Alex and Deirdre Silberman's (asilberman) Blog

  You can't do a real estate search today without getting inundated with the $8000 tax credit for first time home owners. There is a frenzy as the credit is set to expire on November 30th. Should buyers that qualify rush to the closing table or is the value of the credit overblown? As the deadli...

Stabilization and recovery, what does this mean for buyers?Most buyers and sellers see the massive media onslaught and walk away with an incorrect perception of what is going on their local market. There is an old saying that you can't tell time by staring at the second hand. Much of the daily ne...

  When I was an Urban Pioneer...I remember my first New York City apartment. It was 1981 and the lower east side was a very different place. There was no Gap. there certainly was no Whole Foods. Those were the most glorious three hundred square feet with a kitchenette complete with a bathtub sma...

You’ve been renting, and through market highs and market lows have wondered whether the advantages of homeownership outweigh the risk, and have finally determined that they do!How does the process of buying a house work? How is it different for first time buyers, and how are you protected?You’ve...

  Understanding how much you can afford is one of the most important rules of home buying. Depending on your individual situation, your budget can affect everything from the neighborhoods where you look, to the size of the house, and even what type of financing you choose.Bear in mind, however, ...

Many people (especially first time buyers) don't consider closing costs when they are assessing their finances. Closing costs are the bundle of fees associated with the buying or selling of a home. Certain fees are automatically assigned to either the buyer or the seller; other costs are either n...