How to Get a Real Estate License

The first step towards becoming a Real Estate agent is determining how to get a real estate license. Becoming a real estate agent is one of the most rewarding and exciting career paths one can choose. For many people, buying a home is one of the most important transactions that will occur in their lifetime, making it even more rewarding knowing you are helping a family or individual find the home of their dreams.

There are several steps prospective agents should take to ensure they are prepared for a career in real estate. One of the first questions these prospective agents have is how long does it take to get a real estate license? For starters, there are various state licensing and education requirements that

Everything You Need to Know About Mortgage Protection Insurance (MPI)

What is Mortgage Protection Insurance (MPI)? 

Mortgage protection insurance (MPI) is a policy that pays off your mortgage in the event that you pass away during the term of the mortgage. If you share the mortgage with someone, both individuals need to be covered under mortgage protection insurance. The policy lasts the same length of time as your mortgage. For example, if the length of your mortgage is 30 years, mortgage protection insurance must also be in place for 30 years.

Shortly after securing a mortgage and closing on a home, you may begin receiving letters in the mail urging you to purchase mortgage protection insurance. As a homeowner, it is always wise to plan for

The Pros and Cons of Private Mortgage Insurance (PMI)

Many of our clients want to know what is mortgage insurance or private mortgage insurance (PMI) and do I need it? What are the differences between mortgage insurance and private mortgage insurance? What are the pros and cons to mortgage insurance? This article will help answer your questions as they relate to mortgage insurance and private mortgage insurance as well as shed light on the pros and cons of both.

Traditionally, the target for a down payment on a home has been 20% of the purchase price. But that's a hefty chunk of change for most Americans, especially first-time home buyers. Thankfully, there are options in place that allow buyers to offer a smaller down payment but still qualify

When buying a home one of the most common questions we are asked is 'how do good or bad schools affect home values and what type of impact do they have?'

In fact, schools are so important to some of our buyers that we have given each school district it's own page on our website allowing buyers to search for homes by school district. Fortunately, the Raleigh area has some of the best schools in the state and that is why so many folks moving to North Carolina end up in Raleigh

There are countless factors that influence the decision to buy a home. The neighborhood, size of the home, outdoor space, upgrades, and location play a significant role in impacting ones’ decision making. Among those important factors, school districts have played an

There are hidden costs when buying a home, whether it's closing costs, insurance costs, or utility costs. When many buyers consider the cost of buying a home, the mortgage payment is typically the expense that immediately comes to mind. Whether you are a first time home buyer or an experienced buyer you will want to familiarize yourself with all the costs of buying a home!

Your Real Estate Agent is not a cost to you as a buyer. This is one thing many buyers don't realize. You do not pay your Realtor as a buyer. The seller pays the listing firm. The listing firm then pays the cooperating firm a percentage. The cooperating firm then pays the Real Estate Agent. This is how Realtors get paid.

While the mortgage payment is indeed an important

Pros and Cons of Using Opendoor to Sell Your Home

Selling your home to Opendoor is worth it for people who are looking for a more convenient sale rather than higher profits. The following pros and cons of using Opendoor will give you a great indication if working with Opendoor is the right decision for you.

iBuyer companies are popping up everywhere around the country with several here in the Raleigh area including Opendoor, Offerpad, Zillow and more. Fast-growing, affordable areas are targeted by companies like Opendoor because they can capitalize on all the folks who are moving to the area.

You may have heard of Opendoor and learned about their process on how they help homeowners sell their homes. As with any online transaction service,

Each year Forbes puts together a list of America's fastest growing cities with a bunch of great data that helps consumers gain a better economic outlook on each city. We populated that data into the above infographic to give you a clearer picture of just how fast each city in America is growing here in 2018!

1. Boise City, Idaho

Boise City metropolitan statistical area growth:

Population growth 3.08% - Projected population growth 2.34%

Job growth 3.58% - Projected job growth 2.61%

Gross metro product growth 3.87% - Projected gross metro growth 5.12%

Wage growth 5.70% - Projected wage growth 7.27%

Home price growth 11.58% - Home price projected growth 4.38%

2. Seattle-Bellevue-Everett, Washington

Seattle-Bellevue-Everett

Negotiating Repairs After a Home Inspection

Negotiating repairs after a home inspection doesn't have to be difficult, especially when you follow these 7 tips! When an offer is accepted on a home, it can be easy for both buyers and sellers to feel that they’re at the end of the finish line. Accepting an offer brings the deal much closer to the closing table, but there are several other important steps the transaction must go through before closing day. One of those steps is the home inspection and with the home inspection, major issues can arise.

A home inspection provides the buyer with a detailed report of the home’s structure, plumbing, electrical, foundation, roof etc. It helps the buyer know if certain repairs are needed so that they do not

What is Dual Agency in Real Estate and Should you Avoid it

Most buyers and sellers are familiar with how listing agents and buyer’s agents work which leads us to the question of what is dual agency in real estate? Dual agency isn’t particularly common, but it does tend to happen from time to time, so it is always best to be informed on the intricacies of this transaction type. My first transaction as a Real Estate Agent was as a dual agent representing both the buyer and the seller. Initially, the seller tried to sell his home by himself before soliciting my help and I was able to get it sold for him to one of my clients.

What is Dual Agency in Real Estate?

Dual agency is when a real estate agent works with the buyer and the seller on the

Before selling your home for sale by owner, it's important to understand the pros and cons, what's involved, and what to expect throughout the process. The question should I sell my home for sale by owner or without a Realtor® is likely one asked by every home seller with the thought of trying to save money. Do you really save money though?

We have over one hundred thousand people visiting our website each month looking at homes for sale in Raleigh and almost all of them want to work with a top local Realtor®. We would imagine it's the same in most real estate markets around the country as we have found the same to be true of homes for sale in Charlotte as well. Buyers want to work with the best local Realtors® to help them when buying a home