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Volunteer FAQ Editor Needed

gwannouncements
13 years ago

We are looking for someone to help create an FAQ for this forum. While compiling information should be a group effort, one person would be charged with pulling it together into useful FAQs. This could mean a new document OR just pointing to helpful posts that are already on the forum. A good example of a helpful FAQ can be found here: Winter Sowing FAQ.

If you have a desire to make this forum even better, have good writing skills and work well with others, please reply to this thread or send us an email --Letters to Garden Web.

Comments (9)

  • dave_donhoff
    13 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I'd be a lousy compiler.... but I'm willing to launch the 1st response with a beginning skeleton of FAQs (sans answers... just to get the ball rolling);

    BUYING A HOME:
    Why use a Realtor® Can't I save money by DIY?
    If I buy w/o a Realtor® how do I get the seller to reduce their price?
    How can I be sure of the best price/value of a home?
    Should I buy the biggest home I can afford? Why, or why not?
    How can I shop for a home most effectively?
    What is the purpose of a Listing Agent Realtor®?
    What is the purpose of a Selling Agent (Buyer's) Realtor®?
    How do I find the BEST Realtor®
    How should I negotiate with the Realtors®?
    How should I negotiate with the sellers?
    How much earnest money is appropriate?
    What is a lease-option contract? Land contract? Other seller financing?
    What are inspections? Surveys? Easements?
    Can I dispute or negotiate property taxes? How?
    How should I deal with the seller after they have moved out?

    FINANCING A HOME PURCHASE:
    How can I figure out what the bank will lend to me?
    How can I figure out what I can afford?
    How can I get the best rates in the market at no costs?
    What's the best kind of mortgage to use?
    Should I raid my retirement account for down payment?
    Pre-Approval vs Pre-Qualification; what's the difference?
    Appraisal vs Assessment; what's the difference?
    Retail bank versus Mortgage Broker; what's the difference?
    How do I find the best loan officer?
    If I can pay cash, why should I use a mortgage?
    What are normal closing costs?
    How do avoid paying closing costs?
    What are legitimate line items on closing costs?
    What does an underwriter do? What does a processor do?
    What is escrow? What is Title Search? Title Insurance?
    What is Mortgage Insurance?
    How can I avoid Mortgage Insurance?
    What is tax servicing?
    What is reconveyance?
    Can I use gift money for down payments? From whom? How much?
    Can a seller lend me money or gift me money from the sale as well?
    What is seller financing?
    Can I borrow from a credit card for my down payment (I have zero APR credit cards ;~)
    Can my spouse be on the loan but not on title? Or vice versa?
    Can we change that later on, after closing? How?
    If I have good credit, and her credit is lousy, can we borrow with just my credit?

    OPTIMIZING, REBALANCING, or REFINANCING HOME EQUITY:
    Should I raid my retirement money to pay off my mortgage?
    Should I do a cashout refinance to build my retirement accounts?
    Should I pay extra money each month, or bi-weekly, to accelerate my mortgage?
    Should I refinance to a shorter amortization loan? Which... 10 year, 15 year, 20 year?
    Should I buy a lower rate by paying points?
    Should I reduce my closing costs by taking rebate for a higher rate?
    What affect does mortgage interest tax deductibility really play?
    How does a rate lock work? When should I lock?
    What is a HELOC?
    What is the differences between Fixed Rate and Adjustable mortgages?
    Which is better... when... for what?
    What is a Good Faith Estimate? How do I read it, understand it, benefit from it?
    How come mortgage rates don't drop when the Fed announces rate drops (and vice versa)?

    SELLING A HOME:
    When should I put the home on the market?
    Should I stage it or no?
    Should I DIY, use a flat fee listing, or full service Realtor®?
    Should I replace carpets/paint/etc. or offer buyer's allowance so they can choose their preferences?
    If I paint, what colors? Carpet?
    How do I handle a lowlife cheeseball neighbor?
    Should I be present for showing? Or scarce?
    Should I use air freshners, fresh bread, cookies, flowers... or clean/neutral smell?
    How should I deal with lowball offers? Isn't that insulting? (grrrr!!!)

    OK... there's a starter... I am sure the crew can double or triple the size of the questions... and then we could begin digging in to answer them! ;~)

    Cheers,
    Dave Donhoff
    Leverage Planner

  • ncrealestateguy
    13 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    How much does the position pay?

  • cordovamom
    13 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Volunteer usually means unpaid.

  • Gina_W
    13 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Where's TriciaE? She would be good to fill in a lot of those, Dave. And don't we have some realtors around here?

    "lowlife cheeseball neighbor" = LOL!!!

  • ncrealestateguy
    13 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    People can search the forum for FAQs. Most people come to forums to discuss... not to get directed to one person's compilation of answers.
    I must be missing something.

  • classicalone
    13 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I think lots of people come here to find an answer to a specific question. Then many stay to discuss. a FAQ would be great on this and many other forums here.

  • dave_donhoff
    13 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    ncreguy,

    MANY brand new visitors get a bit intimidated by the free flow of the community (you have to admit, those of us who are old hands can be extremely comfortable & sometimes a little "strong" in our correspondence ;~)

    Newbies often like to search FAQs to figure out what they actually WANT to ask... and at the same time get more of a flavor for what the community is actually like.

    Having a FAQ is good. Finding a way to keep it relatively updated is better. Using the search function for dynamic answers is best (but requires a really functional search feature, which is not always the case.)

    Cheers,
    Dave Donhoff
    Leverage Planner

  • Billl
    13 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    The best FAQ's tend to be short and too the point. They also should be fact-based and not opinions.

    eg A FAQ should have definitions and examples of fixed rate vs adjustable rate mortgages. A discussion of the relative merits and suitability of each is best left to discussion threads.

  • ncrealestateguy
    13 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Dave, Bill's response was what I was getting at exactly. He just explained it better than I did.