Month: September 2017

  • Eight tips when selecting a house sitter

    Reader Question: We have a chance to take a six-month trip to Australia. We have always cared for our home ourselves. We have several pets, yard work, maintenance items and other responsibilities. Is a full-time house sitter a good idea? Monty’s Answer: The internet has allowed the advance of this business model which has fueled…

  • Six tips to resurrect a failed negotiation

    Reader Question: We have a failed negotiation. A buyer has an accepted offer on a home, and a home inspection has revealed several items that are defects. The buyer’s attorney delivered a letter to the seller’s attorney stating that all work discovered in the inspection has to be completed by the seller. The seller has not…

  • Three explanations for shocking HOA exit fee

    Reader Question: ​We are in the closing process of selling our home. We just learned from our agent that the title company received an invoice for eleven hundred dollars from the company that manages our homeowner association (HOA). This is a shocking HOA exit fee. We checked around with friends that have moved out of…

  • How to pick the best real estate agent from three finalists

    Reader Question: We want to pick the best real estate agent from three finalists. Each agent chose three different comparables, and there is a thirty percent difference between the best price and lowest price when including all nine comparables. This difference equates to over $60,000. How do we know which estimate is the most accurate comparison…