What’s Your Home Buying Power

What’s Your Home Buying Power?

If you’re in the market for a new home or investment property, one of the first questions you’ll probably ask is, “What can we afford?” Many buyers become so caught up in how much they can afford that they don’t realize their total buying power—that is, the total amount of purchasing potential they actually have. Buying Power Defined Your buying ...

How Weather and the Time of Year Affect Housing

Weather and the time of year have a big impact housing activity, and in every housing market there are times of the year when fewer homes sell. For most, that time of year coincides with the winter months, and in much of the U.S., that’s the case right now. But no matter where you live, it’s important to know how ...
Increase Your Home’s Value Up to 28% with These 5 Tips

Increase Your Home’s Value Up to 28% with These 5 Tips

Increase Your Home’s Value. Great curb appeal not only makes your home the star of the neighborhood, it can also improve its value and help you sell it for more. Whether you’re thinking of listing your home or just want to make your home the envy of your neighbors, here are several ways to increase your home’s curb appeal.   ...
The Compound Effect: Building Your Household’s Wealth

The Compound Effect: Building Your Household’s Wealth

The Compound Effect: Building Your Household’s Wealth. Wealth is within reach for many people; however, according to a recent study, 63 percent of Americans said it’s not likely they’ll become rich.1 While younger people are more likely to say they’ll achieve wealth one day, only 34 percent of people aged 30 to 49 and 21 percent of people aged 50 ...
5 Reasons to Sell Before the Selling Season Picks Up

5 Reasons to Sell Before the Selling Season Picks Up

5 Reasons to Sell Before the Selling Season Picks Up   Selling Season, a common thought in real estate is never list your home in the winter offseason. Perpetuated by industry experts, agents and repeat sellers alike, this saying encourages many would-be sellers to wait until the spring peak to list their homes. However, studies show that homes listed in the ...

A Beginner’s Guide to Real Estate Investing

A Beginner’s Guide: Despite the grim economic outlook for some industries, one sector is gaining viability -- real estate. According to the 2016 Emerging Trends in Real Estate, which was released by the Urban Land Institute earlier this year, trends such as “18-hour cities” and millennial parents increasing moving from urban areas out into the suburbs signal that real estate ...
Get Your Credit

Get Your Credit Score in Shape Before Buying a Home

Get Your Credit Score: How strong is your Credit Score? Cleaning up your credit is essential before you make any major financial moves. Having a bad score can hurt your chances of being able to open a credit card, apply for a loan, purchase a car, or rent an apartment. It is especially important to have clean credit before you ...
How to Buy a Home: 7 Tips and Tricks from Real Estate Insiders

How to Buy a Home: 7 Tips and Tricks from Real Estate Insiders

  No matter if you’re in a buyer’s or seller’s market, there are a few critical steps you can take to make a smarter purchase. Since buying a home is likely the biggest single investment you will ever make, being prepared will help you make a better purchase. Here are our best tips to buying a home. Know your buying ...

Top Homeowner Tax Deductions That Decrease Your Tax Burden

Top Homeowner Tax Deductions. You can't avoid paying taxes, and we all need to pay our fair share. However, paying your fair share shouldn't place an unjust burden on you. As a homeowner, your tax burden is doubled because you pay both income and property taxes. To decrease that burden and boost your tax savings, take advantage of these homeowner ...