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So you're finally a homeowner -- congratulations! This is an important step in anyone's life, and it's absolutely normal to feel somewhat (or wildly) unprepared for the realities of owning a place of your own. What if there's an emergency, or what if something breaks? Do you know what to do? Read More

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Moving into a new neighborhood isn't always a walk in the park, especially if you don't know anybody there. But how do you get to know your neighbors in a new environment, one that's unfamiliar to you? Read More

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When home prices continue to rise (and rise!) all over the country, some would-be homeowners are thinking about alternative paths to homeownership -- like teaming up with friends to buy a house together. This isn't a new solution, but it can feel very unusual for people who have never done it before or who don't know anybody else who's joined forces with friends to buy a residence. And like most big life decisions that aren't all that common, it's smart to research your options before you commit to one path over another. Read More

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Millennials who want to invest in real estate have it harder than many other generations. Real estate prices are at record or near-record highs in just about every major market in the country, and even though employment is good, wages still haven't kept up with the home price increases, making it tougher than ever to start building a real estate portfolio -- especially on an entry-level income. Read More

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Flipping houses can be a path to wealth if you play your cards right, but it can also result in money pits and small returns if you don't know what you're doing. To make sure that you're maximizing your investment and using your time wisely, it helps to spend some time considering what you're getting yourself into. Read More

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One of the very best things about owning your own home is that you can change it to fit yourself and your lifestyle. Home renovations are more popular than ever before, and there are countless shows, blogs, magazines and other resources where you can indulge your dreams of a perfect home -- if you're willing to jump into renovating. Read More

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If you've never owned a house before, then it's entirely possible that you've never deep-cleaned a house. (Hey, no shame in that game.) But when the house is yours, the desire to see it as clean and sparkling as it can possibly be is strong -- and you might have no idea where to start or how to go about getting your clean on. Read More

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Fixing up a house -- either to live in or to flip -- has become an increasingly popular dream, and it makes sense: Who doesn't love watching all those shows on HGTV while you ponder how much money you could make on your own flip (or how nice it would be to live in a fully upgraded house) one day? Read More

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If you're not familiar with home inspections, then you might have a lot of questions about what gets inspected, how thorough the inspectors are, why you even need one, and what you can expect if you're walking with an inspector through the house you're hoping to buy. There's a lot to know about home inspection, and your questions deserve answers. Here they are! Read More

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Most homeowners aren't shy about telling you how awesome it is and all about the perks of living in a house that they own ... but they're a lot less forthcoming about the ugly aspects of buying a house and the sacrifices you make. And yes, there is ugly, and there are sacrifices. Here's what nobody is telling you that you might need to know about buying a house (especially for the first time). Read More