Today's Current News, Opinion & Advice
The 2019 Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers, a new report from the National Association of Realtors®, shows that one-third of first-time buyers in 2018 used help from family or friends for their down payment last year. The other two-thirds didn’t even know you could use gift funds for a down payment. OK, that second part…
Think you need to come up with 20% for a down payment in order to buy a house? It might surprise you to know that the median down payment for first-time buyers last year was just 7%, per the National Association of Realtors®. And there are plenty of loan programs out there that require far less. The…
Obviously, you can buy any type of home, in any location that suits you if you have the money and the good credit to pay for it. You are free to make a good choice or a bad one, to pay too much or to get a great deal. • In the push to buy,…
Co-signing is an awfully nice thing to do for those that need a little help qualifying for a home. Usually it’s a parent helping a child, but it can also be for a relative or close friend. It’s certainly not an uncommon request and, for those who are able, it’s a great way to get…
In 2019, it’s not enough for your business to simply be online. You have to cultivate a unique, highly visible, and authoritative presence to stand out from the crowd, and place highly in search rankings. Search engine optimization (SEO) is the art of doing exactly that. What is SEO? When a user searches a keyword,…
It is likely that, over the years, you’ve accumulated an amount of furniture from ever-changing trends and from dressers and coffee tables that have been handed down through generations, forcing you to have no other option but to mix and match different styles and designs. Don’t stress – by following only a few tips, you…
Owning rental property is a great way to expand your investments and create passive income. With so many types of rental properties on the market, there are many ways to be a landlord. While some individuals will rent out homes in their own city, others will manage properties out of state. This can present an…
All three of these terms involve some sort of activity on a property. An inspection, an Automated Valuation Model, or AVM and an appraisal. While related, they all have different functions but sometimes they’re confused with one another. Let’s take a closer look. A property inspection is ordered by the buyers. While not required by…
It’s time to start your holiday list, and we’ve got the perfect item to kick it off: Flower by Drew Barrymore’s new peel-and-stick wallpaper. Part of the second collection of Flower Home that was just announced (very conveniently timed for holiday shopping, we might add) is available on Walmart.com, Jet.com and Hayneedle.com. We know what…
Christmas is a beautiful time of the year, both outdoors and inside. Not only can nature look pretty magical when the snow and ice on the trees are glistening, but the decorations can be stunning, too. Many people like to decorate for Christmas, and although the decorations can look wonderful, they can also be a…
In a way, it is quite easy to know if your house has good feng shui. Answering just one simple question – Do you feel happy in your home? – will already give a good indication of its energy, as well as how well you and your home are matched. However, before going into this…
What do millennials want? It’s a question that has been asked quite a bit, especially as it relates to real estate. Home insurance resource Clovered has provided a more detailed look at the wants of this buyer, which can be useful for home sellers who want a few key staging tips for this market, not…
Thousands of new products are introduced for consumer use every year, providing convenience and recreation for every member of the household. But every now and then these new products present unexpected dangers. Last year, the Consumer Products Safety Program (CPSP), part of Health Canada, received 2,355 reports about dangerous products, of which 22 involved a…
In theory, the idea behind a rent-to-buy arrangement is a good one for those who want to purchase a home but aren’t quite ready yet. More than anything, it gives buyers hope, and often a solution to their credit woes, while locking in a home that will, presumably, belong to them one day. “One of…
The internet loves the word “hack” because it usually means there’s a creative, inexpensive shortcut that solves a common problem. But it also often results in a solution that’s not quite up to par, which is why many investors may have turned a deaf ear to the concept of house hacking. In reality, house hacking…
For those building a brand new home from the ground up, a construction loan is needed. A construction loan will include funds for both materials and labor but can also include funds for the lot of the borrowers don’t yet own the lot where the property will be located. When preparing to apply for a…
Plumbing issues can be difficult, expensive, and time-consuming. If you have an idea of what the issue is, there’s a chance you can fix it on your own. Even if you can’t do anything yourself, knowing what the problem could be will let you know what to tell the plumber when you call. Here are…
For many people, a home is their largest and most important investment. The good news for people around the country is that housing markets continue to appreciate. After the housing crisis several years ago, home values have increased every year. With additional equity in their homes, many people are starting to think about investing money…
Mortgages that are backed by the Department of Veterans Affairs are referred to as the VA loan. While the VA doesn’t actually get involved with any part of an approval, it does issue guidelines that lenders must follow in order to receive the loan guarantee. VA loans are one of three of the government-backed programs,…
“If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it!” How many times in your life have you heard that motto? Probably a few. However, when it comes to your air conditioning system, learn how regular maintenance can save you money on AC repairs . By failing to get routine air conditioner maintenance services, your system will eventually…
Is it too early to start thinking about Christmas decorations? Is it ever too early to start thinking about Christmas decorations? We think not, frankly. When it comes to the decorating itself, studies show the earlier you start, the happier you are. While early November might be a tad too early to actually start putting…
On Sunday, Oct. 20, 10 tornadoes swept through Dallas and several of its suburbs, wiping out hundreds of homes (not to mention a Home Depot and a handful of schools). The worst of it hit along a 15.75-mile path in the northern part of the city, where an EF-3 clocked 140-mile-per-hour winds. Had those homes…
Purchasing real estate abroad is not an easy feat. Clearly, you have the universal factors to keep in mind like the size, style, and location of the property, and of course, the price range. However, with international real estate, you have to factor in every issue related to purchasing an overseas property. That’s why it…
How easy is it to find out how much real estate commission you’ll pay to sell your home—before you sign a listing agreement? • Disruption and transparency are driving forces in many industries, but not when it comes to learning the cost of selling your home or the possibility of negotiating real estate commission, which…
