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There are two sides of every real estate transaction, buying and selling. Learn both.
Everyone who has bought or sold a home can remember that one moment when it seemed like there was too much to consider, worry about, remember, and respond to. It’s true that the purchasing of a home is a significant investment and you probably should give it time and attention. Equally as important for those looking to sell your home, you want to everything within your educated power to get the most fair value out of what is probably your largest asset. To help make the process more reasonable, DearMonty organizes both the home buying and home selling experience into twelve distinct steps, or stages.
The best thing that you can do is to equip yourself with knowledge and information. A home sale transaction is a big deal! This website is intended to be a straightforward resource to help shine some light on one of the most important times in many people’s lives. But we are just one voice of many and we at DearMonty.com strongly support learning as much as you. Good luck and let us know if you have a question you couldn’t find answered LINK or if we can help you find a local agent LINK
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 […]
Reader Question: Can Real Estate Agents Legally Go Door-to-Door? Last night, about 7:30, a local real estate agent rang our doorbell to ask if we wanted to sell our house or knew anyone who wanted to sell. I was always under the impression that this sort of solicitation was considered inappropriate by real estate […]
Reader Question: Just put an offer on a house, and we are under contract. The listing agent and seller are great friends, live on the same street, and have known each other for many years. They are friends with a contractor who does work for them. Following my home inspection, some items came up. The […]
Reader Question: Can real estate agents “game” the MLS system? When my current listing expires, how long do I need to wait to list again if I want my second listing to be marked “new” instead of “relist?” Monty’s Answer: There are over 700 multiple listing services (MLS) in the U.S., and they […]
Our readers today are considering selling their home without using a real estate agent. As home prices rise and real estate fees rise with them, the industry is experiencing resistance. There are more and more options appearing to meet the demand for lower rates.
Reader Question: We have a real estate agent telling us not to list our home for more than ten-percent above her recommended price. She claims that if we do, it will ultimately cause us to accept an offer that is lower than any offer we would get if we listed at her suggested price. She […]
Seller upset buyer refuses to share the appraisal and is considering backing out and renting the house. Seller does not realize the consequences for taking this route. Calming down and patience may help.
Reader Question: A potential buyer has made an offer on our home with a contingency for a fireplace inspection. The chimney inspector started inside and took many measurements of the fireplace and the mantle. Then he went outside and lowered a special camera down the chimney. He came back inside the house and showed me […]
Reader Question: We have some property in a popular vacation area where we are building a cottage. Soon it will be finished. We bought the lot six years ago. The lot next to us just came up for sale. We think it is best to buy it for our overall property value. Based on […]
Reader Question: Our home has been on the market for one month. We started at $698,500 and reduced it to $685,000 after two weeks. The house is 3564 square feet in a desirable older neighborhood. We’ve had two showings and much positive feedback. The only negative is that we have no backyard. Our agent now […]
When buying a home it is important to verify lot lines. Avoid angst in the future when you build a fence on your neighbors property.
Reader Question: I recently sold a home, and the buyer didn’t have enough money for closing costs. They asked me to sign papers that raised the purchase price $5,000. I want to know because the buyer got $1,000.00 of my hard-earned money. On the day of the closing, I hadn’t cleaned everything, so I […]
Reader Question: My father doesn’t know how to evict a relative from a rental property. It was to be temporary, but it has been four years now. I know that they didn’t sign a lease, and they don’t have anything that says how long they can stay. What can we do to get them out? […]
Our reader this week asks about a deadline for receiving an answer to an offer to purchase a home. It is a simple question but leads to the realization that potentially there are many deadlines to follow. This instant is where planning is required up-front to avoid a stressful and frustration filled experience. The expression “the devil’s in the details” may have originated in a real estate transaction.
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.