Answers by Carol Syler

A pocket listing is not advertised publicly (ie: MLS, Zillow, Realtor.com, etc.), it is only advertised and available within the brokerage firm you have your listing agreement with. It is good for someone not wanting the general public to know they are selling, or for a home not quite ready to be available to the general public but allows a buyer within that firm the ability to look at the home. It limits your exposure.

This typically means that the home is under construction and not yet completed. It can also mean it is undergoing a remodel or some type of improvement that is not yet completed, but will be completed prior to closing.

1-Hire a good Realtor to assist you in getting pre-approved with a lender, advise you and what inspections you will need, survey, etc., negotiate, navigate and advocate for you. 2-Location - Make sure the home is in a location you want to live - You do not want to move in and find out that even though you love the house, you hate the location, or the drive to work is too far. 3- If you have kids, schools are very important to consider. Make sure you know what schools your kids will be assigned to. Your Realtor will be able to help you with this.

Many times a seller is wanting to sell their home before they are able to purchase a home, or they just need to remain in the home for a specific timeframe after selling. In this case, the seller will request to leaseback the home after closing which will allow them to continue to live in the home for a specific timeframe. The seller would pay the buyer upfront for the leaseback term. You need to be careful with this to make sure that the seller purchases renters insurance to cover them in case anything were to happen while they are leasing back the home.

Hi Allison. Absolutely, the more exposure the better. Post it on your neighborhood fb site if you have one, as well as your personal social media profiles. Talk to your REALTOR® to help you with your post so that you include professional photos and all relavent information.

When two or more unrelated and unaffiliated parties, are in a transaction, acting independently and in their self-interest.

Hi Shannon, yes, it depends on your area. In SC, we are able to put an expiration date and time on the Offer to Purchase, so it can be as short or as long as you want. In NC, there is no tine frame.

There is no magic number. You will know the right house when you find it. No house will have everything you want, but you will know when you find the right one for you.

Definitely check with your tax advisor.

Hi Mark, it may depend on your area and how long you plan to live in the home. In my experience, where I live in SC, appraisers do not know how to put a value on solar panels, and I have not experienced them adding much value, at least not enough to cover the cost.

Hi Bernard, I am a Charlotte Realtor and would be happy to help. Everyone is correct on the 2 years to avoid capital gains on any profit you would make on the sell of your house. Calculating capital gains can be complex, and your tax advisor can answer those questions for you.

Find a great realtor® and get preapproved through a lender. If you are unable to qualify at this time, the lender will be able to advise you on what you need to do in order to improve your credit score.