Just like buyers should be pre-approved before they begin to look at houses, sellers should also have their home pre-approved. The reasons are similar: appeal to the "right" buyers, discover issues with the home early, improve marketability, increase negotiations position, and close quickly.

More and more homeowners are employing smart home technology within their homes. It may start with a video doorbell or lights and progress to other devices. The smart-home device market is rapidly growing, and Forbes research expects it to grow from $55 billion in 2016 to $174 billion in 2025.

In a recent article, The Wall Street Journal reported that investors have rarely been this flush with cash. The economic uncertainty due to the pandemic and the volatility of the stock market has caused assets in money-market funds to increase to approximately $4.6 trillion, the highest level on record, according to Refinitiv Lipper.

People are always looking for a "down and dirty" way to determine a home's value. Square footage seems to be one of the most common things people use, whether they are buyers, sellers, or real estate agents. While it seems straight forward, several variances can lead to inaccurate determinations.

There are hundreds of thousands of people who believe that they can't currently afford to buy a home for one reason or another. Some people may not be able to, but a surprising amount can and have simply gotten some bad information along the way. It's worth digging a little deeper to find out the facts.

The time between July 4th and Labor Day are the most popular grilling months, and correspondingly, there are more injuries and fires due to grilling accidents. Since Labor Day right around the corner, there are a few safety tips to keep in mind.

Forbearance is a temporary postponement of mortgage payments. A lender can grant this option to a borrower instead of forcing the property into foreclosure.

Three reasons to refinance a home include lowering the cost of housing, shortening the term of the mortgage to pay it off sooner, or using the equity to accomplish another purpose.

The soothsayer in Shakespeare's Julius Caesar issued his famous warning, "Beware the Ides of March." Who knew that in 2020, around the middle of March, the world, as we knew it, would force such dramatic changes on us from the Coronavirus.

Whether you like to or not, buying and selling a home involves negotiation at all stages of the process. It's not like the retail world where once you decide to purchase, you pay the price.

The seller can put a price on the home, but the buyer ultimately determines the value.

Most seniors downsize their homes to make the most of their golden years, not to make them more stressful. Still, managing a downsizing move can be stressful if you’re not careful with your planning. Planning means taking the time to research the latest downsizing and moving tips, but you can save yourself some work by checking out this list of downsizing resources.

You've done your homework and contacted a mortgage company to get pre-qualified. That part of the process is finished, and you can concentrate on finding a home and moving...or can you?

Paying off your mortgage can provide peace of mind and is a worthy goal, but is it the best thing for you to do now?

There is an adage, "Rent or buy; you pay for the house you occupy." You either pay for it yourself or for your landlord. The people who have job security, sufficient income, good credit, and the funds for the down payment and closing costs can enjoy the many financial and emotional benefits of homeownership.

Homeownership is a privilege and a responsibility. Even after decades of owning a home, you may still need help to handle some of its challenges by focusing on the three "M"s of homeownership: maintenance, minimizing expenses, and managing debt and risk.

It takes a team of professionals to buy a home -- a lender, an appraiser, an inspector, the property insurance agent, the title officer, and others, but the real estate professional is the most critical member of your home buying team.

Homeowners receive a generous exclusion on the gain of their principal residence up to $250,000 for single taxpayers and $500,000 for married taxpayers filing jointly.

For the last two months, the new normal has been a lot of time at home. This has led many homeowners to rethink their space and how it functions. Home as now become an office, a school, a gym, and a place for recreation.

Currently, the expiration date for the Mortgage Forgiveness Act is 12/31/20.