This tactic can help homebuyers win bidding wars – especially in a seller’s market. A low inventory of homes for sale in the U.S. right now means that buyers are getting creative when shopping for their dream home. In a competitive seller’s market, one popular strategy to help win a bidding war – when multiple offers are made on one property – is implementing an escalation clause. What is an...

Yes, lighting pumpkin candles is a crucial part of getting ready for the change of seasons, but there are more important — and not exactly fun — preparations that come with being a homeowner. Consider this everything you need to know before your house transitions from hot summer days to cool fall nights and, eventually, freezing temperatures. Clean, or possibly replace, your gutters. You're so used...

Whether you're planning to sell or refinance, a home appraisal is a necessary step in determining the true value of your home. This means your home should be in the best possible condition, so it will be appraised at the highest potential value. While it may be tempting to swing for the fences with big-ticket renovations, there are smaller things you can do to efficiently raise the market value of your...

While the real estate market in general is adapting to new challenges and market conditions, one segment of the market is going strong. Home flipping is boasting its best numbers in 14 years. The newly released first-quarter 2020 U.S. Home Flipping Report from ATTOM Data Solutions shows that "53,705 single-family homes and condominiums in the United States were flipped in the first quarter. That number...

Refinancing a mortgage is about to get more expensive — potentially reshaping the math for millions of borrowers looking for savings amid a historic boom for home loans. On Wednesday night, mortgage purchasers Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, informed lenders that, starting in about two weeks, they will be adding a 0.5% fee when buying refinance mortgages. Known as an Adverse Market Refinance Fee, the...

The Federal Reserve has taken a fresh look at what the coronavirus is doing to the economy — and Chairman Jerome Powell and his colleagues have decided they'd better stick with the policies that have pushed mortgage rates to record lows that were once unimaginable. Rates on 30-year mortgages have been sliding below 3% for the first time in history, and the results of the Fed's July meeting virtually...

For many of us, summer means pool time. But if you usually visit a community pool or recreation center, that might not be an option right now. Building a traditional pool at your home is a big and expensive project. That's where the stock tank pool comes in. "These inexpensive farm staples were originally designed as water troughs for livestock," said Country Living "but that's part of their...

A lot has changed in just a few months, and for many that includes the idea of what a 'dream home' looks like. Not long ago, buyers were showing preference toward smaller homes and open concept spaces conducive to gathering. After a few months cooped up inside, those features don't seem so appealing - and developers have taken note. "While the coronavirus still rages on, it's hard to predict what...

Transportation, housing costs, schools, parks, property taxes, and more should factor into any decision about where to live in the Boston area Picking a neighborhood is probably the most important decision a Boston-area resident will make, aside from whether to add “wicked” to their vocabulary . There is a smorgasbord of things to consider: how much space you’ll get for your money; whether said...

As the real estate market began to recover in May, home searches in suburban zip codes jumped 13%, according to realtor.com, one of the largest real estate listing websites. That doubled the pace of growth in urban areas. More than half of the nation’s 100 largest metropolitan areas are seeing increased interest in the suburbs. If millennials once piled into the cities, fueling...