Homes and Real Estate Blog

September 19, 2020
by Ashley Chorpenning

What to Do When You’re Upside Down on Your Mortgage

If you’re underwater on your mortgage you owe more than the home is worth. You probably have more choices than you realize. Read on for our breakdown. Some strategies require no work, others are fairly risky.

Personal Finance, Homes and Real Estate

What to Do When You’re Upside Down on Your Mortgage

September 19, 2020
by Ashley Chorpenning

What to Do When You’re Upside Down on Your Mortgage

Personal Finance, Homes and Real Estate

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August 28, 2020
by Ashley Chorpenning

Is Your Home an Investment

Before you decide to purchase a home, you should take the time to understand if your home is an investment. Your home is probably the most expensive purchase you’ll ever make, but not necessarily the …

Net Worth, Homes and Real Estate

April 3, 2020
by Michael

Is It Better to Pay Off Your Mortgage or Invest?

It is important to strike a balance between paying off debt and investing. However, it can be difficult to discern what the best option is. In this post I will discuss the tradeoffs between paying …

Financial Literacy, Homes and Real Estate

December 18, 2019
by Ashley Chorpenning

When Does Downsizing Your Home Make Sense?

If you are looking to free up money in your budget and get out of debt, you may want to consider downsizing your home. Downsizing can be a great way to reduce or eliminate your …

Homes and Real Estate

July 5, 2019
by Ashley Chorpenning

Why Home Ownership Is No Longer the American Dream

One of the components of the American Dream has always been owning a home. Yet, over the years, the American Dream has transformed and home ownership rates are well below their 2004 high.

Homes and Real Estate

June 5, 2019
by Michael

Home Improvements That Give a Return on Investment

If you want to add value to your property, here are a few renovations that will help you increase your bottom line, both for resale value and when staying put.

Homes and Real Estate

November 29, 2018
by Michael

The Rent Spiral - Why Rent Goes Up So Much

Rents always seem to be going up. Why can’t rents stay the same? This painful phenomenon has a name - the rent spiral. If you are renting you are riding it. Let’s explore the reasons …

Homes and Real Estate

November 19, 2018
by Emily

Taking Advantage of Perks for First-Time Homebuyers

If you’re looking into buying a home, here’s what you should know about first-time homebuyer programs. Think this doesn’t apply to you? Read on… the government’s definition of "first-time homebuyer" is much broader than you …

Homes and Real Estate

September 10, 2018
by Michael

The Best Timing for a Remodel May Be Opposite What You Think

Let’s test the theory that waiting for a recession is the best time to pay for that $60k kitchen remodel. Sure the price will be cheaper but what about losing out on gains that come …

Family and Finances, Homes and Real Estate

August 20, 2018
by Michael

Does Putting Money Down on a House Make Sense?

It seems like good financial sense to put at least 20% down when you buy a house… right? That is what many banks require to get a loan. But is that a good thing for …

Homes and Real Estate

July 31, 2018
by Emily

Five Ways to Live Rent Free

These strategies don’t fit into the mainstream idea of what you “should” be doing as an adult. But if you really want to live rent free, here are a few ideas.

Personal Finance, Homes and Real Estate

November 1, 2017
by Emily

Is Buying or Renting a Home Better? Simulator Results

Using the Wealth Meta Income and Spending Simulator, I ran a couple of tests to see what would be better in the long run. It turns out buying is better given our assumptions, but that …

Homes and Real Estate

July 14, 2017
by Emily

Things to Look for When Shopping for a Home

Buying a home is an investment in more than the financial sense of the word. It takes a lot of work to find the perfect home! Here’s a detailed list of things you should be …

Homes and Real Estate