You’re this close to owning a new home, you can almost taste it. The closing paperwork is prepared, your new digs passed the inspection, and—wonder of wonders—you’re even happy with your loan. Homeownership is just on the other side of the hill. As long as the final walk-through goes according to plan. OK, take a breath—there’s no need to panic. The vast […]
If you’ve been thinking about installing solar panels, you’re not alone. Solar power has been heating up—and with good reason: It’s cheap, clean, and scalable. With just an hour and a half of sunlight, this renewable energy source could meet the world’s energy consumption for an entire year. But is solar power the right investment for […]
Spend a day exploring this state park’s 25-mile network of hiking, mountain biking, and horse-friendly trails. A 45-minute drive from Portland sits L. L. “Stub” Stewart State Park, an old tree farm with a 25-mile labyrinthine network of hiking, horseback riding, and mountain bike–only trails—plus two mountain-style disc golf courses among trees and sword fern, […]
Some of the biggest decisions about homeownership come after you’ve closed the deal. Should you renovate that dated kitchen? Will adding an additional bathroom increase the value of your home? But also: How many place settings do you actually need? Should you ever buy anything at full price? And what’s the deal with renting furniture? […]
We’ve all come to accept—and perhaps even expect—some of the enhanced language sellers use in real estate listings. You know the ones we’re talking about: “Cozy” can be code for small, “charming” likely means old, “efficient” often stands in for small, and “unique” might suggest it’s hard to sell. Yes, some sellers use language to […]
Imagine attending an open house and stepping into a newly remodeled master bathroom complete with brand-new Carrara marble tiling and a luxurious free-standing tub. Home improvements like this are enough to make potential home buyers fall in love, and it may even motivate you to make an offer on the spot. But what may seem like a dream perk […]
You’ve probably already told several white lies this week. Yes, really. When someone asks how you are, do you always mean it when you answer with, “Doing well”? Stretching the truth here and there is pretty standard. But when it comes to applying for a mortgage, you’re required to be 100% truthful about the nitty-gritty details […]
Like all things in life, setting up your new home is more manageable if you break it down into steps and prioritize what needs to get done right away, and what can (or even should) wait. For advice on both, we talked to Shira Gill, home organizing expert and author of Minimalista, professional organizer Ioana Galdau of […]
The day I planned to close on an acre lot where I hoped to build a brand-new house, my real estate agent turned up a deed restriction that limited the number of garages I could construct. I had intended to build three, but according to the deed, I could have only two. This seems like […]
You may recall the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act—the most substantial overhaul to the U.S. tax code in more than 30 years—went into effect on Jan. 1, 2018. The result was likely a big change to your taxes, especially the tax perks of homeownership. This revised tax code is still in effect today. You may […]