Estate Rebate Blog

Low mortgage rates translate to affordable monthly payments in the short term and substantial savings over the life of a loan. As well, low rates make home owners consider refinancing. The cost of the refinance does not seem so bad with savings in the picture. Drop In Rates During the past week, the rate on the 30-year fixed mortgage, the most widely-held type, fell from 4.38% to 4.28%. Within the past few days, 15-year fixed mortgage rates d... [More]

In every relationship in life, it really works better if you like the other person. The home seller-real estate agent relationship is no different from any other partnership. Of course, it helps if you think your real estate agent is the perfect match for you. Yet according to a recent survey, home sellers are not feeling the love towards their agents. Home buyers seem more satisfied with their fate but home sellers are a dissatisfied lot at t... [More]

'Zero Comeback' – the title implies that nothing has come back but something has made a return appearance. The 'zero down' mortgage program has once again raised its pretty or ugly head – depending on your point of view. The question is - should there be a 'zero down' program or should there be 'zero comeback' -- no comeback for this government initiative. Legislation that will restore the Department of Agriculture home-buying prog... [More]

The Federal Home Buyers' Tax Credit was designed to create a domino effect that would inject life into the housing market. The tax credit was meant to encourage home buyers to act on their dream and home sellers would reap the benefits. Of course, the overall idea was to buoy up the economy. The plan worked to a degree. Yet even with the Home Buyers' Tax Credit in place, every home seller did not find a buyer for their property. With the recen... [More]

Do you have a green home? I don't mean a green-painted home, although if you've used zero VOC (volatile organic compound) paint, you've made a great start. Of course, I'm referring to 'green' as in the 'environmentally-friendly' choice. Are green homes worth the price? Recent developments would lead us to wonder if enough people are committed to going green. Within the past year, graduate students of the University of Kansas School of Architec... [More]

Cashback and listing commission auctions are innovative tools in the real estate industry. These auctions work to the advantage of home buyers and sellers. In addition, the system helps real estate agents get referrals. Cashback and commission auctions create a win-win situation for everyone in a real estate deal. Real estate agents connect with potential clients and bid for their business. Home buyers and sellers save money and receive higher... [More]

Commission auctions allow home sellers to save money. With the typical home purchase, the seller must pay 6% of the property value to the agent. With a listing commission auction through estaterebate.com, the seller will receive discounted commission bids from local real estate agents. Savings The savings in commission can be substantial for sellers. If the value of the home is $500,000, the savings can amount to $7,500. Discount Traditio... [More]

Buying a home is one of the most significant choices that a person will make in a lifetime. Individuals do not think twice about contacting a plumber about water issues or a computer repair expert for computer problems. Yet some people attempt to buy a home with little or no professional help. It is a big mistake to try to handle such a momentous task without the highest level of professional support. Home buyers need a pro! Buyer’s Agen... [More]

In today’s world, an informed home seller has many more options available when making a decision to sell. It’s no longer about having several salespeople in suits pressuring you to sign listing contracts and telling you their fee isn’t negotiable. The traditional “sale by owner” concept has changed too, to take advantage of all the new Internet tools to market and sell your home for the highest price possible, to... [More]

Home buyers in 2010 have a whole different set of tools available to them to make the right choices for their home purchase. Not only are there many sites with free access to the MLS today, there are websites such as Trulia.com, Home Gain, Realtor.com and others that give the buyer much more information. Gone are the days when home buyers walked into real estate offices, met with a real estate agent and went through thick books containi... [More]