Author Archives: Sabrina Mapes

Plus, four tips for making maintenance more manageable — do two of these before you even move in. Owning a home can be joyous, bringing you immense pride and a sense of accomplishment. But we won’t lie; achieving that sense of bliss sometimes requires repainting your kitchen ceiling. Or repairing a leak in your shower […]

Trust us when we say you’ll want to think this through. t’s true whether you’re committing to a 30-year mortgage or a year-long lease: you can update your surroundings with a renovation or removable wallpaper, but you can’t change your neighborhood or location. So how do you make sure you don’t overlook the importance of a […]

Three out of four homebuyers in a Zillow survey report having at least one regret about the home they bought. Follow these tips to avoid buyer’s remorse. In a hot seller’s market, it’s easy to get so caught up in the search for a home that you overlook the home’s shortcomings. Or, you may fail […]

If you were deterred by stiff competition in spring and summer, know that things may look a little different in fall 2022. Fall tends to be a good time for buyers, and this year could be especially good for buyers sidelined by fierce competition and a shortage of homes over the past two years, according […]

You don’t have to be selling your house to appreciate these tips. Curb appeal, that first impression your house makes from the street, is a big deal. If you’re selling your house, curb appeal attracts buyers. If you’re keeping your house, curb appeal makes your place so much nicer to come home to. Here are […]

Seasoned homeowners weigh in on what caught them off guard, what delighted them and what lessons you can learn from them. Let’s cut to the chase: If there’s one thing that seems to take first-time home buyers by surprise more than anything else, it’s maintenance. This includes the amount required to keep a home functioning, […]

Learning the best ways to find an apartment in a competitive rental market can save you time and money. Use our tips to make your search easier. Finding an apartment when everyone else seems to be looking for one, too, can test anyone’s optimism. Knowing how to find an apartment for rent quickly and with the […]

Your future homeowner self will thank you for it. Home buyers today have access to a wealth of information about the home-buying process before they even begin talking to a real estate agent. Friends and family, social media — everyone has a lot to offer. While much of this guidance can be good or well-meaning, some may […]

No matter what your local housing market is like, there are always strategies for finding cheaper homes. Here are nine of them. Sure, competition for homes is cooling, but with mortgage rates climbing and home values still rising at a significantly higher pace than what was typical pre-pandemic, it may feel like finding a deal when […]

From private parks, to running tracks, to a spot to securely store your collection, these apartment amenities make for some serious splendor. Once upon a time, if an apartment building had a pool, it was uptown. These days it takes a lot more than a pool to stand out. Luxury rentals have upped the ante on […]