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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
Dear Monty: Why do real estate companies want to buy our house? We are not planning on selling our home just yet. One of the curious observations we have is that real estate companies have started to promote buying our home within the last year. The idea is that by selling directly to a real […]
Dear Monty: Does for-sale-by-owner (FSBO) work? I recently read an article that lambasted homeowners for even thinking about selling on their own. We recently sold our home without an agent. The article did not depict how the marketplace works today, based on my recent experience. I saw it as a hit-piece written by a […]
The most powerful document Without question the offer to purchase is the most powerful document you will be asked to sign in a real estate transaction. In many respects, the physical closing at the title company is simply a confirmation of what happened days, weeks or months earlier. This point in time can be stressful […]
Reader Question: Our friends are homebuyers devastated. Their lender pulled the plug just before closing. We are in the process of closing on our first home purchase. We are excited but at the same time very edgy. Our friends were a week ahead of us on their home purchase. They didn’t offer details, but how […]
Reader Question: We are a four-person group wanting your opinion on topics to consider when buying an Airbnb investment. We have invested in other commercial property types, but this would be our first bed and breakfast. The six units generate an eight-percent cap rate. 2019 was the first year in service. There are numerous significant […]
Reader Question: Why do so many states not regulate home inspectors? Monty’s Answer: Your question about why do so many states not regulate home inspectors is an excellent question. To answer this question accurately requires academic research that is beyond the scope of this column. I will reach out to the James A. Graaskamp […]
Reader Question: You have written numerous articles over time about the problems with home inspections. We are near our savings goal and preparing to buy a home. What is your current opinion of home inspections? Monty’s Answer: Home inspection laws came into existence because home sellers were unaware of the defects, hid, or made […]
Reader Question: Is America in a housing bubble? We think today’s out-of-control real estate market is crazy. We are attempting to downsize our lifestyle with a smaller home. In two instances, we made an offer, and someone outbid us. Our home is free and clear, so we are cash buyers. We don’t want to […]
Reader Question: We looked at an open house a couple of days ago. A completed home inspection concluded there were no defects or material adverse facts in the house. It also contained a list of items that required attention that were common maintenance issues. The seller had repaired or had a contractor inspect all the […]
Reader Question: We are preparing to sell our home by owner and had it pre-inspected. The inspector flagged a potential $2,000 problem with the plumbing and suggested we have a plumber investigate. We did so. The plumber was quite emphatic that the issue is not a problem. He also had some outside advice on how […]
Reader Question: Is America in a housing bubble? We are attempting to downsize our lifestyle with a smaller home. In both instances we made an offer, someone outbid us. Our home is free and clear, so we are cash buyers. We don’t want to sell until we know we’ve got a place to go. […]
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 […]
Reader Question: Are there eight common for-sale-by-owner mistakes? We are planning on selling our home this year. When we see how fast homes are selling in our neighborhood, the idea of just hanging our sign in the yard is something we are considering. If we go ahead with this, what are the significant mistakes for-sale-by-owners […]
Reader Question: We are selling our home on our own. We have had little activity for over two months, and now we are expecting multiple offers on our for sale by owner home. Please help! Monty’s Answer: When you are selling your home without a real estate agent, the possibility of two or more parties […]
Reader Question: I own my current home. I am having trouble selling it. iBuyers say that they will pay fair market value for a home and take care of all the issues that give me problems. Should I consider selling my house to an iBuyer? Monty’s Answer: Whether or not it is feasible or a […]