Matt Nielson Realtor

09/11/2026

A big part of the home sale process is the appraisal. No matter how much a seller wants for his home, or how much a buyer is willing to pay for a home, in the end, it all comes down to the appraisal. What is an Appraisal? A real estate appraisal establishes the market value of a property: the amount...

08/28/2026

07/17/2026

Things you'll typically hear and read about during a buyer's real estate market include low home prices, large inventories of available homes and little competition from other buyers. While homeowners naturally want to get top dollar for their homes regardless of market conditions, buyers' markets p...

07/03/2026

If you've ever spent time bargaining in a Mexican street market, you may think you've honed your negotiating skills to a fine point. Haggling over the price of a curio, however, and negotiating the price of a home couldn't be more different. Let's take a look at some things to consider when determin...

06/19/2026

Unless you'll be paying cash for a home or you are applying for a loan backed by the government (such as a USDA or VA loan) or a Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac loan, you'll need at least 20 percent of the loan amount in cash. This is the down payment, required by the lender. The larger the down payment,....

06/05/2026

Last time we looked how lenders determine your rate and your creditworthiness based on your credit score. We suggested that you order your credit reports from the 'big 3' credit reporting agencies. When you receive your credit reports look for mistakes or anything else you can challenge. According t...

05/22/2026

It may not seem like it, but there is a process to buying a home and taking certain steps in the proper order just about guarantees success. Taken out of order – putting the cart before the horse – the steps are inefficient and counterproductive, and the process becomes chaotic. Remember when yo...