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Expert Tips for Home Buyers & Sellers

Our mission at Rita Quintero & The Regional Team is to be your best resource for real estate advice. Whether you are a buyer, seller, or investor, our team of professionals can answer any questions you might have about real estate. Subscribe to this blog to get the latest news on local market trends and receive expert tips for buying or selling a home.

3 Key Insurance Types in a Real Estate Deal


During almost any home sale, there are three types of insurance that you need to be aware of.

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When buying a home, there are three types of insurance you should be aware of:
  1. Title insurance: Normally this is mandatory if you’re paying a mortgage, but if you pay cash, you have the option to skip it. Even as a cash buyer, I don’t recommend skipping out. Title insurance insures that both the owner’s and the lender’s interests in the home are protected against things like title defects or liens. Title insurance is especially important in short sales and foreclosures which often carry a higher risk of things like tax liens. You want to make sure the title is clear and that no one can claim your property or file a lawsuit against it down the road. 
  2. Homeowners insurance: Like title insurance, it’s not required if you own your home outright, but it’s required if you carry a mortgage, and I feel like it’s necessary either way. It covers you from a variety of things like fires and storms, and you want it even if you’re not legally required to have it. 
  3. Extra moving insurance: Bare bones, federally mandated moving companies are required to offer insurance of $0.60 per pound of items, which is known as a release coverage protection. If something breaks during a moving, you won’t get back the full amount you paid for it. There is also full value protection that you can purchase from the moving company, which we always recommend. This covers you for fair market value of what you’ve paid for your items. Check with the moving company, though, because rates change by company. If you move very expensive items, you can get extra third-party insurance that usually costs around $100 per $10,000 of coverage. Check with your mover to see if they have extra coverage options.
If you have any other questions about insurances during a home transaction or you’re looking to buy or sell a home, give me a call or send me an email soon. I’d be happy to help you!

Thank You and Happy Holidays!


Thanks for helping us make this year a spectacular one. Today, I wanted to send a message of appreciation for the holiday season.

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Today I just wanted to take a moment to wish you happy holidays and thank you. This year, I wanted to thank you from the bottom of my heart for helping us make 2016 such a spectacular year.

Thanks to all of our clients for trusting us with your real estate needs and your referrals. We hope our service went beyond your expectations!

Thanks for trusting us with your business and your referrals.


On behalf of our whole team, I hope you have a happy holiday season and a healthy, prosperous New Year as we head into 2017. Don't hesitate to give me a call if I can help you in any way.

Talk to you soon!

Announcing Our New Partnership With Keller Williams


We've made the switch and joined Keller Williams after running our own independent brokerage for 12 years.

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As many of you know, Dennis and I have owned our own successful independent brokerage since 2004. We're excited to announce that we're merging our office with Keller Williams American Premier Realty.

Why? For us, it was hands-down the best decision we've made. In this day in age, technology, tools, and systems are extremely important to help us help our team and clients at the highest level, and Keller Williams provides that.

We also wanted a company with a strong culture. As many of you know, that's very important to me: a strong culture with a caring support staff and passion. Keller Williams provides a culture in which we're all treated as business partners and success is mutual.


The possibilities truly are endless.


We care a lot about the regional team's growth, and Keller Williams provides Masterminds across the world to help grow our team. With [name] officially able to be part of the team now, we're poised to grow with these new tools and a supportive environment. The possibilities truly are endless.

If you have any questions about our team or about [area] real estate, give us a call or send us an email. We'd love to hear from you!

Should Buyers Pursue a CMA in Baltimore?


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Choosing an offer on a home can be challenging. Because no two homes are the same, sellers traditionally use a Comparative Market Analysis, or a CMA. This is a useful tool to determine a home’s listing price and overall value, based on current market conditions and climate.


Ask your listing agent to conduct a CMA for your prospective property.


However, CMAs are equally valuable for buyers! When you’ve selected a home you’re interested in, ask your listing agent to conduct a CMA for your prospective property. This information will help you determine an accurate offer price based on square footage, the number of bedrooms and bathrooms, age, and overall condition. It also provides detailed information, such as average days on the market, list-to-sales price, and any seller closing assistance.

The CMA can’t tell you everything you need to know, though. For that reason, it should be used as a guide. Ultimately, you need to see these homes for yourself to get a well-rounded idea. You need to understand the price, features, and location aside from the CMA. This is where your Realtor becomes invaluable. They can walk you through the process.

If you’re thinking about buying or selling a Baltimore home, reach out by phone or email at your earliest convenience! I’d be happy to answer any question you have.