Homeownership Articles and Content

How are our long-range forecasts panning out? See the Mid-year review of our 2025 Mortgage and Housing Market Outlook.

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?