Q: I bought a house this summer, and in light of the National Association of Realtors' admission that they've been overstating home sales since 2007, I'm wondering if that faulty data may have made me overpay for my house.

It's a good idea to check the building-permit record on a home you're planning to buy before you remove your inspection contingency. Although buyers are advised to take this important step, many don't. This can result in unpleasant consequences.

Q: I am an avid reader of your column and appreciate all the answers you give. I have two questions that are not addressed in my community's rules and regulations.

Q: My uncle recently bought a foreclosed home and now we read about the illegal robo-signing. Is there a chance that my uncle might have his house taken back?

Editor's note: Listings include the resale home's parcel number. Occasionally, the address listed is the homebuyer's mailing address and not the actual location of the home. Check the parcel number to make sure. Also, a few transactions do not reflect the market value of the homes.

Q: Can I tap into a retirement account to help with my down payment?

You might never get the lowest mortgage interest rate ever. But with knowledge, timing and luck, you can lock in the lowest rate available while you're shopping.

Mortgage rates plummeted this week, reaching record lows, as the Obama administration made another attempt to help underwater homeowners refinance their mortgages to take advantage of the super low rates.

Summerlin will feature more than two dozen home floor plans during Home Is Where the Heart Is, a monthlong event that started Wednesday.

Last weekend, Pardee Homes celebrated the grand opening of LivingSmart at Mountain's Edge community.

Lennar will hold a grand opening today at its San Marcello neighborhood, which is located near Summerlin on Tropicana Avenue and Hualapai Way.

Mortgage rates inched up this week, despite the Fed's latest efforts to hold rates low. Some experts worry that as investors gain confidence in the economy, rates may keep climbing. Others say there's still plenty of bad economic news to keep rates at the bottom.

Q: Dear Barbara, First let me start by saying thank you. I wrote you five months ago about my position as a newly elected president and your answer settled things down because the other members of the board read your column.

Homeowners who are thinking about selling this year should be aware of what today's buyers are looking for in a home. It will affect what you should do to get your home ready for sale and how you should price it.

Editor's note: Listings include the resale home's parcel number. Occasionally, the address listed is the homebuyer's mailing address and not the actual location of the home. Check the parcel number to make sure. Also, a few transactions do not reflect the market value of the homes.

Dozens of local real estate industry professionals and government leaders filled a meeting room at the Las Vegas Chamber of Commerce building in Town Square Wednesday for the Under One Roof event, a forum that addressed employer-assisted housing programs.

Harmony Homes has "super-sized" single-story living in the Las Vegas Valley with its with its expansive, executive-level residences in the gated Canyon Falls neighborhood in the southwestern valley, according to Geoff Gorman, vice president of sales for the company.

Q: We bought a vacant lot and had a house built on it. We have no mortgage; we paid cash for the whole thing.

Summerlin boasts abundant cultural amenities, including Summerlin Library and Performing Arts Center and The Donald W. Reynolds Cultural Center, home to Nevada Ballet Theatre's rehearsal, teaching and administrative facility.

Lennar kicked off 2012 with a grand opening at Ladera Terrace in Summerlin's The Mesa village Jan. 21.