There is more to a home purchase offer than the price. Ideally, the offer, including any counteroffers, should encompass all the terms and conditions that will apply to the purchase transaction.

In some states, attorneys draft purchase offers. In other states, like California, most residential purchase offers are filled out...

Selling a home while you're living in it can be trying during any market. Today's sellers are generally looking at a longer marketing time than was the case a few years ago. Appropriate pricing for this changing market can shorten the misery. So can taking a few precautions.

The houses that look the best are the ones that get serious ...

We're in the midst of a challenging home-sale market in many areas. However, soft markets can provide opportunities for some home sellers. The trick is to price your home right for today's market.

The most difficult reality for most sellers to face is that prices in their neighborhood may have dropped during the last year or two. Some ...

Some people -- including financial wizard Warren Buffett -- think the United States is already in a recession.

Technically, economists define a recession as two or more consecutive quarters of negative growth as measured by the gross domestic product (GDP). Commonly, however, recession is a term used to describe a period of general economic...

Negotiation is back in style, and is likely to remain a necessary part of buying or selling a home in today's beleaguered residential housing market. Other key elements to a satisfactory closing are flexibility, perseverance, creativity and diligence.

Needless to say, you need to work with the best real estate professionals you can find in your area. In...

Several years ago, if your home no longer suited your needs, you bought another one that worked better. Generally, listings sold quickly, so many homeowners bought first and then sold the old home. Today's challenging residential real estate market makes this process more risky. For some homeowners, it's impossible due to tight credit...

Inspections are an important part of home buying, but the inspection process can be nerve-racking for both buyers and sellers. Both parties want the deal to go through without a hitch. However, sometimes problems surface that the buyers weren't aware of when they entered into contract.

All houses have defects, even new ones. So it...

The first rule of inspecting a home you want to buy is to stay intimately involved in the process, and to leave no stone unturned. If you're busy or traveling during the time period, you have to complete your due diligence investigations by enlisting the aid of a friend you trust to stand in on your ...

Homeowners preparing to sell their home usually call a real estate agent, or sometimes several, to make a presentation. Sellers should consider an agent's professional qualifications, recommendations and marketing plan. But, what sellers are most interested in knowing is: What's it...

An Oakland, Calif., couple had wanted to change their lifestyle for years. Like many people who want to make a move from the home they own to another they hope to own, this couple put the cart before the horse. They started by researching what it would cost to buy the next home before investigating how...