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Find Your Dream Home | |
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The Dream of Owning a Home | |
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The Advantages of Owning a Home | |
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The Disadvantages of Owning a Home | |
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When Not to Buy a Home | |
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Little-Known Facts About Buying a Home | |
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Finding Real Estate Information with Your PC | |
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The Least You Need to Know | |
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Understanding the Up-Front Costs of Buying a Home | |
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Down Payments | |
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How Much Down Payment Do You Need? | |
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Where to Get the Down Payment | |
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What If You Don't Have Money for the Down Payment? | |
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When Do You Fork Over the Down Payment? | |
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Closing Costs | |
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Lender Fees | |
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Advance and Reserve Payments | |
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Other Fees | |
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Adding Up All the Costs | |
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The Least You Need to Know | |
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Figuring Out How Much You Can Borrow | |
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Before All the Numbers Make You Dizzy | |
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How Much Are You Worth? | |
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Totaling Your Income | |
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Totaling Your Monthly Expenses | |
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How Much Can You Borrow? | |
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Getting a Ballpark Figure | |
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Using a Lender's Ballpark Figure | |
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What's Your Ratio? | |
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Looking at an Example | |
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Prequalifying for a Loan | |
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Prequalifying Informally | |
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Getting Preapproved | |
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Prequalifying Online | |
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Checking Your Credit Record | |
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Getting a Credit Report | |
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Correcting a Mistake or Responding to Problems | |
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Dealing with a Bad Credit Report | |
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The Least You Need to Know | |
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Picking an Agent | |
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Types of Brokers | |
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Brokers | |
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Agents | |
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Realtors | |
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New Home Agents | |
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Who Pays the Agent, or Who's on My Side? | |
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Using a Buyer's Agent | |
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Using a Subagent | |
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Using a Discount Broker | |
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Do You Need an Agent? | |
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Financial Help | |
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Finding the Right House | |
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Negotiating and Closing the Deal | |
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Selecting a Good Agent | |
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Finding an Agent | |
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Finding an Agent Online | |
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Putting an Agent to the Test | |
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Getting Rid of an Agent | |
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Working with For-Sale-By-Owner Homes | |
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The Least You Need to Know | |
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Defining Your Dream Home | |
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A Few Cautions | |
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This Is Your Life | |
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Home to Stay or Home to Resell? | |
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Is This a Family Home? | |
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What Is Your Job Situation? | |
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Location, Location, Location | |
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Style of House | |
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How Many Stories? | |
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To Paint or Not to Paint | |
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Age of the House | |
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Existing Home | |
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New Home | |
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Condominium | |
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The Home Itself | |
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Eating | |
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Sleeping | |
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Getting Clean | |
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Relaxing | |
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Storing Stuff | |
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Outside the House | |
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Heating, Cooling, and More | |
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Amenities | |
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Definite No's | |
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Checklist | |
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The Least You Need to Know | |
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Finding Houses on the Market | |
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What to Expect When Looking for a Home | |
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How Long Does It Take? | |
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Buyer's Market versus Seller's Market | |
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Seasonal Sales | |
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Finding the Right Place | |
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Finding the Right Community | |
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Finding the Right Neighborhood | |
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Finding a House | |
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Drive-Bys | |
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Local Papers | |
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MLS Listings | |
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Word of Mouth | |
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Auctions and Foreclosures | |
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Online Listings | |
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The Least You Need to Know | |
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Looking at a House | |
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What to Expect | |
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Do You Like the House? | |
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Does the House Have Everything You Need? | |
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Can You Live in the House? | |
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If You Don't Like Something, Can You Change It? | |
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Is the House Well-Maintained? | |
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Is the Neighborhood Acceptable? | |
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What Are the Taxes? | |
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Your House and the Neighborhood | |
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Checking the Area | |
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What Are the Schools Like? | |
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What About Emergencies? | |
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What About Fun? | |
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Checklist | |
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The Least You Need to Know | |
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Make an Offer | |
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Making an Offer | |
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Understanding the Sales or Purchase Contract | |
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What's Included in the Offer | |
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Tips on Making an Offer | |
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How Much Do You Offer? | |
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Comparing Other Sales Prices | |
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How Motivated Is the Seller? | |
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Can You Afford the House? | |
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What Terms? | |
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What Else from the Seller? | |
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Contingencies | |
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Financing | |
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The Deed and Title | |
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The Inspection | |
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The Appraisal | |
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Other Contingencies | |
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Setting Time Limits | |
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Personal Property | |
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Condition of House at Settlement | |
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Prorations | |
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Other Provisions | |
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Making a Deposit | |
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The Least You Need to Know | |
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Negotiating | |
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Understanding the Offer Process | |
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Offer Strategies | |
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Handling Counteroffers | |
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Receiving a Counteroffer | |
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Responding to a Counteroffer | |
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When to Quit | |
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Having an Offer Accepted | |
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Withdrawing an Offer | |
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Do I Need a Real Estate Attorney? | |
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The Least You Need to Know | |
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Buying a New Home | |
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Finding a House | |
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Selecting a Subdivision | |
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Searching for a New Home Online | |
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Selecting a Good Builder | |
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Selecting a Plan | |
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Selecting a Good Lot | |
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Negotiating a Sales Contract | |
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Negotiating Contract Terms | |
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Negotiating for Upgrades | |
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Using an Agent | |
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Getting a Deal | |
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Home Warranties | |
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Avoiding Problems | |
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The Least You Need to Know | |
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Buying a Condominium or Co-Op | |
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Buying a Condominium or Townhouse | |
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Advantages and Disadvantages of Condominium Living | |
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The Board Rules! | |
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Selecting a Community | |
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Checking Out the Condominium | |
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Making an Offer | |
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Buying a Co-Op | |
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Selecting a Co-Op | |
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Financing Your Co-Op | |
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The Least You Need to Know | |
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Get Financing | |
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Getting Financing | |
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How Lending Works | |
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Interest Rates, or What's the Charge? | |
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Points | |
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Term | |
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Types of Financing | |
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Conventional Loans | |
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Government-Backed Loans | |
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Fixed-Rate Loans | |
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Adjustable-Rate Mortgage Loans | |
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Other Loan Types | |
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Conforming versus Nonconforming Loans | |
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How to Decide on the Type of Financing | |
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How Much Can You Afford for a Down Payment? | |
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How Much Can You Afford for a Monthly Payment? | |
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How Long Will You Live in the House? | |
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What Are the Current Interest Rates? | |
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What's Your Risk Level? | |
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The Least You Need to Know | |
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Getting a Fixed-Rate Mortgage | |
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Adding the Pluses | |
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Subtracting the Minuses | |
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Checking Interest and Points | |
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How Long to Pay? | |
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30-Year versus 15-Year versus Biweekly | |
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Is the Shorter Term Better? | |
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Prepaying Your Mortgage | |
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The Least You Need to Know | |
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Getting an Adjustable-Rate Mortgage | |
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Pros and Cons of an Adjustable-Rate Mortgage | |
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Pros | |
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Cons | |
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Understanding How an Adjustable-Rate Mortgage Works | |
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Initial or Teaser Rate | |
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The Index | |
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The Margin | |
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The Adjustment Interval | |
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Caps | |
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Negative Amortization Is a No-No | |
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Selecting an ARM--What to Look For | |
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Interest Rates | |
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Index | |
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Margins | |
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Adjustment Intervals | |
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Caps | |
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Other Features to Look For | |
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Look at the Worst-Case Scenario | |
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Two-Step Mortgages | |
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Types of Two-Steps | |
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How to Do the Two-Step | |
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Is the Two-Step for You? | |
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7/23 and 5/25 Balloons | |
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The Least You Need to Know | |
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Understanding Other Financing | |
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VA Loans | |
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Assumptions | |
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Balloon Mortgages | |
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Takebacks, Second Mortgages, and Similar Alternatives | |
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Buy-Downs | |
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Land Contracts or Layaway Payments | |
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Lease Options | |
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Other Options | |
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The Least You Need to Know | |
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Selecting a Lender | |
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Types of Lenders | |
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Who's Got the Money? | |
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The Secondary Market, or the Business of Selling Mortgages | |
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Ginnie Mae, Fannie Mae, and Bobby Sue | |
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Portfolio and Jumbo Loans | |
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Where to Find a Lender | |
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Getting Help from Your Agent | |
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Reviewing a Mortgage Advertisement | |
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Looking for a Lender Online | |
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Questions to Ask Lenders | |
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Comparing Fixed-Rate Loans | |
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Comparing ARMs | |
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The Least You Need to Know | |
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Applying for the Mortgage | |
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The Players | |
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How the Lender Decides Whether to Lend You Money | |
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Taking the Application | |
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Verifying Information | |
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Credit Report | |
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Getting an Appraisal | |
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Approving or Denying the Loan | |
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Applying for the Loan | |
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Spilling Your Financial Guts | |
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Locking In an Interest Rate | |
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Estimating Closing Costs | |
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Estimating Interest Rates | |
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Ensuring a Smooth Process | |
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What to Do If You Can't Get a Loan | |
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Income Problems | |
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Credit Problems | |
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Appraisal Problems | |
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Discrimination | |
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The Least You Need to Know | |
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Close on the House | |
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Insurance | |
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Understanding the Types of Insurance | |
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Getting Home Insurance | |
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What Insurance Covers | |
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Types of Insurance | |
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How Much Do You Need? | |
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Tips on Insurance | |
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Search the Web for Insurance Information | |
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How Payments Are Made | |
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Comparing Insurance | |
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Getting Mortgage Insurance | |
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Paying Mortgage Insurance | |
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Canceling Mortgage Insurance | |
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Getting Title Insurance | |
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The Title Search | |
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What Title Insurance Protects | |
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The Least You Need to Know | |
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Having the Home Inspected | |
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Why Get an Inspection? | |
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Scheduling an Inspection | |
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What the Inspector Checks | |
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What the Inspector Should Check | |
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What the Inspector Doesn't Check | |
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What the Inspector Shouldn't Do | |
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Reading the Inspection Report | |
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Handling Any Problems | |
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The Least You Need to Know | |
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Handling the Closing: Buyer's Point of View | |
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What Has to Happen Before the Closing | |
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Who Owns the House? | |
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The Final Walk-Through | |
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What You Pay at Closing | |
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Don't Forget the Down Payment | |
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Closing Costs | |
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Items Payable in Connection with the Loan | |
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Items Required by the Lender to Be Paid in Advance | |
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Reserves Deposited with the Lender | |
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Title Charges | |
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Government Recording and Transfer Charges | |
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Additional Settlement Charges | |
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Escrow Accounts--Forced Payments | |
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The Total Comes to | |
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What Happens at Closing | |
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What You Should Bring to the Big Event | |
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Signed, Sealed, and Delivered | |
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Exchanging Money | |
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The Totals | |
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The Closing Costs | |
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The Passing of the Keys | |
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Handling Problems | |
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Walk-Through Problems | |
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Money Problems | |
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Loan Problems | |
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Title Problems | |
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Moving In! | |
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The Least You Need to Know | |
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Sell Your House | |
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Deciding To Sell Your Home | |
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Why Do You Want to Sell? | |
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Likes, Dislikes, Wishes, and Wants | |
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What Do You Hope to Gain? | |
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Timing the Sale | |
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When Is the Best Time to Sell? | |
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Buying Your Next Home | |
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Buy First | |
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Buy and Sell Together | |
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Sell First | |
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What Costs Are Involved? | |
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What to Expect When You Sell Your Home | |
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Getting the House Ready | |
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Deciding Whether to Use an Agent | |
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Pricing and Marketing the House | |
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Negotiating Offers | |
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Closing on the House | |
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Buying a New House | |
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The Least You Need to Know | |
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Getting the House Ready | |
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Doing Repairs | |
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Inspecting the House Yourself | |
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Having a Professional Inspection Done | |
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Deciding What Repairs to Make | |
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Do It Yourself or Hire Someone? | |
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Should You Remodel? | |
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Cleaning Up | |
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First Impressions Count--Clean Up the Outside | |
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Cleaning the Inside | |
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Eliminating Clutter | |
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Put Everything Away! | |
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Undecorating the House | |
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Collecting Information | |
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Understanding Seller Disclosure | |
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Do You Have to Disclose? | |
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What Must You Disclose? | |
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Completing a Seller Disclosure Form | |
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The Least You Need to Know | |
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Selecting an Agent | |
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Should You Use an Agent or Sell Alone? | |
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What an Agent Can Do for You | |
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Going It Alone | |
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Using an Agent | |
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Finding an Agent | |
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Quizzing the Agent | |
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Listing Presentation | |
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Signing a Listing Contract | |
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Types of Contracts | |
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What the Contract Should Include | |
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Getting Out of Listing | |
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The Least You Need to Know | |
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Pricing and Marketing the House | |
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Setting the Listing Price | |
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Studying Comparables | |
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Getting an Appraisal | |
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How the Market Affects Price | |
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Deciding What Else to Offer | |
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Figuring Your Net Proceeds | |
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Getting the Attention of Buyers | |
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The MLS Listing | |
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Online Listings | |
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Other Marketing Techniques | |
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Showing Your Home | |
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Scheduling a Showing | |
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Getting the House Ready | |
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Dealing with Criticism | |
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Holding an Open House | |
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The Least You Need to Know | |
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Dealing with Purchase Offers | |
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Dealing with Other Agents | |
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Evaluating an Offer | |
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What an Offer Should Include | |
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What Price and at What Terms? | |
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Checking the Contingencies | |
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Checking the Time Limits | |
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Making a Counteroffer | |
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Accepting an Offer | |
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What to Do If You Don't Get Any Offers | |
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Should You Help with Financing? | |
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The Least You Need to Know | |
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Handling the Closing: Seller's Point of View | |
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What Is Closing? | |
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What the Buyer Has to Do | |
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What You Have to Do | |
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Termites and Other Critters | |
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Checking the Chain of Ownership | |
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Collecting Documents | |
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Hiring an Orchestrater | |
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Handling Problems | |
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What Happens at Closing | |
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Fees You Can Expect | |
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The HUD-1 Statement--My Column or Yours | |
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Sign on the Dotted Line | |
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Tax Implications | |
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Reporting the Sale of Your Home | |
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Figuring the Tax Basis | |
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Moving Out! | |
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The Least You Need to Know | |
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Selling Your Home Yourself | |
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Mapping Out Your Strategy | |
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Get the House Ready | |
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Set the List Price | |
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Market the Home | |
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Help the Buyer Get Financing | |
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Negotiate the Sale | |
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Close on the House | |
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| |
Using an Agent | |
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Hiring an Attorney | |
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Using an Escrow Company | |
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Setting the Price | |
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Figuring Your Net Proceeds | |
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Defining What Financial Terms Are Acceptable | |
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Marketing Your Home | |
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Putting a Sign in Your Yard | |
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Taking Out an Ad | |
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Marketing Your Home Online | |
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Preparing Fact Sheets | |
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Showing Your Home | |
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Handling Sales Calls | |
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Showing Your House | |
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Holding Open Houses | |
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Helping the Buyer with Financing | |
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Negotiating an Offer | |
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Be Prepared | |
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Drawing Up Offers | |
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Reviewing Offers | |
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Closing on the House | |
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Knowing When to Call It Quits | |
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The Least You Need to Know | |
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Loan Payment Tables | |
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Resources | |
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Phone Numbers and Addresses | |
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Online Resources | |
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Glossary | |
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Index | |