Answers by Keith Jean Pierre

Inventory is still limited in many market so selling is overall a good idea in 2026. But food for thought, remember, when you sell high, 95% of the time you also buy "high" when it comes to primary residences. Just as when you sell low, you typically purchase low. Primary residences just move cash up and down; the true reward is only when you retire and move somewhere at 1/4 the cost. Until then, money just changes hands; up or down. Keith Jean-Pierre Managing Principal The Dapper Agents Operations In: NY, NJ, FL & CA

You can certainly purchase a home on your own, but you might want to speak with an accountant and attorney to discuss possible worst-case scenarios. Keith Jean-Pierre Managing Principal The Dapper Agents Operations In: NY, NJ, FL & CA

You can hire an attorney to oversee the process or an agent to do the same. Keith Jean-Pierre Managing Principal The Dapper Agents Operations In: NY, NJ, FL & CA

Each state has different disclosure laws. Many states allow you to request incident reports for a specific address, and that would give you a great overview. Keith Jean-Pierre Managing Principal The Dapper Agents Operations In: NY, NJ, FL & CA

Generally no, but there are different disclosure laws in different states that might require disclosure if asked. Keith Jean-Pierre Managing Principal The Dapper Agents Operations In: NY, NJ, FL & CA

Depends on the situation. Was it a primary residence? Were you married at the time? Did you make a profit on the sale, if so how much? How long did you live there? There are a lot of variables here, but generally, if you are single, held the home for two or more years in the last five, and made less than $250,000 in profit, you would be able to have a tax exemption. Keith Jean-Pierre Managing Principal The Dapper Agents Operations In: NY, NJ, FL & CA

I would suggest getting pre-approved as soon as you are serious, that way, if there are any issues, you can resolve them prior to your purchase deadline.

This is definitely a personal choice but if you do, make sure that you can afford the remediation and get quotes and the work done from only qualified individuals. Mold is not something to mess around with. Good luck! Keith Jean-Pierre Managing Principal The Dapper Agents Operations In: NY, NJ, FL & CA

Best bet here is to speak with a local real estate agent who is familiar with the market area and your home. Best of luck! Keith Jean-Pierre Managing Principal The Dapper Agents Operations In: NY, NJ, FL & CA

Best bet here is to speak with a local real estate agent familiar with your market and property. Keith Jean-Pierre Managing Principal The Dapper Agents Operations In: NY, NJ, FL & CA

The lowest credit score needed to buy a house is typically 500 for an FHA loan with a 10% down payment. For conventional loans, a minimum of 620 is generally required. While some government-backed loans have very low requirements, most lenders impose their own higher minimums, often requiring at least 580 to 620. Best of luck! Keith Jean-Pierre Managing Principal The Dapper Agents Operations In: NY, NJ, FL & CA

This would be based on what you qualify for with your lender vs being "home" specific. I would suggest speaking with a lending professional to get a clearer understanding of what is available to you. Best of luck! Keith Jean-Pierre Managing Principal The Dapper Agents Operations In: NY, NJ, FL & CA

Speaking with a mortgage professional is your first step here. They will be able to determine what you qualify for and what steps need to be taken before purchase. Best of luck! Keith Jean-Pierre Managing Principal The Dapper Agents Operations In: NY, NJ, FL & CA

Ideally you want to get the permits before sale, it will be a much easier sales process. All you have to do is go to your township and apply, they will conduct an inspection, and then anything that needs to be corrected, you take care of, and then have a reinspection. Good luck with the process! Keith Jean-Pierre Managing Principal The Dapper Agents Operations In: NY, NJ, FL & CA

A shed is a fixture on your property, and this would require an exclusion notation to do so. If you already are under contract and did not mention, it must stay unless you get authorization to remove.

This is going to be heavily dependent on your specific market. Are outbuildings typical in your market? Do many neighbors have these? Do buyers expect these? Keith Jean-Pierre Managing Principal The Dapper Agents Operations In: NY, NJ, FL & CA

Typically, in most markets you can submit an offer on any property that is currently listed, regardless of the status, but that does not mean it will be accepted. It would typically be held as backup. Additionally, when a property is pending, the seller does not have to grant access for showing. Keith Jean-Pierre Managing Principal The Dapper Agents Operations In: NY, NJ, FL & CA

Best time to sell historically tends to be Spring and Summer but given the limited inventory in many markets across the country, this tends to not be as important as it used to be. Depending on the market in Florida, you might have a lot or little inventory since they benefited from the Covid boom with lots of new construction. Best of luck with your search! Keith Jean-Pierre Managing Principal The Dapper Agents Operations In: NY, NJ, FL & CA

This is definitely a personal choice, but if you already feel uncomfortable spending your pre-approval amount, I think you have your answer. Best of luck with your purchase. Keith Jean-Pierre Managing Principal The Dapper Agents Operations In: NY, NJ, FL & CA

Yes, this is usually called a Hold or Temporary Market Withdrawal. Keith Jean-Pierre Managing Principal The Dapper Agents Operations In: NY, NJ, FL & CA

Yes this is possible but there might be tax implications / liabilities. Speak to a good accountant to get the all clear. Best of luck! Keith Jean-Pierre Managing Principal The Dapper Agents Operations In: NY, NJ, FL & CA

Typically, a buyers agency agreement has a duration of which you are tied to said agent. Keith Jean-Pierre Managing Principal The Dapper Agents Operations In: NY, NJ, FL & CA

This can help get you started: https://www.tchabitat.org/blog/a-guide-for-first-time-homebuyers-questions-to-ask-your-realtor Keith Jean-Pierre Managing Principal The Dapper Agents Operations In: NY, NJ, FL & CA

Selling a manufactured home is a bit different than a traditional sale and due to the lower price point, many agents do not specialize in this but if you Google "Florida Mobile Home Realtors," you have some good options. Best of luck with your sale. Keith Jean-Pierre Managing Principal The Dapper Agents Operations In: NY, NJ, FL & CA

This is state dependent, but typically yes. Keith Jean-Pierre Managing Principal The Dapper Agents Operations In: NY, NJ, FL & CA

This is HEAVILY market dependent. Personally, our team does not do open houses unless the owner requests them or it is part of our marketing strategy; typically auction style listings. Otherwise, especially now, open houses tend to be rather quiet bringing in the neighbors, less motivated individuals, or buyers already represented by agents. As a result, it tends to not be a productive use of time for our clients and ourselves. Private showings always tend to be more beneficial. Keith Jean-Pierre Managing Principal The Dapper Agents Operations In: NY, NJ, FL & CA

It will lower your mortgage payment if there is a bit of a rate difference between your current rate and the current market rate but do keep in mind that it resets your clock for your mortgage. So, let's say you have 27 years left, if you refinance you go back to 30 or 40 depending on what product you select. Of course, you can go to a 15 but that would most likely raise your payment if your mortgage is relatively new. Keith Jean-Pierre Managing Principal The Dapper Agents Operations In: NY, NJ, FL & CA

Have you spoken to them about having a possible partner or associate to step in for them until they are all better? Keith Jean-Pierre Managing Principal The Dapper Agents Operations In: NY, NJ, FL & CA

I would not say handling this would not be any different whether they were a real estate agent or friend. Keith Jean-Pierre Managing Principal The Dapper Agents Operations In: NY, NJ, FL & CA

Purchasing a foreclosure home is much different than purchasing a traditional sale. Are you aware of the challenges? That would be the most important factor. Keith Jean-Pierre Managing Principal The Dapper Agents Operations In: NY, NJ, FL & CA

You can Google for top rated lenders in your area. Keith Jean-Pierre Managing Principal The Dapper Agents Operations In: NY, NJ, FL & CA

This is not necessary as it is not an inspection. Just let them do their thing and before you know it, it's over. Appraisals are VERY quick. Keith Jean-Pierre Managing Principal The Dapper Agents Operations In: NY, NJ, FL & CA

Just like a showing, you want the property to be as visually appealing and accessible as possible. Keith Jean-Pierre Managing Principal The Dapper Agents Operations In: NY, NJ, FL & CA

Have you spoken to your lender? Keith Jean-Pierre Managing Principal The Dapper Agents Operations In: NY, NJ, FL & CA

This can take place but there are requirements for mortgage disclosures and there might be tax implications. Keith Jean-Pierre Managing Principal The Dapper Agents Operations In: NY, NJ, FL & CA

You can do this but there are risks as you will not know the full extent of the home until you see yourself. Typically, the clients that we represent doing this allow us to do an extensive video tour with them and hire our inspectors and contractors to do a thorough inspection of the home. Keith Jean-Pierre Managing Principal The Dapper Agents Operations In: NY, NJ, FL & CA

You would ask your agent to allow termination and if that does not work speak to their broker on next steps. Keith Jean-Pierre Managing Principal The Dapper Agents Operations In: NY, NJ, FL & CA

A Right of First Refusal is a contractual right granting a specific party the option to purchase a property or asset before the seller can accept offers from third parties. Keith Jean-Pierre Managing Principal The Dapper Agents Operations In: NY, NJ, FL & CA

Typically, any new credit accounts result in a small drop in credit score initially, and then as the account ages, the score improves due to the length of credit history. Keith Jean-Pierre Managing Principal The Dapper Agents Operations In: NY, NJ, FL & CA

Usually 6 months, but keep in mind that constant refinances end up being net negative. Keith Jean-Pierre Managing Principal The Dapper Agents Operations In: NY, NJ, FL & CA

Speak with a local real estate professional and they can give you a much better idea. Best of luck with the sale. Keith Jean-Pierre Managing Principal The Dapper Agents Operations In: NY, NJ, FL & CA

More information would be required for a proper assessment. You can also call the local tax office for more information. Keith Jean-Pierre Managing Principal The Dapper Agents Operations In: NY, NJ, FL & CA

Homes rarely sell these days for simply a small back taxes balance. Keith Jean-Pierre Managing Principal The Dapper Agents Operations In: NY, NJ, FL & CA

Call the local township tax department, they will easily be able to shed some light on this matter. Best of luck!

More information would be required. You can go to your local township municipal building and find out for sure. Keith Jean-Pierre Managing Principal The Dapper Agents Operations In: NY, NJ, FL & CA

Earnest money gets applied to your "purchase" balance. Keith Jean-Pierre Managing Principal The Dapper Agents Operations In: NY, NJ, FL & CA

Depends on the specific market, but typically buyers are going to want one in the bedroom for proper utilization. Keith Jean-Pierre Managing Principal The Dapper Agents Operations In: NY, NJ, FL & CA

It depends on your market, but typically yes. Keith Jean-Pierre Managing Principal The Dapper Agents Operations In: NY, NJ, FL & CA

An additional bedroom, as long as it does not make the function / flow of the home significantly worse tends to enhance value significantly. Keith Jean-Pierre Managing Principal The Dapper Agents Operations In: NY, NJ, FL & CA

What do the comparables say about the property? If you like the agent but don't like the value, an easy way to solve this would be through an independent appraisal. Keith Jean-Pierre Managing Principal The Dapper Agents Operations In: NY, NJ, FL & CA