Summer has gone by in the blink of an eye. Don’t let that stop you from realizing your goal to buy or sell a home. There are still plenty of homes and buyers available so now is the right time. Check out the articles below to help you on your real estate journey.

Top Mortgage FAQs When Buying A Home

Traditional buyers purchase most homes with the use of a mortgage.  Knowing more about the mortgage loan application process and how a mortgage works is important for homebuyers since a mortgage is a long-term financial commitment.  In this article by Bill Gassett he provides answers and insights into the  top ten frequently asked questions with regards to mortgages.

Signs You Hired A Bad Real Estate Agent

Whether you are buying or selling a home chances are the purchase or sale will be a very large financial transaction.  Those who are helping out with the transaction should be very knowledgeable in order to help you get the best out of the transaction.  A bad real estate agent can hurt your chances of that as Sharon Paxson explores.   Make sure you interview and get to know your agent ahead of time so your real estate transaction is a successful one.

Upgrading Your Housing

David Martin explores why now may be the time to upgrade your housing. With mortgage interest rates close to recent lows buying a bigger home may even be more affordable than prior. Whether you are using tax provisions to trade up, need to upsize due to an increase in family size or some other reason there is no better time than the present.  In many markets around the US luxury home sales are in more of a buyer’s market rather than seller’s market, which is another positive for those looking to trade up.

Tips For Buying A Condo With A Mortgage

Certain condominiums can be tricky to buy with the use of a conventional mortgage.  Often times this can be because of community restrictions, too many condos serving as rentals rather than personal residences, seller restrictions and more.  In this article by Michelle Gibson she explores how to best research condo communities and what to ask a lender when considering the purchase of a condo.

Buying A Home Directly From The Listing Agent

As a homebuyer you may think you are getting a better deal by dealing directly with the seller’s listing agent but this actually can hurt you in the end.  Depending on how the listing agent will represent you (as a dual agent or without any representation) your best interests will never be considered and neither will any money be saved as Petra Norris points out. Dealing directly with the listing agent is a surefire way to put yourself at a disadvantage compared to those who come with their own buyers agent to purchase the same home and they may even get a better price on the home in the end.

Making Housing More Affordable

In many markets around the US housing can be quite unaffordable.  This can be traced to lack of land to build on, high demand, zoning laws, job location and more as Kevin Vitali points out.  The way towards housing affordability will require addressing some or all of the causes of overpriced housing.  How communities choose to address the housing affordability requires input from the public who sometimes is more concerned about what is in their direct line of sight or backyard as opposed to the needs of others.

Getting Ready For A Home Appraisal

The appraisal is an important process in the home buying process.  If a home does not appraise for the contract price that could end the purchase agreement and put the home seller back to square one.  This article from Luke Skar provides  nine steps homeowners should be taking in order to be ready for the home appraisal.  By being ready for the appraisal homeowners can help their home sale along so they can move onto the next steps.

Signs That A Luxury Home Is Overpriced

In many markets luxury home sales are already beginning to soften due to lower demand from buyers. What that means is there will be fewer buyers for the same homes and the pricing of those homes are very critical. Buyers in general these days have access to a lot of value information when it comes to housing and therefore are not willing to overpay where there are many alternatives.  In this article by Paul Sian he explores some of the common pitfalls luxury homeowners get into when attempting to set a price their home for sale.

Making An Offer On A Home

You found the home you like and want to make an offer on it so how do you go about doing that best?  It is not as simple as picking a number out of the air and telling the seller when you next hope to see them as John Cunningham points out.  A strong offer must be properly researched and based on actual sales to stand a chance of being considered by the sellers. Especially in a competitive market a great offer must be put forward in order to increase your chances of success.

Final Thoughts

Which articles did you find interesting this month whether from this list or from somewhere else? Feel free to share any other articles you found insightful in the comments below!

The Real Estate Roundup For July 2019 was provided by Greater Cincinnati Area Luxury Realtor Paul Sian of United Real Estate Home Connections. Paul is a licensed real estate agent in the states of Ohio and Kentucky and has over 14 years of experience. Feel free to contact Paul for all your Greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky real estate needs.