Advice Topic:

Buying

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  • Can I bring my dog to a showing?

    Can I bring my dog to a showing? I'm spending hours seeing houses, and can't be away from my dog for that long. It's so hard to find a home and I want to start taking my dog with me. Maybe my dog will help lead me to a good home and I'd like to start taking him with me to the houses.

    • Asked by Olivia
    • Long Beach, CA
    • 72 views
    • Buying
    • 1 month ago
  • Can I modify an offer contract after the inspection period?

    Can I modify an offer contract after the inspection period? We put an offer on a house, had the inspection and negotiated a new offer contract based on the inspection. We didn't want to lose the house and so we didn't ask for the seller to do much to fix the issues. Since then we've gone back to the house and some of the issues that came up in the inspection feel bigger than we initially thought. We don't want to walk away from the house, but we're wondering if we can go back to the seller and ask them for repairs or money for these repairs.

    • Asked by Blaine
    • Scottsdale, AZ
    • 50 views
    • Buying
    • 1 month ago
  • Can I choose to sell my home for less than it's worth?

    I want to downsize and sell my home to one of my kids. I'm not looking to make a profit on my kid and would rather sell the house at a loss compared to its current value. I've owned the home for 45 years and it's gone up a lot in value. Can I choose the price to sell the home and sell is for way under the value of the home?

    • Asked by Mary
    • Portland, OR
    • 54 views
    • Buying
    • 1 month ago
  • Do you need a realtor to move to the Villages?

    I'm thinking of moving to the Villages in Florida. Since it's a retirement community, do I need a realtor? Or do they have their own process?

    • Asked by Grace
    • The Villages, FL
    • 88 views
    • Buying
    • 2 months ago
  • Do buyers agents do the same amount of work as the sellers?

    Does a buyers agent do an equal amount of work compared to the sellers agent? What does this mean in terms of payment?

    • Asked by Xavier
    • Scottsdale, AZ
    • 62 views
    • Buying
    • 2 months ago
  • Do buyers agents get paid the same as the sellers agent?

    Do buyers agents get paid the same amount as the sellers agent? I'm wondering if one side of the transaction gets paid less, or if I should be negotiating so that I pay a fair price. I don't want to be disrespectful, but is the payment up for negotiation?

    • Asked by Becky
    • Sunnyvale, CA
    • 49 views
    • Buying
    • 2 months ago
  • How do I negotiate a realtor's payment?

    How do I negotiate a realtor's payment? I don't want to be disrespectful and I understand that this is their job; however, it's normal to negotiate a business transaction. So, is this similar? What are recommendations for how to negotiate? Are there any key points to talk about or inquire about?

    • Asked by Collin
    • Boston, MA
    • 93 views
    • Buying
    • 2 months ago
  • What a reasonable buyers agent commission?

    What's a reasonable buyers agent commission? I talked to an agent that said I need to sign a contract and agree to his commission. It seems high, so I'm wondering what's normal.

    • Asked by Daniel
    • San Diego, CA
    • 98 views
    • Buying
    • 2 months ago
  • i am a veteran and wanting to rent to own?

    please explain all my options on the best way to find listings that accept these terms .if you are able i prefer to get Re Max to help me with listings. thank you

    • Asked by Kevin Dutton
    • Grants Pass, OR
    • 69 views
    • Buying
    • 2 months ago
  • Can I get a renovation loan and home loan simultaneously?

    Can I get a renovation loan and home loan at the same time? I'm interested in purchasing a house that also needs a lot of renovation. I don't have enough cash for the renovation. So I'm wondering if I can add to my home loan? Or do I take out a second loan? What's the best way to go about this? Thanks!

    • Asked by Jerry
    • Havana, FL
    • 91 views
    • Buying
    • 2 months ago
  • Am I locked into an agent if I sign a buyer's agreement?

    I met with an agent who said I need to sign a contract with them before I see any houses. Does that mean I'm locked into working with them? I'd like to see a few houses before deciding if I want to work with them.

    • Asked by David
    • Cleveland, OH
    • 169 views
    • Buying
    • 2 months ago
  • Mutual release form verse putting back on market?

    If the seller hasn't signed the mutual release form they agreed to can they put the house back on the market? Can we make another offer before this takes place? It's at a impass because they arent agreeing to the issues which are major issues on the inspection like 22 year old furnace not functioning correctly and needs replaced. Like floors not properly installed.

    • Asked by Don Cherry
    • Greenwood, IN
    • 91 views
    • Buying
    • 3 months ago
  • Can I not have home owners insurance?

    I know it's risky to not have home insurance. But it's so expensive and often unused. It's a chance we're thinking of taking. But are we required to have home insurance or can we not have home owners insurance?

    • Asked by Terrance
    • Lexington, KY
    • 138 views
    • Buying
    • 3 months ago
  • Can I change agents after I've made an offer on a home?

    Can I change agents after I've made an offer on a home? My agent seemed eager to help me find a home to buy. Now that I've made the offer, he's radio silent. Or he'll call with last minute requests of items that are due immediately. With work and life obligations, sometimes I can't drop everything to do these urgent items. It seems like with better communication there wouldn't be this scramble. There's a few other issues too that have made this process frustrating. But since I've made the offer with him, do I need to keep him?

    • Asked by Kara
    • Evanston, IL
    • 90 views
    • Buying
    • 3 months ago
  • I have bad credit. Can I buy a house?

    As of recently, I have bad credit. But my family and I would like to buy a house. My mom has good credit but she has no income. Only her retirement income.

    • Asked by Sophia
    • Los Angeles, CA
    • 112 views
    • Buying
    • 3 months ago
  • Buying a home, do I need to pay extra now?

    I'm just starting my home search. I talked to an agent who said that I might need to pay his commission, but that maybe we could get the seller to pay. Is this normal?

    • Asked by Keith
    • Tallahassee, FL
    • 79 views
    • Buying
    • 3 months ago
  • Do I have to pay CA Taxes if I purchase a Rental property?

    Do I have to pay taxes in CA if I am domiciled in NY state and bought an investment property in CA to rent to family?

    • Asked by Helen K
    • Indio, CA
    • 178 views
    • Buying
    • 4 months ago
  • Is it a bribe?

    Home buyer here. Wondering if I can offer an extra incentive with my home offer, like tickets to a football game, a concert, dinner out, etc. Looking for a way to set my offer apart. But I'm wondering if that's seen as a bribe.

    • Asked by Brad
    • Green Bay, WI
    • 99 views
    • Buying
    • 4 months ago
  • Being disabled owning a home?

    I'm looking to own my own home. I am disabled and don't know where to start. Looking for help and resources to help guide me in home buying.

    • Asked by Kristina Kozar
    • Waukegan, IL
    • 96 views
    • Buying
    • 4 months ago
  • Is four years too long to spend with a realtor?

    My husband started a new medical practice in Rochester Ny back in 2020. So we rent a condo there for him. Our family home is in PA with 3 years left for our last child to graduate HS before I move permanently to NY. We have been working with the same realtor in Rochester since 2020 have made multiple offers over the 4 years to no avail. He’s nice. My husband likes him. We mostly find our own listings to view online, occ he sends an email with a listing. But I’m frustrated! I don’t know what to do here. We made an offer last year on a house that would work for us for full price $895,000. The seller turned down our offer saying he now wanted 1.2 million because he thought he would get a bidding war. He didn’t get any other offers, so he took it off the market. He put it back in the market this June for 1.1 million. We did not know it was back on but I feel our realtor should have known and told us. It sold a few days later for $900,000. Only $5,000 more than our previous offer! This past week called our realtor to ask about an home that just came on the market wanting to know the area ext, our realtor sent us an email back saying it looked perfect for us. He Set up a showing for 2 days later we were so excited and planned to do whatever we could to get this one. Then the next day we were notified that an offer was accepted so no showing. We were heartbroken..until my husband mentioned this area to a co worker at the hospital who said oh yeah that house is 1/4 mile or less from A Nuclear Power plant. What?? How could our realtor not know this info? We would never been ok with a nuclear pop so close to a development and not have gotten excited then heartbroken then confused here. I feel like our realtor should have told us about this before the showing was even set up as I asked about the area since it was in Ontario and not Rochester. Something def feels wrong here. I know we have 3 years left to find something but we do t want to be stuck on that 3rd year, plus me having to look everyday on Realor.com, I gave a job myself and college kids, a hs kid, it feels like I’m the realtor not him. And neither is us are getting anywhere!!

    • Asked by Jenny
    • Rochester, NY
    • 105 views
    • Buying
    • 5 months ago
  • How do I buy a house with a friend?

    My current roommate and I are renting. If we put our money together we could afford to buy a house. Buy I'm worried about buying a house with a friend. What if one of us wants to move out? Could we buy each other out? How do I proceed while also protecting myself and my finances?

    • Asked by Eric
    • Santa Barbara, CA
    • 144 views
    • Buying
    • 5 months ago
  • Seller Never Satisfied The Repairs?

    I fell in love with a house in April 2024 and never imagined I'd be in a position where I still haven't closed by June 21, 2024. My agreement of sale (AOS) was signed on April 9. My original close date was May 10, 2024. A few days before closing I was notified there were 3 outstanding permits with our city's L&I department and the property was in violation. We added an addendum to the agreement of sale stating the seller would address all repairs required by the city before closing and we rescheduled the closing date. All parties signed. Since that time, I have had closings set for May 30, June 6, June 13, and June 20 - Change in Terms agreements (CTAs) were in place for each of these new closing dates and the Seller has yet to complete the repairs according to the city's satisfaction. The city has re-inspected the property twice. I decided to pursue an escrow agreement with the Seller so we could close with funds set aside for the repairs. They promised to review it but took 1 full week to do so. I had additional redlines to their response and my attorney and I sent a new escrow proposal on June 19. My agent told me on 6/20/24 that the Seller was reaching out to the city to get more clarification on the date of final inspection for the repairs. That was over 24 hours ago and I've had no update from anyone (despite following up). The CTA for the AOS expired on June 20 at 11:59pm with all of the above in limbo. Since I haven't heard from anyone, what are my next steps? I hope to speak with my attorney this afternoon. Does anyone have experience with a transaction like this? I have been ready to move forward since May 10. I feel blindsided by these repairs and further blindsided by the fact that the seller is not making them in a timely fashion. It scares me that they are doing work and yet not passing inspections. Also, I've had to extend my rental agreement to have a place to live while all of these repairs occur. I've scheduled and rescheduled movers, cleaning crews, and handymen. I've changed insurance companies in preparation for the move (for a good home/auto rate vs. what I was paying as a renter). And I've been scheduling time off from work for the closing and the move, which ultimately has not yet happened. I am so frustrated and I am going into my 4th month of dealing with this. Now that the agreement of sale has expired, what are my options (if any)? Do I walk away and leave my earnest money deposit on the table? Or, do I decide to pursue a lawsuit for the Seller's negligence/breach of contract? This has cost me so much, not to mention several interest rate extensions to maintain my current interest rate with my lender. Those extensions also come at a cost. Thanks in advance for the insight.

    • Asked by Morgan Wade
    • Philadelphia, FL
    • 149 views
    • Buying
    • 5 months ago
  • Should I use my max pre approval amount?

    Should I use my maximum mortgage pre-approval amount to buy a home? Homes are expensive and I'm tempted to use my max pre-approval amount, but it's much more than what I expected and I'm nervous about the monthly payments. However, I also want to be able to purchase a home.

    • Asked by Morgan
    • Sunnyvale, CA
    • 181 views
    • Buying
    • 6 months ago
  • best way to buy my parents a house and they pay ?

    How can I help disabled parents out and buy a house that they could pay mortgage payments on or pay payments to me with out having to charge them fair market value or major tax issues for me. There credit isn’t great and they are elderly and on a fixed income, trying to figure out best way for both of us

    • Asked by Valerie Henderson
    • Mary’s I’ll ohio, FL
    • 199 views
    • Buying
    • 7 months ago
  • Is a bigger down payment better for seller?

    Is a bigger down payment better for the seller? If so why? Why would the down payment make any difference as long as they're getting paid?

    • Asked by Brian
    • Deerfield, IL
    • 226 views
    • Buying
    • 7 months ago
  • How do you know if you're paying too much for a house?

    How do you know if you're paying too much for a house? I know that the housing market is crazy right now, but I don't want to overpay. I

    • Asked by Alex
    • Fort Worth, TX
    • 189 views
    • Buying
    • 7 months ago
  • Can a buyer represent themselves in a home purchase?

    Can a buyer represent themselves in a home purchase? I know FSBO is an option, but what does that look like for buyers? And will the selling realtor let a buyer into a home without an agent?

    • Asked by David
    • Scottsdale, AZ
    • 222 views
    • Buying
    • 7 months ago
  • What are signs that an area is declining?

    What are some red flags or signs that an area is declining? What should I look at to get a feel for the neighborhood and get a picture of what it will be in 10+ years?

    • Asked by James
    • San Mateo, CA
    • 219 views
    • Buying
    • 7 months ago
  • Why are home prices so high?

    Why are home prices so high? Even homes outside of my desired area are so expensive. I've been trying to save to buy a house, but the downpayment I planned now doesn't get me what I want.

    • Asked by Angelica
    • Phoenix, AZ
    • 164 views
    • Buying
    • 8 months ago
  • Can I offer a home a cash price for the house ?

    I have won a money and want to buy a new home And offer a lower price than what the realtor said Is it up to the home owner to decide

    • Asked by Trudie Hoffmann
    • Gallup, FL
    • 165 views
    • Buying
    • 8 months ago
  • Can I buy a home without homeowners insurance?

    I know it's risky, but can I buy a home without homeowners insurance? I would want to add it in eventually, but for the first 1-2 years I was hoping to eliminate that cost.

    • Asked by Theo
    • Oakland, CA
    • 177 views
    • Buying
    • 8 months ago
  • What are the pros and cons of an HOA?

    What are the pros and cons of buying in a homeowner's association neighborhood? I'm moving to a new area where they seem more common. This is new to me and seems like an extra cost with a lot of extra rules. And all the shows on TV make it seem kind of ridiculous. I know that's an exaggeration, but still.

    • Asked by Emily
    • Naples, FL
    • 81 views
    • Buying
    • 8 months ago
  • How do I compete with cash offers?

    How do I compete with cash offers? I can put 20% down on a house, but I need financing for the rest. I have a strong credit history and in a normal market I would be a strong buyer. But I'm struggling in this market to get an offer accepted.

    • Asked by Lucas
    • Morgan Hill, CA
    • 180 views
    • Buying
    • 8 months ago
  • How do I make a competitive offer on a home without overpay?

    How do I make a competitive offer on a home without overpaying? The market is so tough right now and it's hard to get a home. I want to make an offer that will be accepted, but I also don't want to regret overpaying.

    • Asked by Peter
    • Bel Air, MD
    • 134 views
    • Buying
    • 8 months ago
  • Is it risky to buy a FSBO home with renter living in it?

    Looking at a for sale by owner property but the owner's adult son is still living there. They say he will move out when we close but I'm afraid it might be risky since he isn't really a part of the sale. Any advice?

    • Asked by Miguel C
    • Kissimmee, FL
    • 237 views
    • Buying
    • 8 months ago
  • How do I find homes that are in foreclosure?

    How do I find homes that are in foreclosure? Is there a way to tell from the listing that the house is a foreclosed house?

    • Asked by Adian
    • Columbus, OH
    • 228 views
    • Buying
    • 9 months ago
  • Do I need a home inspection for new construction?

    I'm planning to purchase a new construction home. Do you recommend that I still get a home inspection even though it's a new home?

    • Asked by Sonja
    • Charlotte, NC
    • 305 views
    • Buying
    • 9 months ago
  • Is a new construction house like new car depreciation?

    Is a new construction house like new car depreciation? People say as soon as a new car is driven off the lot it depreciates. I'm wondering if a new construction house is the same. Do I pay a premium for the new and as soon as I live it is, does the value go down?

    • Asked by Mary
    • Lake Geneva, WI
    • 249 views
    • Buying
    • 9 months ago
  • Is the closing cost different for townhouse vs house?

    Is the closing cost different for townhouse vs house? Condo? How do I know what the closing cost will be?

    • Asked by Harriet
    • Baltimore, MD
    • 192 views
    • Buying
    • 10 months ago
  • What is the minimum down payment and closing cost?

    What is the minimum down payment and closing cost? Will my real estate agent tell me how much money I need for the house?

    • Asked by Brandon
    • Beaver, UT
    • 241 views
    • Buying
    • 10 months ago
  • What do I need to buy land in California?

    What do I need to buy land in California? How can I find land to buy in California and how do I figure out if it's buildable?

    • Asked by Khai
    • Hollister, CA
    • 223 views
    • Buying
    • 10 months ago
  • Are the closing costs different in different states?

    Are the closing costs different in different states? How can I figure out the closing costs? I'm moving to an area where I can live in either state and wondering how to figure out which is best.

    • Asked by Ryan
    • Sterling, VA
    • 144 views
    • Buying
    • 10 months ago
  • Is the down payment different in different states?

    Is the down payment different in different states? How do I know how much the down payment is for a house?

    • Asked by Noah
    • Hays, KS
    • 230 views
    • Buying
    • 10 months ago
  • Do you need 20 down to buy a house in California?

    Do you need 20 down to buy a house in California? The money that I was saving isn't enough now that interest rates are high, so I'm wondering if I can put down less than 20 on a house.

    • Asked by Claire
    • Temecula, CA
    • 166 views
    • Buying
    • 10 months ago
  • How much money do you need to buy a house in California?

    How much money do you need to buy a house in California? What is a typical income needed to buy a house in California?

    • Asked by Charity
    • Santa Rosa, CA
    • 212 views
    • Buying
    • 10 months ago
  • Can I buy a house in America if I live in the UK?

    Can I buy a house in America if I live in the UK? If so, what are some general steps that I need to take for the purchase?

    • Asked by Hannah
    • Boston, MA
    • 162 views
    • Buying
    • 10 months ago
  • Can a minor buy a house in California ?

    How old do you need to be to buy a house in California? If a minor wants to buy a house does an adult need to be on the deed as well?

    • Asked by Sabrina
    • Los Angeles, CA
    • 340 views
    • Buying
    • 10 months ago
  • What Documents Do I Need To Buy A House In California?

    What documents do I need to buy a house in California ? Are there any documents that can help me to get a home or show I'm a strong buyer?

    • Asked by Kristin
    • Sunnyvale, CA
    • 294 views
    • Buying
    • 10 months ago
  • What are the requirements to buy a house in California?

    What are the requirements to buy a house in California? What do I need to prepare to buy a house in California?

    • Asked by Jan
    • South Sioux City, NE
    • 297 views
    • Buying
    • 10 months ago
  • How can I buy a new property using the property I currently ?

    How can I buy a new property using the property I currently live in and own? I need the money from the sale of this property to buy the next one.

    • Asked by Michael
    • Charlotte, NC
    • 201 views
    • Buying
    • 10 months ago