Question: “At what stage do I hire a lawyer when I’m buying a home?” Answer: “You ain’t from around these parts, are ya?” (If you haven’t seen an old western movie, that’s a typical line the locals tell a stranger who bellies his way up to the bar in a dusty old saloon in some

Question: “Last time we bought a home, the agent didn’t explain anything or give us any guidance. Can you give me an overview of things I should know?” Answer: There’s a lot to know, but here are some basics and smart tips not everyone thinks about: Upon acceptance: Get your deposit into escrow within 3

Question: “Hi Gary, thanks for your newsletter. I really learn a lot from it. I have a question for you. When you sign an offer to buy a home, do you have 3-day right of rescission?” Answer: People ask me that now and then. No, real estate contracts do NOT have any rescission rights for

Question: “We found the perfect home. It’s on a culdesac near my sister and her family and just a block to the elementary school. It’s in our price range, but the seller is being stubborn on the price. Two homes like it just sold for $493,000 and $495,000, but they want $500,000. Do you think

Question: “I recently bought a home and was amazed by all the pages we had to sign. We barely skimmed most of the pages. Do they really expect people to read them?” Answer: Ironically, in an effort to inform people of all they should know when buying or selling real estate, there’s such an information

Question: “We kind of like a house we saw. It’s a cute 4-bedroom with a huge yard. But the agent said it previously had mold that was removed. Do you think it’s safe to buy the house?” Answer: Good question. First of all, not all mold is hazardous. So it depends on what kind of

Question: “I’ve been looking and looking for a 3-bedroom 2-bath house in a nice area within a mile of the coast for around $400,000. My agent tells me I need to look for a condo, but I don’t want a condo. Any suggestions?” Answer: Do you want to hear what you want to hear, or