akurtz/Getty ImagesBuying a home—especially if it’s your first—can be a lot like losing weight in the sense that people end up doing, well, some pretty dumb stuff in the process. But while desperate dieters might waste money on “magical” weight-loss pills or silly exercise equipment (remember the shake weight?), misguided home buyers could be doing far more serious damage—like undermining their ability to purchase a house at all
EpicStockMedia/iStockBalancing trendy touches with classic appeal can be tricky in your home and even trickier in your outdoor spaces. After all, you can always repaint a wall, but no one wants to tear up their entire hedge every year.Luckily for you, we consulted with experts on the top landscaping trends that homeowners are loving right now—and that won't go out of style any time soon. So take a good look at your landscaping and decide whet
Dena Everman in Marietta, Ga., was about to close on the sale of her home of 11 years when she discovered that a family—not the buyers—had already moved in. Everman, who had moved out of the home weeks prior, encountered the occupants when she stopped by the property the day before closing to check on it one last time. The closing that was set to happen the next day on June 26 with the rightful buyers continues to be put off as Everman strug
Besides discussing the home’s layout and physical characteristics, come to your open house prepared to respond to these other common questions. Coldwell Banker recently featured some of the most common questions potential buyers may ask a real estate professional at an open house. Here’s what you need to be ready to answer:1. How many bids have you received on the home?Buyers may want to gauge the true price of the home and see how much co
The availability of building materials, particularly framing lumber, is rising on the list of concerns among home builders, according to the latest National Association of Home Builders/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index. Twenty-one percent of single-family builders reported a shortage of framing lumber.“It is certainly concerning that we have seen such a large jump in reported framing lumber shortages in a relatively short period of time,” say
Homeowners are bracing for the July heat as they prepare for some of their steepest utility bills.Energy costs in the U.S. consume from 5 to 22 percent of families’ total after-tax income, according to a new analysis by WalletHub, a financial resource.“And lower energy prices don’t necessarily equate to savings,” WalletHub notes in its study. “Where we live and how much energy we use are a big part of the equation.”For example, elec
Rooftop solar power installations are booming, says Abigail Ross Hopper, president and CEO of the Solar Energy Industries Association. The panels may have a more affordable price tag than in previous years, but the installations are coming with another price: leaky roofs.The Solar Energy Industries Association says many homeowners are not using professional roofers to install their solar panels and that’s causing growing reports of “messed-up
Lure potential buyers with a simple and clean palette. Shades of white and off-white are the top colors for a quick home sale, Jody Finglas of Finglas Painting in Ossining, N.Y., told USA Today.“White is the foundation that anchors the home,” adds Friley Saucier, a broker-associate with Sotheby's International Realty in Naples, Fla. “This is absolutely what is most requested when I’m working with home buyers.”Finglas says less is m
Homebuyers can now center property search on schools from get-goRealtor.com has made it easier for homebuyers to filter listings based on schools.Users can enter a school name into its property search bar to pull up all for-sale properties that fall within the school’s attendance zone.The feature gives realtor.com a slight edge over Zillow and Trulia when it comes to school-based search, while bringing the listing portal up to speed with Redfin
What homeowners, renters, millennials and boomers are regretting (or not) about their most recent home decisionKey Takeaways Homeowners regret not choosing a larger home, while renters wish they'd taken the leap to buy. Parents and high-income respondents were more likely to report regrets.Do you know if that buyer you helped find a house last year is really happy with her choice … or do you think she feels like she settled for less?According
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