Stage to Sell: 7 Proven Steps to Attract Buyers and Boost Offers   Selling your home quickly and at the right price takes more than just listing it online. To draw in potential buyers and secure top offers, your home needs to stand out. That’s where home staging comes in. By strategically preparin

Multigenerational Home Buying: How to Find a Home That Fits Your Whole Family   For many homebuyers, multigenerational living used to be considered an option of last resort: it was a route families took only when they needed to ride out a financial storm or care for ailing family members. But that

If the thought of investing your money into brick and mortar—or perhaps some stylishly-painted siding—excites you, join the club. Investing in real estate has long been one of Americans' favorite ways to grow their wealth. In fact, over 70% of single-family rental properties are currently owned by

  When you've lived somewhere for many years, it can be tough to say goodbye. But if you (or a loved one) currently have a home that is bigger than necessary or is too high maintenance, it may be time to trade unused square footage for a smaller, more manageable space. Take it from the downsizers

  Stress-Free Home Cleaning: 27 Practical Tactics for Busy Households   Keeping a clean and orderly home is a challenge for many of us. Between busy work schedules, social obligations, and family commitments, it’s tough to keep up with daily chores—let alone larger seasonal tasks.   The effort is w

National Real Estate Market Update for 2023   There’s an old adage in real estate: location, location, location. But ever since the Federal Reserve began its series of inflation-fighting interest rate hikes last year, a new mantra has emerged: mortgage rates, mortgage rates, mortgage rates.   Highe

8 Popular Home Design Features   There’s a lot to consider when selling your home, from the market and appraisals to where you’ll go next. Don’t forget, however, that design is also a key factor. It’s often one of the first things buyers notice when they walk into a home, and it’s also a detail tha

Real Estate Relocation Guide: 7 Steps to a Seamless Move  Whatever your reasons are for relocating to a new area, the process can feel overwhelming. Whether you’re moving across across town or across the country, you’ll be changing more than your address. Besides a new house, you may also be search

  Take Advantage of Your Home Equity: A Homeowner’s Guide   Homeownership offers many advantages over renting, including a stable living environment, predictable monthly payments, and the freedom to make modifications. Neighborhoods with high rates of homeownership have less crime and more civic en

Home for the Holidays: How To Stretch Your Budgetin a Season of Inflation   You don't have to break the bank to celebrate the holidays in style—even in this season of inflation. Prices may be higher on everything from food to gifts to decorations, but there are still plenty of opportunities to eke

7 Tips to Maximize Your Home’s Sale Price   Over the past few years, a real estate buying frenzy bid up home prices to eye-popping amounts. However, as mortgage rates have risen, buyer demand has cooled. 1 Consequently, home sellers who enter the market today may need to reset their expectations.  

7 Costly Mistakes Home Sellers Make (And How to Avoid Them)   No matter what’s going on in the housing market, the process of selling a home can be challenging. Some sellers have a hard time saying goodbye to a treasured family residence. Others want to skip ahead to the fun of decorating and settl

5 Steps to Finding Your Next Home Whether you’re a first-time buyer or a seasoned homeowner, shopping for a new home can feel daunting. In fact, 56% of buyers said that “finding the right property” was the most difficult step in the home buying process.1   Buying a home is a significant commitment

Higher Rates and Short Supply: The State of Real Estate in 2022   The last two years caught many of us off guard—and not just because of the pandemic. They also ushered in the hottest housing market on record, with home prices rising nationally by nearly 19% in 2021, driven primarily by low mortgag

Hedge Against Inflation With These 3 Real Estate Investment Types The annual inflation rate in the United States is currently around 7.5%—the highest it has been since 1982.1 It doesn’t matter if you’re a cashier, lawyer, plumber, or retiree; if you spend U.S. dollars, inflation impacts you.   Econ

  Seller’s Checklist: A Timeline to Prep Your Home for Sale We’re still in a seller’s market, but that doesn’t mean your home is guaranteed to easily sell.1 If you want to maximize your sale price, it’s still important to prepare your home before putting it on the market.   Start by connecting with

5 Ways to Write a Winning Offer in Today’s Real Estate Market   Our nation is in the midst of a serious housing crunch. Last year, a lack of inventory and soaring prices left many would-be homebuyers feeling pinched. But now, with interest rates climbing, many of them are also feeling desperate to

Can I Buy or Sell a Home Without a Real Estate Agent? Today’s real estate market is one of the fastest-moving in recent memory. With record-low inventory in many market segments, we’re seeing multiple offers—and sometimes even bidding wars—for homes in the most sought-after neighborhoods. This has

A Return to 'Normal'? The State of Real Estate in 2022 Last year was one for the real estate history books. The pandemic helped usher in a buying frenzy that caused home prices to soar nationwide by a record 19.9% between August 2020 and August 2021.1 However, there were signs in the fourth quarter

8 Popular Home Design Features for 2022 There’s a lot to consider when selling your home, from the market and appraisals to where you’ll go next. Don’t forget, however, that design is also a key factor. It’s often one of the first things buyers notice when they walk into a home, and it’s also a det