article thumbnail

A Seller’s Guide To When A Buyer Does and Doesn’t Get Their Earnest Money Back

HomeLight

It is simply a period of time that the buyer sets to secure financing approval from a lender for the purchase of the home. Issues that arise during due diligence. Most contracts include a due diligence deadline anywhere from seven days to two weeks after the agreement date. Buyer runs into financing trouble.

article thumbnail

How to Sell a House to a Friend So No One Feels Cheated: 11 Do’s and Don’ts

HomeLight

“They help clients save money by representing both sides and a pre-arranged discount.”. Not all states require you to hire a real estate attorney to buy or sell real estate, but it’s almost always advisable to get legal representation in a sale among parties with a pre-existing relationship. Don’t: Be lenient on the pre-approval step.

Insiders

Sign Up for our Newsletter

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

article thumbnail

Tips for Buying a Foreclosure Property

Point2Homes

Getting Pre-Approved. It’s always advisable to get pre-approved for a mortgage in any home purchase so you can make sure that you can actually get the loan that you believe your income justifies. Moreover, applying for pre-approval will ensure that you’re not wasting your time looking at homes that are over your budget.

article thumbnail

How to Avoid a Delayed Closing: 7 Common Roadblocks to Be Aware of

Redfin

It’s recommended to get pre-approved before house hunting to give yourself a realistic idea of how much home you can afford ; however, a mortgage pre-approval doesn’t guarantee that your loan application will be approved. Clouds on the title. Delayed approvals from Homeowners Associations.

Closing 63
article thumbnail

What Does Contingent Mean in Real Estate Sales

Realty Biz

Even if the buyer has pre-approval for a mortgage, things can still go wrong when they apply for the loan. Perhaps, they have taken out a fresh loan, or their situation has changed in some other way since pre-approval. One of the standard contingencies in nearly all real estate contracts is delivering a clear title.

article thumbnail

Eliminating Stringent Contingencies: How to Make a Contingent Offer Stronger

HomeLight

Unless you’re paying cash for a house, your best course of action is to include a pre-approval letter from a mortgage lender with your offer. That being said, pre-approvals aren’t yet a guarantee of funds and they usually carry an expiration date. Short sale or bank approval contingencies.

article thumbnail

7 Steps To Selling A House To A Family Member

HomeLight

This means the buyer and seller have a pre-existing relationship of some kind (i.e. This may entail getting a new pre-approved mortgage, transferring the remainder of your mortgage, obtaining a private loan, or settling on owner financing , in which the seller finances the purchase directly with the buyer. Change your address.