It’s easy to see the value of an open house—a designated time for real estate agents and prospective buyers to scope out your home while on a Sunday spree of house tours. But if you’re worried about getting lost among the competition, creative open house ideas are a must if you want to make a [...]
A fence can serve as protection while still adding beauty to your yard. Want to make your suburban home feel safe and secure while still maintaining it’s beauty? You might want to consider adding a fence. Fences have been part of the home landscape since colonial days when they kept livestock like chickens and [...]
Home buying can be a whirlwind and, unless you are a lottery winner or heir to a fortune, likely includes taking out a mortgage. Choosing the right mortgage loan for your budget includes assessing your income, lifestyle, credit history and qualifications. But it’s not just a matter of finding an affordable option – it’s also [...]
Many of today’s new home buyers are Millennials – the generation born in the 80s and 90s – who are now getting married, starting families, and stepping into the real estate arena for the very first time. This is the same generation that grew up in a boom, followed by a bust and an insane [...]
While spring is traditionally thought to be the prime season for home buying, people buy and sell homes throughout the year. The need to relocate for a new career, health reasons or the urge for new life experiences can happen at any time. Selling a home can be stressful. Add in harsh weather conditions and [...]
Falling in love can be wonderful—and finding the perfect house can make a house-hunter weak in the knees. As Valentine’s Day approaches, a survey by Realtor.com shows that falling head-over-heels for a house is fairly common—69% of respondents reported that they have had a home crush. House-hunters with a “home crush,” as defined in the [...]
The Federal Reserve's announcement Wednesday that it would reduce its bond-buying by $10 billion a month was seen generally as a moderate start to the highly anticipated taper. As such, mortgage rates, which follow bond yields, did not rise dramatically, as some had predicted. "I was relieved by how the market has reacted so far [...]
Looking at today’s market, I’m so happy about the opportunities that first-time homebuyers are seeing and embracing. One of my colleagues is a young man in his 30s, and recently bought his first home. For years, he counted himself out of the home buying equation, or thought that if he did buy a home, he’d [...]
Most consumers are likely anxious to complete the home buying process, so the last thing they want is a last-minute surprise while they're closing on the house. The closing process is the final hurdle buyers face after they have agreed to purchase the home, but it's important to be prepared to avoid obstacles that may delay [...]
