Bài đăng

Pre-Listing Inspection Playbook: A Seller’s Guide

Hình ảnh
What if you could read the buyer’s inspection report before the buyer does? A pre-listing inspection gives sellers that head start, along with something that’s hard to find once a home is under contract: time to think. Whether you’re preparing a mid-century ranch in Las Vegas, NV , a century-old brick home in Cincinnati, OH , or a bungalow in Birmingham, AL , the roof, wiring, and plumbing often become the focus of a buyer’s inspection. This pre-listing inspection playbook walks through how to time the inspection, read the report, and decide what to do with the findings. What is a pre-listing inspection? A pre-listing inspection is a home inspection ordered by the seller before the property goes on the market. A licensed inspector reviews the major systems and structure, including the roof, foundation, electrical, plumbing, HVAC, and signs of moisture. The point isn’t perfection. As Campbell Haigh of Team Haigh Realty puts it,  “A pre-listing i...

Is It a Buyer’s or Seller’s Market?

Hình ảnh
Key takeaways: It’s a buyer’s market in a majority of U.S. housing markets , meaning home buyers have the upper hand. Buyers continue to hold off as economic worries and historic unaffordability keep them on the sidelines. The Sun Belt is home to the strongest buyer’s markets; the Midwest, Northeast, and Bay Area are home to the remaining seller’s markets. Housing markets vary widely, so take into account local market dynamics and talk with an agent to get the full picture. The U.S. is in the strongest buyer’s market on record . Following the pandemic-fueled seller’s market in 2021, sellers now outnumber buyers by nearly 63% – a historic share. In numeric terms, there are an estimated 1.51 million sellers and 929,000 buyers in the market today. Generally, the greater the seller surplus, the stronger the buyer’s market and the more leverage they have. However, at the core of the housing market is a historic affordability crisis, making conditions feel anything but buyer-friendl...

How Your Daily Routine Can Help Guide Your Apartment Search

Hình ảnh
Can you picture your typical Saturday errands without getting in a car? Maybe it starts with a walk for coffee, includes a stop at the post office, and ends with a train ride across town. For many renters, routines like these end up mattering as much as the apartment itself. Whether you’re touring a one-bedroom near Old Towne in Orange, CA , or comparing units in Center City in Philadelphia, PA , the blocks around the front door can shape your day as much as the floor plan. This guide explains how your daily routine can shape your apartment search, and how factors like walkability can impact it. What walkability means and why it matters Walkability describes how easily you can reach everyday places on foot. Measurement tools typically look at walking routes to nearby amenities, population density, block length, and intersection density. During a home search, that can be appealing for several reasons: Fewer car trips . Errands such as picking up coffee or mailing a package ma...

Everything You Need to Know About Move-In Fees

Hình ảnh
Whether you’re relocating to an apartment in Indianapolis, IN or searching for an apartment in Houston, TX , you may have to pay a move-in fee. Renter move-in fees are another upfront cost to consider when you’re looking for an apartment. A move-in fee is typically a non-refundable charge a tenant pays when moving into a new apartment. Landlords often use it to help cover basic maintenance projects like paint touch-ups, or upgrades like appliances. You may be wondering: Are move-in fees legal? How much do they cost? What is a move-in fee vs a security deposit? What other move-in costs should I expect when renting an apartment or house? For answers to these questions and more, keep reading. What is a move-in fee? A move-in fee is a charge a landlord collects when you move into an apartment, and it’s typically non-refundable. Landlords often use it for minor apartment maintenance tasks like replacing locks and touching up paint. Move-in fees are different from secu...

Homes Are Still Selling – Even in a Slower Market

Hình ảnh
If you’ve seen headlines saying home sales are slowing down, you may be wondering: is this really a good time to sell? from Keeping Current Matters https://www.keepingcurrentmatters.com/2026/10/15/homes-are-still-selling-even-in-a-slower-market/

How Much House Can I Afford With an FHA Loan?

Hình ảnh
If you’ve been watching home prices and wondering whether buying is still within reach, you’re not alone. The typical homebuyer’s monthly mortgage payment recently hit a 14-month high of $2,641, according to Redfin data. For buyers who don’t have 20% saved, an FHA loan can open the door, with down payments as low as 3.5% and more flexible credit requirements than most conventional loans. So how much house can you afford with an FHA loan? It comes down to a few key factors: your income, your monthly debts, your credit score, and your interest rate, plus costs like property taxes, homeowners insurance, and FHA mortgage insurance. This guide breaks down each one and shows what the numbers look like in 2026. Want a quick estimate first? Try Redfin’s home affordability calculator , which uses your income, savings, and monthly debts to show homes in your price range. Key takeaways How much house you can afford with an FHA loan depends on your i...