As a homeowner, it’s perfectly natural to wonder how much your house is currently worth (and, not so incidentally, how much money you might make today if you were to sell it). Even though the internet has brought information about home values directly to our fingertips, not all of it is reliable — that’s one…
Moving is stressful all on its own, but when you add in the complications that kids or pets (or both) can bring to the mix, it can feel downright impossible. Depending on the age of your children and whether your fur baby is a cat or a dog, some moves can be easier than others,…
One excellent way to improve your financial profile is to buy a home of your own. But we won’t lie: It’s a long and potentially incredibly stressful process, especially when it comes to the dollars and cents of securing a mortgage loan. So how do you navigate the stress of the journey in order to…
Buying a home anywhere feels like a huge step, but getting settled in the suburbs can seem especially momentous for any household. After all, traditionally, suburbs were for establishing a place in the community and raising a family, where you can put down roots and grow a life. Where you might plan to stay in…
One of the very best things about owning your own home is that you can change it to fit yourself and your lifestyle. Home renovations are more popular than ever before, and there are countless shows, blogs, magazines and other resources where you can indulge your dreams of a perfect home – if you’re willing…
Buying a house – whether it’s your first or fifth – can be a bumpy process. Between the financing, the availability (or scarcity) of homes on the market in your price range that meet your needs, the offer process, the appraisal and the inspection, there’s a lot that can go wrong between deciding that you…
So you’re finally a homeowner – congratulations! This is an important step in anyone’s life, and it’s absolutely normal to feel somewhat (or wildly) unprepared for the realities of owning a place of your own. What if there’s an emergency, or what if something breaks? Do you know what to do? Here’s the good news:…
Selling your house can be an intensely emotional experience in any market, but it’s particularly nerve-wracking when it seems like other homes are going under contract in a matter of days while your listing lingers. In that situation, sellers can’t help but wonder if there might be something wrong with their place. Well, the unfortunate…
Can a home seller sell a home for less than its mortgage? Yes, in some cases you can sell your home for less than what you still owe on the mortgage, but this is complicated and depends on the lender. This situation is known as a “short sale.” Sometimes a lender will be willing to…
When does foreclosure begin? Lenders will initiate foreclosure proceedings when borrowers become delinquent in their mortgage obligations, usually after three payments are missed. The lender will then notify the borrower in writing that he or she is in default. The lender can request a trustee’s sale or a judicial foreclosure, in which the property is…