Top 10 Questions To Ask Your Real Estate Agent When Selling
Rising interest rates and market uncertainty have made home sales more challenging, prompting sellers to be more strategic in selecting a listing agent. The article outlines ten essential questions to ask prospective agents, covering credentials, local expertise, pricing strategy, marketing plan, costs, and communication. By vetting agents with these criteria, sellers can avoid stale listings and lowball offers, aiming for faster, higher‑value sales.
When Is the Best Time To Sell Your House?
Realtor.com’s 2026 analysis highlighted the week of April 12‑18 as the peak selling window, yet seasoned agents argue that winter months—December through March—often generate higher net offers because of reduced competition and heightened corporate‑relocation activity. Local economic strength, mortgage‑rate trends, and...
Thinking of Refinancing? These 5 States Have the Highest Closing Costs in the U.S.
Homeowners refinancing in the United States face an average closing cost of $2,207, or 0.67% of the loan, according to LodeStar Software Solutions. However, costs vary dramatically by state: New York tops the list with $10,553 (2.06% of a $512,299...
The New Retirement Math: Is $465K Really ‘Rich’ Enough To Keep You in Your Home in Retirement?
President Donald Trump signed an executive order on April 30, 2026 to broaden access to individual retirement accounts for workers without a 401(k). The administration highlighted a $465,000 retirement target, based on a 25‑year‑old saving $165 a month, receiving a...
Mobile Home Residents See Rents Soar Under New Corporate Owners
Private‑equity firms and large investors are buying manufactured‑housing communities and sharply raising lot rents, as illustrated by Smoky Palms North in Clinton, Tenn., where rents jumped from $275 to $650. Across the nation, institutional owners now account for roughly 23%...
The Chaos Gardening Trend Is Slashing Maintenance Bills for Homeowners
Chaos gardening, a viral low‑maintenance landscaping style, is reshaping suburban yards across the Northeast. By scattering mixed native seed blends instead of manicured beds, homeowners can cut professional landscaping costs that typically run $1,400‑$1,660 per year. The approach also slashes...
Miami Area Gets First New Manufactured Home Community in Decades
RHP Properties is constructing Cottage Grove, a 349‑unit manufactured home community in South Miami‑Dade, marking the county’s first new factory‑built housing development in decades. Prices start at $129,900 with lot rent of $1,445 per month, offering four‑bedroom, 1,600‑sq‑ft homes and...
A $3 Million Nantucket House Is Being Given Away for Free—With One Small Catch
On Nantucket, a 1,736‑square‑foot, three‑bedroom Colonial at 140 Surfside Road is being offered for free under the town’s Demolition Delay Bylaw, provided the new owner moves it off the lot within 180 days. The house, purchased for $3 million in December...
The Second-Home Tax Is Spreading—Is Your Vacation Property Next?
Governor Kathy Hochul’s budget deal adds a controversial pied‑à‑terre tax on New York City second homes, joining a wave of similar levies in at least eight states. The tax targets non‑primary residences valued over $1 million and is projected to raise $500 million...
The High-Cost Summer: How To Balance Soaring Travel Prices Without Risking Your Mortgage Payment
Travel costs have surged in 2026, with domestic round‑trip airfare up 16% to $623 and national gas prices hitting $4.53 per gallon, prompting 65% of Americans to alter summer plans. Financial experts advise homeowners to prioritize mortgage payments, use shoulder‑season...
Poll: Nearly 9 in 10 Voters Say Buying a Home Has Never Been Harder—And They Want Congress To Act
A new Bipartisan Policy Center poll shows 88% of voters think buying a home is harder than ever, and 83% want Congress to act on housing affordability. The survey of 1,000 voters reveals broad bipartisan support for reforms, including streamlining...
Even if You’re Not Cash-Rich, Your Home Equity Could Help Your Kid Buy a House
Parents are increasingly turning to home‑equity products to help their children afford a first home, with 74% of parents saying they plan or are already budgeting for such assistance. The main tools are home‑equity loans, HELOCs, and cash‑out refinances, each...
‘Shark Tank’ Star Kevin O’Leary Defends Massive Military Data Center Project in Utah
Kevin O'Leary’s O'Leary Digital, in partnership with Utah’s Military Installation Development Authority, seeks to build the Stratos AI data center on roughly 40,000 acres in Box Elder County. The first phase would consume about 3 GW of electricity, potentially scaling to...
A Property Tax Program Kept 13,000 Detroit Families in Their Homes—Now It Could Expire
The Pay As You Stay (PAYS) property‑tax relief program has helped 13,000 Detroit homeowners avoid foreclosure by wiping out penalties, interest and fees, cutting back‑tax balances roughly in half. Between 2021 and 2025 the Detroit Tax Relief Fund, backed by...
The World Cup Rental Surge Spawns Fears of Squatter Scams
The 2026 FIFA World Cup will draw up to 10 million visitors to 11 U.S. cities, creating a short‑term‑rental boom. Law‑enforcement alerts warn that relaxed rental rules can let guests acquire tenant rights after 28‑30 days, turning a simple eviction into...
New Homebuyers Pay Double the Property Taxes of Longtime Owners in These 11 Cities
A new analysis by the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy and the Minnesota Center for Fiscal Excellence finds that in 11 U.S. cities, recent homebuyers face property‑tax bills at least twice those of longtime owners of comparable homes. The disparity...
Here’s Where Taxes and Government Fees Hit Homebuyers the Hardest
A new LodeStar study shows Delaware’s closing costs are the nation’s highest share of sale price, averaging $12,707 or 3.06% of a transaction. Transfer taxes and recording fees account for $9,098 of that total, driven by a $4 per $100...
The Spring Housing Market Has a Vibes Problem as ‘Fear of Overpaying’ Takes Hold
The spring housing market shows solid fundamentals—inventory rose 4.6% year‑over‑year, pending sales climbed for a fourth straight month, and mortgage rates eased to 6.2‑6.3%—yet consumer and builder sentiment have sunk to record lows. Economists say the market is resilient, beating...
Investment Banker Offers Up His $8 Million Bay Area Estate in Exchange for AI Stock
Investment banker Storm Duncan is proposing to trade his $8.8 million Mill Valley estate, including a 4,372‑sq‑ft home and an adjacent 11‑acre parcel, for pre‑IPO shares of AI startup Anthropic. The company, creator of the Claude assistant, is rumored to be...
NAR Sounds Alarm Over Proposed Federal Housing Program Cuts
The National Association of Realtors (NAR) warned Congress against deep cuts in federal housing programs proposed in President Donald Trump’s FY 2027 discretionary budget. The budget seeks a 13% reduction in HUD funding, eliminating the Community Development Block Grant, HOME Investment...
Evicting a Family Member With No Lease Can Be Painful, but Not That Problematic
Homeowners who house relatives without a lease may still face formal eviction if the occupant is deemed a tenant or licensee under state law. The process mirrors standard tenant evictions: serve a written notice, file a court petition, and, if...
The Hidden Reason Your Bathroom Is Costing You More and More Money Every Year
Hard water deposits are silently degrading bathroom plumbing, narrowing pipes, and forcing fixtures to work harder. Scale buildup can cut water‑heater efficiency by up to 30% and halve its service life, while leaking valves raise water bills amid rising rates....
Spring Housing Market Remains Resilient Despite Economic Clouds
The spring housing market is holding steady despite a cloudy economic outlook, as the Federal Reserve left interest rates unchanged at roughly 6.3% but revealed internal dissent. Strong labor data and 2% Q1 GDP growth have provided a macro anchor,...
Mortgage Debt Is Rising the Fastest in These Surprising States
Mortgage debt in the United States reached a record $13.2 trillion, with the average household owing about $109,000. WalletHub’s latest state‑by‑state analysis shows the fastest percentage increases occurring in Alaska (2.25%), Delaware (2.21%) and Maine (1.98%) during Q3‑Q4 2025. These gains contrast...
The Digital Walkthrough: What To Look Out for During a Video Inspection
Video walkthroughs have shifted from a niche curiosity to a mainstream tool, with the National Association of Realtors reporting that 5‑7% of homebuyers now close deals based solely on virtual tours. Improved camera quality and pandemic‑driven remote shopping have made...
Nearly 80% of Gen Z Homeowners Had Down Payment Help on Their Current Home
A LendingTree survey shows that 80% of Gen Z first‑time homeowners received financial help for their down payment, far outpacing the 56% of millennials and just 12% of baby boomers. The assistance often came from parents (27%) or other family...
Lawsuit Accuses Homeowner of Cutting Trees in Public Park To Improve View From His Mansion
Luxury real‑estate broker Vlad Popach and co‑defendants are being sued by King County for allegedly cutting 142 publicly owned trees in Grand Ridge Park to clear the view from his 4,500‑sq‑ft, $6.5 million Issaquah mansion. County attorneys estimate the environmental damage...
Modern Luxury Is Now Defined by Total Mobility
Knight Frank’s latest Wealth Report shows ultra‑high‑net‑worth individuals are abandoning the single‑property luxury model in favor of a “dip‑in, dip‑out” lifestyle that spreads assets across tax‑efficient hubs such as Dubai, Florida, and Monaco. Buyers now prioritize turnkey condos and serviced...
Mortgage Calculator: Here’s How Much You Need To Buy a $415,000 Home at a 6.30% Rate
Mortgage rates edged up to 6.30% for the week ending April 30, reversing three weeks of declines but still below the 6.76% average seen in April 2025. For a median home price of $415,000, a 20% down payment translates to a $332,000...
The Love Nest Is Dead—Why Fewer Young Married Homeowners Signal a Major Economic Shift
The share of Americans who are married and own a home by age 30 has plunged from 52% in 1960 to just 12% today, according to Census‑based analysis. The decline reflects two forces: later marriage (down from 75% to 38%...
This Once-Luxury Inspection Add-On Can Now Save Average Homeowners From Costly Post-Sale Surprises
Infrared thermal imaging, once a luxury add‑on, is becoming a standard component of residential home inspections. By visualizing heat signatures, inspectors can uncover hidden moisture, insulation deficiencies, electrical hot spots, HVAC leaks, and pest activity that a visual exam would...
Florida Attorney Who Battled His HOA Is Jailed Over Refusing To Name Disgruntled Neighbors
Florida attorney Bruce Burtoff, who represented two anonymous homeowners in a failed HOA lawsuit, has been held in Orange County jail since March 4 for civil contempt. A court ordered him to disclose the plaintiffs' names, addresses, and phone numbers,...
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass To Speed Up Permits After Meeting With Trump
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass signed an executive order to overhaul the city’s building‑permit process, a move prompted by a recent meeting with President Donald Trump who criticized LA’s slow post‑wildfire rebuilding. The order introduces artificial‑intelligence review, expands pre‑approved housing...
A New Social Security Proposal Could Fast-Track Seniors Paying Off Mortgages in Retirement
A Republican‑backed Senior Citizens’ Freedom To Work Act would eliminate the Social Security retirement earnings test, allowing seniors to keep full benefits regardless of income. The current law caps earnings at $24,480 for workers under full retirement age and reduces...
Denver Surpasses Tampa as Market With Fastest-Falling Home Values
Denver’s home‑price index fell 2.2% year‑over‑year in February, making it the fastest‑declining major metro in the S&P Cotality Case‑Shiller data and overtaking Tampa. Over half of U.S. metropolitan areas posted price drops, indicating the housing slowdown has spread beyond the...
Boomers Own a Third of All Housing Wealth—Here Are the Markets They Dominate
Baby boomers and the Silent Generation, only 18% of the U.S. population, own 34.1% of housing wealth—about 29.6 million homes valued at $13.8 trillion. As they age, the "silver tsunami" of downsizing will free up inventory, but the impact will differ sharply...
Rise of the ‘Zombie HOA’: What Happens When Developers Fail To Hand Over Control to Residents
Homeowner association (HOA) coverage in the United States climbed to 43.6% of homes for sale in 2025, up from 34.3% in 2019, while median fees rose to $135 per month. In several developments, notably Magnolia Pointe in South Carolina and...
Homeownership Rates Are Falling for All Ages, Not Just Millennials
A new American Enterprise Institute report, using New York Fed data, finds U.S. homeownership rates have declined across every age group between 2000 and 2022. The median home price rose to $415,450 in March 2026, while the median household income...
Why Most First-Time Homebuyers Are Skipping Starter Houses for ‘Forever Homes’
First‑time homebuyers are increasingly skipping cheap starter homes and aiming for a "forever home" they intend to keep for decades. The BMO Real Financial Progress Index shows 65% expect their first purchase to be their last, while 58% deem the...
Arizona’s 57,000 Short-Term Rentals Aren’t Actually Killing Housing Supply—But This Is
A new Common Sense Institute report finds that Arizona’s 57,000 short‑term rentals (STRs) largely replaced vacant vacation homes rather than pulling units from the full‑time market. The state’s housing affordability crisis stems more from a post‑Great Recession collapse in new‑home...
Fractional Real Estate Investing Is on the Rise in the Sun Belt
Fractional real estate platforms are booming as high mortgage rates and soaring home prices shut out first‑time buyers. DataIntelo estimates the global market at $4.2 billion in 2025, projected to reach $14.8 billion by 2034, with North America accounting for 38.6% of...
Sellers Are Losing Thousands After Accepting an Offer on Their Home. Don’t Be One of Them.
Home sellers often discover that the headline offer price evaporates once the contract moves toward closing. A Clever Real Estate survey shows nearly nine out of ten sellers concede an average $7,200 in repairs or price cuts. Real‑estate agents can...
Kylie Jenner Is Sued by Former Housekeeper Who Claims She Was ‘Subjected to Severe Harassment’ at Reality Star’s $20 Million...
A former housekeeper, Angelica Vasquez, has filed a lawsuit against Kylie Jenner alleging severe, race‑ and religion‑based harassment while working at Jenner’s $20 million Hidden Hills mansion. The complaint, filed on April 17, also names two staffing firms and seeks unpaid wages,...
Why the Ultrarich Are Shrinking Their Property Portfolios in Favor of Other Investments
Wealthy U.S. households are reducing real‑estate exposure, with the top 10% allocating only 17.1% of assets to property in Q3 2025—down from 20.2% in 2022. Strong stock market gains, especially in AI‑focused S&P 500 equities, have driven overall asset growth while real‑estate...
Living in Hawaii Is Becoming a Luxury Local Families Can No Longer Afford
Hawaii’s housing shortage has pushed the median home price to $767,360—almost twice the U.S. average—creating an affordability crisis that threatens generational wealth. Between 2019 and 2023 the state’s population shrank, yet out‑migration of younger households surged as entry‑level homes became...
Savvy Homeowners Are Paying Off Their Mortgages Before Retirement. You Should Too.
Homeowners aged 65‑79 are increasingly entering retirement with mortgages, as the share of senior borrowers rose 17% and median debt jumped over 400% between 1989 and 2022. Experts recommend accelerating principal payments, removing private mortgage insurance, or using a loan...
World Cup Host Cities See Vacation Rental Bookings Surge up to 58% During Tournament
Short‑term rental bookings in the United States are surging ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, with June and July reservations 15.2% and 17.1% higher than last year. AirDNA data shows host cities averaging a 66% demand increase, and markets...
California Nonprofit Plans To Build Homes Out of Straw for Low-Income Residents
Just Places, in partnership with People First, is proposing a six‑unit straw‑bale village on Mount Calvary Lutheran Church land in Santa Cruz County to address California’s acute affordable‑housing shortage. The project targets low‑income residents transitioning from homelessness, aiming to raise...
The New Multigenerational Reality: Nearly Half of This State’s Young Adults Are Living at Home
Nearly half of New Jersey’s 18‑34‑year‑olds (44.1%) now live with their parents, mirroring a national rise to 33% of young adults in the same age group. The surge is driven by high mortgage rates, an average $37,300 student‑loan balance, and a...
Colorado Law Expands Mortgage Options for First Responders
Colorado Governor Jared Polis signed Senate Bill 26‑053, expanding eligibility for Colorado Housing and Finance Authority (CHFA) mortgage programs to include police officers, firefighters and EMTs. The legislation adds an income cap of 110% of the existing CHFA limit for qualifying...