Michael Sinton's Real Estate Blog

Markets go up, markets go down. Sometimes we see it coming, sometimes we don't. It all depends on what both consumers and businesses are buying, and when. How can we tell if and when real estate will recover? We need to ignore short-term fluctuations, like the spike in home sales last November, w...

Sure, it's a legitimate question: Can you sell your home without the representation of a professional real estate agent? The legitimate answer is, Of course you can - but that begs the next question of whether it makes sense to do so. One assumes that sellers want to obtain the highest price poss...

You know that it takes planning and preparation to sell your home, and the same applies to making a purchase. But whether buying or selling, you'll also have to put a lot of thought into Moving Day. After you've gotten three in-home estimates from professional moving companies and made your choic...

Lenders are an increasingly difficult crowd to please, so if you're looking for the best deal on a mortgage, you need a couple of strategies to improve your credit score. Lenders use that number to determine your risk of default, and it may be the single most important factor in your application....

The painful truth: Sellers who do not price their property competitively are the most likely targets of lowball offers. In soft markets, buyers are more prone to make low offers on listings seen to be priced too high. Listings that don't sell usually require price reductions, which in turn often ...

When you buy a home, or just make an offer, you will encounter the term "escrow account." Like making a friendly bet and asking a third party to hold the wager money, the "escrow agent" is the neutral party that holds funds in the interest of the mortgage lender and the borrower. When the terms o...

If you’ve followed advice given here about sprucing up your home's exterior, well done! Now let’s focus attention on the next thing potential buyers will see - the front door and the interior. Now is the time for spring-cleaning and to show off your home's best features. Repaint that front door a...

There are two apparently attractive options for buyers scoping out a deal. One type is the "short sale," where sellers have made an agreement with their lender to sell the home for less than they still owe on the mortgage. The second type is the REO (bank-owned) home, which has fallen back into t...

Have you done your "spring cleaning" yet? If you're selling your home, it's essential to take care of the details, both inside and out. Since buyers first see your property from the street, there are some steps you can take to pique their interest in seeing more. Obviously, color makes an impact....

First time buyers… excited to find a good deal, afraid of overextending themselves, confused by all the conflicting reports about real estate. Well, that might describe any or all buyers right now, but those making their very first purchase may feel elevated levels of all these emotions. It helps...