With so many abandoned and vacant homes on the market, some sellers are hiring companies to place families in their properties in the hopes that doing so will make the house feel less empty and more appealing to buyers. But one woman in Texas says she’s been bitten on the butt by her decision to use a so-called “staging” family. [More]
Woman Hires Family To Liven Up For-Sale Home, Now She Can’t Enter Her Own Property
By June 6, 2012
9 Examples Why You May Want To Avoid Homeowners Associations Like The Plague
By May 15, 2012
We watch a lot of real estate shows here at Consumerist HQ, especially the many variations on the “show three places and pretend to pick the one that you’re already in escrow on.” And while home buyers always remember to ask, “Are there HOA fees?”, they don’t ask the more important questions, like “Why in the world am I buying a place with an HOA?” [More]
How Does A 14-Year-Old Girl Buy A House?
By March 9, 2012
You occasionally hear about teen pop stars and actors buying their own homes, but it’s not every day that you run across a seemingly average 14-year-old girl who not only purchased a property but has already turned it into an income generator. [More]
What To Look For In A Not-So-New Home
By March 2, 2012
When real estate agents take you through houses, they often like to dazzle you with frivolous, eye-catching aspects. Unless you ask tough questions and pay for a professional inspection, you won’t get much insight about whether or not the home is livable and truly worth its asking price. [More]
Got $29 Million To Spare? Then Michael Jordan Has The Mansion For You!
By February 29, 2012
Apparently no one told basketball legend and ardent wearer of Hanes Michael Jordan that home prices have dropped to a level not seen since 2006, because he’s trying unload his super-fancy suburban Chicago living quarters for a hefty $29 million. Good luck with that one! [More]
Detroit Tax Officials Tells Squatters In Foreclosed Homes They're Welcome To Stay If They Pay
By February 7, 2012
It’s too bad our pal Kenneth, the $16 house guy, doesn’t live in Detroit, or he might’ve been able to keep on squatting: Tax officials in Wayne County are going to offer those living in thousands of foreclosed homes the opportunity to stay in those homes for as little as $500. [More]
Report: Home Prices Dropped Steeply Across The Country
By January 31, 2012
Home prices continued to drop in November, according to the latest report that covers 20 cities across the country in its index. Out of those 20, 19 saw a decline, resulting in a 1.3% dip from the previous month in the index score. [More]
The Ins And Outs Of Short Sales
By January 25, 2012
When you owe more than your ever-plummeting home is worth, a foreclosure or short sale — in which you sell the home for less than you owe — can seem like an attractive escape. The move may make financial sense, but it comes with repercussions to your credit and somewhat strict qualification parameters. [More]
Tips To Sell Your Home During Cold Months
By January 9, 2012
It’s tough enough to sell a home when the weather is cooperating, and more difficult still when the cold keeps prospective buyers withdrawn and sluggish. But no matter what factors are stacked against sellers, some will find a way to get rid of their homes. [More]
What You Need To Know If You're Looking For Your First House
By December 23, 2011
First-time home buyers are at a disadvantage. They typically lack experience with the real estate market and are eager to seal the deal and get into a house — any house — just to achieve the milestone. But behaving more like a someone who has already screwed up and learned from his mistakes will pay dividends. [More]
If You Can't Sell Your Home, Here Are Some Options
By November 29, 2011
If you put your house on the market, there’s a great chance it will stay there for months, leaving you twisting in the wind as you decide what your next move will be. No matter how often you badger your real estate agent, the depressed housing market means buyers can be choosy, leaving otherwise attractive deals hang in the balance. [More]
California City Threatens Legal Action Against Residents With Fake Grass Lawns
By November 17, 2011
Three months ago, the city of Glendale, CA, approved a ban on the use of artificial grass on residents’ front yards — and now authorities plan to go after folks who haven’t ripped up their faux greenery and replaced it with the real thing. [More]
BofA Says "Sorry" For Paying Your Real Estate Taxes Late
By November 14, 2011
Banks are happy to jump all over you and ratchet up the fees when you’re late. But when they’re late, not so much. [More]
How A Professional Financial Planner Lost His House
By November 9, 2011
I’ve always been fascinated by the old expression, “The Cobbler’s children have no shoes.” It refers to a person who is so concentrated on using their specific skill set to take care of others’ needs that they ignore their own. Carl Richards is a professional financial planner, a guy who people paid to manage their money. He shares how while in the middle of telling people what to do with their cash, he ended up buying way more house than he could afford and ended it up losing it all. It may be a long time before he and his wife can be homeowners again. [More]
New Wave Of Mortgage Defaults On Horizon
By November 9, 2011
Some of the crappiest mortgages ever made were issued in 2006, and right now those 5-year introductory teaser periods are expiring. That’s leading to a 300% increase in monthly payments for already strapped borrowers, and it’s what’s driving the first increase in delinquent mortgages since 2009, a banking expert tells Credit.com. [More]
More Homeowners Sunk Underwater In Third Quarter
By November 9, 2011
Overwhelmed homeowners looking for a life raft splashed around to no avail in the third quarter, but they did receive more company. According to Zillow, the amount of underwater homeowners — those who owed more than their home was worth — rose to 28.6 percent from 26.8 percent in the second quarter. [More]
While Getting House Financed, TWC Dings Score With Unauthorized Credit Report Pull
By November 7, 2011
Shawn is peeved. He’s in the middle of securing financing on a new house and the last thing you need during that time period are any surprise people looking at your credit report. These inquiries can bring your score down. But he got exactly one of those, a “hard” one, thanks to an unauthorized peek-a-boo Time Warner Cable decided to do on his credit report when called them up to ask about reducing his cable package. [More]
Drone Helicopters Used To Sell High End Real Estate
By November 1, 2011
Helicopter drones looking for work outside the military might look well to apply at their local real estate office for a job. Turns out they’re not just good for conducting unmanned aerial strikes against insurgents, drones can also be used to sell mansions, via in-depth tour videos made with cameras mounted to their frames. [More]
