Author: Monty
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A condominium buyer alert
An alert for condominium buyers Reader Question: We bought a condo unit in a mid-rise development on the west coast. We had the unit inspected, and the inspector turned up several repair issues. They fixed the repairs correctly. We closed on the unit and moved in. Within a couple of months, we learned that…
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Six steps to take with a low-ball offer on your home
Reader Question: Our home is for sale for $284,900. It has been for sale for two months. We just received a low-ball offer for $245,000. We are very disappointed and stunned with the offer. We feel like telling them to get lost. How should we deal with this situation? Monty’s Answer: The offer is about…
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Eight red flags in a real estate listing presentation
Reader Question: We are going to be listing our home soon to take advantage of the spring market. We will be taking your recommendation and interviewing multiple agents, and we expect they will each have a strong listing presentation. Do you have any specific comments for us that may help us spot gimmicks or questionable…
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8 Most Common Questions About Home Inspectors
A Home Inspector Asks: What are the main questions you get from consumers, or real estate agents, about home inspectors? Monty’s Answer: Most of the questions come from customers so here are seven types of frequent questions and a question (number 2) I have seen only once. Typical consumer questions 1. What does a home…
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Three options for homeowners in a weak homeowners association
Reader Question: We have a weak homeowners association board. Our homeowner’s association (HOA) has bylaws. The HOA is not proactive in enforcing them and has allowed residents to violate, only addressing the violations if someone files a complaint. This refusal to proactively monitoring property conditions puts the complaining homeowner in harm’s way by exposing them to…
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Two big reasons why home sellers shop agents
Reader Question: We put up a “for sale by owner ” sign over a year ago. We had a couple of low offers. We then contracted with an agent for six months, in which we had showings and critiques. We were one of the finalists with three interested buyers. They all chose other homes. We…
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Ten advantages for considering Aging In Place
Reader Question: We are considering aging in place. We are in our late seventies and both in pretty good health. Our children keep hinting to us that we should sell our house and move into some age-based community. We have checked out some different options, of which there are many, and it seems they all have…
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Home seller wants to cancel the home sale
Reader Question: We signed an agreement to sell our home with a buyer two weeks ago. As the realities of the change set in, we have decided we don’t want to move. We have not yet told our agent. How can we get out of this mess, and what are our potential liabilities? Jerry and…
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Ten open house tips for home sellers
Reader Question: It has been many years since we last sold a home. We have agreed to an open house if it is still on the market after 30 days. Are there any specific open house tips you can offer? Don and Martha G. Monty’s Answer: Without having seen the house or knowing the…
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Ten questions to ask before hiring an HOA property management company
Reader Question: I am trying to negotiate a contract with a new HOA property management company for our condominium homeowners association. They not only want a monthly fee for their services but they want a fee for anything extra. Also, any maintenance that they do they want to charge 10% over the cost of the…