Folks used to say, “You can’t go wrong with real estate.” They sure don’t say that anymore. It’s been a rollercoaster dozen years for home prices—and some experts think another rough patch is in the offing. Since the housing crisis began in mid-2006, national home prices have plunged by more […]

Homeowners who are 62 years old or older and have paid off most or all of their mortgage can withdraw a portion of their home’s equity and get it converted into cash. It is a particular home loan called a reverse mortgage . When assessing reverse mortgage fees compared to […]

For most people, a car is their first big-ticket purchase. Apart from negotiating the price, and possibly taking out a simple loan, it is usually a straightforward transaction. Many dealerships have even gone to a “no haggle” pricing model where a buyer has to pay the posted sticker price without […]

Renting out a house is simultaneously one of most conservative and the most worrying risks you can take. This is especially true if it’s your first time doing so. Everybody needs a place to live whether the stock market is skyrocketing or it’s plunging downward. But that doesn’t mean they’ll […]

Gen Z is poised to be the largest source of homebuyers in the United States. The post-millennial generation, or those born after 1996, make up about 32 percent of the population. And, according to a recent report by Realtor.com, 80 percent of them want to own a home before they […]

Take Notes House Hunting Checklist Drew Scott, one half of the “Property Brothers,” recommends touring a lot of houses—at least 10—before making an offer on one. And definitely take notes. “When you walk through a home, have a checklist in hand,” he says . “[W]rite down the pros, write down […]

The housing landscape of the past several years hasn’t exactly been friendly to buyers: the bidding wars, the eye-popping prices, the houses that sold before a “For Sale” sign even went up. It’s enough to make any of us put our search on hold until we have a fighting chance […]

Rates for home loans ticked up slightly, but look set to fall in the coming weeks as investors gird for a slower-growth economy. The 30-year fixed-rate mortgage averaged 4.46% in the January 31 week, mortgage guarantor Freddie Mac said Thursday . That was up just one basis point compared to […]

How long does it take to buy a house? It will take much longer if you make mistakes at the beginning. Even if you are able to accomplish it fairly quickly, these mistakes could cost you in other ways, such as discovering you paid way too much or finding problems […]

We’ve talked before about the difference in value between renting and buying a home . But for some people, trying to think long-term about these decisions isn’t an option at the moment. Before even considering buying a house, many people still have to rent a home or apartment while they […]