Finally. You put your signature on the closing paperwork. You’re happy with your loan … well, as happy as you can be, considering the magnitude of the debt you just accepted. Stress dreams have mostly subsided, barring the occasional vision of some movers dropping your grandmother’s curio cabinet, shattering this priceless antique while they run […]
If you’re in the process of buying a home, one of the more challenging aspects can be saving for a down payment. When you’ve found your dream property, you want to do everything you can to expedite the process and become a homeowner, and once you calculate the down payment, it may not end up […]
Some home upgrades—notably anything involving plumbing or electricity—demand a professional. But others? Not so much. In fact, in an age when homeowners feel empowered to square off with many home improvement projects themselves, creating DIY decor has become a typical weekend activity. So to keep you busy during these first few weeks of spring, […]
Xeriscaping is the practice of designing landscapes to reduce or eliminate the need for irrigation. This means xeriscaped landscapes need little or no water beyond what the natural climate provides. Xeriscaping has been embraced in dry regions of the western United States. Prolonged droughts have led water to be regarded as a limited and expensive resource. Denver, Colorado, was one of the first urban areas to support xeriscaping. That citys […]
Amazon is the premier site to buy, well, anything. It’s even become a popular stop for budget-minded shoppers looking for home decor pieces. But, like the rest of the site, the Amazon home decor section is a bottomless pit of products. So to help you sift through all the options and find the real tried-and-true gems, we […]
If you can imagine a storybook cottage straight out of a fairytale, then you have a good idea of what a Tudor home looks like. Tudor homes originated in England during the Tudor period (between 1485 and 1603) and ranged from smaller cottages to larger country manor homes. “You know you are looking at a Tudor home […]
The home appraisal process is just a formality when buying real estate, right? You’ve found the house you love and put in a good offer, and it was accepted! It’s time to break out the bubbly? Sorry, not yet. If you’ve applied for a mortgage, your home-to-be still has to undergo a comprehensive appraisal of its worth—and an unfavorable […]
Experiencing art on the wall of a museum or gallery is one thing, but to witness it within the surroundings where it was made is another, far rarer opportunity. Luckily a small number of the world’s most famous artists, from Monet and Rodin to Jackson Pollock and Louise Bourgeois, have had their homes and studios preserved as […]
Ahome inspection can be a terrifying process to newbie buyers: What if the house you adore has major problems hiding beneath that shiny new coat of paint? If you lie awake haunted by visions of mold or foundation problems, it’s time to take a deep breath. Here’s everything you need to know about home inspections, and how (as scary as […]
Wondering how to choose a Realtor®? Purchasing a new home takes some serious prep work—from cleaning up your credit score to amassing a down payment. But, hey, we’re just getting started! You also need a comrade in arms: a close ally to help steer you toward homes you’ll love more than life itself, find the best possible mortgage, and all in all […]