It's not an unusual question for a seller who has a buyer under contract. When they list the house for sale, the seller alters their lifestyle to accommodate multiple people viewing their home at all hours of the day and night. When a buyer is under contract, it's a relief. Privacy at last! However, a new round of visits begin, as the buyer has inspections, an appraisal, relatives, contractors, and a final walk through as they prepare to make the house theirs. Seller begins to wonder when it will ever end, and wants the buyer OUT of the house!

Rule of thumb (for buyer's agents) when the house is occupied, discuss in advance with your buyer the etiquette of visiting the house, and group your visits to make the most of everyone's time. Unexpected events will come up, and there may be need to schedule one more trip, but an experienced agent and buyer can accomplish most of their needs with a total of three to four visits before the close of escrow. This will help immensely with the buyer-seller relationship. It's hectic for both parties, so buyer's agents — help your clients plan in advance and assume the sellers would like the least amount of interruption possible.

Visit one - See the house for the first time.

Visit two (after the offer is accepted) - Group your inspections (ie., home, pest, roof) for one morning or afternoon and, if you're thinking of remodeling, bring in your contractors to bid.

Visit three - The appraisal - use this as your backup time if there are further inspections needed or you need one more thing that can't wait until the walk through. However, rarely will you have a much, if any, warning when the appraiser is coming. Most appraisers prefer to not have buyer, seller, or agents present during their visit.

Visit four - The final walk through to verify home condition approx. the week escrow closes. If your seller has kindly made time to review the property's features and show you the how-to's, respect their time. It's not required that the seller meet with you, so if they offer, be considerate. Most sellers aren't present for a walk through, and if so, use this time to measure the refrigerator space, doorways, windows for new window treatments, dimensions for carpet, etc. Invite parents who have been dying to see the house you're buying, and give them a tape measure so they can be of assistance.

Selling or buying a home is very exciting and stressful for all parties. Buyers are excited about their new home and want to start planning before the dust settles. Sellers have just as many details to coordinate and moving is extremely stressful. Buyers camping out across the street pointing at the house and yard for hours each weekend, or walking by with relatives in tow will only add to the stress.

It appears lenders are implementing a new policy that will affect "flipped" homes. While there is money to be made fixing up REOs and reselling them, there may be less money made if you can't sell them immediately. Why? The income of house flipping is typically based on speed. The faster you can flip it and unload it, the more you profit.

So enter the latest fly in the ointment: lenders are beginning to refuse to loan on a property that hasn't been off the market for six months.

As it is, most REOs aren't in the best condition, so often the purchase is made with cash. And now that the house is rehabbed and will qualify for a loan…..well….HUMMM.

Buyers, do some research on your prospective purchase first and check with your lender on their policies!

Help! The house I'm selling will close escrow before the house I'm buying! It wasn't supposed to be this way, but my loan has been taking forever and now I can't close escrow when planned. What can I do? I need to be moved out by the time my sale closes!

You have several options.

Step 1 - See if your buyer can delay the close of escrow until after your purchase closes. Due to rate locks and terms, this may not be an option, but it's the simplest.

Step 2 - Ask if you can stay in your sale until your purchase closes. This is called a "rent back" agreement. Usually the buyer will request that daily rent be paid at a flat rate or amount equal to their PITI (mortgage payment including taxes, insurance, and HOA fees, if applicable). This option is convenient if you expect the delay to be minor. Most buyers who purchase with intent to occupy must move in at or shortly after close of escrow, so a two- to three-month rent back is probably not going to fly.

Step 3 - See if you can move into your purchase before close of escrow. This will be a similar situation as Step 2, just in reverse. The benefit is, of course, that once you move, you can settle

Step 4 - Secure temporary housing at a Stay America or other "hotel" or short-term apartment rental. It's not fun to move twice, but neither party (your buyer or your seller) is required to let you stay or move in to a home you don't own. There can be reprecussions to either "rent back" situation, making the property owners nervous about what ifs (what if you can't close escrow, what if you don't move out on time and THEY have no place to go).

TIP - NEVER, NEVER, NEVER allow someone to stay in or rent your home without a legal rental agreement in place.

It's hard to say. The right locations and right prices are going to sell regardless of economics and market woes. The higher-end homes are taking longer to sell. There is just less demand for $1M+ properties, and 3 to 4 months ion the market even in prime locations seems to be a fair expectation.

It's not unusual to see a slow in the rental market and real estate market around tax day, graduation season, back-to-school season, and then the holidays. Basically every three months then you'll see a wax and wane regardless of the economy.

In lower-priced markets I've seen fewer new listings this month. Some feel there will be a new wave in June of short sales and REOs. It makes sense that there may be peaks every 90 days based on the foreclosure process.

The value of a good virtual tour is immeasurable. Still photos are good tools, but the ability to see panoramic views and obtain focal points can only be done via the enhancements of a virtual tour. Video, audio, and movement all help a prospective buyer gain perspective on the property. Rooms look larger, vaulted ceilings can be seen and light opens rooms. For a $120 investment on a $700,000 home…it's well worth it. Internet is HUGE exposure so professional photography and video only enhances the marketing of a home.