By Erin Flaherty (realtor.com) As a real estate agent in upstate New York, I can say with confidence that home sellers are in a great mood these days. And who can blame them? In this seller’s market where homes go fast and for top dollar, many sellers are excited to cash in and make a killing. In many cases, they’ll succeed—yet this wild exuberance can also go overboard. Such bullish optimism could...
Real Estate News
By: Margaret Heidenry (realtor.com) Dec 9, 2021 Phew, 2021 was busy. Some of us returned to work, others headed back to school, and all of us went back out (hello, restaurants and arenas!). So it’s little wonder you might have missed some of the Realtor.com advice we gathered in the past year. So here’s an update: We spent the past 12 months researching and writing about every real estate subject...
There’s no doubt that January 1 can feel like an inspirational time—the resetting of the calendar can get nearly anyone to feel ready to make changes in their lives. But if you’ve ever embarked on an ambitious New Year’s resolution, only to feel burnt out by mid-January, you’re not alone. In fact, one survey found that nearly two-thirds of those who set resolutions give up within the first...
As we come to the close of 2021, the question each of us faces is whether we are ready to enter a new year. We can simply function as if engaging 2022 will be like all the other years of the past, or we can prepare ourselves emotionally, intellectually, socio-politically and spiritually for what may in fact be the “fundamentally new.” I do not believe 2022 will be the same as it has always been. The...
Christmas is for joy, for giving and sharing, for laughter, for coming together with family and friends, for tinsel and brightly decorated packages… But mostly, Christmas is for love. It was this love for which Jesus came to this world and sacrificed his life. Though originated by the Roman Catholics who commemorate the December 25th as the day of birth of Christ Child, it has gradually come to be...
By: Jura Koncius (washingtonpost.com) Mary-Liz Lichtenfels got burned in last year’s pandemic Christmas tree shortage. And instead of hosting 19 people for the holiday, it was just her, her husband and their three millennial children. It was a quieter celebration, but Lichtenfels, who runs the McLean, Va., staging business Redesign by ML, says all of that uncertainty gave her the courage to mix things...
Whether or not you actually like gingerbread cookies is kinda irrelevant. You make them every single year because they make people happy. And because they’re so damn adorable. We tested this recipe over and over (and over again) until it was perfect. And we think you’ll actually like these and even start to look forward to them because these are soft and full of warm spice. Here’s everything you...
The song has probably gotten stuck in your head a whole bunch, but have you given any thought to the meaning behind it? Love it or hate it, “The Twelve Days of Christmas” is a staple tune of, well, Christmas. Singing it over and over again, or perhaps yucking it up to a popular parody, is one of many favorite Christmas traditions. But it’s a bit bizarre! Why is it so long? Why 12 days? Why those...
Most would-be homebuyers start their journey by gathering a down payment. This money is crucial to snagging a mortgage and getting that much closer to homeownership. But when you’re shelling out for hefty rent each month, paying for utilities, and chipping away at a stack of bills on top of that, it can seem impossible to save up for a down payment on a house. And after months of giving up daily lattes...
By Francis Creighton December 13, 2021 at 9:00 a.m. EST Buying a home is a complicated process, even under the best circumstances. Between attending open houses, applying for loans and participating in negotiations, it’s a stressful undertaking. To lower the strain, one key is to check your credit report early in the process. Credit reports are most always free, and available at...