The world of real estate has a language all its own…which can make it difficult for first-time buyers to understand the status of a listing when searching for a home. While a real estate agent can shed light on the differences between pending, under contract, contingent, and other terms encountered during the home buying process, it helps to know a little about them before beginning your search. 

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Unless you are a first time homebuyer or opting to give up homeownership and rent instead, you will likely be trying to navigate buying and selling a home at the same time. Doing both at once might seem way too stressful, and it can be a bumpy ride. But people manage to get through it all the time.

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According to the National Association of Realtors, nearly a quarter of recent home buyers paid cash for their purchase. With such a large chunk of the market willing to bypass the mortgage process, it’s important to look at the benefits and disadvantages of a cash sale before accepting an offer. Selling your home for cash could allow you to get rid of it faster, but it may result in less profit than you were hoping to make. 

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Most people understand what foreclosure is, but what is a pre-foreclosure home? As the name implies, it comes before a lender officially starts foreclosure proceedings.

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When buying or selling a home, the realtor might mention the “assessed value” of the property. While often used interchangeably with a real estate appraisal, an assessment is not the same thing. One important distinction is that an appraisal estimates the price that a home could sell for. An assessment helps to calculate the property tax amount. Another difference is that an appraisal is performed by a contractor hired by a mortgage lender, while an assessment is done by a government employee from the county or city assessor’s office. In our region, that is either the St. Louis county assessor or the City of St. Louis assessor.

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When a homeowner decides to hire an agent to sell their property, both parties usually sign a contract called a listing agreement. The listing agreement grants a broker legal authority to represent the owner in a real estate transaction. The document lays out important information for the seller, such as agreed-upon terms regarding commission percentages, timelines, and marketing tactics. Having a formal contract is a good thing for both the owner and the agent.

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It’s hard to believe, but the holidays in St. Louis didn’t always involve putting up elaborate decorations and rushing around to find one last gift. In fact, the idea of a Christmas tree didn’t exist in Missouri until the 1830’s, when German immigrants brought small decorated tabletop trees into their Franklin County homes. Instead of the string lights we now wrap around our trees, they put candles on branches for a shimmering touch – similar to the Jewish Festival of Lights. They also introduced simple German traditions like hanging stockings for St. Nick to fill with small toys and fruit, gathering with family to sing carols together, and baking Plätzchen (Christmas cookies) to share with friends. 

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You might relish the idea of moving to a new city for a better job with higher pay. But the cost to relocate includes much more than just the raw moving costs.

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At first glance, there is little difference between an apartment and a condo. Both share a building with other dwellings and attract people who do not want a single-family, stand-alone home with a yard. But there are many differences, too, and understanding the characteristics of apartments and condos—and when each option makes the most sense—is helpful when looking for a new place to live.

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