10 Signs You’re Paying Too Much for Your Mortgage

Taking out a home mortgage is a rite of passage for many Americans. According to real estate authority Zillow, fewer than a quarter of buyers pay with cash; the rest receive financing from a bank or another lender in the form of a mortgage, which they pay back over a number of years. But did you know that many people pay more than necessary for their mortgage? If any of these 10 situations apply to you, consider talking to bank about lowering your rates.

13 Mistakes Not to Make If You Ever Want to Sell Your Home

If you plan to sell your home someday (and most people do), it’s important to always consider the long-term consequences of short-term design decisions. Remember, when it comes to resale value, timeless trumps trendy every time. So, before you install a state-of-the-art sports court, invest in a luxury hot tub, or convert your garage into extra living space, keep in mind the following complaints home buyers often express about certain home enhancements.

10 Reasons Why I Should Have Never Bought That Fixer-Upper!

Who doesn’t harbor fantasies of transforming a seen-better-days abode into a showplace? Whether hoping to live in the resulting residence, use it as a rental property, or flip it for profit, it’s natural to think: “I’m pretty handy, so how tough could it be?” Ask Andy Kogan, a real estate professional in Kansas City, Kansas, and he’ll tell you: Pretty tough! “It was fun at first, then fun with problems, and finally it was just problems,” says Kogan, who bought a 1957 two-bedroom ranch for $115,000 that he hoped to fix up and turn over quickly. While the kitchen and bathroom remodels were fairly simple, other issues kept cropping up. The job came in $15,000 over budget—and Kogan reaped a mere $500 when the house finally sold. What went wrong? Start clicking!