5 Surprising Financial Lessons I Learned About Paying for My First Home aydinmutlu/iStock; realtor.com I pride myself on being pretty financially savvy—after all, I’m a personal finance writer. I’m well versed in best practices for saving and spending, the ins and outs of HSAs and IRAs, and the basics of investing. But when it came […]
The 5 Biggest Mistakes Veteran and Military Home Buyers Make Craig McCausland/iStock Having a place to call your own—whether you’re going to be there for four years or forever—is an essential part of the American dream. And the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs offers plenty of great programs to help those who have served in […]
How to Put an Offer on a House That’s Already Under Contract Getty Images Wondering how to put an offer on a house that’s already under contract? Picture this: You’ve been house hunting for ages and finally find the home of your dreams. The only problem is, it’s already under contract with another buyer. Yet […]
5 Things Every First-Time Home Buyer Needs to Know Here’s what every first-time home buyer needs to know to dive into house hunting with confidence—and with as few curveballs as possible. Whether it’s getting a mortgage, choosing a real estate agent, shopping for a home, or making a down payment, we lay out the must-knows of […]
10 Scariest Things a Home Inspector Might Find in Your House iStock; realtor.com Home inspections are scary. Just when you swear you’ve found the house of your dreams, a home inspector comes along and tells you everything’s that’s wrong with it—which might lead you to think you should run for the hills! But rest assured, most […]
The New Rules of What It’ll Truly Take To Save Up for a House Today Realtor.com / Getty Images If you’re saving for a down payment for a home—particularly your first—you probably know this is one tricky real estate moment. With inflation sending prices spiraling, mortgage interest rates ticking up, and biddings wars on homes […]
Thinking of Relocating for a More Affordable Home? Ask Yourself These 5 Questions First Getty Images With home prices reaching record highs and mortgage rates soaring, you’re likely looking for ways to cut homebuying costs. Maybe you’re even thinking of relocating to find a more affordable home. Nabbing a property that won’t break your budget […]
10 Wild Home Inspection Photos That’ll Make You Go ‘WTF?’ chrisboy2004 / Getty Images Instagram is an endless trove of eye candy in the form of celeb selfies, cute pets, and cool home design ideas—but who would have thought that shocking home inspection photos of rusty toilets or electrical hazards would become Insta-famous, too? That’s […]
What Does ‘Contingency’ Mean in a Real Estate Listing? When you see the word “contingency” in a real estate listing, it may be one of those real estate terms that make you go, “Huh?” But don’t sweat it. We’ve all been there, and we’re here to help clear up the confusion. Every home sale is […]
Exclusive: Mika and Brian Kleinschmidt Reveal the Money-Saving Home Maintenance Move You Aren’t Doing Mika and Brian Kleinschmidt are best known as the hosts of “100 Day Dream Home,” now in its third season. While these Florida residents know plenty about designing and building a gorgeous home, they’re also very aware that first-time homebuyers today […]
