As a homeowner, it’s essential to make sure your home’s exterior is in good shape when it comes time to sell. First impressions are everything, and potential buyers can quickly be turned off by a home that doesn’t look well-maintained. That’s why focusing on the right exterior renovations and repairs can help you save money and protect your sale. Upgrade Your Front Door A worn or outdated...
Story at a glance The Sunshine State’s population grew by nearly 2 percent. Texas, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee also saw population boosts. California saw the largest number of residents move out of state in 2022, yet it remains the most populous state in the country. More people moved to Florida than any other state in the country in 2022, according to a new report from...
Pamela Grunstein still thinks about the couple who presumed the high-priced, haywire housing market of 2022 was bound to settle down, so they put their house hunt on hold to wait it out. Grunstein, a real estate agent with the Francie Malina Team in New York’s Westchester County, met the couple when their local market was rife with bidding wars and offers often six figures over the asking price....
Do you need a mortgage pre-approval letter to make an offer on a house? You know you need to get your financial ducks in a row before looking at homes, but does that include securing a pre-approval letter from the bank?The truth is, in today’s super competitive housing market, getting pre-approved can actually improve your chances of falling into the sellers’ good graces, and you’ll want to get it...
Owning a home is the American dream, but at the moment it’s more like home buying cancel culture.According to a 2022 survey by home warranty site Cinch Home Services of 1,000 Americans who have tried to buy or sell a home in the past year, more than half of buyers (51%) say they had a home purchase contract fall through in that time period.Why is this happening—and what can you do to make sure that...
Mortgage rates shot above 6 percent this week for the first time in 14 years as inflation has remained resistant to the Federal Reserve’s efforts to tamp it down. The dramatically swift escalation has chilled what had been a hot U.S. housing market, increasing pressure on an economy plagued by unremitting inflation. The 30-year fixed-rate mortgage — the most popular home loan product — soared to...
Are you a prospective homebuyer who started saving for a home last year—only to find that with this year’s financial instability, a home seems impossible to afford?We hear you.“Buyers have reached the limit of their financial ability to handle the impact of high inflation, house prices, and interest rates,” says George Ratiu, manager of economic research at Realtor.com®.But while it’s true that...
You Need to Know that: It’s worth considering the many benefits of homeownership before you make the decision to rent or buy a home. When you buy, you can stabilize your housing costs, own a tangible asset, and grow your net worth as you gain equity. When you rent, you face rising housing costs, won’t see a return on your investment, and limit your ability to save. If you want to learn more about...
Buying a home is a major life decision. That’s true whether you’re purchasing for the first time or selling your house to fuel a move. And if you’re planning to buy a home, you might be hearing about today’s shifting market and wondering what it means for you. While mortgage rates are higher than they were at the start of the year and home prices are rising, you shouldn’t put your plans on hold...
The Mid-Autumn Festival has a history of more than 3,000 years. It was derived from the custom of Chinese emperors worshipping the moon during the Zhou Dynasty. The Mid-autumn Festival first appeared as a festival during the Song dynasty. Nowadays, it has become a Chinese public holiday and has been China's second-most-important festival. Originated in the Zhou Dynasty (1045 – 221 BC) moon...