Real Estate

Looking for a vacation home with all the comfort and convenience of a first-class holiday resort? Consider a condominium hotel.

Concerned about rising interest rates? There are a number of ways to protect yourself from rate shock when your adjustable rate mortgage resets.

Apartment dogs are dogs that are ideally suited for small apartment spaces. If you live in the big city and still want a canine companion, you can find a breed that will be comfortable living in a small space.

Perhaps you'd like to remodel your home, fund your child's education, or buy a new car. Or maybe you need money to consolidate your debts, recover from a financial setback or respond to a family emergency. A home loan can offer ready cash for all of these as well as a myriad of other purposes.

Why turn your vacation home into a vacation home rental? Many of those who buy vacation homes find themselves with an expensive second mortgage. But, before you start opening up the house to strangers, here's what you need to know. 

A mortgage is nothing more than a loan. Like most loans, it requires some collateral (the thing you'll lose if you don't pay the lender back). In this case, the collateral is a house or apartment you want. A bank lends you money to buy a house, and if you don't pay them back when they say to, they get to seize the house, put you out on the street, and sell your home so they can get their money back.

Home equity loans have become increasingly popular in recent years, but what is a home equity loan, and what are its advantages and disadvantages?

Buying beach vacation homes for an investment, for rental income or for personal use is an attractive idea for many people. Before you start shopping, it's a good idea to know the unique risks associated with waterfront property.

When you need help paying rent, it can sometimes seem like the money is out of your reach. Fortunately, there are many programs available that can help you pay the rent when times get tough.

Although no investment property guarantees a profit, you will be able to evaluate a potential investment with a clear eye if you commit the right amount of time, effort and research.

If you're moving to a new city, do some homework ahead of time to find the location and the home that's right for you and follow a few house buying tips.

Moving should be a time for anticipation and excitement, but all too often it's just a source of stress. Following some simple moving tips will let you enjoy your move and help everything arrive in one piece.

There's a lot to consider when you want to find an apartment. Thinking about your lifestyle and the things you simply cannot live without will help you find a comfortable place to call home.

There are both advantages and disadvantages to selling your own home and it isn't difficult to learn how to sell your own home, either. Number one on the list of advantages is saving money by avoiding real estate commission fees. Among the disadvantages are paying out of pocket for advertising costs, pricing your home too high or too low, and not being able to devote enough time to the house-selling process.

When you've agreed to rent an apartment, there is one step that many people skim over-completing an apartment checklist. However, this important process is vital to making sure you and your landlord are on the same page when it comes to the condition of the apartment upon move-in.

Your first apartment checklist can prepare you for the ups and downs of renting your first place. Having a checklist can help you rationally evaluate an apartment and see if it really meets your needs.

The thought of foreclosure frightens homeowners, and it's unsettling to lenders as well. Knowing what happens at each stage of the process will help you set emotion aside and understand your options.

One of the most important things you can do as a landlord is to run a tenant credit check on anyone who is interested in renting with you. If you're new to screening tenants, here's everything you need to know about running a tenant credit check.

If you're concerned about the comparable square footage of homes on the market, you might want to ask some questions about the methodology that was used to calculate those figures.

When you are making a move to a new area, it helps to determine the cost of living adjustment for your new home.