Cathy Starkweather's (cathy_starkweather) Blog

Closing on a property will be the same if you are in state purchaser or out of state. If there's no financing involved and it's a standard resell, you can close in as little as 5-7 days (if the title is clear), the average for a cash purchase is 14-21 days. If you have financing, your lender will...

Take the time to find the area that best fits your needs and interests.  If you have children, look for the school systems that have ratings which are acceptable to you.  In addition, there are various schools that specialize in curruculums; magnet schools, etc.  If specific extra curricular acti...

I apologize for any issues reading the blogs from today.  There may be A's in the posts, this is because all my posts were from my Trulia blog which must be moved to some other source before Jan. 21st since Trulia is eliminated the blogs from their sites.  My assistant copy/pasted exactly as sugg...

Not all the properties listed on Trulia are for sale. You have to look closely and know what to look for.  Trulia is a wonderful website and offers great information.  However, when looking at property, you should pay attention to a key factor when reviewing this data.Look above and to the right ...

Some economists believe so. The rapid pace of the housing recovery has surprised everyone, home prices have increased more than 20% in a few markets with the average being about 12%.There's no question about the sustainability of the real estate recovery. It's happened... period. It hit bottom an...

This is a great webpage for those foreign nationals torn between setting up a Corporation or LLC for their Florida investment properties. http://www.amerilawyer.com/foreigner_fl.htm.

The settlement statement or HUD can be a confusing document if you don't understand the layout and flow. First, a HUD is generally divided into two sections. 1. Page one is the complete settlement statement. Page 1 is divided into two half's, the left side is the buyers credits and debits and the...

There are several factors in choosing a property management company for short term rentals: Be sure they actively service the area and community which your buying and have experience in this particular area. Do they have a current owner in this area who would refer them. In this particular commun...

I'm asked this question quite often... I have had terrific experience with Kathy Longtin at FCIG Insurance.  Many of my clients have turned to Kathy for quotes and knowledge. She understands what is necessary for liability insurance based on your investment - whether it's a primary residence or i...

It's best to provide a disclosure to the buyer immediately. The seller has the responsibility to disclose known defects that could affect the value of the property. This disclosure could prevent a buyer from filing a lawsuit against the seller, in case defects that were not disclosed before the s...