John Mulkey, Housing Guru

A recent visitor to TheHousingGuru.com asked the following question: “I’m thinking about buying a foreclosure and the bank won’t make repairs, should I get an inspection anyway?"   Yes, you should absolutely get the home inspected, and here’s why.  While the bank may not be willing to make repair...

An article on MarketWatch describes how the “shadow inventory” remains a substantial risk to the housing market.  The article reports that S&P analysts have observed that it is taking longer for the housing market to absorb foreclosed homes than first anticipated, and that the number of foreclosu...

I wish the economy were better, and I wish I could restore my home’s value.  If only wishing could make it so, if only wishing could restore our economy.  If just by thinking a few happy thoughts and ignoring the realities of the most serious recession in decades, we could bring the housing marke...

Jeff Belonger has provided a very detailed explanation of how credit scores affect consumer borrowing and how the scores can be improved.  Those considering the purchase of a home or who are interested in refinancing should read this post.    Trying to understand Credit Scores can seem to be comp...

Recent news from the housing market has been less than optimistic, and nervous sellers as well as potential buyers both want to know what to expect from home prices in 2011.  And the news for the first group isn’t good.  Home prices in most areas will likely continue to fall throughout most of th...

White Christmas in Georgia   While the northeast continues to recover from a blizzard of major proportions, metro Atlanta is still seeing the effects of the first white Christmas in more than 100 years. With accumulations in the Georgia mountains of six to eight inches, the snowfall was welcome b...

Year over Year Increase in Existing Home Inventory A couple of informative graphs on Calculated Risk help to provide a picture of why many experts are still bearish about the housing market. With existing inventory 5.4% above and sales below those of 2009, the graphs help us gain a better underst...

Jay Markanich has provided a great example of why homebuyers need the services of a qualified home inspector.  It's all too easy for the untrained eye to overlook problems that may later surface as expensive repairs.  Homebuyers should recruit an experienced real estate agent to guide them to the...

While thousands of homeowners in Florida, Louisiana and other states struggle with health issues and damages done to their homes, the government ignores the problems created by Chinese drywall.  An article on Pro Publica describes how homeowners have been left without recourse while bureaucrats p...

How Home Inspectors Can Save Homebuyers Both Money and Heartache   While many homebuyers use the services of a home inspector to point out defects or potential hazards of homes they’re considering purchasing, most file the inspection report with the closing documents when the transaction is compl...