Homeownership Articles and Content

About 25% of the top 400 metro areas saw lower home values in the second quarter, double last year's number. Is yours one of them? See HSH.com's Home Value Tracker.

Mortgage Management

Mortgage Prepayment Guide

How do I calculate my savings when I prepay my mortgage?

What to Do When Your Mortgage Is Sold

How do I cancel my mortgage insurance?

How prepaying your mortgage affects your credit score

Refinancing savings without refinancing your mortgage

Should I continue to prepay my mortgage or refinance?

Should I pay off a mortgage early?

What Happens to your Mortgage in a Divorce?

How do I remove or add a name to a home loan?

Mortgage Paid Off: Next Steps

Choices Other Than Prepaying Your Mortgage

Trade up/ Vacation/ Second Home

Can You Use Your IRA to Buy Real Estate?

Investing in Real Estate Now

Buying a Home as an Investment Property

Why are mortgage rates higher for investment properties than for second homes?

Hard money loans: great option when buying a fixer upper

Avoid capital gains tax with a 1031 exchange

How to Get a Mortgage for Investment Property

Can You Still Make a Living Flipping Houses?

Mortgages for Ugly Houses: When You Buy Distressed or "Unique" Homes

How to refinance a second property

Maintaining/ Improving Your Home

Homeowner's Maintenance Checklist: Monthly, Yearly and More

Can these home improvements improve your marriage?

Should You Stay or Go: Home Renovation vs. Relocation

75% of Homeowners Surveyed Don't Have Savings to Pay for Home Improvements

In-Law Suite Addition: A Popular Solution to High Housing Costs

Can't Move? Improve! Best Home Renovations in 2024

6 techy upgrades for your home this holiday season

Is the PACE program right for you?

Is Flood Insurance Included in a Mortgage?

4 Easy Energy Efficient Improvements

My home needs to be renovated but I have little equity. What are my options?

Undisclosed Home Defects: What to Do if You've Bought a Lemon

Energy Efficient Mortgage Programs

Selling Your Home

Selling Your Own Home: Pros and Cons

Seller's remorse? How to back out of a home sale contract

5 Outside-the Box Secrets to Help Sell Your Home

Get a Home Inspection Before Selling Your Home

How to Sell a Home at Auction

What can go wrong at closing?

Neighbor preventing sale of home?

Selling your home fast: dos and don'ts

Price Your Home to Sell Fast at Maximum Dollar

When it's Time to Lower the Price on Your Home

Five Tips for First-Time Home Sellers

5 Essential tips for holiday home sellers

What Not to Say to an Agent When Listing Your Home

Making an offer on a house before selling yours

Cheap Quick Fixes to Help Sell Your Home Fast

Renting your home

Renting out a house with a mortgage

6 steps to making a vacation home pay

How to Use Boarder Income to Qualify for a Mortgage

How to turn your home into a short-term rental

Why is my lender asking for so much documentation?

Types of Mortgage Fraud (And How to Avoid Them All)

Taxes and Homeowership

How Does Owning a Home Affect Taxes Now?

Taxes for Homeowners: What You Need to Know Before Filing Your 2024 Return

How does a refinance in 2024 affect your taxes?

How to Lower Your Property Taxes

Taxes for Homeowners: What You Need to Know Before Filing Your 2024 Return

Avoid capital gains tax with a 1031 exchange

Using home equity to pay your tax bill

Can I separate tax and insurance payments from my mortgage payment?

How long do I have to own or live in my home to qualify for the capital gains tax exclusion when I sell?

Will Congress phase out the mortgage interest deduction?

Is a home equity line of credit tax-deductible?

We just sold our house. When do we have to pay the IRS?

Will the debt forgiven from my loan modification be treated as income and taxed?

Loan Modifications/ Workout Solutions

Flex Modification: An outline of HAMP's replacement

Mortgage Modification Now: What's Available Today?

HUD Loss Mitigation: Options for FHA loans

What is the Home Affordable Modification Program?

How soon can I get another loan modification after my last one?

Deed-in-Lieu: Is it for You?

Bankruptcy can save your home from foreclosure

Rebuilding credit following a foreclosure

Getting a Mortgage Company to Release Insurance Claim Check

How quickly can you refinance after a bankruptcy?