If you’re getting ready to sell your home, it makes sense that you’d want to renovate and fix any lingering problems as a way to get top dollar for your home. But if you want your renovations to help your home sale—and not hurt it—you need to ensure you have the necessary permits.

According to a recent article from Redfin, there are a number of home renovation and improvement projects—including fence installations and repairs, window installations, plumbing and electrical work, structural changes, heating maintenance, and additions or remodels—that require a permit from the city government. When you obtain these permits, the changes and improvements you make to your home are inspected by the city to ensure they’re up to code. Once they’re approved, they are put on official record.

Why is this important? When you sell your home, both buyers and lenders will want to know that any changes, improvements, renovations, or modificatio ...

Painting. It seems like such a simple, straightforward home task—and, in many ways, it is. But it can also be a task that goes terribly wrong. If you’re not careful, that deep red hue in the dining room or the art deco-inspired accent wall in the entryway can cost you more than just the price of paint.
There’s no one-size-fits-all approach to painting, but there are certain paint mistakes you definitely want to avoid if you’re thinking about selling your home (or if you just don’t want to kick yourself every time you stare at the wall). But what, exactly, are those mistakes? According to a recent article from Apartment Therapy, design experts claim baby-inspired hues (like baby blue or pastel pink), accent walls, and painting your ceiling in anything other than flat paint are major painting no-no’s—and if you want your house to appeal to buyers, you need to avoid those mistakes like your home sale is depending on it (which, ironically, it ...

One of the reasons many people continue renting is because they believe it’s the easier option. But according to a recent survey, the vast majority of homeowners would disagree.

According to a recent survey from LendingTree, a whopping 67% of homeowners—more than two-thirds—say owning a home is easier than renting. And the best part? It seems as though the longer you own a home, the more likely it is you’ll find it easier than renting (72% of people who have spent seven to nine years in their homes say it’s easier than renting)—and the less likely you’ll ever want to go back to renting (only 7% of people who have owned their home for a decade or more said they wished they could return to renting).


The Takeaway:

If you’re renting a place because you think it’s the easier option, it might be time to look at the data and buy a home of your own—which, as it turns out, may be the easier option after all. ...

When it comes to selling your home, you want to make sure you list and sell at the right time. But the “right time” can vary from person to person. What might be the perfect time for your neighbor or friend to sell might be too early—or too late—for you.

So how, exactly, do you know the best time to sell for you? In a recent video, the team at Realtor.com explained five key factors to consider when determining the best time to sell, including:


Getting ahead of the competition. While many home sellers think spring is the best time to sell, listing your home from December through March can help you get ahead of the competition—and help your home stand out to buyers.



Your local market. Obviously, there are national trends in the real estate market that you want to pay attention to—but not all areas follow those national trends. Before you decide to list your home, make sure you dig deep into what’s going on wit. ...