If you’re thinking of selling or buying a home, your mind may be swirling with questions about the process. While it may be tempting to try selling your home on your own, there are many reasons why you may want to consider working with a professional real estate agent. To gain insight, it’s helpful to understand what a real estate agent does and why you might want to hire one. Why You May Need a...

Applications for stamp duty exemptions and status of land correspondence are being offered at DevelopTT – the digital platform of the Town and Country Planning Division (TCPD) of the Ministry of Planning and Development. These additional e-services initially will serve two regions of TT. These areas are the T1 planning region inclusive of the Diego Martin regional corporation, Port of Spain city...

Not only does the house you’re selling have a fresh coat of paint; you changed out the light fixtures in the bathroom and upgraded the stove, too. But is it enough to impress the home appraiser who’s come to assess your house’s value In this article, we bring you up to speed before you put up your listing. What Does a Home Appraiser Look For? A home appraiser’s role is to determine a...

Decorating a living room is a lot like putting on clothes, except you have to commit to one “look” for at least a season—maybe even longer. Because, well, home furnishings can be really expensive! But if you think about this analogy, you can actually exploit it for the better. In the same way certain items of clothing can accentuate your best features, decorative accents and strategies can also play...

Make the Most of that First Impression! A well-manicured lawn, neatly trimmed shrubs and a clutter-free porch welcome prospects. So does a freshly painted - or at least freshly scrubbed - front door. Not everyone makes his or her bed every day, but when selling a home it is recommended that you develop the habit. Pick up papers, do not leave empty glasses in the family room, keep everything freshly dusted...

Even though most people are rarely part of a real estate transaction, everyone believes they are an expert. And while there's a prevailing belief that buying without a real estate agent will save you money, the truth is you're almost always better off working with a pro. Buying or selling a house is not something most of us do every day. You may do it once a decade, or even once in a lifetime. Despite the...

In sellers' markets, multiple offer situations often drive up the purchase price higher than any comparable sales in the area, so sellers worry the appraisals will come in low. In buyer's markets, when prices are soft or falling, sellers are also concerned that the home will bring a low appraisal. Low appraisals can happen in any marketplace: hot, cold or neutral. Why Do Low Appraisals Happen? There are a...

To sell your home without the assistance of a real estate sales associate, you should be able to answer an unqualified "YES" to each of the following questions. As you go through these items, remember that a professional real estate sales associate is skilled in every area. PRICE Do I have sufficient data to price my property realistically? Am I familiar with what comparable properties have sold for...

Think about placing your house on the market as far in advance as possible before purchasing another house so you do not wind up with two mortgages and the additional expense of a bridge loan. Find out for what price the houses in the neighborhood are selling. Be careful not to price your house too high. Study the most recent comparative sales figures. Don't antagonize the buyer. Often they have to sell...

Fix whatever is broken before putting your house up for sale. When the time comes to put your home on the market, you will go from being a homeowner to a home seller. Make no mistake, the two are very different, and if you don’t want to scare away the buyers, you will need to make a few sacrifices. However, if you avoid the following dumb mistakes, and keep your eyes on the prize, your home will be sold...