As a house hunter, you are under no obligation to tell your lender that you are pregnant or plan to be pregnant. Pregnancy is not a legal reason for a lender to deny you a mortgage, unless your income changes in a way that makes you no longer qualified for the mortgage. In 2008, when
Question: The listing sheet says: “Seller requires Use and Occupancy until January 7, 2022.” What does that mean? A Use and Occupancy Agreement is a contract that allows a seller to stay in the property after closing. Although there are templates online, my advice is to have an attorney write or review any Use and
I am starting a new series: Bad Ideas in Real Estate These are ideas that I hear, either socially or from prospects or clients, that do not work. They are usually “tricks” that someone picked up online, or heard from someone they know. I start this series with a tactic that crossed my path this
Several times a year, my agents get feedback from the seller’s agent that our client’s offer was similar to another offer, but our clients got the house. Why? Because their letter identified them as the right people for the house. We have been able to tell the story of our clients--without demographic information that could
Real estate agents are prohibited from taking any of these discriminatory actions: Refuse to rent, sell, negotiate for housing Make housing unavailable or deny a dwelling Set different terms, conditions or privileges for sale or rental Provide different housing services or facilities Falsely deny that housing is available for inspection, sale or rental Make, print,
National Association of Realtors® Apologizes for Complicity in Discrimination Throughout the 20th Century, Realtors® opposed Fair Housing regulation and participated in discriminatory practices. Since the adoption of the Fair Housing Act (1968), the Association accepted that Fair Housing was the law of the land, required members to follow the law, provided classes to prepare members
Is someone who participates in discriminatory speech (or hate speech) in their social settings trustworthy to practice Fair Housing Laws? The National Association of Realtors® says, “No.” There’s a new standard of practice being added to the Fair Housing Section of the Realtor Code of Ethics. It prohibits discriminatory or hate speech by Realtors®. How
Eastern Massachusetts, and other areas, have experienced a long period of seller’s market. That’s when there are more buyers (demand) than houses or condos for sale (supply). Sellers and their agents have the upper hand. Because of this, sellers and their agents are trying ways to get the most advantage over buyers. But pre-inspections should
Short-term rentals have their place as a way to make money in real estate. Like any other new business model, it functions like the Wild West. Some people make a fortune. Some of those people do a good business. Some use the loosened regulation as a way to rent poor-quality spaces and avoid taxes. When
Snow season! Here we go. As a real estate agent, I get asked about who is responsible to shovel -- the landlord or the tenant? Since that's a legal question, I depend on Attorney Richard Vetstein for accurate legal answers to general legal questions. He keeps an eye on legal changes that affect homeowners. Here