Gathering Information

Where to even start? In the information age that we live in, your options for real estate research and learning can be a bit overwhelming. There are many great resources and communities to connect with other home buyers and sellers to find the answers to questions big and small. This website and newspaper column would like to consider ourselves one of them. Trusting your sources can be half the difficulty, however, so a big part of the real estate buying or selling process can be finding people and sources of information that you trust.

As important as buying a home can be, it is important to gather information from as many different sources as you can. But often the best source can be the home seller and agent themselves. Real estate deals have many layers, but often times open communication is the best recipe for a successful real estate transaction.

What is the definition of real estate? How does it work? It may be helpful to you to have a good foundation. Click here to learn the details.

Let’s look at some specific questions sent in by DearMonty readers from across the country. Read more Q&A articles about the “Gathering Information” stage of the Home Buying process:

  • Six ways to do-it-yourself home search

    Reader Question: We want to try a do-it-yourself home search, as we have been out-bid twice already. Agents say few homes are coming on the market, which is a big reason for the high prices. Do you have any suggestions about how we could find a home on our own? Monty’s Answer: Here is what…

  • Is 2021 a good time to sell our home?

    Reader Question: Is 2021 a good time to sell our home? We are in our late fifties. Our kids are grown and on their own. Our health is good, and we have no mortgage. We are thinking of downsizing into a smaller home in a newer subdivision not far from our current home. There are…

  • Do homebuyers pay a commission when buying a home?

    Reader Question: Do homebuyers pay a commission when buying a home? We are planning on buying our first home in 2021. We do not pay a commission when we buy a home. Are we correct? Monty’s Answer: Who pays the real estate agent is one of real estate’s most misunderstood questions. Depending on which “expert”…

  • Is home buying in the pandemic the right time?

      Reader Question: We are considering buying a home. My husband and I both have good jobs, no debt, and more than an adequate downpayment. We have spent several years saving, and now we feel ready financially. There are many distractions today; we wonder if buying in the pandemic is the right time? Monty’s Answer:…

  • Seven points to consider when home buying during COVID

    Reader Question: We are thinking of buying a home. We have saved a substantial down payment by living frugally for 15 years. We both have good jobs. The thought of taking on a mortgage is a bit frightening to us. It feels like there is much uncertainty with the economy, COVID, and more. Do you…

  • Does zoning affect affordable housing prices

    A brief overview of the issues involved in rising home prices in new developments. Is America pricing the middle class out of home ownership? Zoning is a fractured and complicated issue.