In our recurring advice column Ask a Realtor, expert real estate agent Nicole Reber responds to readers’ queries with well-informed guidance about the ins and outs of home finding, renting, buying, and selling. She’s given tips to sellers of niche properties for finding the right buyers and outlined the most important things to do to prep a house for the market. What I find so valuable about her feedback is that it’s packed with helpful insights without being hard to follow.
For this week’s installment, Reber walked a potential first-time homebuyer through what questions to be asking when considering a purchase—including whether it might be better to just keep renting in the current market. The column helped me think through some of my own curiosities about pursuing homeownership in a climate where owning property is increasingly inaccessible and a less secure tool for building wealth. Read the story below, and look out for future installments.
Oh, and have a burning real estate question—anything from uncertainties about mortgages or complicated rental laws to suggestions for dealing with difficult HOAs or landlords? Submit it here.
—Sarah Buder, Senior Culture Editor
