My Love-Hate Relationship with AI
I’m a late adopter. Always have been. I was still using a flip phone a year after all my colleagues had switched to iPhones. My skepticism of AI was therefore…
Do buyers now have to pay their real estate agent’s commission?
In August 2024 the National Association of Realtors (NAR) settled the class-action Sitzer-Burnett case brought against it by agreeing to a number of changes that affect Realtors in all 50…
Are you making these 6 legal mistakes as a landlord?
Being a landlord has its benefits: your investment property will most probably appreciate in value over time, and you may be getting a positive cash flow from the monthly rent.…
Who makes up those development names anyway?
I live in Highgate Manor. My family moved here 30 years ago, and we hardly gave a thought to our development’s name. Who cared. It’s not part of our mailing…
What’s happening to the rental market?
Welp, we had one whole year to recover before 2021 came back with a vengeance. Buyers are experiencing a severe case of déjà vu, while sellers are breathing a big…
What are closing costs and how much are they?
Buying a home is an expensive proposition. In the Greater Princeton area one can get a condo for $200,000 or a huge colonial for $1,000,000 or something higher or in-between.…
Is Putin a warning lesson for real estate agents?
Egotism. Lies. Corruption. Fear. Four words that succinctly describe how a once-mighty leader of a world power really screwed the pooch. It’s no secret that the gestalt of Russia’s leadership…
“Do you accept Section 8?”
As a real estate agent I represent buyers and sellers as well as tenants and landlords. Frequently a prospective tenant will contact me about an available rental they saw on…
Did you really think 2021 was gone?
Is your head still spinning from 2021? Are you unsure if you’re in a COVID fog, or in denial over what last year’s real estate market did to your very…
Why is my 5% down payment not enough?
The Dream You’re ready to buy a house. You worked hard to improve your credit score, saved money for a down payment and closing costs, found a property that’s perfect…
Is your home worth more than a banana?
Spoiler alert: It probably is. But only if you live in something considerably larger than a one-bedroom condo. By now anyone trying desperately to buy a house in 2021, listing…
“Why does your site look like something out of Myst? “
Hey, that’s a bit harsh! Maybe not so much. OK, I can see your point. Myst, my spirit animal First things first: what the heck is Myst? For you youngsters…
Can you afford NOT to buy a home?
You’ve done well saving money and you now have a substantial amount to invest in—something. You can purchase certificates of deposit or dip your toe in the stock market, but…
Pets stinking up your home? Here’s the solution.
Guest post by Greg Wiszniewski from Busy Bee Cleaning Services Have you seen those “nose-blind” commercials? I have too, and I think it’s true: some pet owners really just live…
Can I really evaluate a home’s HVAC in thirty seconds?
That’s what I tell my buyer clients as well as sellers who are preparing to put their homes on the market. “Impossible!” you say. “You’re not even a home inspector!”…
Is the house you’re selling a Shiny Penny?
This has been a strange year for real estate. The selling season began early and with full force, with homes being offered and sold at a healthy clip. But then…
Is there a best time to buy or sell a home?
Whether you’re a buyer or seller, sometimes you don’t have the luxury of deciding when you need to move. A job relocation or school change may dictate when you must…
Looking for new construction for under $600,000? Are you serious?
I get this over and over. And over. Buyers want a recently built, large, immaculate, pimped-out house with a finished basement in South Brunswick or Plainsboro or West Windsor, all…
Interested in three home products that really work?
We all get swept up in advertising, buying things because they promise to be the best or at least better than everything else out there. Most of the time our…
What homework should I do before contacting a Realtor?
Guest post by Natalie Jones from Homeownerbliss.info Buying or selling a home is a daunting prospect, even if it isn’t your first venture into the real estate market. There’s long…