Even if you’re still a few years away from buying a home, there’s a key step you can take that can be incredibly valuable: talking to a mortgage lender. Here are three great reasons you should be having a conversation with a lender even before you begin the house-hunting process.

In a perfect world, you’d list your home and it would sell immediately and profitably. But for most sellers, there’s a bit of time between the time you put your home on the market and the time you receive an offer.

So what, exactly, happens during that time? What can you ...

Even though home prices have moderated over the last year, many homeowners still have an incredible amount of equity. But what is equity? In the simplest terms, equity is the difference between the market value of your home and the amount you owe on your mortgage.

When you buy a house, chances are a third-party appraiser will need to inspect the house and analyze whether you’re paying an appropriate amount for it. Ideally your appraisal will come and go without a hitch, and you might not even know it happened the next time you buy a house. ...

Completing the sale of a home is a significant accomplishment for any homeowner. After what could be months of preparing, staging, home showings, and negotiating, it can feel like a significant weight is finally off your shoulders. It’s finally time to move on and celebrate, right?

Whether you’ve been planning on buying a house in the near future or not, you’ve probably heard that people with higher credit scores are now paying higher fees, and people with lower credit scores are paying lower fees when getting a mortgage. Regardless of what boat you’re in, it’s ...

Downsizing has long been a popular option when homeowners reach retirement age. But there are plenty of other life changes that could make downsizing worthwhile. Homeowners who have experienced a change in their lives or no longer feel like their house fits ...

Home features — and whether they add to or detract from a property — are highly subjective. In other words, some features that attract you to a property might actually turn other people off about that same property. And while differing opinions are fine, there are certain home features ...

The euphoria that comes with purchasing and moving into your first home is unlike no other. You will soon be able to personalize your bedroom, cook in your dream kitchen, or create your version of a backyard oasis. But oftentimes, the excitement can get the better of you. 

New Jersey's housing market is facing many challenges, including skyrocketing prices and a shortage of available homes. If you're looking to buy a house in New Jersey, these obstacles can make it seem impossible to find a home that fits your budget. Fortunately, there are ways to ...

Unless you’re a real estate agent, you’ll probably only attend a home inspection a handful of times in your life, so you might be taken by surprise by a few things! While your inspector and agent will most likely explain any of these things to you, knowing about them in advance can help ...

Selling a home can be a daunting task, especially for those who are unfamiliar with the intricacies of a real estate transaction. Even if you’re more than prepared to get your property on the market with a trusted real estate agent, you probably just can’t get down to business without ...

If you're thinking about renovating your home, it's important to do your research and plan carefully. Renovations can be costly and time-consuming, so it's essential to have a clear understanding of what you want to achieve and how much it will cost before you start.

To ...

As the housing market continues to change, you may be wondering where it’ll go from here. One factor you’re probably thinking about is home prices, which have come down a bit since they peaked last June. And you’ve likely heard something in the news or on social media about a price ...

As the weather starts to warm up and the flowers begin to bloom, you might be itching to maximize your outdoor living space. Your backyard is an extension of your home and with the right additions, it can become a functional and relaxing oasis where you and your family can relax and ...

Spring is a great time to refresh your space and tackle home improvement projects, and that includes painting your walls. But if you want your final paint job to look professional, there are a few things you need to know.

When you're planning to buy a home, one expense you'll need to consider is closing costs. These fees can add up quickly, so it's important to understand what they are, what they typically include, and how much you can expect to pay.

Thinking about selling your house? If you’ve been waiting for the right time, it could be now while the supply of homes for sale is so low.

The 30-year fixed mortgage rate has been bouncing between 6% and 7% this year. If you’ve been on the fence about whether to buy a home or not, it’s helpful to know exactly how a 1%, or even a 0.5%, mortgage rate shift affects your purchasing power.