Get those rainy day funds in order — you're going to need them. You’re excited because you just found the perfect home. The neighborhood is great, the house is charming and the price is right. But the asking price is just the beginning. Be prepared for additional — and often unexpected — home-buying costs that can catch buyers unaware and quickly leave you underwater on your new home. Expect the unexpected For almost every person who buys a home, the spending doesn’t stop wit

With the fall season upon us, change is in the air. For many families, children are growing up and moving out of the house, maybe leaving for college or taking a jump into the working world. Parents are finding themselves as empty nesters for the first time. The question inevitably arises: is it finally time to downsize? If you’re pondering that thought, you may also be wondering if you should fix-up your house before you sell it, or go straight to the market as-is, allowing

When searching for a home, you may end up selecting a property in a community with a Homeowners Association (HOA). Before you buy, it’s important to know how an HOA works and what they mean for you. According to a recent article on realtor.com, “In a nutshell, an HOA helps ensure that your community looks its best and functions smoothly…The number of Americans living in homes with HOAs is on the rise, growing from a mere 1% in 1970 to 25% today, according to the Foundation fo

CoreLogic’s Home Price Index (HPI) Report revealed, “National home prices increased 3.6% year over year in July 2019 and are forecast to increase 5.4% from July 2019 to July 2020.” They also analyzed four individual home-price tiers, showing the increase in each. Here’s the breakdown: To clarify the methodology, CoreLogic explains, “The four price tiers are based on the median sale price and are as follows: homes priced at 75% or less of the median (low price), homes priced b

With the current uncertainty about the economy triggered by a potential trade war, some people are waiting to purchase their first home or move-up to their dream house because they think or hope home prices will drop over the next few years. However, the experts disagree with this perspective. Here is a table showing the predicted levels of appreciation from six major housing sources: As we can see, every source believes home prices will continue to appreciate (albeit at lowe

Below are 5 compelling reasons listing your home for sale this fall makes sense. 1. Demand Is Strong The latest Buyer Traffic Report from the National Association of Realtors (NAR) shows that buyer demand remains strong throughout the vast majority of the country. These buyers are ready, willing, and able to purchase…and are in the market right now. More often than not, in many areas of the country, multiple buyers are competing with each other to buy the same home. Take adva