Lauren's Blog
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Tips to improve chances in challenging sellers' market
Thursday, February 11, 2021 Lauren BuntingLack of inventory, rising prices, multiple offers on new listings—all confirmation that we are indeed in a sellers’ market.
Finding a home
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Agricultural use assessment in Md.
Thursday, January 28, 2021 Lauren BuntingThe preservation
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VA Loan obtainable through mortgage companies, banks
Thursday, January 21, 2021 Lauren BuntingMost people are familiar with the VA Loan, which is a loan program through the Department of Veterans Affairs.
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Consumers protected from misconduct with Guaranty
Thursday, January 14, 2021 Lauren BuntingThe Maryland Real Estate Commission is the regulatory agency that provides licenses to real estate brokers and agents.
Its office receives 400-500 consumer complaints annually.
Maryland Real Estate Commission is a special funded entity in which license fees fund its operations as well as the Real Estate Guaranty Fund.
Maryland Realtors have provided
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Real estate year-end observations
Thursday, December 24, 2020 Lauren BuntingThis year has produced noticeable real estate market shifts, and in many cases the surge in real estate demand was fueled by the effects of covid-19.
Here on the shore, we saw increases in feeder market sales due to the consumers desire to have a safe, drive-to vacation spot.
Various other factors
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Beat other buyers in multiple bid situations
Thursday, November 19, 2020 Lauren BuntingIn a strong real estate market with lower inventory, we are experiencing numerous multiple offer situations, especially on the lower price point category of homes that first-time homebuyers would be seeking.
So how can a first-time homebuyer strengthen their chances of beating out other buyers?
This is one of the hardest, but
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ReStores offer discounted home furniture, appliances
Thursday, October 22, 2020 Lauren BuntingHabitat for Humanity of Worcester County operates a ReStore located at 9026 Worcester Highway in Berlin.
The
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Lenders seek verification of cash deposits in accounts
Thursday, October 15, 2020 Lauren BuntingCash may be king in a sellers’ market, but buyers need to understand that the same is not true with financial institutions.
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Pandemic creates growing homeowner dissatisfaction
Thursday, October 08, 2020 Lauren BuntingInformation from a recent Sears Home Services survey is showing that the pandemic has prompted homeowners to reevaluate their homes.
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Housing prices increase, but appraisals lag behind
Thursday, September 24, 2020 Lauren BuntingWith “for sale” inventory limited in many price points, sellers may be able to ask more for their home.
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Housing market could be stronger
Thursday, September 17, 2020 Lauren BuntingThe National Association of Realtors Chief Economist, Lawrence Yun, released a video report that dissects the latest homes sales numbers, talks about what could make the market even stronger, and forecasts what’s ahead
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Flood insurance program may expire Sept. 30
Thursday, September 10, 2020 Lauren BuntingThe National Flood Insurance Program’s authority to provide flood insurance is currently scheduled to expire on Sept. 30.
The National Association of Realtors is making every effort to secure a long-term reauthorization of the
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OC area remains in higher demand with low inventory
Thursday, September 03, 2020 Lauren BuntingAt the beginning of the summer, we reported that demand has been very strong in the Ocean City market and surrounding areas since the end of April.
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How sellers can get best offer on houses in market
Thursday, August 20, 2020 Lauren BuntingWhen listing a home for sale, sellers should make sure they really “come out of the gate running.”
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Prepare for storms with insurance, actions
Thursday, August 06, 2020 Lauren BuntingWith the recent Tropical Storm Isaias impacting our coastal area, the importance of having a plan in place for storm events to protect your property is top of mind.
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New state legislation impacts HOA and condo associations
Thursday, July 23, 2020 Lauren BuntingBelow is the final summary of the 2020 legislative session of the Maryland General Assembly on items that were passed and put into legislation affecting the real estate industry as it relates to
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Md. legislation affects real estate industry and taxes
Thursday, July 09, 2020 Lauren BuntingBelow is a summary of the 2020 legislative session of the Maryland General Assembly on items that were passed and put into legislation affecting the real estate industry as it relates to affordable
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Points to weigh prior to purchasing condo
Thursday, July 02, 2020 Lauren BuntingCondo sales have been soaring in the Ocean City and surrounding beach markets.
Purchasing a condominium differs
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Validity of contracts explained
Thursday, June 18, 2020 Lauren BuntingWith low inventory in our market, and a high buyer demand, we are experiencing many multiple-offer situations on properties.
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OC housing market strong because of low interest rate
Thursday, June 04, 2020 Lauren BuntingDemand has been very strong in the Ocean City market over the past month due to both being in our spring market (although somewhat postponed due to covid-19) and historically low interest rates.
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Now great time to sell home, but take extra safety steps
Thursday, May 21, 2020 Lauren BuntingListing inventory is at record lows both around the country and in our local area, and buyer demand is coming back as the country eases restrictions, so it’s a great time to sell
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FHA Condo Rule Changes
Sunday, September 01, 2019 Lauren BuntingThe National Association of Realtors® sent out a press release last week commending the Department of Housing and Urban Development for finalizing new Federal Housing Administration condominium loan policies. The changes, many of which NAR has championed for over
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Transfer and Recordation Taxes in MD
Monday, July 01, 2019 Lauren BuntingCustomary in the state of Maryland is a split of transfer and recordation charges between a buyer and a seller. Section 14-104(b) of the Real Property Article, Annotated Code of Maryland provides that, unless otherwise negotiated in the contract
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Days On Market Calculations in Bright MLS
Saturday, June 01, 2019 Lauren BuntingThe local multiple list system is called Bright MLS. Bright tracks how long a listing has been active with the use of Days on Market (DOM) and Cumulative Days on Market (CDOM). The DOM provides a look at how
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Moving After Losing A Loved One
Tuesday, May 07, 2019 Lauren BuntingThis post is authored by Lucille Rosetti from thebereaved.org and is being added to my blog at her request to help provide information on how to proceed with moving after the loss of a loved one.
Moving After Losing a Loved One: When a beloved family member
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LWB Real Estate Report: Bright MLS
Thursday, June 21, 2018 Lauren BuntingReal Estate Report:
A new multiple list service (MLS), called Bright MLS, is gearing up to take effect in the Delmarva area that will cover the entire state of Maryland and
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LWB Real Estate Report: Agents
Thursday, June 14, 2018 Lauren BuntingReal Estate Report:
If you are in the market to buy or sell a home, you are probably going to retain the assistance of a real estate professional. Practitioners in the field of real estate can hold various titles, and each of the titles comes with a
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LWB Real Estate Report: Bank of America's Grant
Tuesday, April 03, 2018 Lauren BuntingReal Estate Report:
Homebuyers may be eligible to receive up to $5000.00 in closing cost assistance through Bank of America’s Home Grant program. These funds can be used to help with nonrecurring closing costs such
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Real Estate Report: Realtor Ethics
Sunday, April 01, 2018 Lauren BuntingReal Estate Report: Realtor Education and Ethics Requirements
Have you ever wondered what qualifications your REALTOR® encompasses? To be a licensed REALTOR®, there is a detailed list of requirements, not only to
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LWB Real Estate Report: Rate Increases
Tuesday, March 27, 2018 Lauren BuntingReal Estate Report:
With the Federal Reserve raising interest rates last week by a quarter of a percentage point and signaling that the central bank is on track to raise rates twice more in 2018—homebuyers should pay
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LWB Real Estate Report: CMA vs. Appraisal
Tuesday, March 13, 2018 Lauren BuntingReal Estate Report: CMA vs. Appraisal
To clear up any confusion, there is a definite difference between a Comparative Market Analysis (CMA) and an appraisal. Basically, they are two different levels of reports in determining
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LWB Real Estate Report: Smoke Alarm Law
Tuesday, February 13, 2018 Lauren BuntingReal Estate Report:
As of January 1, 2018, there are new residential smoke alarm requirements in the state of Maryland, as per a bill passed by the Maryland General Assembly in 2013. Maryland REALTORS® has provided information to help
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LWB Real Estate Report: 2017 Year End Figures
Tuesday, January 30, 2018 Lauren BuntingMaryland REALTORS® released their Maryland Year End sales figures, and announced that in 2017, residential sales in Maryland climbed by 3.2 percent, or more than 2,500 homes across the state. Eighteen of Maryland's 24 jurisdictions posted gains in home
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LWB Real Estate Report: Realtors Effect on Taxes
Monday, January 01, 2018 Lauren BuntingThe National Association of Realtors issued a news release that summarizes real estate related tax items in the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act put into place just before Christmas. They started by saying that Realtors can take some credit for many of the bill’s improvements during its
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LWB Real Estate Report: Contingencies
Thursday, June 01, 2017 Lauren BuntingContingencies Provide Buyers an Important Check and Balance
Purchasing a new home is normally the biggest investment you’ll ever make and once you’ve bought a home, it’s a decision you can’t easily reverse. Contracts of sale offer various contingency clauses
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LWB Real Estate Report: Role of Agent
Saturday, April 01, 2017 Lauren BuntingThe Maryland Association of Realtors has issued a new brochure for the public entitled “Get to Know the Role of Real Estate Agents”. The brochure covers the role of agents and agency relationships and is a useful tool for
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LWB Real Estate Report: Realtor Ethics
Wednesday, February 01, 2017 Lauren BuntingMost real estate agents are Realtors®, which means they are members of the National Association of Realtors (NAR). By belonging to NAR, all member Realtors are bound by NAR’s Code of Ethics. But beyond the ethics code, NAR developed
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Commission oversees real estate agents
Tuesday, April 14, 2015 Lauren BuntingIn Maryland, licensed real estate agents answer to the Maryland Real Estate Commission, a part of the Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation’s (DLLR) division of Occupational and Professional Licensing. The Commission exists to serve both real estate consumers in Maryland and the real estate licensees
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Survey shows realtors using new technology
Friday, July 04, 2014 Lauren BuntingIn a recent news release issued by the National Association of Realtors (NAR), it was reported that Realtors continue to invest in new technology for their business and have spent more than they did in previous years on keeping up with technology advancements.
It is not surprising
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What is a QR code?
Wednesday, June 01, 2011 Lauren BuntingHave you looked at real estate ads lately, and wondered if there was a printing error that caused a box of squiggly lines to appear??
Well, it's no mistake. It's one of the newest mobile internet technologies using 'bar codes", or more specifically dubbed QR codes.
A QR (Quick Response)
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Recent Posts
- Worcester County following Md. Forest Conservation Act
- Cost effective home staging tips
- Tips to improve chances in challenging sellers' market
- Agricultural use assessment in Md.
- VA Loan obtainable through mortgage companies, banks
- Consumers protected from misconduct with Guaranty
- Real estate year-end observations
- Beat other buyers in multiple bid situations
- ReStores offer discounted home furniture, appliances
- Lenders seek verification of cash deposits in accounts
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