Take a quick look at your email spam folder. If it’s anything like ours, you probably have at least a half-dozen emails telling you that you’ve won an exciting prize, or maybe even a couple from banks saying there is a problem with one of your accounts. It’s an easy way to show that there is fraud everywhere, in every part of our life. But, there are some steps you can take to make life more difficult for would-be scammers, even those who target the real estate industry. Identify theft is a common form of fraud, and the results can be devastating. Therefore, it’s important to control and limit ..read more

Imagine this scenario: You’re selling your house and purchasing another. You’re told you need to be out of your home by a specified closing date. Unfortunately, your new destination experiences a construction delay and isn’t going to be ready by the closing date. Perhaps you have children, pets and a house full of furniture as well, which can complicate the situation even further. One solution is called “post-closing occupancy,” which allows you some additional time in the home you are selling and provides some greatly needed flexibility for all parties. That extra week or two can save you fro ..read more

There are many things to consider when selling a home, but here’s a term that you may have never heard of: absorption rate. And, it’s important to know the absorption rate for your property before you list it for sale! Allow us to explain … The National Association of Realtors (NAR) has determined that a market in balance between buyers and sellers has a six-month supply of houses. This means that if no one else listed a house for sale, there would be enough homes on the market to meet demand for six months. The formula is this: Total sales in the last six months divided by six = the monthly ..read more

Whether you’re moving down the street or to a new city or state, the physical act of moving can be stressful and, at times, overwhelming. So before you embark on the big move, do a little homework to ensure it’s as seamless as possible. When looking for movers, choose carefully, and remember that the best deal might not be the cheapest. Relocation.com often cautions against signing with the least expensive movers as unexpected costs tend to pop up on move-in day. Keep a close eye on moving expenses by creating a budget. Budget for gas money and even pit stops that might be needed along the way ..read more

Have you sat down and had “the talk” yet with your parents? No, not the talk about the birds and the bees. This conversation — with an aging parent or parents — focuses on their changing needs and the possibility of moving on from the family home. At one point in time, the family home was perfect for raising a house full of children, but now those children have moved on and are raising families of their own. Perhaps mom or dad has passed, and the remaining parent is now living alone in a house that’s much larger than their current needs. As we age, maintaining the old homestead can also become ..read more

A VA (Veterans Administration) mortgage allows active service members, veterans and surviving spouses to receive backing for home financing that takes the form of guarantees by the Veterans Administration. Benefits can include a more favorable mortgage term, zero downpayment and more! Olear Makes It Clear Video Series… Watch All Videos In Series The post Olear Makes It Clear – Episode 23 – VA Mortgage appeared first on The Olear Team ..read more

Rights of Survivorship: This is used when two or more people purchase a property together in their individual names, creating a legal relationship also known as “tenancy in common.” When one owner dies, the property automatically transfers to the other individuals on the title of the property. Olear Makes It Clear Video Series… Watch All Videos In Series The post Olear Makes It Clear – Episode 21 – Rights of Survivorship appeared first on The Olear Team ..read more

The rate local allows the mortgage borrower to secure a guaranteed interest rate for a set period of time so they know what the actual rate will be when they complete the purchase of a property. When you lock a rate, you’re not subject to any increases in borrowing costs. The rate lock is typically good for a 60-day period. Olear Makes It Clear Video Series… Watch All Videos In Series The post Olear Makes It Clear – Episode 20 – Rate Lock appeared first on The Olear Team ..read more

The post Take a good look — inside and out — before buying appeared first on The Olear Team ..read more

Quitclaim Deed: A quitclaim deed is a legal instrument used to remove someone from ownership of a specific property while leaving other existing owners in place. This action is frequently taken when one owner buys out another, which could be part of a divorce or to settle an estate, and is handled by attorneys for both parties. Olear Makes It Clear Video Series… Watch All Videos In Series The post Olear Makes It Clear – Episode 19 – Quitclaim Deed appeared first on The Olear Team ..read more