Condo Living: All the Pros and Cons
Condo living offers a low-maintenance lifestyle that is oftentimes more affordable than owning a single-family residence. This article details some of the pros, cons, and tossups of condo living and compares it to other options like living in a ...
Read More
Posted by Tony Mariotti on January 18, 2021 in Buying a Home
Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) Guide
An accessory dwelling unit (ADU) is a secondary residence that occupies the same property as a primary single-family residence. ADUs can be freestanding or attached to the main residence and cannot be sold separately.
Depending on where you live in ...
Read More
Posted by Tony Mariotti on January 20, 2020 in Buying a Home
How Long Does it Take to Buy a House?
Knowing how long it takes to buy a house can help set your expectations and minimize stress before you start your next real estate journey. One thing is sure: homebuying is not an activity that real estate professionals will tell you is geared for ...
Read More
Posted by Tony Mariotti on May 16, 2019 in Buying a Home
Closing Costs in California Explained
Who Pays Closing Costs in California?
Closing costs are a combination of service fees and taxes collected at the final stage of a real estate transaction.
When you buy a home in California, several businesses and local government entities get ...
Read More
Posted by Tony Mariotti on March 16, 2019 in Buying a Home
What Does a Realtor Do?
Most Realtors complete real estate transactions behind the scenes, only involving their clients when necessary. Realtors do this intentionally, as they understand that their clients hired them so that they need not be concerned with the day-to-day ...
Read More
Posted by Tony Mariotti on February 6, 2019 in Buying a Home
'Active Under Contract' Property Status: Everything You Need to Know
“Active Under Contract” is a real estate term that indicates the status of real property (single family home, condo, townhome, etc.) that has been put up for sale wherein a seller has accepted an offer from a buyer, but the deal has not ...
Read More
Posted by Tony Mariotti on March 21, 2018 in Buying a Home
Making an Offer on a House [Step-by-Step]
If you’re a home shopper who’s made your way to this article, there’s a good chance you’ve already been pre-approved for a loan, searched houses online, viewed a few in-person, and narrowed down your choice to the home you ...
Read More
Posted by Tony Mariotti on August 5, 2017 in Buying a Home
How do Realtors Get Paid? What Every Buyer and Seller Should Know
Realtors get paid on a commission basis, usually 5 to 6 percent of a home’s sales price, which is split between the listing broker and buyer's agent. Fees typically come out of the sellers’ proceeds while buyers generally pay nothing to ...
Read More
Posted by Tony Mariotti on August 2, 2017 in Buying a Home
15 Common Real Estate Questions
Real Estate FAQs
As you might imagine, real estate agents field quite a few questions every day. People are naturally curious, and it’s an agent’s job to guide folks through the often-complex world of home buying and selling. You might ...
Read More
Posted by Tony Mariotti on July 19, 2017 in Buying a Home
Definitions for Common Real Estate Terms | Real Estate Glossary
Active Under Contract The status of real property (single family home, condo, townhome, etc.) that has been put up for sale wherein a seller has accepted an offer from a buyer, but the deal has not yet closed.
Adjustable-Rate Mortgage ...
Read More
Posted by Tony Mariotti on June 25, 2017 in Buying a Home
What Should Home Inspections Include? [Checklist]
What is a Home Inspection?
A home inspection is an examination of a home for any structural or mechanical defects. They are carried out by professionally-certified inspectors, typically after an offer is made on a house that has been put up for ...
Read More
Posted by Tony Mariotti on June 1, 2017 in Buying a Home
16 Reasons Appraisals Come In Low
There’s no bigger emotional turning point in the home buying process than the moment a buyer makes an offer on a home. The transition from merely shopping to formally putting some skin in the game introduces higher levels of anticipation for ...
Read More
Posted by Tony Mariotti on April 26, 2017 in Buying a Home
Is Zillow Accurate? Not Very. Here's Why.
It's fun to kill time and look up your home's value on Zillow. Surely it is a guilty pleasure to dream about your upward spiraling net worth. It's also fun to play the home price prediction game, especially in the fast-moving West Coast real ...
Read More
Posted by Tony Mariotti on March 11, 2016 in Buying a Home