By Alan Donald, BuyHomesInCharleston.com You found a home, negotiated a favorable contract ("ratified" = signed & delivered). You are supposed to close in 30 days. What now? This period from contract to closing (also known as "escrow period" in some states) is critical for the buyers to do their
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08/22/2009
The A-Z of Buying a Home (Part 2) by Alan Donald, BuyHomesInCharleston.com OK - so you've hired a REALTOR, discussed your needs and buying criteria and got preapproved by a lender. Now it's time to go see homes! Although it is a relatively small city, the Charleston Metro Area is very large, with
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08/21/2009
This guide for first-time home buyers is intended to provide general information to help buyers be aware of the buying process, and to dispel any myths about buying a home. Please discuss your particular situation with the appropriate professionals before making any decisions. So, You want to Buy
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08/02/2009
On May 1st, Wells Fargo, one of the nation's largest mortgage lenders, decided to tighten its underwriting standards for 200 markets they considered as distressed or soft, requiring higher down payments and making state-income loans off limits in most of these markets. I believe this will cause o
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07/08/2009
As a first time home buyer, you need to maintain a balance between money and lifestyle in a way that makes sense for you and your family. Buying a home comes with great benefits, but also with added responsibilities, one of the reasons many would-be first home buyers are very apprehensive and fea
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06/14/2009
A REVERSE MORTGAGE (RM) is a type of home equity loan that allows you to borrow against your home while still keeping title to it. It may be an ideal tool if you are a "house-rich, cash-poor" retired person. Similarly to a "normal" (or forward) mortgage, your home is used as the collateral for th
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02/05/2009
ARE YOU BEHIND IN YOUR MORTGAGE PAYMENTS?DO YOU NEED TO SELL YOUR HOME?DO YOU OWE THE BANK MORE THAN YOU CAN GET FOR YOUR HOME? What are your OPTIONS? Many people are not aware that they have a few options to explore when they are facing these situations. Some people just give up and abandon th
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12/18/2008
I don't know if I'm alone, but about a year ago I decided to adopt Top Producer as my CRM solution. It is indeed a very comprehensive solution, with MANY great features (too many??). Although I am not technologically challenged, it took me about six months to learn it (it's not that intuitive!).
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12/03/2008
To Lock or To Float...? It is very important for home buyers or for those who want to re-finance to be aware that in these volatile financial markets we are living in, interest rates on mortgages can fluctuate substantially in a matter of hours! I have heard many stories from mortgage lenders abo
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11/27/2008
Today I was reading an NAR update on Commercial Real Estate (CRE) - it seems that CRE is following the path that Residential Real Estate took two years ago! Donald Trump just asked for more time to pay his $770 million in construction loans on his Chicago Tower. Many commercial builders may not b
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11/22/2008
