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  1. Is it legal and ethical to pay the asking price but have an agreed upon amount escrowed back to me?

    Reader Question: I want to hide the real purchase price. I want to pay cash for a house in a very cold market. The house will need work to be livable for me, and I’d like to save money to pay for that work. While I have the advantage as a cash buyer, I hate […]

    Categories
    Home Buying
    Negotiating
  2. An incompetent appraiser is preventing me from refinancing. What can I do?

    Reader Question: I have appraisal issues. I applied to an online lender a year ago to refinance my mortgage. The loan was approved. The only remaining step being the appraisal. The appraisal came in with a value that was woefully inadequate. The appraiser did not use fair comparables and neglected to perform due diligence in […]

    Categories
    Home Finances
    Home Owning
  3. What should we be looking for when our home construction begins?

    Reader Question: We are nearing a decision on having a new home constructed. Not having built a home, what should we be looking for once the contract is signed, and construction begins? Justin and Allison B. Monty’s Answer: The assumption in answering your question will be that you have engaged in an exercise described in […]

    Categories
    Home Buying
    Inspecting the Home
  4. Does our lender have to release us from Private Mortgage Insurance (PMI)?

      Reader Question: We want to pay down our mortgage loan to eliminate Private Mortgage Insurance. We have the funds to get under the 80% threshold. We have heard some lenders are very uncooperative. Is the lender required to remove it under these circumstances? Chris and Kate D. Monty’s Answer: There is confusion in the […]

    Categories
    Home Finances
    Home Owning

More Home Buying Categories

  • Applying for a Mortgage
  • Choosing a Broker
  • Closing
  • Determining Preferences
  • Gathering Information
  • Inspecting the Home
  • Making an Offer
  • Moving Day
  • Negotiating
  • Pre-Qualifying for a Mortgage
  • Satisfying Contingencies
  • Viewing Homes
  • More Home Owning Categories

  • Home Finances
  • Home Improvement
  • Home Maintenance
  • Income Properties
  • Neighbor Relations
  • More Home Selling Categories

  • Accepting an Offer
  • Choosing a Selling Broker
  • Closing as the Seller
  • Determining Price
  • Inspecting the Home as a Seller
  • Marketing and Showing
  • Moving Day for the Seller
  • Negotiating for Sellers
  • Planning with Experts
  • Preparing Your Home
  • Receiving Offers
  • Satisfying Seller Contingencies
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