QuickTips Index
Hiring Buyer's Agents
Should you sign a buyer's broker agreement? Should buying agents show homes to buy without a signed buyer's broker agreement? Advantages and pitfalls to working exclusively with a buyer's agent.
Buying a Home in a Down Market
When real estate prices begin to dip, buyers wonder if they should wait to buy a home. Is that a smart strategy? What are the pitfalls to waiting? Any advantages to waiting to buy a home? Can a buyer time the market?
Buying a Home Guide to Getting Started
Complete A to Z guide to buying a home. From figuring out what you need versus in a home to what you want, to finding an agent to help you with buying a home, cleaning up credit, finding a lender and locating that perfect home to all the final details of buying a home.
How to Find a Down Payment to Buy a Home
How to get a down payment, apart from holding up a liquor store. Legal ways to find the cash to put down on a home. How much is required for a down payment? How much do you need to put down? If you have good credit, it's zero!
Buying a Home On the Internet
Should you buy a home by yourself, looking online for homes, without hiring an agent to represent you? Pros and cons to DIY home buying.
Buying a Home With Bad Credit
How buy a home with bad credit, even if you have filed bankruptcy or gone through a foreclosure. Comparing he difference in rates for a variety of FICO scores. How to get an FHA loan after foreclosure.
The Home Closing Process
Time period to close on a home. Explanation of process and time length required to close when buying a home. Ways to speed up your home closing.
Listing Agents & Buying Agents: Do You Need a Listing Agent and Buying Agent
How many agents do you need to buy and sell? Is it better to hire a selling agent to buy and a different listing agent to sell? If one agent handles both transactions, what's in it for you? What are the benefits to hiring two agents?
Buying During a Housing Recession
How a housing recession affects homeowners. How to buy a home during a housing recession and safeguard your equity.
When is the Best Time to Buy a Home?
If you could pick any day of the year to buy a home, which day is best? Under what conditions are sellers most likely to sign a low offer? On which days can you get the best deal of the year? How the pros often make a killing in the real estate market.
Bad Home Layouts - How You Can Avoid Buying a Home With a Bad Layout Design
What constitutes a good home layout? How to spot trouble layouts before buying a home. What types of layout turn-off home buyers and cost sellers potential profit? How can you avoid buying a home with a bad layout?
Buying For Sales By Owners - How to Buy For Sales By Owners
Buying For Sale by Owner Homes. What home buyers need to know when buying For Sales by Owners: writing FSBO offers, negotiating with FSBOs, successfully closing For Sales by Owners transaction without representation by a real estate agent.
For Sale By Owner Short Sales
Buying short sale homes from a seller without an agent. For sale by owners in pre-foreclosure. How to negotiate with an unrepresented seller and the bank to buy a home in foreclosure.
Winterizing Your Home
How to winterize your home and prepare for winter. Home maintenance tips to make the seasonal transition from summer to winter, regardless of where you live.
Single Women Buy Homes, Too!
Record numbers of single women who are first-time homebuyers are buying homes. If you're a single woman who wants to buy a house, the good news is the market is wide open for you. Smart sellers market to women and more are selling to single women than ever before in history.
Fixer Upper Homes
How to buy a fixer upper home. Analyzing repair costs to fix up a home. Spotting good buys that require cosmetic improvements over major rehab projects.
Home Buyer Possession / Occupancy - All About Buyer Possession
How are seller vacating and buyer move-ins orchestrated? When do sellers move out? When can a home buyer move in? What is actual possession and early possession? Should a seller rent back before giving possession?
Earnest Money Deposits - Protect Your Good Faith Deposit
Explains how much earnest money is required and why buyers submit good faith deposits with offers. Why are trust accounts essential and whom can a buyer trust? How does a buyer get the money back if the transaction does not close? How can a buyer lose her good faith deposit?
Home Buying Path A to Z
A to Z home buying path, 18 simple steps for first-time home buyers, from hiring an agent to closing. Complete path to buying a home in easy-to-understand terms.
Talk to Neighbors Before Buying a Home
Reasons to talk to neighbors before buying a home. Questions to ask neighbors to find out more about a home buyer's new neighborhood. Why meeting neighbors should be part of your home inspection contingency.
Biography of Tim Johnson
Biography of Tim Johnson, managing editor at Relocation.com
Buying in a Falling Market
Strategies for buying a home in a depressed real estate market. When real estate prices drop, here are buying tips on how to deal with a falling market of declining prices.
What is a Home Warranty Plan?
Explanation of home warranty coverage and plans. What do home warranty program protect? What is covered and what is excluded from coverage? How to ask a seller to pay for a home protection plan.
Trends for Home Buyers
What are today's home buyer's hot buttons and trends? Which features and home design do home buyers demand? What types of homes do they buy? What's hot right now?
Outdoor Kitchens
Buying homes with outdoor kitchens - types of grills, sinks, refrigerators, counters, storage, flooring, water features, pizza ovens and more. Points when buying a home with an outdoor kitchen. How to consider the added-value of outdoor kitchens when remodeling.