Should You Prepay Your Mortgage? The Pros and Cons By Daniel Bortz | Aug 13, 2019   aydinmutlu/iStock Should you prepay your mortgage? For some homeowners it’s a financially savvy move—but for others, beefing up their loan payments just doesn’t make sense. To help you figure out whether prepayment is right for you, here are the pros and cons […]

By Kelsey Ogletree | Jul 31, 2019 GMVozd/iStock Considering the time and energy homeowners put toward making their house look great (particularly if they’re trying to sell), many make the critical mistake of neglecting another one of our senses that can be far more powerful: smell. Even if you’ve decorated or staged your home perfectly, if potential buyers walk […]

By Laura Kusisto | Jun 25, 2019     Andrew Harrer/Bloomberg via Getty Images The Trump administration will explore using federal programs to push local governments to soften or eliminate rules that block housing construction, an issue that has stymied officials at all levels of government for years. President Trump is expected to sign an order Tuesday […]

By Stephanie Booth | Jul 25, 2019 PeopleImages/iStock; realtor.com Think about this for a second: The average house collects a staggering 40 pounds of dust each year. And let’s take a moment to remember what makes up dust: Pet dander. Dead skin cells. Dust mites. Insect droppings.   The surprising answer: Open your blinds. How sunshine fights germs In a study […]

Sunbaked? 9 Shade Ideas for Your Porch, Backyard, and Beyond By Jennifer Kelly Geddes | Jul 26, 2019     KittisakJirasittichai/iStock With the dog days of summer upon us, seeking relief from the blazing sun is a must—but if you lack natural shade from large trees, what then? Don’t sweat it! Here are nine smart shade options for […]

By Laura Kusisto | Jun 21, 2019 The share of investor purchases of U.S. homes have climbed to an all-time high, a sign that rising home prices have done little to dampen demand for flipping homes or turning them into single-family rentals. Big private-equity firms, real-estate speculators and others that buy properties comprised more than […]

Home Buyer Statistics First-Time vs. Repeat Buyers: First-time buyers: 33% Median age of first-time buyers: 32 Median age of repeat buyers: 55 Median household income of first-time buyers: $75,000 Median household income of repeat buyers: $100,000 The typical home purchased was 1,900 square feet in size, was built in 1991, and had three bedrooms and […]

A “move-in ready” home may mean different things to different buyers—everything from having freshly painted walls to having window blinds included. Bungalo, a real estate platform for buying newly renovated homes online, surveyed more than 550 home shoppers between the ages of 25 to 54 on what elements are required for a home to be […]

June 26, 2019 by Danielle Braff As modest increases in inventory begin to attract more buyers to the market, it may seem wise for your sellers to undertake renovation projects to boost their competitive edge. Kitchen and bathroom upgrades, for example, are among buyers’ most desired features and can fetch a handsome return on investment, […]