For many middle-income Americans, the housing market is in trouble. The cost of buying a home has undergone a steep increase compared to just two years ago.
7 min read
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Buying a home is a huge decision. You deserve to know everything there is to know about a home before you buy it. Here are 50 questions you'll want to ask before making an offer.
26 min read
Between a jump in the median home sales price amounting to $33,000 and soaring mortgage interest rates, the cost of buying a home in 2023 is twice what it was two years ago. Why are home prices through the roof in 2023? The simplest explanation of why homes for sale now cost so much is […]
16 min read
Buying your first home can be a long and complicated process. Be sure you're ready for every twist on the road ahead with a look at our step-by-step guide to buying a new home.
9 min read
An FHA mortgage is a loan which is insured by the federal government. This backing gives lenders the ability to provide loans for home ownership that are distinguished by lower down payments, lower closing costs, and a lower credit rating threshold for qualification. But how does the FHA work, and is it right for you? Read on to find out...
7 min read
The home warranty is a popular option among home sellers and buyers. A service contract agreement designed to cover some of the routine maintenance and repair costs of home ownership, the home warranty sounds like a great idea—a prepaid source of protection against the inevitable appliance failures and plumbing mishaps that happen when you own a home. But is a home warranty worth it? Do you actually get your money’s worth out of this arrangement? And how does it really work? Read on and find out if a home warranty is right for you.
10 min read
Editor’s Preface: With the breakout success of Chip and Joanna Gaines’ FIXER UPPER program, flipped homes look more appealing than ever. Today’s homebuyers are likely to let their guard down when purchasing flipped houses, and people investing in house flipping may not appreciate the importance of using contractors that know what they’re doing and have […]
25 min read
Whether you’re moving cross country for a new job opportunity or you’re just ready for a change of scenery, picking up your whole life and transporting it 2500 miles away is a pretty big undertaking. It should come as little surprise that this undertaking can also be quite expensive. From packing supplies and shipping costs to fuel and professional moving companies, expenses can really add up. For some idea of what all of these expenses might add up to, check out this handy Moving Calculator from Moving.com. This is a useful tool for determining how much your move could cost. But you should only consider this estimate as a starting point in your research. While you may not be able to control things like the cost of gas, there are actually a lot of factors that you can control. Any combination of the tips below could lower your overall cross country moving expenses at a time when every penny counts.
9 min read
The Great Recession was a financial crisis that gripped the world in late 2007 and held tight until roughly the summer of 2009. While this period of economic stagnation and decline was a global phenomenon, its impact was especially concentrated in the United States. Over a period of 18 months, one in every five American workers was laid off. This was a catastrophic period in the lives of many Americans. For the nation as a whole this period qualified as the worst economic meltdown since the Great Depression some 80 years prior. As we face down a growing threat of inflation, Congressional grappling over infrastructural needs, and a political landscape that is both sharply divided and marked by a far-reaching sense of economic discontent, this feels like a uniquely appropriate time to reflect on the Great Recession.
11 min read
A fixer-upper can be a great investment as long as you know what you’re getting. Here, we discuss the best strategy for finding the right work-in-progress home along with a look at the Pros and Cons of Buying a Fixer-upper.
9 min read
Getting a new home is a pretty big decision, so you obviously want to consider all of your options first. You’ve probably also noticed just how competitive the housing market is these days. If you find your dream house on the market, there’s a pretty good chance that dozens of others also think they’ve found their dream home. So wouldn’t it just be easier to build your own home? Well, if you’re looking for a home that checks off every box on your wishlist, it might be preferable to design, contract out, and build your perfect dream house. But it might not necessarily be the most affordable option and certainly isn’t the easiest way to get a new home.
12 min read
According to Hudson River Community Credit Union, an individual working from home can save as much as $4,000 a year, though the exact rate of savings may vary depending on factors like geography, profession, and lifestyle habits. Still, there are plenty of saving opportunities for anybody who trades in the briefcase and the commute for a home office and a new ergonomic chair. So if telecommuting is actually an option for you, either permanently or partially, it may be worth considering.
10 min read
Bad credit can seriously derail your dreams of home ownership. Your credit rating will be a key figure used by mortgage lenders as they evaluate your ability to repay a home loan. Your credit rating will play an important role in determining both the total sum of the loan banks are willing to provide you for a new home and the interest rate that you’ll pay each month on top of your original loan. For those with poor credit, buying a home may even feel like an impossibility. But there are actually home loans designed to assist prospective buyers with bad credit.
9 min read
From a bustling metropolis to the smallest of fishing villages, the best of America is on display in the northeast. With vibrant big cities, but also, sleepy, rustic hamlets, nowhere is this more true than in the diverse downtowns that make this area so special. Maybe you’re planning a trip to the northeast, or looking […]
19 min read
