Ilyce's Blog

If you have clients that are expecting to recoup most of the money they poured into home improvement projects – they might want to think again. In fact, some projects can actually reduce the value of a home. So what are five home improvements a seller should avoid? #1 Swimming pools It’s hard to...

While the number of reported cases of mortgage fraud is decreasing, it’s still a problem that continues to plague consumers and real estate professionals alike. A new survey from LexisNexis showed that mortgage fraud has dropped 25% from 2011, with roughly 69,000 cases reported in 2012. New lendi...

  Luxury homebuyers are ditching mega-mansions for smaller homes with cutting-edge technologies and creature comforts. I read a new survey in national real estate chain Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate, and nearly 90 percent of high-end homebuyers wouldn't even consider living in a home that...

Short sales have generally been endorsed as a good deal in place of foreclosure. However, some buyers are now avoiding short sales like the plague. In a recent post on CBS MoneyWatch, I talk about how agents and brokers are listing homes as "not a short sale" to attract more buyers. A new study h...

Whether you're buying or selling a home, it's important to keep track of the transaction to avoid getting into trouble later on. During a conversation with your mortgage lender, make sure you keep a file of documents you gave and received from the lender, especially the good faith estimate. But ...

Many of today's sellers are picking up the cost of a home warranty to help sell their home. A home warranty can repair or replace any appliance or electrical system that was working on the day of closing through the first year that a new buyer owns the home. Some seller's are using old warrantie...

If you have recently gone into foreclosure or completed a short-sale, you could owe a big chunk of change to the IRS in your forgiven debt. However, you can avoid paying these taxes right now while doing a Home Affordable Modification Program (HAMP). As part of HAMP, your principal balance will ...

Whether you're investing in a house, condo or apartment, it's important your property gets inspected. There are a number of elements that need to be covered during a home inspection, including: 1) The property's structure to ensure it has a solid frame 2) Exterior features, like sidewalks, windo...

If you're trying to gather money for a down payment on a house, it's important to stay away from your 401(k) as much as possible. If you must borrow from your retirement funds, take out only a small percentage and pay it back within a few years. In the meantime, keep putting money in your 401(k)...

It's important to be prepared for problems to arise when your dream home is being inspected. Even if a home inspector does find something wrong with the property, you do have options to help solve the problem. You can either withdraw from the contract completely or renegotiate the purchase price...