Home maintenance ranks low on many homeowners' priority lists. When the washing machine breaks, you might fix it to keep from having to go to the Laundromat. But, if there's no pressing need, home maintenance chores are often put off.

In the current soft real estate market, homeowners may be less inclined to pay money to make...

It's not uncommon for home buyers to talk with several mortgage brokers or lenders to compare loan products and interest rates. One buyer who shopped around was scolded by a mortgage broker when he found out she was talking to more than one broker. He told her that she was ruining her credit score by allowing multiple credit inquiries.

Too many credit...

Forty years ago, seller disclosures weren't part of the home-buying process. The rule of the game was buyer beware.

Now most states have seller disclosure requirements, although they vary from one state to the next. Consult with a Realtor, the Department of Real Estate, or a real estate attorney in the area where you're buying or selling if you...

A homeowner in Oakland, Calif., recently decided to put his older home on the market. At the recommendation of his real estate agents, he ordered presale inspection reports on the property. The home inspector noticed sloping in the floors and out-of-plumb door frames -- signs of settlement, which is not unusual for the area.

The...

In a perfect world, houses wouldn't deteriorate over time. In reality, the wear begins as soon as a house is built. Older houses tend to have more maintenance issues. But, even new homes can develop problems within a few years if they were poorly constructed.

Most homes are inspected for damage caused by wood pests -- such as dry rot,...

Last year, before the subprime crisis hit, a home buyer was on the verge of purchasing his first home. His mortgage broker told him that qualifying for a mortgage would not be a problem.

After reviewing the numbers of an attractive teaser-rate adjustable, the buyer had second thoughts. He called a knowledgeable...

Buyers aren't the only ones holding back in today's housing market. Many sellers are postponing putting their homes on the market because they are convinced that now is not a good time to sell. They would prefer to wait for a better market.

Waiting could be risky if you need to make a move within the next year or so. Most areas of...

Anecdotal evidence suggests that in some markets investors are buying foreclosure properties at bargain prices. These properties are located in areas that appear to have good growth potential, and they generate enough rental income to at least offset the holding and maintenance costs. The deal needs to make sense financially...

Borrowers assumed when the conforming loan limit increased from $417,000 to $729,750 in high-priced areas like New York City, Los Angeles and the San Francisco Bay Area that lower rates on jumbo financing would follow. Unfortunately, the conforming jumbos (also called jumbo lights) were initially priced considerably higher than the...

Getting an accurate sense of the current market value of your home is more of an art than a science. If you live in a housing development where all the homes are similar to one another, it's easier to establish value than it is if you live in an area with extreme variability in home size, style, quality, amenities and condition.

To...