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Inflation in the U.S. is higher now than it has been in 40 years with little indication of letting up, which is why the Federal Reserve made the decision to raise its benchmark interest rate in mid-March. How does that impact the economy, and, specifically, the real estate market? “The Fed uses interest rates asRead more

The pandemic forced people to spend more time indoors at home over the last couple of years. As a result, many took on home improvement projects. That trend looks to continue in 2022. Here are some of the most popular home improvement projects for this year.  Home Offices The number of people working from homeRead more

Did you know that your mortgage payments may fluctuate? Homeowners are often surprised when their monthly payments change, but it’s a relatively common occurrence due to changes in property taxes and insurance premiums.  When you finance the purchase of your home, the monthly mortgage payment includes the principal and interest for the loan as wellRead more

Property taxes are an inescapable part of home ownership that everybody buying a home should understand before they close. They can be quite high depending on where a home is located, so knowing what they are and how they work is important. Here’s a brief overview of property taxes and how they may impact yourRead more

While spring and summer are typically the most popular times of year for people to buy and sell houses, the winter months also see their fair share of real estate transactions. If you are thinking of buying or selling a home during the winter season, here are a few things you should keep in mind. Read more

The winter season can be hard on houses. That’s why it is so important to prepare ahead of time to protect your home from the freezing and wet weather that often accompanies the cold season. This little bit of preventive maintenance can save you money and headaches during the long winter months.  Tip No. 1:Read more

When you are putting a house on the market for sale, you want it to look its best at all times for potential buyers. That’s why staging is so important.  When you stage a home, you decorate it in a way that highlights the home’s best assets in order to impress buyers. Staging a homeRead more

The value of your home matters. It’s probably the biggest financial asset you have and you need to know how much it is worth. Even if you aren’t planning to sell the house in the near future, it’s still important to understand its value should you decide to sell at some point or refinance orRead more

Earnest money, also known as a good faith deposit, is a predetermined amount of money that buyers put down on a home before closing to demonstrate their seriousness about buying a property. It’s a form of protection for both the buyer and the seller at the outset of the purchase process.  Consider that when aRead more

Escrow. It’s a term used often by real estate agents and lenders during a real estate transaction.  As a homebuyer, if you are confused about what exactly it means to put money into escrow, you are not alone. Here’s a basic breakdown of what escrow is and how it works when buying a house.  EscrowRead more