September 29, 2011

House Hunters Drinking Game

House Hunters Drinking Game

If you’re a fan of HGTV’s House Hunters, you may have noticed some common themes across prospective home buyers. (Enough with the crown molding, already!) And you know what common themes mean… drinking games! Play along at home with a bottle of wine (Diet Coke’s cool with us) and cross your fingers that all three ...

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September 29, 2011

6 Ways to Find Your Next Home on Estately

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Here at Estately, we want to help you find the best possible home for your needs in the easiest way possible. Do you know all the different ways you can search for a home on our site? Search for Homes by School District Type the name of a school that’s important to you, and we’ll ...

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September 28, 2011

Smaller Spaces: The Return of the Murphy Bed

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Did you know the Murphy bed — a bed that folds up and away into the wall — was originally designed to help a guy get some nookie? In 1918, William L. Murphy was a man of modest means with the hots for a certain young lady by the name of Gladys. He wanted to ...

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September 27, 2011

Case-Shiller Numbers for July 2011

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The Case-Shiller numbers for July 2011 are due out in the morning. (What Is Case-Shiller?) We expect to see a slight increase in home values as compared to June, but a significant drop when compared with home values in July 2010. Last year’s summer buying season ended earlier than usual as buyers aimed to close ...

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September 26, 2011

What Does “Copy of EM” Mean?

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In a listing, “copy of EM” refers to a copy of an earnest money check. Some agents require that you submit your earnest money check along with an offer. While you should never submit a copy of an earnest money check under false pretenses or of a check that wouldn’t clear the bank, an agent ...

Read More › Decoding Listings
September 25, 2011

What Is Earnest Money?

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When you’re prepared to make an offer on a property, it’s typical (and often required) to include a relatively small deposit known as “earnest money” along with the paperwork. Whether or not you include earnest money — and how much — can make or break whether the seller accepts your offer. Why Earnest Money? The ...

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September 24, 2011

7 Things to Ask Your Potential New Neighbors

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Unless you’re looking for a rural farmhouse, your new home purchase will come with more than just four walls and (hopefully) running water — you’re also getting neighbors, an entire neighborhood, and in some cases, a homeowner’s association to boot. We’re sure you have a million questions to ask about the property itself, but taking ...

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September 23, 2011

6 Benefits of Joining a Homeowners’ Association

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Homeowners’ associations get a bad rap, with stories about homeowners losing their homes over some roses or being locked out of the golf course because of vinyl trim. However, most HOAs are run by perfectly honest people with good intentions, and having one around can improve your experience living in your home and preserve (or ...

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September 22, 2011

6 Unconventional Things to Do When You Tour a House

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Sure, you should peek in the closets and try running the bathroom faucet, but that will only get you so far in matching yourself with your dream home. Read on for some unconventional things to try before you make an offer. Have any more unconventional ideas? Share them in the comments. Drive to Work Configuring ...

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September 21, 2011

Smaller Spaces: How to Get Along with One Bathroom. And Each Other.

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The inaugural post in a series on ways to get the biggest bang out of a smaller house budget. HIS, HERS & THEIRS No one here is going to argue that a bathroom is a necessity in your new home – it is. We only want to stretch your thinking a bit to question for ...

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