Answers by Billee Silva

Being on maternity leave doesn’t automatically stop you from buying a house, but it does change how a lender will look at your income. Most lenders won’t base your approval on your temporarily reduced maternity leave income. Instead, they’re going to focus on your regular, full-time income, but only if you can clearly document that you’ll be returning to work at that same pay level. Typically, this means providing a letter from your employer confirming your return date, position, and salary. Without that, the lender may only count what you’re currently receiving, which could significantly reduce how much home you qualify for. Where this really matters is your debt-to-income ratio. If they use your lower income, your buying power drops. If they can use your full income, you’re in a much stronger position. Also keep in mind, you’ll still need to meet credit, savings, and reserve requirements, and lenders may look a little more closely at job stability during this period. The smart move here is to talk to a lender early, before you fall in love with a house. They can tell you exactly what documentation you’ll need and whether it makes sense to buy now or wait until you’re back at full income. I’ve seen it go both ways, some buyers move forward smoothly during leave, and others decide to hold off a few months to put themselves in a stronger negotiating and financial position.

Start by confirming you can legally sell the house. If your name is not on the tax records, the first question I need to know as a listing agent is if you have the authority to sell the home. If it’s in a trust or had a transfer-on-death (Lady Bird deed), you can usually sell right away. If it’s going through probate, you may need court approval before you can close. In many probate cases, you can still list the home and accept an offer, but the sale will be contingent on court approval. The good news is, if everything is straightforward, it doesn’t always drag out as long as people expect. I have had listings that have needed to go through probate and the process was just a little over a month. If there are multiple heirs, all the heirs will need to sign all documents, including the listing agreement.

There are protections you can put in place when buying a home, you just want to be proactive about them before you close. The first and most important step is your inspection period. Whether it’s a resale or new construction home, a thorough inspection can uncover issues with the HVAC, roof, plumbing, or even early signs of moisture or mold. If something comes up, you can ask the seller to make repairs, request a credit, or walk away altogether. One of the best ways to protect yourself, especially in that first year, is with a home warranty. Companies like American Home Shield or Choice Home Warranty offer plans that typically cover major systems like HVAC, electrical, plumbing, and appliances. Instead of being hit with a large unexpected expense, you’re usually just paying a service fee if something breaks. In many cases, I negotiate for the seller to pay for that first year, which gives you a nice safety net while you’re settling in. If you’re looking at new construction, most builders include warranties as well. Builders like Lennar and DR Horton commonly offer coverage that includes one year on workmanship, a couple of years on systems like HVAC and plumbing, and longer-term structural protection. That said, not everything is covered the way buyers assume, so it’s important to review those details carefully. Mold is one of those concerns you want to address before closing, because it’s typically not covered after the fact. You can add a mold inspection during your inspection period and request remediation or credits if anything shows up. At the end of the day, the combination of a solid inspection, a home warranty, and the right negotiation strategy can significantly reduce your risk and help you avoid major out-of-pocket expenses during those first couple of years.

I have found the biggest mistake people make is skipping inspections. Even with new construction, you should have your own independent home inspector, not the builder’s, look at the home. Ideally, you want inspections at key stages: pre-drywall (before the walls are closed up) and again before closing. That’s where you catch things like improper wiring, plumbing shortcuts, or structural concerns that you’d never see once everything is finished. Another common issue is rushing the final walkthrough. Builders are often pushing to close quickly, but this is your chance to be thorough. Look closely for things like uneven flooring, poorly installed cabinets, missing caulking, paint overspray, doors that don’t latch properly, and windows that don’t seal. Small things can point to bigger workmanship issues. I always attend the final walk-through with my buyers to ensure things aren't missed and an extra pair of eyes. You also want to pay attention to grading and drainage outside. I can’t tell you how many times I have seen brand new homes have water pooling near the foundation because the lot wasn’t graded correctly. That turns into headaches fast, especially here in Florida with heavy rains. A big one buyers overlook is the warranty details. Most builders offer a one-year workmanship warranty, plus longer coverage for structural components, but you need to understand what’s actually covered and what’s not. And more importantly, stay on top of that first year. If something feels off with the HVAC, plumbing, or even possible mold concerns, report it early while it’s still covered. Also, don’t assume upgrades mean quality. Sometimes builder upgrades are cosmetic, not structural. Focus more on what’s behind the walls, insulation, windows, HVAC efficiency, rather than just countertops and finishes. And finally, one of the biggest mistakes is not having your own representation. Remember, the builder’s sales rep works for the builder, not you. Having your own Realtor costs you nothing and gives you someone watching out for your interests, helping with inspections, timelines, and making sure nothing gets overlooked.

Start by driving the neighborhood at different times. Well-kept homes, people outside, and ongoing improvements are good signs, while neglected properties, vacancies, and clutter can point the other way. Look at what’s happening nearby too. New businesses, road work, and renovations usually signal growth spreading into the area. Check the numbers, homes selling quickly and close to asking price show demand, while long days on market and price cuts can be a warning. Also keep an eye on how many homes are rentals, especially if one investor owns a big portion, that can change the feel over time. Put all that together with what locals are saying, and the direction usually becomes pretty clear.

One of the biggest things people miss in Lee County, Florida is the tax side. If you rent your property for less than 6 months and 1 day, it’s considered a short-term rental, and you’re required to collect both Florida sales tax and the Lee County tourist development tax (the “bed tax”), which adds up to roughly 11%+ that you have to collect and remit. If you rent it for 6 months and 1 day or longer with a proper lease, you avoid that tax entirely, so that decision alone can shape your entire strategy. Beyond that, you’ll want to think about whether you’re going short-term or long-term, because short-term can bring in more income but comes with more work, turnover, and management, while long-term is more predictable but typically lower monthly rent. You’ll also need to look at insurance, since a standard homeowner’s policy usually won’t fully cover a rental, budget for ongoing maintenance and repairs, plan for vacancy periods so you’re not stretched financially, and decide if you’ll manage it yourself or hire someone. On top of that, check any HOA or community rules, because some don’t allow short-term rentals at all, and others have a minimum of 30 days. Lastly, what I have seen surprise a lot of my clients is that when they eventually go to sell, renting can impact their capital gains. Right now, if it’s your primary residence, you may qualify to exclude up to $250,000 in gains ($500,000 for married couples), but you must have lived in the home for 2 out of the last 5 years. Once you turn it into a rental, that clock starts working against you. If you hold it too long as a rental, you could lose some or all of that exclusion, and you may also have to pay depreciation recapture on the time it was rented. That’s why it’s important to think ahead, not just about renting it now, but how long you plan to hold it and what your exit strategy looks like.

This is one of those situations where you need to slow down and look at the risk before getting emotionally attached. When work is done without permits, the city absolutely has the authority to require it to be brought up to code, and in some cases that can mean opening walls, redoing systems, or even removing the space entirely if it cannot be legalized. From an insurance standpoint, that is a real concern. If a fire or loss starts in an area that was built or wired improperly, the insurance company can question the claim, delay it, or potentially deny coverage depending on the circumstances. At the very least, it can turn into a headache you do not want. The safest path is to have your agent dig into whether the space can be permitted after the fact, what that process would cost, and whether the seller is willing to fix it or credit you. If it cannot be permitted, you have to treat that suite as a liability, not a bonus, no matter how appealing it looks.

In a multiple offer situation, it can help you win without jumping straight to your top number, and most sellers have to show proof of a competing offer before escalating you. But in a slower market, it can push you higher than you needed to go. It really comes down to how competitive that specific home is, if there are multiple offers, it can give you an edge, if not, a strong clean offer might be the better move.

You’re not alone, this is happening to a lot of buyers right now. Between rate changes and rising monthly expenses like insurance, lenders are constantly recalculating what you qualify for because your debt to income ratio is what drives everything. Even small shifts can knock tens of thousands off your buying power. It definitely feels like the goalposts keep moving, but the buyers who are still winning are the ones adjusting their strategy instead of chasing the same price point. That can mean targeting homes a little below your max so you have room to compete, looking at sellers who have been on the market a bit longer, or negotiating things like closing costs or rate buydowns to ease the monthly payment. The key is staying flexible and moving quickly when something makes sense, because the right deal is still out there, it just might look a little different than it did a few months ago.

You’re not automatically stuck, but with a listing agent mid-deal, it gets more delicate. Your listing agreement likely outlines cancellation terms.The bigger concern right now is protecting your transaction. Missed deadlines and slow communication can put the entire deal at risk. Instead of trying to switch agents mid-stream, your best move is to go straight to the broker. Ask them to step in, oversee the file, or assign a different agent to finish the deal properly. That way you keep things on track without blowing up the contract. After closing, you can absolutely address whether that agent earned your future business, but right now the priority is getting this deal to the finish line safely.

From a disclosure standpoint, this really depends on your state, since each one has its own rules. In general, sellers are expected to disclose known material facts that could affect a buyer’s decision, especially things that aren’t obvious but could impact value or desirability. A neighboring property being used as an Airbnb isn’t automatically something you have to disclose, but if there’s a consistent, documented issue like noise, parties, or disturbances, that can cross the line into something that should be shared. When in doubt, it’s usually safer to be transparent than risk a problem later. On the selling side, control what you can, schedule showings during quieter times so buyers don’t experience it firsthand, and position the home toward buyers who may be less sensitive to it. If it’s excessive, you can also look into local noise rules . Handled right, it doesn’t have to kill your value, it’s all about how it’s presented.

Price reductions are a normal part of the selling process, they don’t automatically signal desperation, they signal adjustment. The reality is buyers are watching the market closely, and when a home is priced a little high out of the gate, a reduction simply brings it back in line with what buyers are willing to pay. Where it can start to feel like a weakness is when there are multiple reductions or big drops in a short period of time, that’s when buyers begin to wonder what’s wrong or how low you’ll go. But a well-timed, strategic price adjustment, especially early on, can actually create renewed interest, bring in fresh buyers, and even spark competition. The key is positioning, not panic. If the adjustment is done with intention, backed by market data, it doesn’t hurt you, it helps you get back in front of serious buyers.

Online estimates can be a helpful starting point, but they often create more confusion than clarity when it comes to pricing a home. Tools like Zillow Zestimate and Redfin Estimate rely on automated data, not the real world details that actually drive value, things like condition, upgrades, view, lot placement, or even how a home shows in person. Two homes with the same square footage can sell for very different prices depending on those factors, and that is where these estimates tend to miss the mark. Where they can hurt is when sellers anchor to that number and expect the market to agree, especially if the estimate is high. Buyers and appraisers are not using those tools to justify value, they are looking at recent comparable sales, current competition, and overall demand. If a home is priced based on an inflated online estimate, it can sit, lose momentum, and ultimately sell for less than it would have if it were positioned correctly from the start. Used the right way, these tools are just one piece of the puzzle, they can give you a rough range, but they should never replace a detailed pricing strategy based on real comps and current market conditions. The most accurate pricing comes from understanding how your specific home fits into today’s market, not from an algorithm trying to average everything together.

First, that 2.5% isn’t just “extra money” sitting there. In most listings, your agreement already spells out what happens if a buyer comes in without representation. Sometimes that portion stays with the listing brokerage, sometimes it’s negotiable, but it’s not something the buyer just gets to claim. They didn’t earn it, and they’re not taking on your agent’s responsibilities. Second, an unrepresented buyer doesn’t reduce your risk, it usually increases it. Now your agent is managing both sides of the transaction as a transaction broker, and the buyer may not fully understand timelines, inspections, financing, or disclosures. That’s where deals fall apart, or worse, where issues come back after closing. If you’re open to working with them, the right move is not a blanket price cut, it’s structure. You can: Let your agent handle both sides properly as a transaction broker Require the buyer to use a real estate attorney or experienced title company Keep your price intact and focus on clean terms, strong deposit, and fewer contingencies If they want a concession, tie it to something that benefits you, like waiving contingencies, faster closing, or stronger financials. A straight discount with nothing in return doesn’t protect you. Claudia, you’re not being “unfair” by holding your price. You’re protecting your position. A serious buyer will understand that.

This is one of those upgrades buyers really like, but they almost never pay you back dollar for dollar. A screened-in porch can make the home feel larger and more usable, and it often helps your property stand out and sell faster. That said, spending $70k doesn’t mean you’ll add $70k in value. In most cases, you’ll recoup a portion, not the full amount. Where it can pay off is in how buyers feel about the home. If it’s done well and fits the style of the house, it can make your property more appealing than others, which can lead to stronger offers or less time on the market. Just be careful if it replaces most of your deck, some buyers still want that open outdoor space. It really comes down to your timeline. If you’re planning to sell in a few years, think of it as something you’ll enjoy now with a partial return later. If you’re staying longer, it becomes easier to justify.

Selling costs can feel vague until you see them broken down, but once you do, it’s much easier to plan and protect your bottom line. Here’s how it typically stacks up: Agent commissions This is usually the largest expense. It’s often around 5%–6% of the sale price, split between the listing agent and the buyer’s agent, though this can vary based on how your home is marketed and negotiated. Title, escrow, and closing fees These cover the handling of the transaction, title search, and issuing title insurance. Depending on your area, sellers often pay a portion of these costs, usually around 0.5%–1%. Transfer taxes or recording fees Some states and counties charge a fee to transfer ownership. This can range from minimal to a noticeable expense depending on location. Repairs and concessions After inspection, buyers may ask for repairs or credits. Even well-maintained homes often end up with some give-and-take here. Mortgage payoff and prorations If you still have a loan, your remaining balance gets paid off at closing. You’ll also see prorated property taxes, HOA dues, or utilities. Quick rule of thumb: Most sellers should expect total selling costs to land somewhere around 7%–10% of the sale price, depending on condition, negotiations, and location.

An HOA, or homeowners association, is basically a governing body for a neighborhood or community. When you buy a home in one of those communities, you’re automatically agreeing to be part of it, it’s not optional. The rules and fees are tied to the property itself, so there’s no way to opt out once you own the home. The fees can vary a lot, and that’s why you’re seeing such a wide range. What you’re paying for depends on the community. In some neighborhoods, it might just cover basic upkeep like landscaping in common areas, signage, or a small reserve fund. In others, especially condos or amenity-rich communities, those fees can include things like exterior maintenance, roof repairs, insurance, water, cable, internet, pools, fitness centers, security, and even things like pest control. Where people get caught off guard is not realizing that HOA fees aren’t just about amenities, they also go toward maintaining the overall look and condition of the community, which helps protect property values. That’s why there are also rules, things like paint colors, parking, rentals, or even what you can have in your yard. If the fees feel high, it’s important to look at what’s included. Sometimes a higher HOA actually replaces other costs you’d normally pay out of pocket, like exterior repairs or insurance. Other times, you really are just paying for lifestyle extras. If a home has an HOA, you’re part of it, no way around that. The key is deciding whether what you’re getting in return fits how you want to live and what you want to spend each month.

A land and construction loan is a little different from a standard mortgage, and lenders look at it as higher risk, so the qualifications are tighter and the process is more detailed. First, your financials matter more than usual. Most lenders want a strong credit score, typically 680+ on the low end, but you’ll get better terms in the 700s. Your debt-to-income ratio still needs to fall within normal guidelines, and they’ll look closely at your income stability since you’re taking on a project, not just buying a finished home. Second, you’ll need more cash upfront. Unlike traditional loans that can go as low as 3–5% down, construction loans usually require 20–25% down, sometimes more depending on the lender and the land. If you already own the land, that equity can often count toward your down payment. Third, the lender isn’t just approving you, they’re approving the entire build. That means: A licensed, vetted builder (you typically can’t act as your own builder unless you qualify as an owner-builder and the lender allows it) Full construction plans and specs A detailed budget and timeline Permits and approvals (or at least a clear path to getting them) They’ll review all of this before issuing the loan because they want to be confident the home will be completed and worth what’s being financed. Fourth, expect a two-phase structure. Most of these loans start as a short-term construction loan, where funds are released in stages (called draws) as the home is built. Once construction is complete, it either converts into a traditional mortgage (called a construction-to-perm loan) or you refinance into a new loan. Also keep in mind: You may need cash reserves beyond your down payment Interest rates are usually a bit higher during construction You’ll likely pay interest-only payments during the build phase The big picture, lenders are looking for three things, a strong borrower, a solid builder, and a well-documented plan. If those pieces line up, these loans are very doable, they just take more preparation than a typical home purchase.

Yes, if you buy a home with leased panels, that lease transfers to the buyer. As for your mortgage, yes, that solar payment usually counts as a monthly debt, just like a car payment. Lenders will factor it into your debt to income ratio. Then when you go to sell down the road, your buyer will typically need to take over that same lease and qualify with the solar company. If they don’t want the lease, you’re left with a few options, you can pay off the lease, negotiate a buyout, or offer an incentive to make it more appealing. This is where deals can get sticky, some buyers love the lower electric bills, others don’t want to inherit a long term payment.

Buying with a friend can absolutely work, but you want to treat it like a business deal upfront, not just a handshake agreement. The biggest thing is how you take title. Most friends choose something like “tenants in common,” which lets each of you own a specific percentage of the home and gives you flexibility if one of you wants out later. The other option, joint tenancy, is simpler but can get messy if your plans change. Where things really get important is having a written agreement before you close. That should spell out what happens if one of you wants to move out, bring in a partner, or sell. Will the other person have the right to buy them out, how will you determine the value, can one of you rent your portion, who covers the mortgage if one person leaves, all of that needs to be clear ahead of time. If one of you wants out later, your main options are usually a buyout, selling the property and splitting the proceeds, or refinancing so one person takes over the loan. Without an agreement, it can turn into a legal headache fast, especially if one person stops contributing. Done right, this can be a great way to get into a home sooner, but the people who avoid problems are the ones who plan for the “what if” before it ever happens.