If you’re looking to build your wealth, diversify your investment portfolio, or make some extra passive monthly income, look no further than real estate. You’ll also enjoy some great tax benefits, be your own boss, and you could even live rent-free while you’re do it. Investing in real estate can be a powerful vehicle to build your wealth, diversify your investments, and generate passive income. The best part is that you don’t have to do it full-time, nor do you have to have a ton of cash to get started. If you’re a bit flexible in your living situation, you can even house hack to kick off yo ..read more

Moving can be as stressful as a firing or a breakup, so why make it worse with a sloppy process? Following a few simple organizational principles can make your move as quick and efficient as possible. Packing for a move can take you through a whole spectrum of emotions, from anxiety at the looming deadline, to shame and puzzlement at all the stuff you’ve accumulated, to existential despair at how, no matter how many rooms you pack up, there always seems to be one more. In fact, studies have shown that moving can be as stressful as losing your job, or going through a divorce, a finding that pr ..read more

A seller’s agent is your biggest cheerleader and main line of defense when selling your home. If you succeed, they succeed — and get paid accordingly. They guide you through the entire process, help you set the best price, and attract the most potential buyers. Here are the qualities to look for in one. There’s a reason that 91% of sellers are assisted by a real estate agent when selling their home, according to the National Association of Realtors. On average, agents sell homes for 33% more than if the home were listed as a for-sale-by-owner. Plus, they can provide some much-needed guidance ..read more

It can be difficult to know which repairs to make prior to listing your home for sale. While some upgrades will cost more than you’ll ever get back in added value or sales price, some minor repairs can have a major payoff. Here are some easy repairs you should consider. Home sellers are often faced with whether to make repairs and upgrades prior to listing their home, or discounting accordingly and letting the new owner make any needed repairs. While many large-scale renovations won’t have a high enough return on your home’s value, small and inexpensive repairs can help you home sell faster a ..read more

Applying for a home loan can be intimidating — especially if you’re new to the process. But, there are things you can do to set yourself up for the greatest success. Consider getting pre-approved, make sure you understand the underwriting process, and consider locking in your interest rate early. Purchasing a home is likely the most money you’ll ever spend on anything in your lifetime. And if you’re like most Americans, this means you’ll need to take out a mortgage in order to make it happen. The home loan process may be the least fun part of buying a new home. It can also be one of the big ..read more

How we do business is constantly influenced by innovative technologies — and the real estate market is no exception, especially when it comes to home sellers. New technologies — like virtual reality, augmented reality, and drones — create a larger market of buyers since more people have access to information about a house for sale. Plus, the overall home selling process is also becoming easier with technology like virtual home staging tools coming on line and taking away the added cost and time spent on actually staging a home. Finally, real estate pricing is changing. Now, more algorithms an ..read more

Real estate commissions can eat up a big chunk of the profits from your home sale, but increasingly there are alternative ways to sell that will save you money. But are they worth the extra time and effort? You just sold your house after receiving a thrilling offer. The final sale price is how much money you’re going to receive, right? Well, not quite. Typically, sellers are responsible for paying real estate commission out of their proceeds, which averages 6% of that final sale price. Considering the median home value in the U.S. is $231,000, that comes to a nearly $14,000 payout to the agen ..read more

A fixer-upper comes with many perks, whether you're renovating a house to live in or flipping one to make a bit of money. Many people have begun to recognize this, as roughly 60% of potential home buyers aged 18-34 are open to buying a house in need of renovations. But before jumping in, it’s important to recognize that there are both pros and cons of getting yourself into a fixer-upper project. It’s very easy to become overwhelmed, so make sure you put the time in and do your research. Pros of Buying a Fixer-Upper 1. Save money and land in a neighborhood that could otherwise be unaffordable ..read more

Real estate investing is a challenging and exciting adventure, but it is also a lot of trial and error. This industry requires creative problem solving, expert communication and negotiation skills, and quick decision making, all of which are mastered over time. If you're a newer real estate investor, you're most likely going to make mistakes; it's part of the process. But learning from other people's mistakes can be a much less painful (and less expensive) way to learn the ropes. Here are the ten most common mistakes that newer real estate investors make and how to avoid them to increase your ..read more

Flipping a house can be a great way to make some extra cash, while learning some new home improvement skills. But before your first flip, get your finances in order, find the right property based on your skills (or lack of), and estimate your repairs conservatively so you won’t have any surprises. Television shows on HGTV may make house flipping sound like an easy way to make a windfall of cash, but it’s a bit more complicated. In fact, the profits flippers report may be a bit inflated if they fail to assign a dollar value to their own time. To be successful in your first flip, be realistic a ..read more