Blog

If you've never bought a home before, the sheer number of mortgage loan options can be overwhelming. What's the difference between a conventional loan and a government loan, and should you go with an adjustable-rate or fixed-rate mortgage? Even if you have bought a home…

Finding and choosing a reliable plumber is one of those things that most homeowners know they should do at some point ... and they usually wait until there's an emergency to find someone, prioritizing availability over quality. That's an understandable situation to find…

In real estate, escrow refers to the window of time in between a buyer's offer being accepted and meeting the seller at the closing table to sign the finance and title transfer documents and receive the keys to their new house. It's managed by a third party (often a title…

Taking a vacation somewhere you love can make you wonder what it would be like to own a vacation home there. It's only natural to dream about having an easily accessible dwelling that you can tap whenever you want to come back to your favorite vacation spot, and owning a…

Pets are a joy and a delight that help make our lives feel more meaningful -- but let's face it: The folks who have a problem with pets because of the mess and wear and tear on an average home kind of have a point. Pets shed their fur everywhere. They don't always smell…

There's a reason why estimating a home's value is a specialized process that's typically executed by a licensed professional (also known as an appraiser) -- it's not easy to determine the fair-market value of a home in a particular point in time. Dozens of factors influence…

Real estate has been lodged in a hot seller's market in most of the country for a few years now -- but as you've probably heard, the market is shifting toward more of a balanced or even a buyer's market. Home prices are plateauing in most areas, which might feel a little…

What does a home inspection involve? Standards and specifics vary from state to state, but in general, the inspector is responsible for making sure there are no glaring, obvious issues with a home that's being bought or sold. Sellers can hire an inspector before listing the…

Gardening is good for the mind, body, and soul -- there's something about growing and caring for a plant that makes so many aspects of life feel richer. People who live in suburban or rural areas usually have lots of options when it comes to setting up a garden, but those…

Getting married and buying a home are two traditional milestones that many adults experience -- but today, there are no rules about what you should be doing when. Whether you buy a house together before or after the wedding, there are advantages (and disadvantages) to…

Even though home inspections take hours (if done properly) and cover just about everything in the home that could cause an issue, there are still some things that home inspectors can miss -- and as a new homeowner or buyer who hasn't quite made it to closing, that fact can…

Buying a home is always an anxiety-ridden process, and that goes triple for anyone who's embarking on homeownership for the very first time. There's so much to do and so much you don't know that "overwhelming" hardly seems like an appropriate description of how it feels.…