Are you wondering if now is the time to buy your first home, move up or downsize to a different one? Perhaps you wonder how to save money while renting – as you save up that down payment; or wonder what the buying and selling experiences might be like.

In a series of posts about real estate investing, I am exploring the real world experiences of other financial bloggers as I consider what type of investment to make in the real estate sector. In the last post Real Estate Investing Resources – More Real World Experience, we looked at property management and landlord considerations. In the first post, Real Estate Investing Resources – Real World Experience, we explored the investment aspect itself.

Now, we will take a look at what others have experienced in saving money while renting as well as their buying and selling stories. For now, this will be the last of our Real World Experience postings for real estate.

Renting

One Cent at a Time, an experienced renter, shares Practical Tips on How to Save Money While Renting. A couple of them are renting directly from the owner, instead of the property management firm or inspecting the property before you move in to note any damages already there that the manager might try to charge against you when you move out.

SB also shared his analysis of renting vs. buying – showing that from a financial standpoint, it was better for him to continue renting!

Buying
So, you’ve decided to buy a house. What can our bloggers share with you about that?

Financial Success for Young Adults notes that you should watch your first real estate tax payment to ensure it is made correctly in Common Escrow Problems and How to Fix Them.

Don’t Quit Your Day Job backs up their claim that The Real mortgage Rate is Historically Low with charts and analysis.

Prairie Eco Thrifter shows us How to Save Money on Your Homes Mortgage with tips such as go for the lowest rate you can, make extra payments and avoiding Private Mortgage Insurance (PMI).

When you own a home, you will want insurance. One Cent at a Time shares Tips for Cheap Home Insurance – such as comparing rates, making your home safer and considering a higher deductible.

Shaun at Money Caucus explains his method of using equity in one property to get a line of equity to invest in the next along with an Australian tax variation form he can use to get cash back from the properties in the post How to Always Win With Property but Why You Never Will.

And finally, Crystal from Money Saving Mom, explains how she and her family paid cash for their first home by setting their goal, being frugal with gazelle like intensity and finding ways to make more income on the side.

Selling
Miss T at Prairie Eco Thrifter describes how to sell your home to someone who can’t afford a down payment using rent to own contracts.

Barbara Friedberg shares what a communication mistake cost her at the closing of her home sale in Misery Loves Company.  I believe she also bought a house using a short sale so check out her posts on that as well.

I’d love to hear your tips – especially your buying tips for residential rentals. How did you negotiate? Did you bring a lawyer to closing? How did you find an agent to help you look? Did you subscribe to and use foreclosure web sites? I need all the help I can get!