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Anyone who's bought or sold a house before is already aware that the right agent can make a big difference in your experience. But what about the brokerage where the agent is affiliated -- does the brokerage involved in your home transaction really affect you as a consumer? Read More

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As anybody who has ever bought a house before knows, real estate is quite expensive! Many buyers, although elated that they're about to be homeowners (either for the first time or in new digs), also realize that they need to budget carefully for their move so they don't get overextended during their new-home honeymoon. Read More

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If you’ve been a homeowner before, you know that just like your vehicle needs regular maintenance like oil changes to run well—so does your home. It can be easy to ignore or put these things off, but a well- maintained home will save you money from costly repairs in the long run, and make your home easier to sell when the time comes. Read More

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Implementing some "green" upgrades in a home you own is almost always a great investment -- first, because it can often save you money as the homeowner, and second, because more and more buyers are looking for homes that are energy-efficient and have other environmentally friendly attributes. Read More

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Paying less than the listing price for a house might seem like a pipe dream in some markets, but for savvy buyers who know what they're doing, it's a very real possibility. That said, making an offer that's lower than the listing price can also be a dangerous game to play if you don't know the rules: You could offend a seller, permanently blacklisting you from a home you love, among other potential penalties that plague low-bidding buyers. Read More

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Staging a home isn't an exact science -- it's more of an art, one that covers several rooms and flows throughout a home. If you're thinking that it doesn't sound easy, well, it isn't; there's a reason why stagers can command serious dollar amounts for the work they do. Read More

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Even though humans are a species that builds and maintains our own shelter (also known as "homes"), we can all appreciate the beauty that the natural outdoors has to offer -- and indeed, there are entire industries dedicated to beautifying our own outdoor spaces so that we can reap maximum enjoyment out of them. Read More

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Upgrading or improving your home can be one of the most rewarding activities you could undertake -- and that includes monetarily, because depending on the improvement, you can boost your home's value and recoup some of your investment when the time comes to sell. However, it's important to remember that upgrading your house isn't exactly a dollar-for-dollar investment; you probably aren't going to make all of your money back that you sunk into the improvement, so pumping $5,000 into your kitchen and then expecting to just tack on an additional $5,000 to your listing price when you sell it is very likely unrealistic. Read More