What Does Contingent Mean in Real Estate?

When searching for a home for sale, you may have encountered a variety of different sales statuses online including contingent real estate listings. Beyond just “for sale” and “closed,” you may have also seen other common sales statuses such as “pending” or “contingent.” These phrases indicate where in the sales process the home is in. Understanding the differences between these statuses can help you identify properties that may still be available for purchase, and will help you better understand how to move forward if you’re interested in putting in an offer on any of them.

A contingency clause doesn't necessarily mean all hope is lost for prospective buyers. Different states have different laws as it

Buying a Home As a Government Employee

Are you a government employee preparing to buy a home? The process of buying a new home may sound intimidating. With the right resources, you can ensure a successful investment and one in which you may save tens of thousands of dollars thanks to being a government employee. Let's dive into all of the home buying resources you have when working for the government!

Our real estate company is based in the state capital of North Carolina, Raleigh. We are no stranger to helping those who work for the government find great homes and use the resources available to them! Especially if you are a first-time homebuyer.

Here is the complete guide to buying a home as a government employee!

The Unique Challenges a

Whether you're shopping for a mansion overlooking the green on the 16th hole, waterfront home with breathtaking views, or a penthouse loft in the heart of downtown, the luxury home buying process is one you'll want to be sure to do your homework on. As a buyer shopping for high-end real estate, there are certain tips and strategies that are both similar and different to your typical home buying process. This article will give you eight tips that will help you purchase a magnificent estate at a great price, avoiding common mistakes buyers make along the way.

In this article you will learn:

• How to buy a luxury home
• Tips to help with the luxury buying process
• Common mistakes buyers make
• How high-end real estate purchases are different

How to Sell a House By Owner (FSBO)

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 when you sell by owner? Let's find out:

We have over three 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.

You asked. We listened. We answered... here are the best New Construction Homebuying Tips?

Last week we wrote an article on how to buy a house for first-time home buyers. The feedback we received was incredibly gratifying, overwhelming, and unexpected! We received a question from one of our readers, Jerry, regarding how buying an existing home compares to buying a new construction home, asking for both the similarities and differences.

We took Jerry’s question and thought others may be wondering the same thing...

How Do I Buy A New Construction Home?

With that being said, if this article reads with familiarity, that’s because there are similarities between buying an existing home and buying new construction. If you haven’t read the most

How Accurate is Credit Karma?

Is Credit Karma Accurate? A common question from people who are using the free credit monitoring service. In this article we will dive into everything you need to know about Credit Karma's accuracy, how often Credit Karma updates, how the service works, as well as what to be aware of:

Many people looking to buy a home will need to know their credit score and “how accurate is Credit Karma?” is one of the more common questions we receive.

Below we will give you an in-depth overview of what Credit Karma is, how accurate Credit Karma is and how often Credit Karma updates.

Let’s dive in so we can understand how accurate Credit Karma is:

What is Credit Karma?

Credit Karma is a free credit monitoring

The three most important factors when buying a home are location, location, and location.

Too often I hear people talking about making decisions based on the home itself, instead of the location, and that is a mistake. 

What is it about the location that makes it so vital to real estate investing?

The condition and price of any home can be changed. You can even change the size of the house. The one thing you can't change is the home's location. A great location can change an entire neighborhood seemingly overnight as happened in Downtown Raleigh.

Supply and demand are two factors that will always play a role in real estate appreciation. Housing supply in great locations is limited to the number of homes in that location.

The location

How to Sell a Home in Bad Condition

Chances are you came across this article because you're wondering how to sell a home in bad condition. 

Homes with beautifully updated kitchens, impeccable landscaping, in new condition will receive thousands of views online and will likely sell in a matter of hours instead of days. Homes in bad condition will be harder to sell - they can still be sold though!

So how do we go about selling a home in bad condition?

This topic is more complicated than it might sound, because "poor condition" is really a spectrum rather than a set description. Additionally, other factors like the real estate market and your location can impact what it means for you to sell a house in bad condition.

Let's take a deep dive

How Much Does It Cost to Build a House?

How much does it cost to build a house is a question we are asked often and it's not a simple answer. Costs fluctuate when it comes to home building materials. From the cost of dirt to the cost of lumber, there is a lot that goes into building a home. There's a reason our new construction home buying tips article is our most-read article and it's because people want high-quality information from the professionals who do it every day.

It's important to understand that our homes are more than just a roof over our heads and each one is entirely unique. They provide security, privacy, control, identity, belonging, a sense of comfort, and so much more. So whether you're looking at the cost to build a generic

Does Selling Your Home With a Realtor® Net You More Money?

Selling your home For Sale By Owner (FSBO as it’s referred to in the Real Estate world) makes a lot of sense for homeowners on the surface. It’s an opportunity to save on the commission you’d normally pay a Realtor® to sell your home. It’s the number one reason someone sells their home For Sale By Owner, to save on the commission. By saving on the commission, the data shows you’re actually losing on the net and that a Real Estate Agent is worth their commission. Here's the data:

You Net More Money When You Use A Realtor®, Numbers Don’t Lie:

For Sale By Owner (FSBO) Statistics

It’s interesting why the founder of Craigslist, Craig Newmark, openly says he loves his Realtor®,