With interest rates at record low levels and a lot of inventory to move, now may be the perfect time to get in the market and purchase that home you’ve been looking for. Even though now may be a great time to buy, prospective buyers should keep the following 5 tips from the American Homeowners Foundation and the American Homeowners Grassroots Alliance in mind as they begin the home buying process.

Tip 1- Buying a home is one of the best investments you can make. Home... (more)

Building on the first Housing Finance Agency Innovation Fund for the Hardest Hit Housing Markets (the “HFA Hardest Hit Fund”), the Administration recently announced an expansion of the initiative to target five additional states with high shares of their populations living in local areas of concentrated economic distress. This second HFA Hardest Hit Fund will include up to $600 million in funding... (more)

A: Most home sellers hire real estate agents to list and sell their homes. Most of those who do not are known as For Sale By Owners, or FSBOs. They market and sell their homes themselves.

However, a small number of people sell without marketing their homes. They include homeowners who transfer property to... (more)

As the April 15 deadline to file 2009 federal tax returns approaches, the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) is providing answers to some of the questions home buyers are most frequently asking about the home buyer tax credit.

“NAHB’s website that provides information about the home buyer tax credit, www.FederalHousingTaxCredit.com, has received... (more)

A: If you have a legitimate complaint, keep after the contractor until the needed repairs or alterations are made. If this fails, contact your local Consumer Protection Agency. Keep a copy of the contract, receipts, and photographs of the work. Although it has no legal authority, you also may want to contact the Better Business Bureau, as well as your state’s Contractor License Board.... (more)

A: The exclusive right to sell. It gives the real estate broker the exclusive right to sell your home during the term of the listing. If a sale occurs – even if you sell the home yourself – the broker gets a commission. The broker may share the listing with other brokers on the Multiple Listing Service (MLS) to get the widest possible exposure for your home. If you request that... (more)