Deciding on and securing your first home is a journey with many potential plot twists. Along the way, expectations will be readjusted, minds will be changed, and snags will probably pop up. In the end, though, when things come together, the destination is hopefully a place you can comfortably call home for at least the next five to seven years. That may not seem like much of a commitment, but five years...

Potential home buyers should not get dismayed due to the “tight credit box.” Even in this challenging housing market, with loans consistently going to a relatively narrow segment of the market, savvy real estate agents with strong knowledge of the marketplace can meet the needs of potential homebuyers with less than perfect credit. Agents with experience know to look for solutions offered by...

At first glance, it may seem that mortgage credit, for all but the most pristine borrowers, remains very tight. According to Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) Director Richard Cordray, although the millennial generation is beginning to show more interest in home-owning opportunities, they, like many others, are hindered by the issue of tightening credit. According to Credit Sesame, the average...

While selling a home can be tough, some sellers can inadvertently make the process even more challenging for themselves. According to the agents in the Raise The Bar Facebook group,  sellers looking to make life easier for themselves should definitely avoid making the following mistakes: 1. Unless you are an agent, avoid the for-sale-by-owner (FSBO) route As noted in one of the group’s popular...

It has long been suggested that the suburbs were a Generation X/Baby Boomers market, with Millennials opting for city dwelling. According to a 2013 National Association of Realtors study about generational housing trends, Millennials are now the second-biggest segment of home buyers, behind Generation X. Recent surveys further indicate that Millennials are not only buying in the suburbs, but they are...

For the savvy flipper, remodeling existing luxury properties and reselling them for a profit can be an excellent investment. According to SRE Investing’s Belson, “It's faster than building from ground up, but is limited to properties that have just the right combination of architecture, condition and layout,” adding that fixers are better. While there is huge propensity for profit, there is a...

Flip sales, also known as wholesale real estate investing, is an investment strategy that allows investors the opportunity to purchase a property with the intention of reselling it quickly, and for a sizable profit. In February 2016, flip sales were up 7.6% for the month and nearly 16% over the past 12 months. It is also worth noting that these sales accounted for 4% of the total sales, despite the fact...

Once your personal life points firmly toward home ownership, there are additional factors to consider. Below are 5 additional factors that could indicate that it is time to consider purchasing a home. Keep in mind that everyone’s situation is different, and this criterion is a starting point. The more criteria you fit, the better, but think of this as a guide, not a mandatory checklist. 1. You have a...