Real Estate

Who doesn’t love a little southern hospitality? The beloved city of Atlanta is a thriving metropolis filled with diversity and character, so it’s no wonder that some of Hollywood’s biggest names have settled down there. Here are just a few of Atlanta’s most famous homeowners: You know her for “How I Met Your Mother,” “Buffy,” and the “American Pie” trilogy, but you might not know that Alyson Hannigan has a thriving side gig.

Between saving, searching, and signing on the dotted line, buying your first home can be an overwhelming process. Making the whole experience even more daunting is the real estate jargon, which can sound like Greek to a real estate newbie. Not sure where to start? Don’t stress. We spoke to two real estate professionals to find out the 10 terms millennials should know before they even think about buying their first home: 1.

Will Bradley Cooper’s latest iteration of “A Star Is Born” sweep the Oscars come February? Perhaps. Did the cozy, secluded home that Cooper’s troubled character Jackson Maine shared with Lady Gaga’s Ally sweep us off our feet? Most definitely. Though the movie was fiction, the house where some intense jam sessions (and equally intense fighting) took place actually exists in the wild.

Whether you have an economical heat pump or a decades-old oil burner, you’re probably looking for a way to cut your heating costs this winter (holiday gifts are so expensive!) The good news? It’s totally easy to keep warm (and on budget) with these expert tips: The first step to managing your energy spending is inspecting it, says Josh Prigge, founder of Sustridge, a sustainability consulting firm in Las Vegas, Nevada. For most people, that means checking your electric bill.

Near the end of last year, we took a glimpse inside Nate Berkus and Jeremiah Brent’s swoon-worthy Spanish colonial home, but this holiday season, the designers are looking for a new owner to settle into their exquisitely-styled abode. Berkus and Brent recently placed their Hancock Park mansion on the market for $13.8 million with Coldwell Banker Global Luxury’s Brent Watson—just two years after they purchased the property for $8.

You’re more likely to see someone in Paris sporting a “Brooklyn” tee than a “Queens” one, but despite that (or maybe because of it), Queens’ greatest neighborhoods are among New York City’s most appealing right now (especially since Amazon’s HQ2 is moving in soon).

I'd managed to raise my credit score 30 points, and snagged a mortgage approval letter from my credit union. These experts agree with me.

When you’re house shopping, it’s easy to find faults with the homes you tour. Why is the master bedroom Cookie Monster blue? Whoever designed the kitchen didn’t know a thing about cooking. Did vampires live here; there’s hardly any natural light?! Sure, most design flaws could be remedied with renovations.

Thanks to social media, we can now turn to our friends (both online and IRL) for just about anything. Whether you’re looking for travel recommendations or advice on your high school reunion outfit, connecting is easier than ever. Another thing you can ask your friends for? Cold hard cash. Crowdfunding platforms like Fundly and Kickstarter have made it simple to ask for financial assistance for everything from unexpected medical bills to start-up seed money.

High-five, you did it! You paid off your student loans. While it takes a lot of financial discipline to get that balance to $0, your credit score unfortunately won’t be celebrating alongside you. In fact, after you pay off your student loans, you’ll probably see a slight drop in your credit score. Go ahead and file that in the “No fair, what gives?” category along with the fact that your credit will take a hit if you buy a house.

If you’re in the market for a small apartment—whether it’s your choice or not!—rest easy. Small living is trending and, anyway, who needs all that extra space? More room, more collected clutter! That said, there are a few fundamental attributes of a space that, while small in size, can actually feel larger than a floor plan can make it appear. We asked the experts for what to look for when shopping small.

You’ve scrimped, saved, and spent more time on Zillow than you’d care to divulge, and you’re ready to add “homeowner” to your list of accomplishments. Now, to choose the right mortgage for you. When it comes to fixed-rate loan programs, there are several options—from five to 50 years. But it’s the 30-year mortgage that’s been most popular among Americans for decades.

Ask anyone about Waco, Texas, and most likely they’ll ask “Isn’t that where Chip and Joanna are from?” Thanks to Gaineses, the stars of HGTV’s “Fixer Upper,” interest in this central Texas community has skyrocketed over the last few years. As a result, Waco, Texas has not only become a huge tourist destination, but it has also sparked the interest of potential home buyers.

A lot of credit-boosting tips we hear are, frankly, pretty darn obvious. Don’t go over your credit limit, don’t pay bills late, check your credit score—yeah, yeah we got it already! So, my ears perked up when Brentnie Daggett, a rental expert at Rentec Direct, a property management industry website, dished a credit-boosting tip that falls into the “Oooh! Interesting” category.

It may be expensive and there may never be enough on-street parking, its charm and accessibility really make living in Hoboken all worth it.

This Southern belle of a home isn’t just a charmer on the outside; there are surprising features to delight in throughout. 1206 E Duffy St Located in Savannah, Georgia $369,900 3 bedrooms, 2.5 bathrooms From the outside, this Savannah home exudes Southern charm with its pretty pastel blue exterior, white trim, and a sprawling wraparound porch that’s eager to play the consummate host for lazy Sunday afternoons involving rocking chairs and lemonade sipping.

Once you graduate college, you’re handed a diploma and—most likely—a mountain of debt. Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to find a job where you make enough to pay off your student loans and then, maybe, move on to the next big investment of your life homeownership. Unfortunately, according to a study by Credit Sesame, the state in which you live may affect your ability to pay your student loans.

Like lots of things in life (including yourself!), the real estate world keeps rapidly evolving. Though some things will stay the same, at least one thing your broker told you a decade ago is no longer relevant. Here, five once-common pieces of advice experts say that you should now take with a grain of salt. “This advice is outdated because today—more than ever—people want to feel like they are getting ‘value’ in what they purchase.

We know, everyone already harps on millennials. So, we hate to give bashers any more ammo, but… millennial credit scores aren’t great. They’re not good, either. They’re actually just “fair,” according to data from Experian, a consumer credit reporting agency. Experian’s credit system ranges from 300 (eek!) to 850 (wow!), and millennials, on average, are stuck in the “fair” category, which is a score between 580 and 669.

Boulder, Colorado, is, for the uninitiated, a land of spandex-clad athletes driving Subarus with Namaste bumper stickers into the driveways of their $1.2 million single family homes. So when one of my friends broke into the pricey Boulder real estate market when we were in our 20s, I was intrigued to know exactly how she was able to do it. Surprise, surprise, it was a somewhat unconventional and unglamorous route: “Did I tell you we bought a hoarder house?

Don't want to spend a ton of money? There are more than enough small-scale kitchen repairs and replacements that can increase a home's overall value

Opulent and modern mix well in this art-deco condominium in Seattle’s First Hill neighborhood. 1017 Minor Ave. Apt. 802 Located in Seattle, Washington $649,000 1 bedroom, 1 bathroom A 1928 issue of Pacific Builder and Engineer referred to Seattle architect Earl W. Morrison as one of the area’s best known architects, complimenting him for going to great lengths to consistently produce artistic designs. Now, buyers have a chance to snap up a condo in one of his iconic buildings.

Surprisingly, there is still an affordable, diverse, and lively neighborhood in Brooklyn that hasn’t completely lost its sense of charm—and it’s where I live! Prospect Lefferts Gardens, aka PLG. I’d actually consider it Brooklyn’s last frontier—a largely untouched secret that still feels under control of its longterm residents. Located on the east side of Prospect Park, the garden-filled neighborhood is home to a wonderful community that really cares about it.

If you’re a fan of NBC’s wildly popular drama, “This Is Us,” you probably know a thing or two about the Pearson family. Have you ever wondered about the beautiful (but doomed) home the family lives in? While the house is located in Pittsburgh on the show, it’s actually filmed at a home in the Eagle Rock neighborhood of Los Angeles—the place where Rebecca and Jack road-tripped to early on in their relationship, ironically enough.

Snowstorms and cold temperatures aren’t necessarily terms you want to hear when you’re moving… but it turns out, you may want to put on your winter parka and get your moving truck ready. According to a recent report by Zillow Research, this winter could indeed be a great time to buy for potential homebuyers. Mortgage interest rates are on the uptick and 2019 will be no different: The Economy Forecast Agency predicts that the mortgage rate will hit 5.

Do you dream of a future with a yard and a white picket fence? One where you’re not writing away 30 percent of your salary to your landlord every month? Being able to buy a home is a big part of what we’re sold as “The American Dream,” but it’s not for everyone. Renting an apartment forever is absolutely an option, and a damn good one.

Love or hate them, Chip and Joanna Gaines have made a lasting impact on the real estate scene. Fixer Upper has convinced many people that those opposite-of-turnkey homes are not money pits, but opportunities in disguise. Not only can they save you a lot of cash—even with renovation costs added on top of the purchase price—but they can also allow you to truly personalize your home to your heart’s content. Anyone who’s tired of cookie-cutter McMansions can appreciate that.

1. eBay was originally named AuctionWeb. 2. A grilled cheese sandwich with what looked like an image of the Virgin Mary embedded in the crust once fetched $28,000 on the e-commerce site. 3. You can buy your next home (or an addition to your home) on eBay.com. Does this sound like a set up for the game “two truths and a lie”? Well, we’re here to tell you that these are all cold, hard facts about eBay.

Your real estate agent does so much more than just meet you at open houses or negotiate on your behalf.

Studies say moving ranks right behind divorce and death on the stress scale. So with my moving day right around the corner (or, let’s be real, sneaking up on me), it’s no wonder I was feeling a mirage of emotions: stress, excitement, joy, confusion, to name a few. Mostly, the thought of unpacking filled me with overwhelming dread. But I had a realization: Why did moving have to be scary? Why couldn’t it be a fun, exciting, and—most importantly—controlled experience?

Maxing out credit cards, falling behind on bills, going into foreclosure—these are all known villains that will slay your credit score. But did you know that buying a house will also most likely cause your credit score to drop? That’s right; after you’ve demonstrated utmost financial responsibility by establishing a solid credit score and saving for a down payment, taking out a mortgage will ding your score.

This historic condo marries old-school charm with modern everything. 501 Fletcher Ave, Apt B Located in Indianapolis, Indiana $650,000 3 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms This is the kind of apartment that has everyone looking at Indianapolis real estate. For starters, it’s huge. And historic. Built in 1897, this former church is now a downtown condo that marries old with new, and does it seamlessly. The open floor plan boasts soaring ceilings, large stained glass windows, and wood beams.

We’ve all seen the ads: Rent a unit in our building and you’ll get access to amazing common areas! Dog spas! Bike storage! Real estate companies and landlords will toss in freebies until the cows come home to ensure you sign a lease. However, nothing lures prospective renters in as much as the appearance of a serious dent in their rent. But “appears” is the key word here.

‘Tis the season… to look for houses? It may seem counterintuitive since it’s actually a slower time of year and there may be fewer houses on the market, but the holiday season might actually be the ideal time to house hunt.

Your home is on the market, and you’re gunning to sell, but you still haven’t gotten any offers. Staging your home, or preparing it for resale, can make all the difference. According to realtor.com, staged homes sell 88% faster and for 20% more than non-staged ones. But for the average person, dropping thousands of dollars (and there’s no doubt — it will cost you that much) to stage a home is a bit unrealistic.

It looks like our favorite royal foursome is splitting up!

When my husband, son, and I moved into our new apartment eight weeks ago, we fell in love with our new warm and welcoming building as well as the energy of the neighborhood itself. While looking at the place, we noticed a fire station two blocks away—but how busy could it be at night? Ha! Joke was on us because rare is the night when New York City’s finest don’t race up the avenue outside our windows on some life-saving mission.

Certain areas of the country, like Seattle, Washington, and Denver, Colorado, are notorious for their influx of young folk—be it for their tech-hubs, Instagram-worthy walls, or to-die for food. But when it comes to putting down roots, where are younger people buying homes? A new report from LendingTree ranked America’s metropolitan areas by average age of homeowner, and not surprisingly, (with one exception) the coolest millennial cities didn’t fare too well.

This past summer, my husband and I checked off that most elusive goal on our “someday” list: We bought our first home together—a perfect open loft space, one of seven carved out of a small former factory building in intown Atlanta. I say that laying claim to our humble loft was “elusive,” only because I honestly didn’t think we’d ever be able to make it happen. Buying a home requires a serendipitous set of circumstances to all fall into place.

If you’re like me, you’re probably spending the holiday weekend indulging in the ultimate Thanksgiving tradition: Marathoning the “Friends” Thanksgiving episodes. Amid lost toes, shepherd’s pie trifle, and The Geller Cup, you might be marveling at that marvelous purple apartment.

House hunting? You probably need a broker to help with your search. A great broker can find you a place to live but also sometimes winds up acting as your best friend, your mom, and your therapist all in one. For a successful end result, you really want to make this complex relationship work; we’ll let you in on what your broker might really be thinking… When you’re a broker there are no guarantees.

If we’re all being honest here, there’s a stage in anyone who’s under 30 and recently moved to New York’s life that happens: we assume it will be something like an episode of “Girls.” Maybe a significant other dumps you before/after your short story reading, or you get splashed by a cab right before a job interview and have to explain why you’d be a good something or other, and then you come home to your weirdly gigantic apartment for a freelance writer.

A remodeled house with loads of space and charm. 6548 SE Ash Street Located in Portland, Oregon $670,000 3 bedrooms, 2.5 bathrooms Well, for starters, we featured this three-bedroom home in a House Tour this past May! One of the “besties” got married, so the home is now on the market. This large Mt. Tabor home has loads of space and feels like a hip retreat the minute you walk in the door.

You need a little creativity to make ends meet these days. With wages stagnating and housing prices skyrocketing, people are looking for ways to cut expenses and boost their income. And that’s especially true for anyone trying to save for a down payment on a house. This was all top of mind several years ago when Sam (my now-husband, then-boyfriend) and I decided to move in together.

Oh the ‘L’ word: For renters, a landlord can be (hopefully) an awesome resource or, in other situations, a thorn in your side. Either way, when you move into a new place, you’re going to have to deal with your landlord at some point. “When you move into a new rental, you’re also embarking on a new business relationship with the apartment’s owner,” says Gary Malin, president of Citi Habitats in New York City.

I asked some experts about the smart way to buy a house with partner—both financially and emotionally—if you're not married. Here's what they said.

Welcome to My First Apartment! Whether it’s your first studio, a four-bedroom deep in the city shared with a handful of roommates, or even an entire house (lucky you!), there’s something special about moving into the first place that’s truly your own. In this series, we’ll showcase actors, artists, entrepreneurs, and beyond—asking them to revisit that oh-so-sweet nostalgia of newly-found freedom.

If you’ve ever left a door open, you’ve probably been asked if you were raised in a barn (the antiquated phrase refers to farmers’ tendency to leave the door open during the day to facilitate easy coming and going.) But what in the past was a clever dig is now a compliment. With all the attractive homes converted from barns on the market right now, who wouldn’t want to grow up in one?

Whether you are home shopping or considering adding new bells and whistles to your current pad, the fact is that some features aren’t worth the time, effort, or cost. We asked the experts for add-ons that you may think are a good investment but actually turn out to be pretty annoying (and costly in terms of your ROI!)—some may just surprise you: Just say not to those fancy-schmancy rain showerheads.

This home has loads of bedrooms—and two kitchens! 3060 Wild Flower Trail Located in Medina, Minnesota $684,900 5 bedrooms, 5 bathrooms Originally built as a model home in 2016, the current owners took a tour and knew they’d found their forever home. But sadly, work brought on relocation and they’re selling—though not before the couple made a ton of custom upgrades.

For those that don't know much about VA loans, you'll be surprised at how much it has affected the way many Americans live—even today.

The 800-and-up credit score club is an elite one: 20.7 percent of Americans have reached this upper echelon of credit worthiness, according to the latest data from FICO, a widely-used credit score rating system. But, finance experts explain that you don’t actually need to have a score in the 800 range to qualify for the best mortgage rates. In fact, the score you should really aspire for is… drumroll, please: 760!

Welcome to My First Apartment! Whether it’s your first studio, a four-bedroom deep in the city shared with a handful of roommates, or even an entire house (lucky you!), there’s something special about moving into the first place that’s truly your own. In this series, we’ll showcase actors, artists, entrepreneurs, and beyond—asking them to revisit that oh-so-sweet nostalgia of newly-found freedom. To say that Genevieve Gorder is captivating is an understatement.

We all know plants work wonders to purify the air and make your space feel happier, but there’s more to know about these green goodies: They can actually help sell your house. Here’s how. Houseplants make our homes happier, healthier places. They also convey just that when you’re putting your house up for sale, says Justin Hancock, a horticulturist at Costa Farms in Miami, Florida.

Budgeting can be pretty hard—especially on a measly income. And some places, it’s nearly impossible to live a full life on your income alone—so you’re likely to slip into debt to pay the bills. Though it’s not ideal, for many it’s just the way it is. But in other places, it’s much, much easier—like in San Jose, California.

If you’re budget-conscious, you might think purchasing renters insurance is a luxury you can’t afford—especially if your landlord doesn’t require you to hold it. But like most insurance, it can pay dividends when the unexpected occurs and your valuables are lost, stolen, damaged, or destroyed–and much more besides.

As the millennial job market becomes mobile, many twenty- and thirty-somethings are looking outside the big cities for places to settle down. If you haven’t been keeping score like I am, the Midwest is proving itself to be an increasingly attractive option with up-and-coming cities that offer millennials the lifestyle they’re searching for—and the price they want to pay.

This California casa is small in size but big on charm. 759 N 19th Street Located in San Jose, California $798,000 2 bedrooms, 1 bathroom Pinch yourself. If you thought a tiny home couldn’t be more charming, then think again. This Spanish bungalow in the Northside neighborhood of San Jose is petite perfection. Built in 1928, the 759-square-foot property manages to marry original charm with modern updates.

It’s funny how buying a home became known as “The American Dream,” because for decades, it wasn’t a dream at all. Just a few generations ago (basically: your grandparents), buying a house in your 20’s was just reality. I love this story from Relative Realty about a couple of real first-time buyers in Toronto—Ron and Joan, both “in their early 20’s”—achieving The American Canadian Dream.

These days, actually using the phone to call people has pretty much fallen by the wayside. But here’s ample reason to pick up the phone: By making a few simple calls—and asking the right questions—you could save hundreds on your household bills. And the best part about living in 2018? You can actually pay someone to do it for you. According to U.S. News & World Report, there are several services that will lobby with your providers for better rates.

Feel like, as a renter, the world swings in favor of homeowners? Well, it just might. A new study by Apartment List found that renters are vastly underrepresented in American politics on both the local and national levels. Though some of it is systematic, some also comes from being disengaged. In the 2016 presidential election, while 67 percent of homeowners voted, only 49 percent of renters did.

When you think of home upgrades that can save you money over time, are you imagining hefty investments like solar-powered roofs and native landscaping? Those projects certainly are the green goddesses in eco-friendly renovations. But, when it comes to upgrades, there are several smaller features that, over time, can pay for themselves, too—and they’re a lot easier to incorporate into your home. What we’re getting at?

Well before announcing their engagement in August, Nick Jonas was already planning his future with Priyanka Chopra by locking down the property that they will call home. The singer invested a whopping $6.5 million into this Beverly Hills pad back in April for the couple to share once they’re married, according to Realtor.com.

A small space (for California) with so much charm, and every possible amenity. 3136 Serra Avenue Located in Carmel, California $995,000 1 bedroom, 1 bathroom If you were to look up the definition of “charming,” there’s a good chance you’d find a listing for this home. The one-bedroom, one-bath “small house” (as they call it) comprises just 800 square feet of space, but feels a whole lot bigger.

Every IKEA teems with last-minute movers the first and third weekends of the month—it’s just a fact. And if you are like me, you also probably accept as fact that if you’re moving, you are going to have to do an IKEA run the moment after the movers leave.

Feeling like it’s time to size up your space? By all means, do it. But know that it’s going to likely require a bigger investment month-to-month, and probably drain your change right now as you scramble to pay for moving costs and the other expenses that inevitably creep up when you decide to pick up your roots and settle down in a new spot.

There are generally three categories of agents who list and show apartments: brokers to whom renters pay a fee, no-fee brokers, and apartment owners who take care of the job themselves. You probably know that the best deals are usually found in owner-listed situations. Since there’s no broker to middleman the process and demand tribute, both owner and renter can save money.

Anyone looking to settle down in a place with a movie-inspired backs tory should look no further than this wild west-themed town just outside of Palm Springs, California. The owners of the Stargazing Desert Retreat in Pioneertown are asking $1,495,000 million for the Big Horn Ranch, which is located just 20 minutes away from Joshua Tree National Park.

If you were planning on winning the lottery and buying yourself a totally elaborate multi-million dollar mansion… all I can say is I’m sorry. (In full disclosure, I did win… $2.) But the time you spent swimming through listings and the feelings you felt for that perfect mansion don’t have to go to waste, right? Is it really so far-fetched that you could one day afford to live there?

A couple years back, the New York Times published an article about the 13 questions you should always ask someone before getting married. Which got me thinking about another kind of relationship, one possibly even more fraught than marriage, and one that people enter into with perhaps even more unwarranted optimism: that between roommates. Here are a list of 11 questions you really ought to be asking your potential roommate, before you move in.

Living a downsized life sure sounds appealing—but chances are, you don’t want to commit to minimalist living full time. So why not try vacationing in a tiny house? No matter where you’re traveling, Airbnb has a stylish and streamlined place for you. Here, a look at six Airbnbs that will make you want to book a trip and “Marie Kondo” your own house—stat. This tiny house might be compact but it sports a king bed replete with an organic mattress and bedding.

The history behind homes can be just as interesting as the people and designs presently occupying them. And perhaps no more so than the homes of those who live in buildings that used to be for entirely different purposes other than living. From garages, to schools, to factories, all of these nine homes have something in common: These structures once housed much different activities than the ones happening in them today!