Title insurance is among the costs of successfully closing a real estate transaction, but many people don’t understand what this is for, or why they must pay for it. First of all, realize that title insurance works differently from traditional insurance policies in a very important way.

Other types of policies may protect you from future events, and you must continue to pay the premiums for as long as you want that protection. Title insurance is (usually) a one-time purchase that actually protects you against losses arising from hazards from the past.

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When you’re ready to sell your home, I’ll advise you how to successfully price, present and market your property; but some “family members” may be left out of the loop, completely unaware of the process and feeling the attendant anxiety. No, it’s not your kids, but your pets.

In the Bennington VT real estate market, there are many households that have pets, and we work hard to make sure that your pets are not inconvenienced any more than necessary when marketing and selling your home.

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Competition in the mortgage industry has resulted in a great opportunity for buyers who want a “fixer upper.” Private lenders have devised all sorts of unusual loans to put money into the hands of credit-worthy buyers. Now FHA is getting in on the action by offering a new “limited repair” loan, or the “Streamlined K.”

How does this kind of loan help buyers? Those with lower incomes but healthy credit histories can now buy less expensive homes in need of repairs, and roll the cost of those repairs into the mortgage.

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The “real estate bubble” is still a hot topic these days, and many homeowners looking to sell are concerned. Look back about a decade, and you’ll see it’s like deja vu all over again! In the 1990s, home prices dropped by as much as a third in major markets from coast to coast, the result of an inflation adjustment. It’s important to note that those large price drops were not experienced in all markets, for example, the Bennington VT real estate market did not experience such large price swings.

Sellers, buyers and agents all managed to survive, and eventually the real estate industry experienced amazing growth, which again may need adjustment. It’s helpful to realize that real estate is like the stock market, meaning it’s best to ride out the bumps on an otherwise smooth and profitable journey.

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Forget about tree-hugging – the high cost of energy is making environmentalists out of everyone! Homebuilders and homeowners are no exception, and it’s anticipated that by 2010, about ten percent of all new homes will be “green.”

The biggest challenge to green building has been the misconception that it costs more to construct such a home. But if you do the math over the long run, the money saved will far outpace the money invested.

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