There are a lot of things to consider when buying a home. Most important, it has to be affordable and in a suitable location .A REALTOR® will help you find the right home for you and your family.

While some people can find the homes they want to purchase on their own, a REALTOR® plays a major part in the buying process. The REALTOR® provides the buyer with information you require on the property or direct you to where the information can be obtained. This is especially important because a REALTOR® can find out about  any encumbrances that go with the property . All information pertaining to the property now or in the near future can be obtained through the REALTOR®.

Once you have found a home you would like to purchase, your REALTOR® will do everything from presenting your offer to owners and their agents, negotiating counter offers, to drawing up a legally binding offer to purchase. After your offer has been accepted, the REALTOR® will guide you through the escrow process.

Your REALTOR® will be with you every step of your home buying journey until you have the keys to your new house.

We have heard the term “squatters” and you may think that it is easy to get rid of squatters but here is a little fact that you may not know. A squatter may actually be able to keep the land or property he/she has occupied. This is known as adverse possession and what this term means is, it is a method, prescribed by statute, by which someone other than the title holder gains title to land. Adverse possession is a title acquired by a person who has taken possession of a land without permission and has remained in possession of this land for a specified number of years. After the statutory period has passed, the original owner cannot evict or get back their property. There are a few requirements for obtaining the title besides having it in possession for the specified time period.

Open: Possession of the property is so visible and apparent that it gives notice to the legal owner that someone may assert claim. If the owner is unaware of a possession for example, someone living in a cave under the owner’s land then adverse possession requirements are not met.

Exclusive:  Property must have been used only by the claimant, this means the possessor restricts the use of the property by others

Continuous and Uninterrupted: The person’s possession of the property must be continuous. If the occupant were to abandon the property for any amount of time, the true owner would be granted possession.

Eminent domain is defined as the power of the federal or state government to take private property for a public purpose, even if the property owner objects. The owner must be “justly compensated”, which really means that the owner must be paid the fair market value of the property. The Fifth Amendment to the United States Constitution allows the government to take private property if the taking is for a public use. This includes rights over land, such as an easement. An easement is a right granted to a person to use the land of another for a specific limited purpose. Examples include driveways, or given to utility companies for the right to bury cables or access utility lines. Landlocked home owners sometimes pay for an easement to cross the land of another to reach their home. Easements can be temporary but more commonly are permanent .  The power of eminent domain cannot be exercised for private benefit, only for  public use. A public use is virtually anything that is sanctioned by a federal or state legislative body, but such uses may include schools, parks, reservoirs, roads, hospitals, libraries or other public buildings. The act or process by which this power is exercised is called condemnation.  The party that seeks to acquire the land is the condemnor and the owner of the property is the condemnee.

If you want to know how the real estate market is really doing get a Realtor to talk and you will get insight to things you may not know. A Realtor will most likely tell you that it is mainly sellers that are feeling the pricing pinch and that this is the best time for many first time home buyers to purchase a property. Even with reduced prices buyers are writing low offers, first time buyers are not the only ones happy about the reduced market. Investors have realized that this is a huge opportunity for them to buy real estate, many investors are paying all cash. As a seller, get a Realtor who will work equally as hard to sell your house for a fair price and everybody will walk away from this happy.

If you are like many Americans who dream about owning a home but always felt you could not afford one, now may the time to turn your dream into a reality.  Buying real estate has never been easier, mortgage rates are more flexible today than ever, and the tax laws favor homeownership. There are many tax advantages available to homeowners, The thousands of dollars you pay in mortgage interest is deductible. This tax deduction alone can sometimes make owning your own home cheaper than renting. Do the math and always stay within your budget! It is also wise to get a Realtor who can provide expert advice on the real estate market and prices. Your Realtor can put you in a home without putting a dent in your wallet.

If you are like many Americans who dream about owning a home but always felt you could not afford one, now may the time to turn your dream into a reality.  Buying real estate has never been easier, mortgage rates are more flexible today than ever, and the tax laws favor homeownership. There are many tax advantages available to homeowners, The thousands of dollars you pay in mortgage interest is deductible. This tax deduction alone can sometimes make owning your own home cheaper than renting. Do the math and always stay within your budget! It is also wise to get a Realtor who can provide expert advice on the real estate market and prices. Your Realtor can put you in a home without putting a dent in your wallet.

For those of us who like to recycle and use energy efficiently, there is a perfect house for you. These houses are made by builders who have the same views as us, “ green constructions” as some call them are designed and built to minimize waste, making the property more efficient in terms of water use and energy consumption. Recycled material is used sometimes to build these green homes.  Since the mid 1990’s as many as 97,000 green homes have been built. Realtors are reporting the high number of buyer requests for green homes. Builders that have not previously built green homes say that they will incorporate some green building practices by the end of 2008. If you are in the market for a new home, get a Realtor to show you a green home. Not only will you save money in the long run, you will make a difference in the environment.

The first key to owning your home is decision. Decide if you really want to purchase a home, whether it is the right time to buy, and if you can afford it. Not only can you afford to buy a home but can you afford to keep up with all the payments and other expenses that may come along?. If you are like me and do not know much about the ins and outs of real estate then , the next key would be to get a Realtor. Realtors will give you all the information necessary for you to get the home you want and can afford.  Even if you have knowledge of the market, having a Realtor  saves valuable time and money. Realtors will do the leg work, showing you your dream home, negotiating, to closing the deal.  The last key is the one you get to your new home.

The Fair Housing Act  prohibits discrimination by direct providers of housing, such as landlords and real estate companies, municipalities, banks or other lending institutions as well as homeowners insurance companies whose discriminatory practices make housing unavailable to persons by discrimination in the sale, rental, and financing of dwellings, and in other housing-related transactions, based on race, color, age,  national origin, religion, sex, and  familiy status. The law forbids acts such as,

1. Refusing to sell or lease to anyone based on race, creed, sex, or marital status, just to name a few.

2. Differential treatment in providing realty services related to the sale or rental of properties. This includes changing terms and conditions for a particular group.

3. Refusing to grant, extend, or renew a loan due to discrimination.

4. Directing minorities to minority or less attractive neighborhoods and not showing them better neighborhoods that may be affordable.

Make sure you get a Realtor who is well versed in the law and having this information will help you keep any realtor in check.

A good Realtor does not only help you find a home, he/she will help you find a home that is just right for you. A good realtor will tell if the home you are interested in is in a good location rather than letting you find out the hard way, once you have moved in. Get a Realtor that is willing to forgo their sale in order to provide you with the right information that will help you from headaches later on. It is always important to ask questions about the area. With the resources they have available to them , a Realtor can tell you if there have been complaints about neighbors or an increase in crime and how well the schools are. Realtors cannot see the future but if they know their areas, chances are they will be able to provide you with the information you need and many will volunteer the information on their own.