Buying a home is often the biggest single purchase you’ll ever make. But it isn’t just choosing a home to buy that’s complicated. You’ve got to think through neighborhood issues, size issues, and cost issues. Buying a home can also include legal issues, construction or building concerns, and have serious tax implications. Financing your home purchase is another big topic of interest for most home buyers. From this topic page, you’ll be able to find articles and videos that help you understand how to balance what you want in a home with what you can afford to spend. You’ll also be able to refine your search about buying a home by using the topic cloud on the right navigation.
Is a Condo or Townhouse a Better Investment?
Is a condo or townhouse a better investment? These readers want to buy property in San Francisco they plan to rent out when they move in a few years. Q: I just read the AMA Ilyce did on Reddit about a year ago on buying a home. Thank you for all the information that you [...]
Latest Housing Market News for 2019
Latest housing market news for 2019. Home sales are up but can the national supply keep up with the demand from homebuyers? Home sales increased by 2.5 percent in July, according to the latest national housing market report by RE/MAX. The jump was enough to end nine months of year-over-year inventory growth as the number [...]
Seller Didn’t Disclose Water Damage, Now What?
Seller didn’t disclose water damage, now what? These homeowners moved in and found themselves with flooded basements from cracks, leaks and clogged drains. From time to time, we get a series of questions on the same topic. This week, everyone seems to have water on the brain. Literally. We’re running some of the questions and [...]
Should I Buy a House Now or Wait Until 2020?
Should I buy a house now or wait until 2020? New research from JCHS shows a strong housing market, but not without its challenges for homebuyers. Harvard University’s Joint Center for Housing Studies (JCHS) delivered an in-depth analysis of America’s housing market in its State of the Nation’s Housing 2019 report. And for those of [...]
What Mortgage Can I Get Approved For?
What mortgage can I get approved for? Fannie Mae found most Americans overestimate the credit score and down payment necessary to qualify for a mortgage. Credit scores and lending requirements are confusing - even to those of us who work in the credit industry or those that are tangentially related, like mortgage origination or banking. [...]
How Much Can I Afford to Spend on a House?
How much can I afford to spend on a house? There are four factors home buyers should evaluate when setting a budget to buy a house and avoid this situation. How Much Can I Afford to Spend on a House? Taking a realistic look at finances and setting a firm budget is a crucial step [...]
2 Moving Tips to Make Your Big Move Easier
Moving tips to make your big move easier. These tips will help you plan a less stressful move, whether you're doing it DIY or hiring professional movers. An estimated 20 million Americans will pack up their lives and move into a new home this summer, according to InsuranceQuotes.com. No matter how organized you are (or [...]
What Is the Purpose of a Home Inventory?
What is the purpose of a home inventory? A home inventory list can make filing an insurance claim in the event of a major loss much easier. Seventy percent of Americans have gone through a natural disaster at some point in their lives, according to research by Farmers Insurance. With that in mind, it’s surprising [...]
How Do I Pay My First Mortgage Payment?
How do I pay my first mortgage payment? After closing the sale on buying a home it’s time to start sending payments to your mortgage servicer. Buying a home is the most stressful event of modern life. Now that it’s done, you can breathe a sigh of relief, settle into homeownership and pay your first [...]
Are Millennials Buying Homes?
Are Millennials Buying Homes? Millennials now have the largest share of new mortgages by dollar volume, but most of them have regrets about buying a home. Are Millennials buying homes? It looks like the answer is yes: Millennials are finally becoming homeowners. Millennials now account for the largest share of new mortgages by dollar volume [...]