Answers by Keith Jean Pierre

A probate sale is the sale of a property that belongs to someone who has died, and the ownership must be legally transferred through the probate court process before (or while) it can be sold. Keith Jean-Pierre Managing Principal The Dapper Agents Real Estate Operations in ALL 50 States

When the current homeowner stays in the property after closing and becomes the tenant, usually for a short period of time. Keith Jean-Pierre Managing Principal The Dapper Agents Real Estate Operations in ALL 50 States

Super low inventory in many markets even in 2026. Keith Jean-Pierre Managing Principal The Dapper Agents Real Estate Operations in ALL 50 States

That should not be a problem, this is typical of home insurance and policy related documents. Keith Jean-Pierre Managing Principal The Dapper Agents Real Estate Operations in ALL 50 States

A partition sale in real estate is a court-ordered sale of property when multiple owners (co-owners) cannot agree on what to do with it. It’s basically the legal system’s way of forcing a resolution when ownership is shared but cooperation is lacking. Keith Jean-Pierre Managing Principal The Dapper Agents Real Estate Operations in ALL 50 States

Depends on how far along in the process you are and if legal action is a concern for you. This is definitely a question for an attorney. Keith Jean-Pierre Managing Principal The Dapper Agents Real Estate Operations in ALL 50 States

The actual appraisal does not take a significant amount of time. For the average size home; say under 2500 square feet, you are typically looking at under half an hour. Keith Jean-Pierre Managing Principal The Dapper Agents Operations In: NY, NJ, FL & CA

That is truly a personal decision that should be made based on comfort and affordability. More financial information would be required to correct access. Keith Jean-Pierre Managing Principal The Dapper Agents Operations In: NY, NJ, FL & CA

Yes — second homes are taxed differently than primary residences, mainly because they don’t qualify for the same tax exclusions and benefits. Look at the new NYC proposal for example. Keith Jean-Pierre Managing Principal The Dapper Agents Real Estate Operations in ALL 50 States

Barrett, start by contacting a local agent in the area. Keith Jean-Pierre Managing Principal The Dapper Agents Real Estate Operations in ALL 50 States

James, have a home inspection. Keith Jean-Pierre Managing Principal The Dapper Agents Real Estate Operations in ALL 50 States

Hannah, this is a question for a real estate attorney. Keith Jean-Pierre Managing Principal The Dapper Agents Real Estate Operations in ALL 50 States

Yes, but you want to speak to an attorney and accountant to understand your possible liabilities. Keith Jean-Pierre Managing Principal The Dapper Agents Operations In: NY, NJ, FL & CA

Noah, this is a personal decision, but it can't hurt. Keith Jean-Pierre Managing Principal The Dapper Agents Real Estate Operations in ALL 50 States

Home improvements are usually not directly tax deductible when you sell a home. They can still help you reduce your taxable gain through something called “cost basis adjustment.” I suggest you speak with your accountant to get a clearer understanding. Keith Jean-Pierre Managing Principal The Dapper Agents Real Estate Operations in ALL 50 States

Horace, an offer deadline is not required, but can be beneficial in certain situations. Keith Jean-Pierre Managing Principal The Dapper Agents Real Estate Operations in ALL 50 States

This is situation dependent, we would need more information to make a proper determination. Keith Jean-Pierre Managing Principal The Dapper Agents Real Estate Operations in ALL 50 States

This is HEAVILY market dependent. Personally, our team does not do open houses unless the owner requests them or it is part of our marketing strategy; typically auction style listings. Otherwise, especially now, open houses tend to be rather quiet bringing in the neighbors, less motivated individuals, or buyers already represented by agents. As a result, it tends to not be a productive use of time for our clients and ourselves. Private showings always tend to be more beneficial. Keith Jean-Pierre Managing Principal The Dapper Agents Operations In: NY, NJ, FL & CA

You do not need to, but staged homes do tend to sell much quicker and for more money than traditionally un-staged homes. Keith Jean-Pierre Managing Principal The Dapper Agents Real Estate Operations in ALL 50 States

You can use the online agent guide to find an appropriate agent for your needs on here. Keith Jean-Pierre Managing Principal The Dapper Agents Real Estate Operations in ALL 50 States

Jessica, this is situation dependent. I would suggest speaking with your local zoning municipality regarding the matter. Keith Jean-Pierre Managing Principal The Dapper Agents Real Estate Operations in ALL 50 States

Carol, this is a question for your accountant. Keith Jean-Pierre Managing Principal The Dapper Agents Real Estate Operations in ALL 50 States

Means there is an offer on the property that was accepted. You can still draft an offer, but it would be held as back up. There is also no guarantee you will be able to view the house if you have not already viewed it. Keith Jean-Pierre Managing Principal The Dapper Agents Operations In: NY, NJ, FL & CA

Usually this does not make much of a difference for the consumer, it is more so relevant to real estate operations. A real estate broker is allowed to manage an office and run a firm if they so desire. For you as the consumer, one vs the other should have no bearing on your day to day business of selling/purchasing your real estate.

A real estate broker and a real estate salesperson/agent both help people buy and sell property, but the key difference is licensing level, responsibility, and independence. A salesperson works under a broker, while a broker can have a salesperson work under them and also manage an office. Keith Jean-Pierre Managing Principal The Dapper Agents Real Estate Operations in ALL 50 States

Means there is a pending offer currently on the property. Keith Jean-Pierre Managing Principal The Dapper Agents Operations In: NY, NJ, FL & CA

John, this is a personal decision. Keith Jean-Pierre Managing Principal The Dapper Agents Real Estate Operations in ALL 50 States

Yes, but this is a question for your mortgage broker. Keith Jean-Pierre Managing Principal The Dapper Agents Real Estate Operations in ALL 50 States

There is typically an expiration on the pre-approval. 30-90 days is typical. Keith Jean-Pierre Managing Principal The Dapper Agents Operations In: NY, NJ, FL & CA

This is situation dependent Ezekial. I would suggest speaking with a mortgage professional who can give you proper advise dependent on your specific financial situation and credit rating. Keith Jean-Pierre Managing Principal The Dapper Agents Real Estate Operations in ALL 50 States

YES YES YES! Title insurance is a policy that protects you (and/or your lender) from problems with the legal ownership of a property; issues that existed before you bought the home, but were not discovered during the title search. This can be the biggest asset in a worst case scenario. Keith Jean-Pierre Managing Principal The Dapper Agents Real Estate Operations in ALL 50 States

Allison, this is a personal decision, but if you feel the need to have to assist you agent in selling your property; you might have hired the wrong agent. Keith Jean-Pierre Managing Principal The Dapper Agents Real Estate Operations in ALL 50 States

Wendy, this is a personal decision. There is no one size fits all answer to this question. Keith Jean-Pierre Managing Principal The Dapper Agents Real Estate Operations in ALL 50 States

Kristin, this is a personal decision, there is no one size fits all answer to this. Keith Jean-Pierre Managing Principal The Dapper Agents Real Estate Operations in ALL 50 States

You can use the agent directory on this website to find an agent that can further assist you. Best of luck! Keith Jean-Pierre Managing Principal The Dapper Agents Real Estate Operations in ALL 50 States

Keep real estate sale documents for at least seven years after filing the tax return for the year the property was sold to satisfy IRS audit guidelines. Keep permanent records, such as the deed, closing statement (HUD-1/Closing Disclosure), and major improvement receipts, indefinitely to establish cost basis. Keith Jean-Pierre Managing Principal The Dapper Agents Operations In: NY, NJ, FL & CA

Joe, I am sorry, but I do not understand the question. Are you referring to 0% commission? If so, why would an agent work for free? Keith Jean-Pierre Managing Principal The Dapper Agents Real Estate Operations in ALL 50 States

Zach, with a $2K budget, the goal is “surface-level transformation”—not replacing anything structural. In condos especially, you want updates that photograph well, feel clean, and signal “well maintained” without over-improving. Try painting the cabinets, maybe replacing countertops, replace cabinet hardware, deep clean, freshly paint, new backsplash, new faucet and fixtures, etc. Best of luck with the reno. Keith Jean-Pierre Managing Principal The Dapper Agents Real Estate Operations in ALL 50 States

Toby, this is a question for a lender as everyone financial and credit situation is different. Keith Jean-Pierre Managing Principal The Dapper Agents Real Estate Operations in ALL 50 States

In your market, a swimming pool will most likely not be considered an asset. Swimming pools tend to only be favored only in warmer markets. Keith Jean-Pierre Managing Principal The Dapper Agents Operations In: NY, NJ, FL & CA

This is a personal opinion based on your personal needs. Keith Jean-Pierre Managing Principal The Dapper Agents Real Estate Operations in ALL 50 States

No Keith Jean-Pierre Managing Principal The Dapper Agents Real Estate Operations in ALL 50 States

There is a product called a 203K loan, but you would need to speak with a lender to see if the home and you would qualify. Keith Jean-Pierre Managing Principal The Dapper Agents Real Estate Operations in ALL 50 States

An arm’s length sale in real estate is a transaction where the buyer and seller are unrelated, independent, and acting in their own self-interest, with no special relationship or outside pressure influencing the price. Keith Jean-Pierre Managing Principal The Dapper Agents Real Estate Operations in ALL 50 States

Zillow or Realtor.com would be a good start. Keith Jean-Pierre Managing Principal The Dapper Agents Real Estate Operations in ALL 50 States

Auction style listing over the process of a weekend. Keith Jean-Pierre Managing Principal The Dapper Agents Real Estate Operations in ALL 50 States

This is heavily market dependent. Keith Jean-Pierre Managing Principal The Dapper Agents Operations In: NY, NJ, FL & CA

This is heavily market dependent. Keith Jean-Pierre Managing Principal The Dapper Agents Operations In: NY, NJ, FL & CA

Jeremiah, there is no one size fits all answer to this question. This is completely dependent on your housing needs. Keith Jean-Pierre Managing Principal The Dapper Agents Real Estate Operations in ALL 50 States

Earnest money is usually credited to you at closing. If the deal falls through, your contract should outline what happens to the funds. Keith Jean-Pierre Managing Principal The Dapper Agents Real Estate Operations in ALL 50 States

Meredith, an escrow in real estate is a neutral third-party process that holds and manages money and documents during a home transaction until all conditions of the sale are met. Keith Jean-Pierre Managing Principal The Dapper Agents Real Estate Operations in ALL 50 States

Tido, yes, the sale of real estate from a trust can be taxable, but how it’s taxed depends on the type of trust, who benefits from it, and whether there’s a gain on the sale. I would suggest speaking to your accountant to determine your exact tax liabilities. Keith Jean-Pierre Managing Principal The Dapper Agents Real Estate Operations in ALL 50 States