Blog

The flowers are blooming, the birds are serenading, and our house still feels like it’s stuck with winter blues. Spring cleaning is a tradition that allows us to freshen up our homes and get a head start on the hectic seasons of spring and summer. Clean Room-By-Room Approaching your house room-by-room is the most effective way to […]

April mortgage rates forecast In March, the trajectory of mortgage rates humbled forecasters. Mortgage rates fell in late February as the COVID-19 pandemic spread. The forecast for March seemed logical: Mortgage rates would continue falling if the epidemic worsened in the United States. Instead, mortgage rates went up dramatically in March. The forecast for April calls for […]

COVID-19 has changed everything. This includes making already stressful events like moving even more complicated. Priorities change, and things that used to seem very important (e.g., having furniture) are suddenly…not so much. This particular time might be the toughest ever to move, but for anyone who’s super far along in the process, the only path may be forward (unless […]

In the not so distant past, Seattle open houses were packed with home buyers eagerly poking their heads in closets, perusing spec sheets, munching on snacks, and offering bids above asking price in this ultracompetitive market. Then on Jan. 20, a Washington state resident became the first confirmed case of the coronavirus in the U.S.—and slowly but […]

Buying your first home is one of the most important and exciting financial milestones of your life. But before you hit the streets with a realtor, you need to have a good sense of a realistic budget. Just how much house can you afford? You can determine how much house you can afford by following three […]

1. School Quality The quality of schools zoned to the property was the primary deciding factor for over 85 percent of great tenants we interviewed. Schools are extremely important to families and single parents with school-aged children, and those tenants use this factor as an acid test. To these prospective tenants, if schools aren’t good, […]

In the best circumstances, selling your home isn’t something you do in a rush. It calls for planning and preparation. But if you’re like most homeowners, you probably aren’t sure exactly where to start. Try following these steps: Now 1: Pick a dateAssuming you don’t have to get across country for a new job next […]

Mortgage recasting is one way to reduce your monthly mortgage payments. It’s less common than refinancing or modifying a loan, and it’s rarely advertised, but it decreases mortgage payments for those who can apply a lump sum toward their loan’s principal. What is recasting your mortgage? When you recast your mortgage, you pay your lender […]

Now hiding stuff may seem like your best option, right? You just sweep the dirt under the rug and move your stuff in the garage. Easy. But that theory may also backfire. According to Galindo, the places you might hide all your junk —the garage, the basement, the closets —are often the areas you want […]

Get this: Nearly 1 in 10 American households rents a storage facility, and there are 4 times more storage facilities in the country than Starbucks. Statistics show that most people who pay to rent a storage unit already have a garage, attic, or basement. So what does that tell us? We have too much stuff. Friel […]