Benefits of Living and Working in a Small Town

Here's an unusual money-saving strategy: move to a small town.

Everyone knows New York, Washington D.C., San Francisco and Los Angeles carry high cost-of-living. Rent in those cities is among the highest in the nation, and home ownership is out-of-reach for many. 

But you don't need to live in a major metropolitan area along one of the coasts to experience the budget-busting impact of high costs. Inland cities like Chicago, Atlanta, and Denver, offer relatively high cost-of-living as compared to many small towns dotted across the nation's landscape.

Organizing your home now can make it worth more when you go to sell

It requires a lot of time and energy to maintain an organized home, but the benefits of that labor can pay off, while you’re living in your house and when you’re ready to sell. Real estate agents consistently report that potential buyers don’t overlook a house’s organizational elements and in fact really seem to value them. Orderly storage spaces signal that the current owners have carefully maintained their home. This, in turn, can translate to less time on the market and higher sales prices. Here are four things you can do that will not only make your home more organized now but also potentially increase its value and help it sell quickly when you’re ready to move.

Interest Rates Will Keep Rising in 2019, but a Slowdown is on the Horizon

Uncertainty looms ahead as we transition into 2019. But one thing remains clear: Borrowing costs — at least for now — are still going up.

The Federal Reserve rattled markets by raising its benchmark interest rate in December, bringing the total number of rate hikes in 2018 to four. Short-term interest rates will keep climbing, but the central bank signaled that there could be two interest rate increases this year instead of the three it previously projected.

7 Signs That You’ve Picked the Right Real Estate Agent

Buying or selling a home can be a complicated and stressful experience. There can be a lot of moving parts involved that may come as a surprise to people who have never been through the process before. This is why having a great real estate agent is critical.

Picking the right agent isn’t always easy, but you’ll definitely know if you’ve picked the right one for you. Here are seven signs that you’ve made a great decision in picking your real estate agent:

The 10 Surprising Housing Markets Poised to Rule in 2019

By Allison Underhill | Jan 2, 2019

Going into the new year, just about everyone has heard the big news: The real estate market is slowing down. Crazy annual price spikes are waning, more properties are hitting the market, and there are fewer buyers to compete with. Everyone is wondering what that means for 2019. Will all long-frustrated, aspiring homeowners finally be able crack open celebratory bottles of Champagne? Will sellers find profit margins shrinking?