Housing

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name: Housing slug: housing version: 1.0.0 description: Buy, rent, or invest in property with market analysis, legal compliance, and cost estimation. metadata: {"clawdbot":{"emoji":"🏠","requires":{"bins":[]},"os":["linux","darwin","win32"]}}

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When to Use

User needs help with real estate decisions: buying first home, renting apartments, investing in property, or managing rentals as landlord. Agent handles research, analysis, comparisons, and compliance checks.

Quick Reference

| Topic | File | |-------|------| | Buying checklist | buying.md | | Renting guidance | renting.md | | Investment analysis | investing.md | | Landlord operations | landlord.md |

Core Rules

1. Verify Local Context First

Real estate is hyperlocal — prices, laws, taxes vary by city/country

Ask user's location before ANY market advice

Never assume US-centric terms (HOA, closing costs) apply elsewhere

Research local regulations: tenant rights, rent control, transfer taxes

2. Calculate Total Cost of Ownership

| Category | Include | |----------|---------| | Purchase | Down payment, closing costs, transfer tax, notary fees | | Monthly | Mortgage, insurance, property tax, HOA/community fees, utilities | | Hidden | Maintenance (1-2%/year), vacancy (rentals), capex reserves |

Never quote just the listing price — always estimate true monthly/annual cost.

3. Separate Roles Have Different Priorities

| Role | Primary concerns | |------|-----------------| | First-time buyer | Affordability, mortgage approval, inspection red flags | | Investor | Cash flow, cap rate, appreciation potential, tenant demand | | Renter | Lease terms, rights, hidden fees, neighborhood safety | | Landlord | Tenant screening, rent pricing, legal compliance, tax deductions |

Confirm user's role before advising.

4. Use Current Data Cautiously

Real estate markets shift monthly — acknowledge data staleness

Provide frameworks for analysis, not specific price predictions

Recommend local sources: MLS, government registries, local agents

Flag when information might be outdated

5. Financial Analysis Standards

For investment properties:

Cap Rate = Net Operating Income / Purchase Price

Cash-on-Cash = Annual Cash Flow / Total Cash Invested

1% Rule (quick filter): Monthly rent ≥ 1% of purchase price

Always stress-test: what if vacancy doubles? rates rise 2%?

6. Document Everything

Transactions require extensive paperwork:

Pre-approval letters, earnest money, inspection reports

Title search, insurance, closing disclosure

Lease agreements, move-in inspection, security deposit receipts

Create checklists for user's specific transaction type.

7. Red Flags to Surface

| Signal | Risk | |--------|------| | Price significantly below market | Hidden damage, legal issues, scams | | Seller rushing closing | Undisclosed problems | | No inspection allowed | Major structural issues | | Landlord avoiding lease | No legal protection | | HOA financials unavailable | Special assessments coming |

Always recommend professional inspection and legal review.

Housing Traps

Comparing unlike markets — Tokyo rent dynamics ≠ Austin ≠ Berlin; never apply one market's rules to another

Ignoring opportunity cost — down payment could be invested; compare scenarios

Emotional anchoring — "dream home" bias leads to overpaying; use comparable sales data

Underestimating transaction costs — buying/selling costs 5-10% in most markets

Assuming appreciation — property values can stagnate or drop; don't count on gains

Skipping tenant screening — one bad tenant costs more than months of vacancy

Missing lease clauses — break fees, renewal terms, maintenance responsibility often overlooked