Owning a home is a significant goal for many Americans. The New York Times reported this year that nearly three-quarters of Americans consider homeownership a high measure of achievement – a higher percentage than graduating from college, building a career or raising a family. The survey also noted that renters often cite affordability and other

When it comes to down payments – size can matter.  The size of your down payment can impact many aspects of your home buying journey: the loans you’re eligible for, your interest rate, your monthly mortgage payments, your closing costs and how much you’ll need to pay upfront at closing. But does the size of

If you want to sell your home, costs associated with closing will probably end up being roughly 10% of the home’s sale price. Between real estate agent commissions, attorney fees, transfer tax and escrow fees, home sellers have to pay up before they get paid. Homebuyers also have to fork over thousands of dollars in

Most people who buy a house expect the seller to leave behind the oven and refrigerator, but sometimes, a seller can pass along much more than an appliance. If you’re thinking about purchasing a home with tenants, you may be looking at a turnkey investment opportunity. But there are other things you need to take

Buying your first home is an exciting milestone, but it can be intimidating. There are so many decisions to make. You have to decide where you want to live, how much you want to spend and what type of home you want (think: a condo or single-family home).  But here’s a question you may not

Building a home can be a lengthy, expensive and risky process. And if something were to go wrong during the construction process, the developer might be on the hook for quite a bit of money. Anyone interested in building a home wants to protect their initial investment. One of the best ways to keep these

When most people think of buying a house, they picture browsing real estate listings online and touring a seller’s home with a real estate agent. However, there is another option: purchasing a home through an auction. Real estate auctions are becoming more popular due in part to the current housing market. They may seem intimidating,

Owning a home comes with risks, which is exactly why we buy homeowners insurance. But standard homeowners insurance policies don’t cover flood damage. So what happens if you want to buy a home in a flood zone? A flood zone is an area with an increased risk of flooding. Keep reading to learn more about

Life is all about weighing your options and making choices, especially when it comes to how to spend your hard-earned money. The cost of renting a home increased by 12.3% from July 2021 to July 2022. And the median price to rent a one-bedroom apartment in the U.S. now stands at $1,450.[1] [2] Renting can

More and more couples are buying homes together before marriage. And a few interesting stats can help explain the growing trend. Over the past 20 years, the number of unmarried couples living together has skyrocketed from 6 million to 17 million – which is about 7% of the adult population.[1] Married couples make up fewer

Imagine a perfectly sized home — a place that’s both cozy and chic, minimalist yet welcoming. A place that fits your needs perfectly, without any wasted space. That’s the dream of many home buyers considering a switch to tiny living The tiny house movement is becoming increasingly popular as more and more people recognize the

You’ve finally found your dream home and are getting ready to close in a couple of weeks. You’ve done your research on homeowners insurance, called the insurance company and received a preliminary quote. But before they’re willing to issue the policy, they’re requiring you to submit a 4-point inspection.  A 4-point inspection is used to

Just like laws vary by country and state, certain houses can be subject to specific rules that owners must abide by. Broadly speaking, a deed restriction is a limitation on what you can do with your property. Some common examples of deed restrictions include prohibiting the use of your home for conducting business activities or

There’s something special about buying something custom-made for you and a home is no exception. A new construction house gives you the freedom to design your own home to your particular specifications. Just don’t forget that new construction homes come at a premium and that you’ll have to endure a lot of planning and waiting.

One of the most important components of the home buying or selling process is getting the home appraised. In fact, many lenders will require an appraisal before a deal can be closed. With an appraisal, an unbiased third party will have the opportunity to take a close look at the home and determine a fair

If you’re shopping for a home, you may already know the differences between single-family homes, townhouses, condominiums and maybe even cooperatives. But you may have paused when you encountered a different kind of real estate known as a planned unit development (PUD). In this article, we’ll explain what a PUD is and its purpose. We’ll

Did you know that termites don’t sleep? Or that a bedbug infestation can linger even after all your belongings are removed from the home? When you’re in the throes of buying a home, the last things you want to think about are the creepy crawlies that could be just out of sight. Many home buyers

Getting divorced can be a challenging process. Even when the split with your spouse is completely amicable, divorce represents a new chapter in your life that – from a financial, social and emotional perspective – can be difficult to prepare for. One of the hardest questions to answer following a divorce is, “Who gets to

Whether you’re looking to buy a house, rent an apartment or invest in commercial property, the best way to peruse the market is through a real estate app. Thanks to technology, house hunting is now literally at your fingertips, and it’s easier than ever to buy a house online. All that’s standing between you and

You’ve been shopping for vacant land and found a parcel you love – but there’s one problem. The property is landlocked.  Landlocked property doesn’t have direct access to a public road and is only accessible by crossing another property. While landlocked real estate can be an exciting investment opportunity, it may involve legal risks because

You know how the story begins: You’ve found your dream home. But, plot twist: It’s not even on the market yet! But you love the home, and you’re a highly motivated buyer, so you decide you want to be first in line to buy your dream home if the owner ever decides to sell. To

Owning multiple rental properties can be a lucrative way to build wealth over the long term, but, unfortunately, financing rental properties isn’t always as simple as applying and getting approved for a mortgage. If you plan on building a real estate portfolio, it’s important to know what potential financing challenges and hurdles you might face.

Home improvement shows make flipping houses look so simple, don’t they? You buy a cheap home, slap some fresh paint on the walls, and then you turn around and sell it for a huge profit, right?  While house flipping may occasionally work this way – let’s not make the exception the rule. The reality is

Does the current seller’s market make you feel like you need to take a stealth approach to negotiations? When there are lots of buyers interested in a home, you may find yourself on the frontline of a bidding war. Sometimes buyers try to offer more than the seller’s asking price to give them the best

If you’ve been looking around for the perfect house, you may feel anxious about how to buy the one you’ve set your heart on at a price that won’t bust your budget.  We know negotiating a home price may seem intimidating, but knowing the right moves to make ahead of time can relieve a lot

Adulting ain’t easy, we know. One of the more challenging adulthood milestones to reach is buying your first house. And one of the most challenging parts of buying your first house is saving up for the down payment.  Inflation plus stagnant minimum wages(1) equals a generation that makes less money and has fewer opportunities to

Moving into a new home can be a big deal, even when you’re just moving to a new neighborhood or a nearby county. When the move crosses state lines, buying a home in the area can feel like exploring another planet, especially if it’s somewhere you haven’t lived before. The good news is that you’re