Every home experiences some degree of movement over time, often called settling. It's a natural part of the aging process for any structure, especially in areas with varying soil conditions, temperature swings, or after the first few years of construction. While minor signs of settling are usual
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09/28/2025
Losing a spouse is a deeply emotional experience and the financial decisions that follow can feel overwhelming. One important area to understand during this time is how the IRS treats the sale of a primary residence after the death of a spouse. Under certain conditions, surviving spouses may qua
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09/23/2025
Temporary Buydowns: What Happens to Unused Funds If You Sell or Refinance Early?9/17/2025 A temporary buydown is a great tool to help ease into homeownership with lower initial monthly payments, especially helpful in a high-rate environment. It allows you to enjoy reduced payments in the first o
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09/17/2025
Home Insurance: Protect Your Investment Patty ClarkStatus: Posted on Wednesday, September 10, 2025 7:00 AM If you're buying a home—or already own one—home insurance might not be the most exciting part of the process. But it is one of the most important. In many cases, home insurance is require
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09/10/2025
One of the biggest benefits of homeownership is the ability to build equity—the portion of your home you truly own. Equity grows naturally over time in two ways: first, as you pay down your mortgage through regular payments (amortization), and second, as your home increases in value due to appr
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08/24/2025
Each year, homeowners receive a notification of their property tax assessment, which, when combined with the local tax rate, determines how much they owe in property taxes. While this process is meant to fairly reflect a home's value, assessments are not always accurate. If the valuation is in
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08/18/2025
There was a memorable Fram Oil Filter commercial years ago where a mechanic asked a customer during an oil change if he wanted to replace the filter. When the customer declined, the mechanic calmly replied, "That's okay with me. You can pay me now, or you can pay me later." The implication was
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08/18/2025
With high home prices, more buyers may turn to Federal Housing Administration (FHA) loans in the coming year. These government-backed mortgages are known for their flexible borrower requirements, such as lower credit scores and down payments as low as 3-5%.However, many sellers and even some age
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08/12/2025
Avoid These 12 Mistakes Homebuyers Make8/13/2025 Buying a home is one of the most significant financial decisions most people will ever make, yet it's a process fraught with potential pitfalls. The good news? By learning from the common mistakes others have made, you can sidestep unnecessary str
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08/11/2025
In today's high-interest-rate environment, homebuyers are looking for every possible advantage to secure an affordable mortgage. One often-overlooked opportunity is assuming an existing FHA or VA loan, especially those issued in the past few years when interest rates were at historic lows. An a
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06/23/2025
