Once homeowners have arrived at the decision to sell their property, most want the transaction completed as quickly as possible. Sure, you can hire the best agent in town, price your home just right, and then market the heck out of it, but having a little bit of luck on your side never hurt either. […]

There are millions of homes bought and sold every year, most of them with the help of a real estate agent. However, there is still a segment of the population that chooses to go it alone when it comes time to sell or buy a home. There are different reasons for this, many of which […]

After the housing crisis of 2008, many homeowners found themselves “upside down” on their properties, with their mortgage balances significantly higher than the value of their home. According to Zillow, negative equity in the US peaked 31.4% in Q1 of 2012, meaning nearly one-third of all mortgage holders in the US owed more on their […]

Has your air conditioner ever failed on a hot summer day? It’s a struggle no homeowner wants to deal with. When you own a home it’s important to budget annually for repairs that might be needed and anticipate when things might need to be replaced. If you take care of your home, your appliances and […]

    Question: Should I Fix Up My Home or Try to Sell As Is? A reader asks: I’ve spent a lot of time and money doing exterior remodeling of my home, plus a sizeable remodel of the master bath. However, the rest of my 22-year-old home needs attention inside. The bath upstairs has dry […]

From mortgage points to PMI, unlock the essential info about how homeownership affects your tax burden. Hours after we closed on our first house, my husband and I sat in our empty new living room and stared at the walls. He was the first to speak, saying simply, “I thought it was painted.” We learned […]