Aiming to have a cleaner and calmer home this year? You’re still on the right track for a fresh start. Before life gets busier and mess slowly creeps back in, we’ve rounded up small but impactful habits to start now, and which you can actually stick to for the long term.

Listing your home at the beginning of the year can give you a competitive edge, get ahead of the market, and attract serious buyers—all of which can potentially lead to a faster, smoother sale.

It’s exciting knowing that you’re starting a fresh life in your new abode. But that exhilarating feeling can quickly be replaced with dread once you realize that the moving truck has left the driveway, and you’ll need to face the daunting task of unpacking your belongings.

When selling a home, it’s not uncommon for your buyer to ask for more time before closing. This request to extend the closing date might be due to financing, inspection, paperwork delays, or life changes, among other reasons. It’s frustrating, yes, and may leave you wondering what it means for your plans and your timeline.

When selling a home, it’s not uncommon for your buyer to ask for more time before closing. This request to extend the closing date might be due to financing, inspection, paperwork delays, or life changes, among other reasons. It’s frustrating, yes, and may leave you wondering what it means for your plans and your timeline. 

However, it’s not uncommon for a home sale to face some sort of delay. If a buyer needs to extend closing, make sure you view it as a practical request and not as a dealbreaker. After all, it’s highly likely that the buyer would also want to close as early as possible.

From structural defects to pest infestations, certain warning signs detailed in the inspection report can reveal underlying risks that every buyer should take seriously. Here are the top five red flags you should watch out for.

Here are some of the best low-cost projects you can tackle this season to make your home feel brand new.

Photos, videos, and virtual tours—these are all great ways to showcase your house to buyers when selling. However, there’s nothing like physically stepping into the home and seeing the condition of the space with your own eyes.

Savvy home buyers know that some of the most important things to check are the ones you don’t admire at first glance, such as the age of the roof, the stability of the foundation, or, in this case, the condition of the home’s HVAC system. 

The heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system is a critical component that is often overlooked, but it can directly impact your monthly energy bills, air quality, and comfort in the home. And the reality is that it’s one of the most expensive things to replace. If it breaks as soon as you move in, brace yourself not only for an uncomfortable stay but also for a steep out-of-pocket cost.

POV: You’re a homeowner thinking about downsizing, upsizing, or relocating to a new area. Your biggest dilemma now? It’s probably this: whether to sell your current home before buying a new one, or buy first and then sell.

Whether you’ll be working on small upgrades to simply refresh your space this summer, or diving into a major remodel before listing your home for sale, remember that preparation is key. It’s important to take a step back and plan before kicking off your long-planned renovation.

Asking the right questions is crucial, especially when plunging into homeownership. There’s always been a long checklist of questions for you to know and understand every part of the real estate transaction. But how about “soul searching” questions you should be asking yourself first? Many times, these questions are often overlooked simply because they can make you feel uncomfortable.

Regardless of what they’re called, an accessory dwelling unit, also known as an ADU, is an additional living quarters on single-family lots that is independent of the primary dwelling unit, according to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. The separate living spaces are equipped with kitchen and bathroom facilities, and can be either attached or detached from the main residence.

Foundation problems are dangerous since they can lead to significant issues throughout the rest of the home, including structural damage, mold, water damage, and even pest problems.

In this blog, we list five tips to keep your kids involved and informed about the home purchase. They may not fully understand its many aspects, but making your children feel included and valued can help ease the transition and get them excited about relocating.

First impressions matter, especially in real estate. It’s particularly crucial in spring, which is considered the busiest selling period in many housing markets. Many potential buyers start looking for homes, and your goal is to entice them on the outside so they’d be willing to look on the inside. When buyers pull up to your home’s curb or see photos of your home online, you want them to be excited by what they see, so your home’s exterior needs to look as welcoming and inviting as possible.

It’s tempting to rush into writing an offer and seal the deal before another buyer gets their hand on it. But not so fast! Before making an offer on a home, you need to do your research to ensure that you get the best deal possible and avoid potential headaches down the road. 

Here are some guide questions to help you make an educated and appropriate offer that the seller will gladly accept.

Your home isn’t simply one of your biggest investments. More than just a physical shelter, it’s a space where precious memories are made. But as much as you love your home, there will always come a time when you feel like it’s time to move.

Buying a home is no easy feat. You usually have to put money down equal to a percentage of the final purchase price, or your down payment. Having this upfront cash on hand may not be easy for everyone. In fact, it’s one of the major hurdles when buying a home. This is why down payment assistance programs are available to qualifying home buyers.

If you feel like decluttering is such a chore, it might be because you haven’t found a method that works well for you. Understand that there isn’t a “one-size-fits-all” decluttering solution. Tidying up your space will always depend on your time, energy, or interest, so you don’t have to follow only one rule. Here we’ve rounded up five of the most popular and expert decluttering approaches to owning less, hopefully to make the task a little easier for you.

If you’re thinking about selling your home this year, you’ve probably been monitoring its value for a while so you can sell and still get a substantial profit. But before you start counting how much money you’ll make, don’t forget to factor in seller closing costs into the sale price. 

Let’s take a closer look at closing costs and an overview of the fees that will be deducted from your overall profit.

Planning to buy a home in 2025? With only a few days left ‘til the new year, it may seem like an extremely distant and daunting goal. But the good news is that you still have the whole year ahead of you, which means you can take it step by step. Getting started today is already a huge feat, so here’s a comprehensive guide that you can use to navigate through this journey toward your homeownership dreams.

Planning to buy a home in 2025? With only a few days left ‘til the new year, it may seem like an extremely distant and daunting goal. But the good news is that you still have the whole year ahead of you, which means you can take it step by step. Getting started today is already a huge feat, so here’s a comprehensive guide that you can use to navigate through this journey toward your homeownership dreams.

The winter months certainly provide a different set of challenges and complexities compared to the peak-selling season of spring and summer, but they do have several benefits. Sellers can take advantage of the less competition in the market during this period, while buyers have more negotiating power as homes stay longer on the market. Here are some things you should know about buying or selling a home in winter so you can take advantage of the season’s unique upsides.

If you’re interested in a home near a school, you should understand how it might affect your day-to-day living situation. With school in session 180 days a year, you should weigh the advantages and disadvantages before deciding. To help with your homework, here are some pros and cons to consider before buying a home near a school.

Something is creaking on the topmost floor, and yet you all know that no one’s there. Why did your door slam shut seemingly by itself? Could ghosts be causing your lights to flicker? You love your home, but it seems to be producing a variety of creepy and unexplainable noises. Sometimes, experiencing only one or two things is enough to suspect your house might be haunted.

Selling a home can be a complex and stressful process. Even in the best market conditions, whether you’re a seasoned pro or a first-time home seller, reset your expectations and adjust your sales strategy accordingly to get your home sold for the price and terms you want. 

This guide outlines six of the best habits of highly effective home sellers. However crazy the real estate market gets, you can adapt these practices—from being proactive in maintaining your home to having the right mindset—to help achieve your goals and sell your home at the best possible price.

It’s no secret that the spring and summer are the peak seasons for buying and selling real estate. If you’re relatively new to the housing market, you might be tempted just to get cozy this fall and wait for the market to peak again in spring. But why not break the mold and find your dream home this season? Here are five reasons why fall can be a great time for your house-hunting.

For homeowners, fall is also the time to do some crucial lawn and yard maintenance. 

Cleaning up your yard in the fall can provide a plethora of benefits—from keeping unwanted pests away to giving your lawn and landscaping a lush head start come spring. Use this checklist as your guide to help you tackle a couple of tasks a day.

Severe weather events increase in frequency and intensity each year, causing more unexpected power outages. This is why a generator is becoming a desirable home feature for both buyers and sellers. Homeowners are recognizing the importance of having a reliable backup power source, not just for their convenience, but also for their safety and peace of mind.

Moving to your new home is no easy feat. But moving across state lines? It adds a new level of intricacy that can overwhelm you if you don’t plan for everything in advance. 

In this blog, we go over some moving essentials that you might have missed. Feel free to add them to your moving-out-of-state checklist to help make your move go as smoothly as possible.

Here are seven ways you can make minor, but still noticeable, changes to your bath without the expense of remodeling. From simple swaps of everyday useful items to weekend projects that do not have to cost an arm and a leg, you can find something that suits your need for your much-needed bathroom facelift.

Whether you’re the one buying or selling a home, the real estate closing is sure to be both exciting and daunting for you. Even though both parties agreed on a chosen date and might be pleased with the dollar amount on the table, there are still plenty of surprises that can be tricky to deal with.

Here, we’ll explore the pros and cons of corner lot properties to help you make informed decisions before buying or building your next home in this type of unique zoning lot.

Having a pool has always been seen as an upscale bonus. But the naked truth is, that people either love it or have no use for it. Some consider it necessary, while others view it as a deal-breaker. If you’re a homeowner who’s thinking about adding an in-ground pool and wonders whether it’s a wise investment and if it adds value to your property, continue reading to dive into the details.

Not sure how to tell if a buyer is serious about sealing the deal? Here are three crucial signs that indicate you may be dealing with somebody who may be indecisive, disinterested, or even deceitful. Keep each in mind to avoid wasting your time and resources, and to not get your hopes up whenever a buyer’s commenting how they would love to live in the house.

After April showers come May, with weather too wonderful to be stuck inside, but just make sure not to spend too much of your time relaxing, but also keep up with your home maintenance and improvements that will prepare your home for the hotter months ahead.

Renting a storage unit is a convenient option for people who need extra space for their extra possessions, for a variety of reasons. Maybe you just want to store seasonal items, moving to a new home, downsizing, or undergoing renovations - regardless of your reason or need, here are some things to consider before deciding to rent a self-storage unit.

Buyer’s remorse is a feeling of regret, guilt, or anxiety after making a purchase, thinking that it’s a wrong decision. It’s also known as buyer’s regret or buyer’s disappointment. While it can result from any sort of purchase, even the smallest ones, it usually occurs after a significant commitment, such as buying a house or a car. In real estate, buyer’s remorse is when a new homeowner regrets the home they recently purchased. They either feel that it was an outright mistake or think that there’s a better option for them out there.

When you put an offer on a home, you’d want to do everything you can to make your bid more competitive. One way to do this is through earnest money. But what is it, exactly? And how much do you need?

While it’s a cliche that communication is key among successful couples, it couldn’t be any truer and more crucial if you’re planning to buy a house together. Not only are you going to make one of the most fulfilling purchases of your life—but you’re also going to experience the joy and hardships of homeownership with the person you love.

The decision on whether or not to sell your beloved home is already a difficult thing to process. But knowing and understanding when to sell — it’s another critical point that can affect your decision and would-be profit, especially when the housing market feels unpredictable.

Aside from the housing market having a significant impact on the sale of your home, it’s also important to evaluate your situation and reasons for selling. To provide you with some guidance, we’ve laid out six factors that you should consider before putting your house on the market.

Decluttering not only resets your physical space but can also profoundly impact your mental and emotional well-being. Here are five time-tested tips to keep in mind and to help guide you on your organizing journey this new year.

Even though winter is typically a slow time for real estate, it doesn’t mean it isn’t a good time to purchase a home. Buying a home during this traditional “off” season could work for you depending on the real estate market where you want to move and your personal circumstances.

If you want to have a good neighbor, you have to be a good neighbor first. And learning how to be a good neighbor is a skill that can be equally as impactful on you as it can on your neighborhood. 

Here are six little but valuable practices to help you become the kinder, more caring neighbor you’d want to live next to, not only now that the holiday spirit is in the air, but for the whole year round.

Thanksgiving is easily anyone’s favorite holiday of the year. With each bite of the glorious roast turkey, spoonfuls of delicious mashed potatoes, gravy, and cranberry sauce, and even a slice of pumpkin pie, we are transported closer to Christmas and the spirit of giving.

But with a great feast comes a huge cleanup, which many are not looking forward to. You may be all set and ready for the Thanksgiving dinner, especially if you’re hosting for the first time in your new home, but have you thought about the subsequent cleaning load?

If you’re feeling stuck not knowing what else to know about the property, we’ve pulled together a list of some things that may not be so obvious to ask but can get you closer to finding a home that's a good match for your lifestyle and budget.

Thank you, dear veterans, for your valor, strength, service, and dedication to protect us and keep us safe.

Whether you’re a buyer looking for your first home or a seller preparing to list your property for sale, you’ve probably heard the term “concessions” in real estate. But what exactly does that refer to?

Housing inventory during fall tends to be lower than it is in the spring and summer months, so sellers might be more likely to attract serious autumn buyers. But to successfully sell your home, you might as well need to consider a few different approaches. Keep on reading to get a list of worthy tips that take your house from “For Sale” to “Sold” before the last leaf falls.

If you’ve been thinking about listing your property for sale, you probably already know about the obvious costs associated with selling, such as real estate commissions and closing costs. 

However, there are also such things as “hidden” costs, which include a variety of smaller expenses that you need to factor in to avoid unsettling surprises and help ensure that you get top dollar for your biggest investment. Read on to get a brief overview of these hidden costs of selling a home. 

It’s best to hire a trusted and knowledgeable real estate agent to help you in your house-hunting journey. Expect them to be your go-to person for almost all the advice you’ll need regarding the complicated, and often stressful, homebuying process. 

And yet, if you ask them certain questions, you might be puzzled to find them feeling tongue-tied. Be aware that there are some queries that your realtor couldn’t answer legally. This is because some things are off-limits under the Fair Housing Act (FHA), a federal law enacted in 1968 that prohibits discrimination in the purchase, sale, rental, or financing of housing based on race, religion, sex, skin, color, nationality, or family/economic status.

If you haven’t had dealings with an HOA before, we’ll walk you through exactly what it means, what it does, and what are the most crucial things you need to know before living in a community that has one.

If you recently got your home keys and are looking forward to incorporating your personality into your living spaces, or you’re a homeowner who wants to simply refresh your place, these expert tips can help you in curating and designing your gallery wall.

The process of moving into a new house, even when you’ve done it a couple of times already, will always be stressful and difficult. It’s much more than relocating to a new place, especially when you have to leave a home you’ve lived in for years. It’s where you’ve made thousands of memories with your loved ones and shared countless meals and meaningful conversations with friends. Maybe this was your first home with your spouse or the house where you had your firstborn. If you’re moving to a different neighborhood or state, it might be even more difficult to part ways with the people you love and care about in your neighborhood.

When it comes to purchasing a home, it's easy to get caught up in the excitement of finding your dream property. However, it's important to consider the potential drawbacks of maxing out your budget for this significant investment. By buying a home that is within your means, you can maintain financial stability and preserve the ability to pursue other important financial goals.

Plumbing issues such as dripping faucets, leaky pipes, running toilets, or frustratingly low water pressure do happen. Some of these may occur due to regular wear and tear. Unfortunately, some are downright results of poor plumbing practices and maintenance, which could lead to more serious issues including drainage problems and water damage, to name a few. 

Here are five mistakes and poor habits that many homeowners make, and some tips on how to avoid them:

When you put up your home for sale, keep in mind that last-minute notices to show it to prospective buyers are always a possibility. But we trust that you’ve done all the huge and critical tasks even before listing, including deep cleaning, depersonalizing, and making little but necessary repairs.

Now, all you need is a simple checklist just in case you get a call from your agent that a buyer wants to see your house in an hour… or less. Here are a couple of tasks you can do to further make a good impression and lessen the stress of every single home showing.

For homeowners who fall behind on their mortgage payments, mainly due to a sudden financial crisis, such as unemployment and other income loss, unexpected debts, interest rate hikes, or economic downturn, among others — the two main options available are either a short sale or foreclosure. 

Let’s take a closer look at what these things are, their differences, and which is the better option for any homeowner depending on their situation and timeline.

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.

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?

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. 

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 doing this critical step: signing a listing agreement.

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 enjoy the beautiful weather. 

From practical but stylish options such as shade and outdoor lighting to fun and cozy additions like a grilling station and an outdoor bar cart, we’re here to provide you with plenty of inspiration to help you create the backyard of your dreams.