The Contractor who Nearly Blew up our House (Plus: How to Hire Contractors)

Thinking about adding some weather-stripping to your house this winter? Need roof patching or a furnace tune up? Do not try to save money by hiring a non-licensed contractor or someone who is not qualified for the job. Even licensed contractors … [Read more...]

Your First Home: What Can You Get for $200k?

As if I don’t get enough real estate as a full-time broker, I spend what little time I take off from work watching the HDTV show “House Hunters.” Why watch something I see day in and out? For the same reason anyone does — to compare. I sit … [Read more...]

How Lease Options Work When You ‘Rent To Own’ A House

We spend a lot of time debating when you know it's a good time for you to buy a home and, sometimes, offering gentle reminders that it can be smart to rent. But there's another option: One that melds the pros and cons of both home ownership and … [Read more...]

A Home Buying Checklist: Organize Your Wants and Needs

If you came to me as a prospective home buyer and asked to go out shopping for houses, there are two things I would ask you: What do you want in a house and What do you need in a house? To many people, this subtlety is lost. If buyers tell … [Read more...]

How to Sublet Your Apartment Safely (And More)

If you’re a college student, recent grad, or anyone living in a big city, you’re no stranger to sublets: Apartments that one tenant subleases to somebody else, often for a short period of time (such as a summer break). Although the concept of … [Read more...]

The Consequences of Walking Away From a Mortgage

I hope this post doesn’t apply to you. That is, I hope you’re not in---or at risk of---foreclosure. We all know there are still a lot of foreclosures out there. As a Realtor, it’s especially obvious. Every time I drive to one of my short … [Read more...]

Should You Invest In Real Estate?

Editor's Note: Yesterday Sarah gave us some ways to help you figure out if you're ready to buy a home. But what if you're pondering buying real estate not as a home, but an investment? Real estate investing involves more risk and legwork than … [Read more...]

Is It Your Time To Buy A House? Four Questions To Ask Yourself

Editor’s Note:  Many of you write in asking if you’re ready to buy a home. Others have asked if rental real estate makes a good investment, which we will get into in two upcoming posts. If you’re a happy renter, know that we're not unduly … [Read more...]

Roommates: How To Find and Screen Somebody to Share Your Home

Unless you're moving in with your best friends, I don't think many people love the idea of living with roommates. In fact as I write this, just thinking of my some of my former college roommates makes me cringe. They would forget to turn the stove … [Read more...]

Find and Rent The Best Apartments In Your City: How To Optimize Your Apartment Hunt

You might not expect to hear this from a Realtor---after all, I help people buy and sell homes for a living---but buying a home isn't right for everybody all the time. Many times, in fact, it's best to rent. If you don't want to settle down, if … [Read more...]