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Newest Questions

  • Can an agent enforce payment of non mandatory POA dues?

    My community has a POA. Our covenants have no mandatory dues written or listed anywhere in them. Our POA board interchanges the use of HOA/POA terminology to illicit mandatory dues from property owners selling their homes and land. The POA a few years back hired a property management company who were also real estate agents to manage the financial side of the association. In doing so they were given a set of bylaws stating the association had mandatory dues. These bylaws did not align themselves to our covenants. Anyone not paying those annual dues were told they would have to pay when selling their property at closing. The management company shared this information with all the other realtor groups in the county. Also, informing title companies there was a transfer fee to be paid by seller at time of closing. If the seller refused to pay any " outstanding" fees the sale of property could /would be jeopardized and risked the sale not going through. This situation is illegal, the covenants do not subscribe to mandatory fees of any description in the entirety of the document, and therfore real estate companies have no right to enforce this and should stop demanding this from sellers. How can we stop real-estate agents giving potential buyers false information about mandatory dues and transfer fees, and forcing sellers to pay for fees that are not mandatory?

  • Is an ARM loan risky?

    Is an ARM loan risky? I'm considering taking out an ARM loan at a lower interest rate with the hope of refinancing before the rate increases. Is this a good idea to save money on interest now while the rates are high? Or is it too risky?

  • If I'm sick should I show my house?

    Should I show my house if I'm sick? Or should I cancel the showings until I'm not contagious? Of course, I wouldn't stay in the house for the showings, but I'm wondering if having a showing when germs are in the house is a no-no. Also, I don't want to miss out on a potential buyer by canceling showings for several days.

    • Asked by Esther
    • Pittsburgh, PA
    • 25 views
    • Selling
    • 2 weeks ago
  • Paying my Dads mortgage.?

    My Dad bought a house 2 years ago and I've made all the mortgage payments since. He has never lived in the home. I'm wondering if everything he is doing is legal? Or is this considered mortgage fraud.

    • Asked by William Wiita
    • Mandan, ND
    • 28 views
    • Home Loans
    • 3 weeks ago
  • I want to sell my home but it wasn’t professionally built?

    The home is an owner built home. No professional builder was involved. Everything was done by the owner who was not a licensed or skilled contractor. How does the market value these homes? Would it qualify for financing or cash only? Do I have to sell it As-is and/or disclose it as an owner built home?

    • Asked by Rhen H
    • Anderson, SC
    • 24 views
    • Selling
    • 3 weeks 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
    • 6 views
    • Buying
    • 3 weeks ago
  • I am adding a metal barn to my property ?

    I am adding a metal storage building to my property. why am I required to pay sales tax for it and then pay property tax every year?

    • Asked by Carlton Whidden
    • Fort Mc Coy, FL
    • 37 views
    • Remodeling
    • 4 weeks 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
    • 43 views
    • Buying
    • 1 month ago
  • Reduce capital gains tax on 2nd home, convert into primary?

    Referring to article written by Kelsey Heath, she says: a second home can be converted into primary residence and therefore, would qualify for a primary residence capital gains tax exclusion. To qualify for the exclusion, you must meet both the ownership and use tests. This means you must have owned the home and lived in it as your primary residence for at least two of the five years preceding the sale, but the two years do not need to be consecutive." I currently am in the process of selling my Huntington Beach Ca home. We have owned the home for 5 years now. I am a resident of Utah. In the past 5 years, we have spend between 45-50% of our time at this home here in Huntington Beach, which would mean in the past 5 years we have lived here more than 2 years. Would this not qualify for the reduction of capital gains tax along with the real estate withholding exemption?

  • 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
    • 30 views
    • Buying
    • 1 month 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
    • 20 views
    • Buying
    • 1 month 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
    • 56 views
    • Buying
    • 1 month 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
    • 55 views
    • Buying
    • 1 month 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
    • 33 views
    • Buying
    • 1 month ago
  • what are the fees for the seller?

    money is needed for a new condo my current home is paid for no loans

  • When would I need to sell to avoid paying capital gains?

    I lived in a condo from 2018-2023 but then moved out and have been using the property as a rental. How soon would I need to sell it to avoid paying the capital gains tax in Florida? The property is worth $160,000 currently, the property was put in my name by a relative that paid $90,000 for it.

    • Asked by Danielle
    • Saint Petersburg, FL
    • 57 views
    • Selling
    • 1 month ago
  • How do you get rid of a musty smell in the house?

    We have a 1938 two-story colonial cream city brick home. We bought the house over 35 years ago, but we cannot get rid of this “musty” pungent smell. It has permeated on our clothes and belongings and we take it with us everywhere we go. What can we do? We have tried several things over the years: pulling up carpeting, reinsulating the walls, checking plumbing, using air filters, etc. Nothing seems to work. What else can we do???

    • Asked by Jamie Tomasello
    • Kenosha, FL
    • 74 views
    • Tips & Advice
    • 1 month 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
    • 54 views
    • Buying
    • 1 month 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
    • 80 views
    • Buying
    • 1 month 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
    • 49 views
    • Buying
    • 2 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
    • 88 views
    • Buying
    • 2 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
    • 59 views
    • Buying
    • 2 months ago
  • What Agent works with government programs ?

    I'm a first time home buyer and I will be looking for a zero down and low/no interest government program and help with the closing costs.

  • Can I cancel listing agreement if I don’t want to sell?

    we signed an agreement to sell, our rental property, with the understanding that the market would be such that there would be multiple competing offers and could be for above listing price. it has only been a few weeks, but we haven’t even gotten a offer for full listing price. So we would like to go back to just renting out the property. Can we cancel the listing agreement?

  • 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
    • 58 views
    • Buying
    • 2 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
    • 55 views
    • Buying
    • 2 months ago
  • My home been on the market for 117 days what should I do ?

    I’ve changed the price five times and nothing is happening should I price it back up everything works it’s a cute house not sure of my realtors marketing strategy I figured go down on the price but was told that long on the market and lowering the price people will think something is wrong with it. was thinking to relist it

    • Asked by Rhonda
    • Folsom, CA
    • 59 views
    • Selling
    • 2 months ago
  • How do I know when to refinance?

    I bought a house about a year ago. My interest on the loan is pretty high. How do I know when it's the right time to refinance? I want a lower rate. I'm worried if I jump on the first rate drop that I'll miss out on something better later.

  • How long does it take to sell a house?

    On average, how long does it take to sell a house? From start to finish, how much time will I have between putting the house up for sale and the last day?

    • Asked by Sydney
    • Louisville, KY
    • 124 views
    • Selling
    • 2 months ago
  • What do I do to get a quick sale of my parents home ?

    There is no will . Just myself and sister. I been paying the mortgage for 4 years now. I just want the deed in our name. Chase mortgage will transfer the mortgage over to our names if we can transfer the deed over.

  • 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
    • 119 views
    • Buying
    • 3 months ago
  • Can the new owners kick me out?

    The homeowner he sold the house without telling the new owners that I've got a 12 months lease and I've still got 10 months left on the contract. Can the new owner kick me out?

    • Asked by Danny Greco
    • Perth Australia, FL
    • 110 views
    • Renting
    • 3 months ago
  • How does the election impact the housing market?

    I'm thinking of selling, but I'm wondering if the election will impact my sale. I'm not desperate to sell, so I could wait until after the election and sell next spring if that's a better time. Can you give me your opinion on how the election impacts the housing market?

    • Asked by Francis
    • Baltimore, MD
    • 99 views
    • Selling
    • 3 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
    • 71 views
    • Buying
    • 3 months ago
  • Looking for an agent who sells land in Pine Bluff

    I reside in another state (Florida) and would like to sell my vacant lot located in Pine Bluff, Arkansas.

    • Asked by Joann Neurath
    • Pine Bluff, AR
    • 90 views
    • Selling
    • 3 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
    • 72 views
    • Buying
    • 3 months ago
  • Can I sell part of my property?

    I have almost 5 acres and want to sell part of the land.

    • Asked by Randall Hurley,in Care Of Linda Howell
    • Pelion, SC
    • 97 views
    • Selling
    • 3 months ago
  • Selling my home with someone else on the deed

    I want to sell my home in Pittsburg but my nephew is on the Deed and will not work with me. Can I still sell it? I need some advice as to how we can get this property sold as he has been collecting the rents solely himself for approximately 5 years. I no longer want to be responsible and my name is First on the Deed. The home was my mother's home. He is only a grandson.

    • Asked by Anthony And Jayleyne
    • Pittsburgh, PA
    • 88 views
    • Selling
    • 3 months ago
  • Mas de 8 cuartos en una casa que es de 3 normalmente?

    En una casa hay 8 cuartos y vienen más de 10 personas estos cuartos son pequeños que solo alcanza una cama personal y un armario amable super pequeño la casa no esta acondicionado de la mejor manera no funciona el aire acondicionado el césped no lo cortan adecuadamente es legal que construyan cuartos así de pequeños para rentables?

    • Asked by Lohana
    • Hollywood florida, FL
    • 86 views
    • Renting
    • 3 months ago
  • Executed Contract + addendum not signed

    Already closed but sellers didn’t sign contract. Only has a date on the signature line. Addendum and amendments that were part of the contract wasn’t given to the lender or signed by the sellers. We signed them but I don’t know what happened after I sent them to the Realtor. No one caught this error and now I have to sue the sellers for fraud and non disclosure. Agent said it was an executed contract, nothing to worry about? Is she correct?

  • I have bad credit and im trying to get a home?

    I served in the military and got out with bad credit and I’m just trying to get a forever home with my kids and wife

  • 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
    • 82 views
    • Buying
    • 4 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
    • 106 views
    • Buying
    • 4 months ago
  • How do I choose a college rental investment?

    What are some parameters for choosing an investment property at a college? We're just starting our search and aren't totally sure on how to choose a college that would have good rental terms.

    • Asked by Maggie
    • Bloomington, IN
    • 127 views
    • Investing
    • 4 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
    • 120 views
    • Buying
    • 4 months ago
  • I want to sell quickly because I inherited a condo.?

    I am painting the whole inside With a professional painter. I need a new stove, and I have furniture to stage. What incentives can I offer to make a quick sale

    • Asked by Sally Catalana
    • San Rafael, CA
    • 188 views
    • Tips & Advice
    • 4 months ago
  • Who should I hire to find warehouses for lease?

    I'm looking for an industrial or flex space for lease. When researching on my own, the visible spaces are either too large or insufficient information to decide. Furthermore, agents tend to focus on selling and buying industrial or flex spaces.

    • Asked by Elaine Hausner
    • Perth Amboy, NJ
    • 148 views
    • Renting
    • 4 months ago
  • Real estate contract addendums ?

    I am a beneficiary of a 2016 addendum for a commercial building adjacent to a income property the addendum was to separate mine from the sale. The owner and buyer both named I was an intentional beneficiary it covers necessary work and upgrades to the apartment and detailed use of property i now have none although I pay for out -of - pocket while the other tenants have social services and other perks. My landlord has done nothing to rectify the discrepancy nor has she offer or intend to fulfill the obligation she made to me and accepted bythe buyer

  • What kind of loan do we need for redemption ?

    What kind of loan do we need for redemption ? Home loan for redemption of buying house back I’m within my 90 day window to be able for redemption and I’m in California

    • Asked by Genowa Walker
    • Los Angeles, CA
    • 104 views
    • Home Loans
    • 4 months ago
  • Are there still deals out there for first home buyers?

    My daughter is tired of renting and would like to be a home buyer but she can only afford about 1300 to 1500 house payments do they even exist