Window treatments—a catchall term for shades, blinds, shutters, and more—are one of the most impactful ways to make your new home feel cozier and more lived in. But once you start to explore your options (there are a lot) it can be easy to get overwhelmed. That’s why we asked experts to share the most important […]
Spring is the quintessential time for cleaning and sprucing up your space. For many homeowners, that ritual includes refreshing tired walls with new paint. But choosing a paint color you won’t regret can be tricky. You might be torn between two (or five!) shades. Or maybe you’re just looking for something a bit out of the norm. The following […]
Many first-time homebuyers might presume they’re better off going used rather than new—in other words, purchasing a pre-existing property rather than pricey new construction. While it’s true that brand-new homes often come with a heftier price tag upfront, these properties can actually end up being a good—even great—deal for first-time buyers. “It is true that new-construction homes, on […]
Finding a new place to plant roots isn’t solely about the price tag. Your real estate search is likely to include a range of options: condo vs. townhouse, condo vs. house, house vs. townhouse and more. As you stack different types of properties against each other, it’s important to think about not only what you […]
Before you start your house-hunting journey, you’ll need to know your budget. The most accurate way to do that is by getting pre-approved for a mortgage. How long does it take to get a mortgage pre-approval? To answer that, you’ll need to learn a bit more about the pre-approval process and what to expect when […]
Lessons from the field that will save you time, money, and stress along your co-buying journey. Most co-buyers are excited about the adventure of buying and owning a home together. At some point, many feel overwhelmed. This is normal. Buying a home is complicated, full stop. Compared to a married couple or a singleton, co-buyers […]
Every new year, countless vows are made to declutter—which explains the enduring popularity of Marie Kondo. This tidying expert “sparked joy” around the world with the release of her bestselling book in 2010, “The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up.” Since then, she’s starred in her own Netflix series, “Sparking Joy With Marie Kondo,” recently released yet […]
Home improvements are—or should be—as much about the future value of your home as they are about improving your quality of life today. You might think installing a lap pool–size bathtub in your bathroom is a great idea. But before sinking thousands of dollars into any home project, you might want to consider whether that $10,000 will […]
You finally found your new home (yay!) and you’re ready to start prepping for the big move. One of the best things you can do to make the whole process of putting everything you own into boxes feel significantly less onerous is simple (and free): Ruthlessly declutter before you start packing your things. Not sure where to […]
Tough financial times call for creative financing. Historically high mortgage rates and a cooling housing market have caused buyers and sellers to look for novel ways to stretch their dollar and seal a deal. Buyers, scared by lofty mortgage rates that threaten to add hundreds of dollars to their monthly housing bill, are seeking out mortgage buy-downs as a way to […]