Finding and choosing a reliable plumber is one of those things that most homeowners know they should do at some point ... and they usually wait until there's an emergency to find someone, prioritizing availability over quality. That's an understandable situation to...

In real estate, escrow refers to the window of time in between a buyer's offer being accepted and meeting the seller at the closing table to sign the finance and title transfer documents and receive the keys to their new house. It's managed by a third party (often a...

Pets are a joy and a delight that help make our lives feel more meaningful -- but let's face it: The folks who have a problem with pets because of the mess and wear and tear on an average home kind of have a point. Pets shed their fur everywhere. They don't always...

There's a reason why estimating a home's value is a specialized process that's typically executed by a licensed professional (also known as an appraiser) -- it's not easy to determine the fair-market value of a home in a particular point in time. Dozens of factors...

Real estate has been lodged in a hot seller's market in most of the country for a few years now -- but as you've probably heard, the market is shifting toward more of a balanced or even a buyer's market. Home prices are plateauing in most areas, which might feel a...

What does a home inspection involve? Standards and specifics vary from state to state, but in general, the inspector is responsible for making sure there are no glaring, obvious issues with a home that's being bought or sold. Sellers can hire an inspector before...

Gardening is good for the mind, body, and soul -- there's something about growing and caring for a plant that makes so many aspects of life feel richer. People who live in suburban or rural areas usually have lots of options when it comes to setting up a garden, but...

Every real estate brokerage is pretty much the same -- right? Even though this seems like common knowledge among buyers, the truth is that the real estate brokerage where your agent hangs their shingle can have a pretty big influence on your home buying experience....

Buying a home is always an anxiety-ridden process, and that goes triple for anyone who's embarking on homeownership for the very first time. There's so much to do and so much you don't know that "overwhelming" hardly seems like an appropriate description of how it...

The home closing process feels like the home stretch to sellers -- you've done all the work to get the house ready to sell, marketed it in an attractive way to buyers, and now you're ready to move. Although there is a lot you'll have to do if you're like many sellers...