Journal reports here...
Will it loosen up the really good inventory because homeowners could move up?
What would happen to … (0 comments)
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home buying: Dublin's Riverside Green Neighborhood - Open House
- 05/21/09 12:39 AM
Open Sunday 2 - 4 3248 Hawksbury Ct Open House presented by Maureen McCabe*
Open House presented by Maureen McCabe*
View Larger Map First time open house! New listing for sale in Riverside Green. This home is in the Riverside Green subdivision in the City of Columbus and the Dublin School District, it often says" Columbus Taxes, Dublin Schools" in the listings for homes in the Dublin area. Due to redistricting the particular Dublin schools that serve homes within a subdivision could change (for example a different high school depending on population changes over time.)
More information on Dublin and other … (0 comments)
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"Can we just use the first home buyers inspection? " is a question I have heard over the years from both buyers and sellers.
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