First Time Home Buyer Tips

Whether you're looking to sell your home or just want an impressive entrance, these front entryway ideas will help give off that good “welcome home” vibe.

Used liberally by real estate agents, this term does not always mean updated, new, and renovated or evocative of Frank Lloyd Wright or "Mad Men."

Home builders, remodelers, and designers chime in on what current trends are worth investing in for the rest of this year.

To me, the math was clear: The longer I paid mortgage payments, the more that house was going to cost.

To help make the moving process easier on Fido and Fluffy, we’ve asked animal trainers and behaviorists for their best pet-friendly moving tips.

You may not have a green thumb, but that’s no reason to let your yard become an eyesore. Not only will maintaining your lot keep your neighbors happy, landscaping can actually also help boost your home's value.

Now that McMansions have come and gone, tastes are swinging back toward a more modern, minimal approach and Americans are exploring different home styles across the country.

You don’t have to wait until the stressful days before a big move to feel that freedom. Here's how to declutter like you're moving without actually doing it.

But what separates the "meh" kitchens from the ones you'll actually enjoy cooking dinner in? I tapped real estate experts for their advice.

People living near protected areas like national parks tend to be healthier and wealthier, according to a 2019 Oregon State University study.

Real estate experts say these five purchases are the ones first-time homebuyers often regret after move-in day.

Buying a home is stressful. Here's how to make the process a little easier.

If your house has been lingering on the market, the reason it hasn't sold may have nothing to do with price or location.

Aside from “washer and dryer included,” what else should homebuyers keep in mind when it comes to this functional space? Here's what experts say.

Professional home inspectors see what goes wrong in maintaining a home. Here, the half-dozen tasks and missteps they say homeowners often make when it comes to home maintenance 101.

Though I was able to find the perfect home for our whole family—pets included, I've heard many stories from those who were less fortunate.

You may think refreshing your home will cost a fortune, but you can elevate your space affordably—just head to IKEA. That's what professional home stagers do, after all.

Potentially save hundreds of thousands of dollars and years off your mortgage with these smart payment tricks.

These three features separate a so-so home office from one that inspires your best work.

You know what functional means, and you know what obsolescent means, but what does it mean for you, the home buyer and potential future seller? Here, everything you need to know.

Even if you're not putting your home on the market any time soon, you might want to invest in a bit of landscaping to up your curb appeal.

Trying to find your first home is very exciting. But somewhere between the online research and countless showings, house hunting loses its luster. The whole thing just overwhelms. In this mix of ever-changing emotions, it’s easy to make mistakes. And while you can expect to make a few blunders the first time you do anything new, the stakes are a bit higher when buying a home. A few slip-ups can end up costing thousands of dollars—and possibly your dream home.

Real estate agents spend countless hours in living rooms of every color. They're unexpected experts in knowing which shades will work well and which ones you should avoid at all costs.

A decade ago, real estate agents struggled to get clients to look beyond burnt orange shag carpet or avocado green tiles. Now, agents say buyers excitedly search for homes they can renovate.

Audiences loved “Tiny House Nation”, the reality show that premiered in 2014 and, for the past five seasons, has invited viewers to get a bird’s eye view of micro-living by showing audiences what it’s really like to live in a space no larger than 500 square feet. So, is the show giving viewers an accurate portrayal of what it’s really like to live small?

You might not think of real estate agents as experts in interior design. But—given the sheer volume of homes they see—they certainly have some valuable insight to offer. They see firsthand how design can be a detriment when selling a home.Many buyers have the ability to look past cosmetic aspects of a house, like design or finishes, and focus on the important things (the bones of the house, the layout, the location, etc.).

Unlike your kitchen cabinets and front door, your bedroom’s paint color has no sway on your home’s selling price, according to Zillow’s 2018 Paint Color Analysis. But that doesn’t mean you should go ahead and order that neon yellow paint. It’s likely you’re looking to style your space to promote some R&R. And, fact is, there are certain paint colors that do that better than others.

Moving is one of life’s most stressful events, and it’s no wonder why. It’s expensive. You have to go through all your belongings and decide what no longer sparks joy. Then there’s all the packing. This is all before actual moving day rolls around, which adds physical labor to the equation. It’s not hard to see why the whole thing generally makes people want to pull their hair out.But it doesn’t have to be that way!

To the uninitiated, the home-buying process may feel like a never-ending cycle of hoops to jump through. But those hoops are there for a reason—there’s a lot of money at stake and so many moving parts between buyer, seller, and lender. The more firewalls prior to closing, the less likely someone’s getting stuck with a bad deal. One of these tedious, but necessary final steps is the home appraisal.

For the past 20 years or so, granite has reigned supreme as the most popular choice for countertop materials in homes. But, in recent years, a new competitor has emerged: quartz. But, putting trends and popularity aside, which countertops actually do the best job, year in and year out? To find out, we talked to two home builders about the best countertop materials in terms of durability, maintenance, and aesthetics.

We shop around for furniture, cars, even food bargains. So why is it that when it comes to saving on a mortgage, many people don’t bother to look around for the best deal? Of course, it’s not everyone that’s ignoring the possibility of shopping around. A new study conducted by LendingTree found that it’s actually first-time homebuyers who are more likely to shop around for better mortgage loan terms, versus repeat buyers.

It’s an old real estate trope, but it seems to be true: Paint color can heavily sway a prospective buyer’s opinion of a home. While a seller might think throwing a fresh coat of paint on the walls will boost the value of their property, in reality, doing so might actually leave a bad impression on buyers; depending on their individual tastes and styles.

When you purchase a home, it’s smart to invest in homeowners insurance. In fact, you probably don’t have a choice: Your mortgage lender will more often than not mandate it. As a first-time buyer, you might wonder exactly what is and what isn’t covered by your new homeowners insurance policy. It turns out, your standard homeowners insurance isn’t exactly a one-stop shop that covers every and any disaster. Sure, it covers a lot of them, but not all.

While some folks just cannot get enough of all things Fixer Upper and Chip and Joanna Gaines, others are cooling on the couple and their Magnolia empire in Waco, Texas — including, it would appear, local home buyers. A few years ago, after Fixer Upper was well into its third season, each real estate listing for a home featured and fixed up on the show could command a bidding war, but now the same or similar inventory sits on the market, even seeing reductions in price.

“House Hunters” first premiered in 1999 when I was 12 years old. I devoured episode after episode. And since they don’t teach you these practical things in school, I thought I had learned everything there is to know about home buying from the popular HGTV show. But fast forward 18 years: I got married, then pregnant. Suddenly I was eager to trade the nearly-windowless rental basement my husband and I considered home for one we could call our own.

My daily use of real estate apps started off as a justifiable act: my husband, Kumar, and I we were in the market for a house after receiving the news that he’d matched for a gastroenterology fellowship in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. At the time, we were living in New York City, paying budget-breaking rent for a tiny apartment. Thus, we figured—why not put our money into a small starter home when we move? We wanted a yard for our two little dogs to run around in.

It’s not all puppies and kittens, folks. These days, there’s an Instagram account (and #influencer) for pretty much everything. And that includes real estate. (The word “real estate” alone garners over 15 million hits when entered in the social media app’s search engine). Whether you’re buying, selling, or just like to look, here are a few accounts you might like to add to your feed.

We called on a real estate expert to help us break it down.

Real Talk: The chances that you could commit mortgage fraud unknowingly are minimal. The industry has become much more highly regulated in recent years to prevent issues like this. “If you’re working with a reputable lender or a bank and you’re a fairly savvy consumer, it’s probably not something you’ll come across,” say Ed Deveau, a realtor with Century 21 Mario Real Estate in Boston.

These are super useful, real estate agent-approved reasons all happy homeowners should spend time at open houses in their neighborhoods.

While stuck in the middle may not sound too appealing, it's exactly where you want to be when it comes to real estate.

Carpentry is at the heart of the entire structure of your home, yet chances are, you don’t know much about it.

What, exactly, separates a so-so space from one you'll want to spend every extra minute in?

Trying to save money on these home goods are likely to cost you more over time.

​Few experts know the ins and outs of a home's lifespan better than real estate agents.

It’s one thing to have buyer’s remorse when it comes to an over-size sectional that doesn’t exactly fit in your living room. But what’s the best way to handle buyer’s remorse over the purchase of your home—perhaps the biggest purchase of your life so far—which you are now seriously regretting? First of all, keep in mind that buyer’s remorse may be a mask for something deeper.

Looking back, I was an easy-to-please buyer—pretty much the opposite of anyone on “House Hunters.” Case-in-point: My 28-year-old self was impressed that the cheap, very standard mirrors in the bathroom came included with my newly built house. As I toured the upstairs of the home, though, my real estate agent immediately pointed out there were no baseboards in any of the bedrooms, a shortcut she was increasingly taking note of in new builds.

When it comes to curb appeal, doesn’t it seem like everyone talks only about painting your door a bright color and manicuring your front yard? My thoughts exactly. Happily, there are lots of other things you can do that will make a big difference when it comes to freshening your house’s exterior, making it the cutest one on the block and, hopefully, prompting it to linger less on the market. Here, some of the best tips, from real estate professionals.

They say that buying a home is the biggest investment you’ll ever make. And, while the jury is out on whether it’s always the best long-term investment for everyone, it’s important to learn the lingo so that you’re handling this big decision—and the big money that goes along with it—wisely. One of the most crucial things to know about home finance is equity. To break down exactly what equity is and why it’s important, we spoke to two real estate experts.

The real estate process begins well before you make your short list of dream homes and start attending open houses—and it can end there, too, if you’re not prepared. Many people worry about saving enough money for the down payment, but there’s more to learn about the process of buying a home, requirements for loan approvals and how to overcome obstacles to home ownership. Weigh your financial history carefully, because with the right knowledge comes home-buying power.

Have you ever wondered what your real estate agent is thinking — like really thinking? Well, now’s your chance to find out. Agents have to stay pretty neutral with their buyers—there are legal protections governing some of what agents can and cannot say in order to ensure buyers are making their own decisions. But we reached out to a few real-life agents to learn the truth: What’s the one thing you wish you could tell your clients?

While some people think bigger is better, we’re firmly in the camp that good things come in small packages… but not too small. Thankfully, there are plenty of homes across the country that make great use of the limited space they take up. But if you don’t know what to look for, you just might miss them. Want to skip the McMansions—but aren’t quite ready for a tiny house? These listings make great options. (Oh, and they’re super affordable, too!

If there’s one thing that seems to trend throughout the country’s real estate market for spring, it’s an all-around cooling. America’s hottest markets are seeing a deceleration of what have up until recently been eye-watering appreciation rates. According to the National Association of Realtors (NAR), home prices for the next 12 months are expected to rise only 2 percent—a slowdown compared to 2018’s 4.8 percent.

While I’ve always wanted to buy a house to make into a home, my partner has always looked at real estate as a financial investment, not an emotional one. We both have our reasons: My family lost our home when I was 13, and I love the idea of raising a family and creating memories in a financially-stable house I own. My partner comes from an immigrant family, and he was brought up to see homeownership solely as a means of generating passive income. The thing we can agree on?

When my husband and I first started looking for a house in 2017, we had just brought our second baby home from the hospital. By the time we sat down at the settlement table, she was just a few weeks away from crawling. Neither of us expected the process to take so long. After all, “for sale” signs were going up and coming down across the state with breakneck speed. We didn’t realize at the time that those quick moving properties were actually bad news for us as buyers.

Driving to work can eat up your time, stress you out, and pollute the air. Worse, owning a car gets expensive. But in many cities across the U.S., you don’t have much of a choice—but some places allow you to sit back and let a bus, train, subway, or streetcar take you where you need to go. Some of the best places for those that don’t want to drive? New York, New York; Union City, New Jersey; and San Francisco, California, says Redfin’s 2019 Transit Score report.

It’s that time of year again. The time where we either pull out the cumbersome, confusing forms to file our taxes—or look to an online service to do most of the heavy lifting for us. (Hello, Turbo Tax.) Last year’s major tax changes seemingly doubled or tripled the annual filing headache on top of all of the additional requirements for homeowners.

Tired of telling your niece you can’t come to her birthday party out in the ‘burbs because you have to get some work done this weekend? Or maybe it’s more that you have too much time—like you’re underemployed and can’t partake in all the amazing opportunities your city offers? It may be time to move to a city with a better work-life balance. Might I suggest Provo-Orem, Utah?

When it comes to curb appeal, prospective home buyers are being wooed by a classic: red brick exteriors. Trulia zeroed in on the trend after analyzing its most searched listings for March. Among the East Coast properties that are garnering the most attention, several had red brick facades, according to the real estate and rental listing site. Red brick is an oldie—some people may say “dated,” even—but others may see it as a “goodie” for its vintage charm.

Watching your house sit while it’s on the market can be a real drag. So maybe you’ve been hesitant to list yours. Well, now might be the time if you live in the New York metro area, Chicago, Dallas, Jacksonville, or another major city. The first week of April is a real estate market sweet spot where high buyer demand, low competition, speedy sales, and strong prices come together to give sellers who list a major wallet win. Don’t believe it? We’ll show you the numbers.

Flirting with the idea of a fixer upper? Those who are searching for homes online are majorly crushing on this massive stone home in Philadelphia that was originally built in 1900 and is for sale, “as is,” for $150,000. While the sprawling 2,000-square-foot home with four bedrooms and two bathrooms is definitely begging for some TLC, it’s among this month’s “most searched” properties on Trulia, a home and neighborhood site for buyers and renters.

When it comes to home improvement, you probably associate the most dramatic changes with major hits to your wallet. However, that doesn’t always have to be the case. In fact, there are a number of small changes you can implement that can actually make a huge difference in your home’s appearance, functionality, and even resale value. One Redditor asked, “What small thing have you done that resulted in relatively large improvement to your home?

As a homeowner (or renter), you might have heard of radon: an invisible, odorless, and dangerous gas that’s formed when uranium is broken down over time (this, by the way, is called radioactive decay). The rocks and soil underneath all of our homes have traces of uranium—but what does that mean for our homes? I asked a couple of experts and here’s what they say everyone should know about radon gas. Technically, we’re already exposed to radon. According to the U.S.

You step out of your car at an open house and walk into what looks like your dream home. It’s perfectly picturesque from the outside, but as soon as you get through the doorway, you see it—there’s a giant “Live Laugh Love” decal stuck onto the living room wall. For legions of prospective homeowners, real estate agents tell us that word art tends to be at the top of the cringe-inducing decor list—and, point blank, word art makes it hard to sell a home.

I’ve got big dreams to own a Craftsman home one day, with a backyard big enough for a barbecue grill, an inflatable pool, and a big dog. But the median asking price for houses in Los Angeles is a hefty $694,200 and there are no signs of an impending cool down. So is that backyard looking more like a balcony and a shared courtyard with neighbors? Is that house realistically… a condo? A condo (short for condominium) is basically an apartment that you own.

Whether you’re a serious buyer or daydreaming to pass the time at work, a common part of buying a home is trying to predict your monthly mortgage payments. Is it going to end up being cheaper than your rent? Are you going to need to downsize a bit? You probably want a ballpark number before you call your mortgage lender and hire a real estate agent, so you plug the numbers into an online mortgage payment calculator.

Buying a home can be an incredibly stressful process. Although it’s exciting to look forward to having a new space to call your own, anyone who’s been through it before can tell you it’s not always as fun as it looks on HGTV. From trying to figure out what you can actually afford, to finding the right real estate agent, to the delicate art of making an offer, the home-buying process is not without its craze-inducing moments.

The ancient Greeks and Romans had some great ideas that are still around today in some form (The Olympics, geometry, newspapers, grid systems, bacchanals, etc.) Another unsung hero from the period? Stucco (the form of siding similar to plaster) which was formerly used as a base for painting frescoes. Though the average homeowner is no longer using it to paint “The Last Judgment,” they are still using it to side their homes.

Let’s just say you loved the look of “The Brady Bunch” house—we’re talking sunken living room, modular furniture, the works. If that retro vibe talks to you, this is good news: These blast-from-the-past features are now on the major rebound.

In Los Angeles, people build entire careers out of resembling someone else. There are the impersonators, the stand-ins, and the stunt people who make a living looking like celebrities. It seems pretty cool to look like someone else—until you’re searching to buy your first house in a super competitive real estate market. Suddenly, you’re at an open house, surrounded by a swarm of doppelgängers.

Buying a home is expensive. Selling a home is expensive. This is common knowledge. Something I recently learned is not common knowledge? Just who pays the buyer’s real estate agent once a house sells (and who pays the seller’s, too). It’s likely you haven’t really thought about this ever. For expediency’s sake, the answer is “the seller.” Yes, the seller pays their listing agent and the buyer agent’s commission.