Here’s our one-stop shop for everything you need to know about acquiring a home you’ll love. Browse our articles for valuable information on buying an existing home, finding new construction, or building your dream house.
Open houses are a great opportunity to check out a home and ask a lot of questions. Make the most of your touring by paying attention to these important factors. The neighborhood. Take a lap or two through the neighborhood and even the wider community surrounding it before you even set foot in the house…. Read more »
Up until you buy your first home, your experience with insurance may be limited to auto, life and health coverage policies. When you buy your first home, you’ll encounter a slew of new types of coverage, including title insurance, homeowner’s insurance, flood insurance and maybe even something called an “umbrella policy.” To minimize the head-spinning,… Read more »
While house hunting with children isn’t the perfect scenario, sometimes it just can’t be avoided. Instead of letting the kids get the best of you, have a game plan in place that keeps them busy and keeps your sanity intact. Here are a few tips. Call in a favor or hire a sitter. During the… Read more »
When is the right time to buy a home? Are there times when you’re better off renting? There’s more to consider than just the finances. Let’s take a look. Roots versus freedom. Homeownership brings the intangible benefit of feeling established and putting down roots. We’ve all seen those pencil markings on the walls of homes… Read more »
Buying a home can be daunting, even under the best of circumstances. Taking that big of a step alone – whether you’re single, widowed or divorced – can make the home-buying experience even more challenging. Assess your financial situation. Just like any other buyer, singles must do a detailed assessment of income, assets and recurring… Read more »
If you live in an area where homes are selling for asking price or more, you could find yourself in a bidding war. Here are five tips to reduce your stress and come out on top. Have your money in order. Do a solid budget analysis and know precisely how much you can afford to… Read more »
You’ve sacrificed, scrimped and saved for the down payment on your first home. But have you saved for the whole new world of expenses that comes with home ownership? If not, you could get blindsided by: Closing costs. Do your homework before making an offer because the down payment is just part of the cost… Read more »
When buying or selling a home, most people look into hiring a professional. But what type of professional is best? Agent? Broker? REALTOR®? You may have used the terms interchangeably, but there are significant differences. Here’s what you need to know about each type of real estate pro. The real estate agent is the entry-level… Read more »
One of the biggest players in any real estate transaction is the title company. The title company serves multiple roles, all of them crucial to the closing process. Primarily, title companies exist to protect the parties involved, particularly the buyers and their mortgage companies. Here is what you need to know. A title company issues… Read more »
One of the most important steps in the home-shopping process is for buyers to have an initial assessment of their ability to get a mortgage. As a buyer, already having a mortgage preapproval letter from a lender in hand means you can move quickly when you find the home you want. As a seller, having… Read more »
The Multiple Listing Service, or MLS as it is known in the real estate world, is the No. 1 source of listing information on homes for sale in the United States. Whether buying or selling, the MLS plays a big role in the marketing and sales of homes across the country. What exactly is the… Read more »
Homeowners associations provoke strong emotions. Depending on who you ask, they are viewed as either the neighborhood’s protector of home values or, in some cases, a small group of residents who take community rule enforcement to the extreme. What is an HOA and why do they exist? Simply put, an HOA is a private regulatory… Read more »
