I'll even tell you where to put 'em. Ron Rothenberg 4 Buyers Real Estate Open Houses, how I hate them, for so many reasons. Rona has detailed so many reasons why Open Houses don’t benefit sellers. I think they’re the worst possible way for a buyer to look at house. They’re geared towards
Whenever house hunters have beloved cats or dogs -- or plan to have beloved cats or dogs -- they face problems finding a condo association that will – absolutely -- accept their furry loved one. It has always been the case that some big associations restrict all pets. Some restrict dogs or cats, unleased or
Follow in my steps Ron Rothenberg 4 Buyers Real Estate “Walking is man’s best medicine” – Hippocrates, 3rd Century B.C. When I was 11, a friend’s mother bought me a stopwatch. I timed everything. I timed baseball games, I timed radio newscasts, I timed how long it took me to pee. How
A reporter from Angie’s List contacted me a week or so ago to talk about housing that is compromised by people and places in the area. He wrote his story based on what a number of well-reputed agents told him. He quoted me fairly accurately, but left out quite a bit. He also only cited
Those who don't understand the meaning of the numbers can be easily manipulated. Not only can economists and journalists confuse people with numbers, so can crooked mortgage originators, real estate agents, and companies who give credit to young (and not so young) adults. Economic "news" is frequently poorly written for those who do not read
Sic Transit Gloria Paper Checks Ron Rothenberg 4 Buyers Real Estate Few industries have defended their attachment to paper as ferociously as real estate law. But the reign of paper may be ending, as digital contract signatures become more the norm than the exception. One piece of paper that hasn't gone away
As of January 10th, new lending regulations make it mandatory that borrowers provide certain documents. Among those are proving current income and assets. For a salaried employee, a few pay stubs will work. A self-employed person or someone who doesn’t have a stable income because of varying work hours can use tax returns to show
I spoke with Elaine Manfredi at Wakefield Cooperative Bank. She reviewed the new regulations that went into effect on January 10, 2014. In short, lenders are being told they have to be consistent and check all borrowers completely. Ability to Repay (ATR) guidelines require all borrowers to provide at least all these things: Credit report
Mortgage pre-approval is an essential part of any offer. If you cannot show that you have already researched your ability to buy a property, you are not ready to offer money for it. This is common sense. But, not all pre-approvals are created equal. Experienced agents and agents in well-run offices know that some lenders
If you have a new year’s resolution to buy a house in 2014, here are some things you can do to smooth the path to getting a mortgage. The paperwork does not have to be overwhelming, if you are prepared. Avoid - unless absolutely necessary • Don’t transfer funds between accounts within 30 days of