By Lisa Ward | Dec 11, 2017 Could a new study ease the next housing crisis? When the housing bubble burst in 2008, federal policy makers thought they could limit the economic damage by helping to reduce amounts of principal owed on many mortgages, thus preventing foreclosures—especially for the millions of people who saw the value of their homes fall below the value of their mortgages. But, according to a new working paper, lowering principal...

By Clare Trapasso | Dec 20, 2017 Homes across the nation are selling at a breakneck pace—reaching levels not seen since the height of the housing boom more than a decade ago. Sales of existing homes (which have previously been lived in) rose 5.6% last from October to November, according to the most recent National Association of Realtors® report. They were also up 3.8% year-over-year to reach a high of about 5.81 million sales. That’s...

By Julie Ryan Evans | Dec 13, 2017 If you sell your house and make a profit, you must pay capital gains tax—so does the same rule apply when you inherit a house from a deceased relative? The truth is that inheriting property can be taxing—both emotionally and financially. The amount you must pay when you sell an inherited property can indeed take a toll on your bottom line. But before we discuss the details, let’s take a closer look at...

By Jeanne Sager | Dec 18, 2017 Home repairs are part and parcel of home ownership, but when it comes time to sell, does a home disclosure have to include those repairs? It can be a conundrum. Buyers want (and deserve to have) a full picture of the house they’re buying and the condition it is in. However, disclosing a previous home repair may actually turn off a potential buyer. A foundation that’s had repairs for leaks several times...

By Wendy Helfenbaum | Dec 6, 2017 Studies show that we make up our minds about people within seconds of meeting them. So it stands to reason that prospective buyers are doing the very same thing with your house, especially in a red-hot real estate market. More buyers these days are sizing up your space and making lightning-quick decisions about whether it’s worth investigating further—or whether they should hop back in the car and move on...