Tax season is confusing enough with W2s, charitable contributions, and student loan deductions. Add in a real estate sale and it’s enough to send even the savviest TurboTax expert running. But in a year where the market has been hotter than ever, more and more people are selling their homes — and they’re not always buying … Read more
If you’ve been in your home for a year or more, it’s natural to wonder what it’s worth by now. Whether you’ve poured your heart into renovations and upgrades, or you live in a hot market where home values are always on the rise, it’s good to stay informed. Those looking to sell their home … Read more
Brenda Richardson Contributor Brenda Richardson is an award-winning journalist whose work has appeared in Forbes, the Washington Post, Chicago Tribune and other media outlets. She is the former real estate editor at the Chicago Tribune and the author of a recently published book on the history of River North, a dynamic Chicago neighborhood that went … Read more
Four years after my partner and I purchased our first home, I started shopping around for refinance options. Motivated by the urge to drop private mortgage insurance and increase our property value, I was confident it was the smartest move. At the time, our interest rate was at 3.9 percent. Even though I discovered the … Read more
It used to be that you would need to have saved up 20 percent of a home’s purchase price in order to achieve the dream of owning that house. Fortunately for people who are struggling to save for a hefty down payment, you can actually buy a home with a whole lot less money than … Read more
It doesn’t matter if you just started squirreling money away for your dream home or if you’ve built up a sizable savings — Steve Sexton, CEO of Sexton Advisory Group, says that there are options that rise above all the rest when it comes to getting the most out of your funds. Here’s where to … Read more
When I saw my future house hit the market one morning a few years ago, I knew it had to be mine. My partner and I toured it that afternoon and put in our offer the same evening. The main reason we felt confident moving forward and going under contract so fast? The seller was … Read more
Picture this: A family member wants to give you a check over the holidays to put toward the down payment on a house. (This, BTW, is quite common: About one-third of first-time buyers receive a financial gift to go toward their down payments, according to the National Association of Realtors). So, you graciously accept the … Read more
Losing a family member is never easy. It can come with a hefty amount of labor in the following weeks and months (and even years) after it happens, from the emotional toll it takes on a person, to arranging the funeral and services and getting the deceased’s affairs in order. Even if you’ve always thought … Read more
Ashley Abramson Contributor Ashley Abramson is a writer-mom hybrid in Minneapolis, MN. Her work, mostly focused on health, psychology, and parenting, has been featured in the Washington Post, New York Times, Allure, and more. She lives in the Minneapolis suburbs with her husband and two young sons. Follow Ashley