Repainting a room is one of the easiest ways to freshen the décor while changing the feel of the room. The hottest design trend this year takes this to a whole new level. Color-blocking techniques are dominating magazines and social media with vivid color palettes and...

“When can I consider my home sold? This is one of the most common questions real estate agents are asked. While the laws vary in different states, generally the contract is binding once both parties sign the offer. At that time the closing process begins. This is also...

Most homebuyers realize that they can’t expect a perfect home inspection report when buying a resale home. Cosmetic flaws and minor repairs are easily managed and shouldn’t be dealbreakers. That said, there are some issues that are more serious and should give the...

Mortgage interest rates are the lowest they’ve been in years and perhaps you’re wondering if it’s time to refinance your loan. Lenders advertising their refinancing services make it sound as easy as filling out a form and paying less each month. While refinancing does...

There is a lot of attention paid to first-time homebuyers. Most real estate agents and lenders have some kind of guide to help first-time homebuyers navigate their first home purchase, but what about the first-time seller? Selling your home for the first time can be...

The kitchen pantry is one of those areas that can quickly become a mess. Older cans and boxes keep getting pushed to the back and forgotten. How many of us have found cans of green beans dating back a decade or two during a spring cleaning? Or a box of crackers that...

Manual underwriting is how all loans were evaluated before computer algorithms took the human logic out of the process. Simply stated, a loan that is manually underwritten is one where a person evaluates the file for the borrower’s ability to make the loan payments....

If your lifestyle has changed with time and you’re ready to ditch the big house for a smaller, more manageable home, it might be time to downsize. Deciding to shift to a more care-free dwelling is easy – determining where to begin is much harder. The accumulation of...

Saving for a down payment in preparation for buying a new home is pretty common knowledge. With the mortgage meltdown, most mortgages that allowed zero down payments disappeared. While FHA and VA loans still offer little to no money down, most potential homebuyers...

Nothing is more stressful than shopping for a mortgage and realizing your credit score isn’t what you expected. Worse still is finding that your identity has been stolen and there are fraudulent accounts or activity on your report. Recovering from identity theft can...

Most of the country is experiencing a very tight real estate market. Inventory levels are historically low, perhaps owing to the concern of strangers traipsing through the home during this time. Additionally, because most people are staying home, they have been able...

Sleek, white kitchens are one of the most popular trends in interior design. Bright and cheery white tiles, sinks, cabinets, and even appliances are replacing the dark and heavy wood and granite of the past couple of decades. White or off-white makes kitchen spaces...