13 Extra Costs to be Aware of Before Buying a Home
Whether you're looking to buy your first home, or trading up to a larger one, there are many costs - on top of the purchase price - that you must figure into your calculation of affordability. These extra fees, such as taxes and other additional costs, could surprise you with an unwanted financial ... more...

Mortgage Info You Can Actually Understand!
This is a great time to Refinance Your Home or Buy a New Home -- the Mortgage Rates are so low, these days! It's always worth a shot to find out what the costs of switching over to a new mortgage would be, to see if that's the right move for you.Whether you are building your own house, buying a new ... more...

Real Estate Tip: Escrow Accounts -- Do You Really Need Them?
If you have a mortgage on your property, whether it's for your personal residence or a real estate investment, chances are you have an escrow account. But if you are working on building wealth through real estate, you may want to take a hard look at your escrow account (or accounts, if you own more ... more...

Home Mortgage Refinancing Whats in Your Contract?
Are you one of the millions of Americans who will be refinancing their home mortgage loan this year? When you sign your contract and the other papers for your refinance, will you know what your signing?Your Contract: This one is simple, but I would guess very few people do it. READ THE ENTIRE ... more...

How to Prequalify a Buyer When You Sell Your Home "By Owner"
One questions many "for sale by owner" sellers ask is "how can I determine if a potential buyer can afford to buy my house?" In the real estate industry this is referred to as "pre-qualifying" a buyer. You might think this is a complex process but in reality it is actually quite simple and only ... more...

Mortgage Loan Closing Costs for Refinance Loans and Home Purchase
If you are going to obtain a mortgage loan, for whatever purpose (home purchase or refinance) you are going to pay closing costs...period. Let me clarify regarding a purchase of a home...the seller may pay some or even all the closing costs in a transaction, but it essentially works out to just ... more...

Student Home Purchase Plan
Tuition costs are climbing, housing costs are climbing, it seems like all the costs for students are climbing these days. Students can afford cost increases less than any other demographic in Canada. Because of this, parents and students alike are looking for new ways to offset the costs of ... more...

Real Estate for Beginners: Residential Property Taxes
Whenever you own a piece of land, you will be taxed for it. Whether it is commercial property or residential property, there is still a tax to pay, whether it is for a village, town, city, county, or state. Most residential private property taxes are handled on the local level, going no higher than ... more...

Estate Planning Overview, Part I
Why Plan Your Estate?The knowledge that we will eventually die is one of the things that seem to distinguish humans from other living beings. At the same time, no one likes to dwell on the prospect of his or her own death. But if you postpone planning for your passing until it is too late, you run ... more...