Answers by Rebecca Diamond

Whether you "should" or not, is probably a question that only you can answer. But, unmarried couples purchase homes together all the time. The key is making sure the financial and legal details are clearly established from the beginning. There are three separate pieces to think about: 1. The mortgage You can absolutely apply for and sign a mortgage together. The lender will evaluate both borrowers’ income, debt, and credit, and the weaker credit profile can affect the loan terms and interest rate. It’s also important to understand that each borrower is responsible for the entire mortgage obligation—not simply 50% of the payment. If one person stops contributing, the lender can still look to the other for the full amount due. 2. The title This determines how you legally own the property, and it deserves just as much attention as the mortgage. Two common options are joint tenancy, which generally provides equal ownership with survivorship rights, and tenancy in common, which allows ownership percentages to be divided differently—for example, 60/40 if one person contributes more toward the purchase. The way title is structured can also affect what happens to each person’s interest upon death. For unmarried buyers, getting this right is especially important. It's easy to accomplish though; your title clerk can do this for you at the settlement table. 3. A co-ownership agreement Before closing, it’s smart to put the “what ifs” in writing. A co-ownership agreement can spell out who contributes what toward the down payment and monthly expenses, how unequal contributions are treated, what happens if one person wants to sell, how a buyout would be valued, and what happens if one owner is temporarily unable or unwilling to contribute. It may not be the most romantic conversation you'll ever have, but a little planning now can prevent some very expensive and ugly disagreements later. I’m a Realtor, not an attorney, so I recommend having a Pennsylvania real estate attorney advise you on how to take title and prepare the appropriate co-ownership agreement. Best of luck!

As-is usually means the Seller is not going to make repairs or offer credit for repairs. It does not necessarily mean that they won't accept some negotiation surrounding the price. All you can ever do is put your best foot/offer forward, so do that, with numbers that make sense to you. Just be sure that the numbers make sense in the marketplace as well, i.e. you're not likely to get a 30% (or more) discount. You can strengthen your offer with other terms that might be favorable to the Seller, such as a rent-back, flexible move date, leaving furniture behind, and/or making a hefty deposit. Look to your Realtor for solid advice on this and good luck!

Yes, you can absolutely buy the house directly from your aunt without using a Realtor. Since you already know who you’re buying from and have presumably agreed on the basics, you don’t necessarily need an agent to bring the two sides together. That said, I wouldn’t skip the protections that normally come with a real estate transaction just because it’s a family sale. You’ll still want a written agreement of sale that clearly spells out the price, settlement date, financing, inspections, and any other terms you’ve agreed to. I’d have a Pennsylvania real estate attorney prepare or at least review it. You’ll also need a title company to run a title search, make sure there aren’t any liens, unpaid taxes, or other issues attached to the property, and handle the title insurance and closing. If you’re getting a mortgage, your lender will order an appraisal. And even though you’re buying from your aunt, I’d still get a home inspection. It’s not about whether you trust her. It’s about knowing exactly what you’re buying and avoiding an awkward family conversation six months from now when you discover a $20,000 problem. The deed also needs to be properly prepared and recorded so ownership is legally transferred to you. Your attorney or title company can handle that. One other thing to be aware of: if your aunt is selling the house to you for substantially less than its market value, there could be tax implications because some of that difference may be considered a gift. That’s worth discussing with an accountant or attorney before you finalize the price. So yes, this can definitely be done without a Realtor. I just wouldn’t do it without a good title company and, ideally, a real estate attorney. With family transactions, getting everything in writing isn’t about distrust. It’s how you keep Thanksgiving dinner pleasant.

The best time to sell is when you are ready! Every season has it's pros and cons, selling during the winter is no exception. There may be fewer buyers in the market, but there are also typically fewer homes competing for their attention. And the buyers who are out looking tend to be quite serious. People generally aren’t spending their weekends touring homes in January unless they have a reason to move. Presentation matters even more at this time of year. Keep the house warm, bright, and inviting, and pay extra attention to curb appeal, especially when the landscaping isn’t doing much of the work for you. Lean into cozy and highlight it inside your home. With the right pricing, marketing, and presentation, winter can actually be a very good time to sell. Less competition can give your home an opportunity to stand out when buyers have fewer choices.

Sickness is not an excuse for delayed or rescheduled showings. Your agent should have licensed colleagues that can cover in his/her stead. We as agents do this all the time when we go on vacation - someone is in place to co-pilot the ship in our absence. Your situation is no different. Have a compassionate conversation; "I'm so sorry you're not feeling well. I don't want to put added pressure on you, so I'm hoping we can find someone to take over showings until you recover. Is there someone in your office that could help?" After all, you hired an entire brokerage, not just one agent, so someone should be able to help out. Best of luck with your home sale, hope you get top dollar!

If I were in your agent's shoes, I would want to know why it's not working out. If his breath is the only obstacle, while it's a tough topic, if you handle it with compassion, a professional will make an effort to do better. If it's more than just his breath, as in, bodily odor, that's harder. Maybe something like "Hey, I hope you don’t mind me saying this — I’ve noticed a bit of an odor lately and thought you’d want to know. I figured I’d rather mention it quietly than have someone less kind bring it up.”

The USAHud.com website has vetted agents in your area that can help you find what you're looking for.

First of all, I would stay away from the large, online lenders. A small, local, lender that's flexible is often the best choice. To find one of those, one tactic is to find a trusted Realtor first because most Realtors have lending professionals they work with all the time who are exquisite professionals and can get the job done. I have 4-5 lenders I frequently recommend specifically for first-time buyer government programs and I'm sure there are Realtors in your area who do the same thing. Go find those people. If you'd like, I can refer you to some great agents in your area, feel free to reach out to me.

Probably not. The appraiser needs quiet time to focus, without distraction or pressure to move from one room to another. Most of them do not like to be accompanied, even by your Realtor, and it's always a good idea to keep all the people in your transaction's eco-system, on your good side. That said, a listing agent should provide the appraiser with a package of comparable properties, a detailed list of recent updates, and a brief synopsis of how the transaction went - if there were multiple offers, that's especially important for the appraiser to know. If someone has to be there, that's ok but not preferred; just advise them to stay out of the appraiser's way.

No, it doesn't have to be sparkling clean. But as others have said, your should treat the appraisal like any other showing - neat and tidy, spot clean where needed, kids and pets out of the way.

Short answer: yes. Tell your lender you're receiving gift money from a family member and you want to use it for a rate buydown. Your lender will tell you which documentation they need (gift letter or proof of donor ability/transfer). Your buydown might put you in a better position overall for different programs, so be sure to ask your lender to price out FHA vs Conventional.

The earnest money is a "good faith" deposit, showing your seriousness to purchase. It goes into an escrow account, usually at the listing broker's bank. You "get it back" in the sense that it is applied to your closing costs at settlement.

Disclose that you are not well and tell them why. Let the Buyer and their agent decide if they want to reschedule or not. Put some hand sanitizer out for them if they decide to come and relegate yourself to a patio, deck, porch, or even just the driveway while they are there. Very often, a Buyer will not come back if their preferred appointment time is not available; for that reason, I always counsel Sellers to accept as many appointments as possible.

You're going to have to get an attorney for this. Wish I had an easier solution but that's what it takes in PA.