Author Archives: Sabrina Mapes

Start the year strong by checking off monthly maintenance tasks before working on your winter to-do list. Going through a home maintenance checklist is not the way most of us want to spend a Saturday. “I can’t wait to flush out the hot water heater today,” said no one, ever. But for most of us, our […]

Can you guess which Midwest town claimed the top spot? Signifying a new trend toward affordability, Prairie Village, Kansas, was Zillow’s most popular market of 2022. The designation also showcases rising interest in the Midwest, and it headlined a major shift from 2021’s leaders, many of which sat on or near the West Coast. Grand Rapids, […]

Here’s what you need to know about this popular home type — including why they tend to be more affordable than traditional builds. If your builder, agent or lender has suggested a prefab home, it may be for a good reason. Prefabricated homes — those built in a factory and shipped to a homeowner’s land […]

The story of the next year: Home buyers will find creative ways to make mortgage payments work for them. Even though 2022 is behind us, some of its challenges, like tight housing inventory and volatile mortgage rates, aren’t over. But there’s promising news for first-time buyers in 2023: Trends are pointing to a stabilization of the […]

A home’s exterior can tell you a lot if you know what to look for. Learn what architectural details give a home its character and history in this guide. Dwellings come in a rainbow of home architectural styles, ranging from art deco to mid-century modern to Victorian. If you’re looking at homes online and wondering what’s what, it’s […]

No matter what your local housing market is like, there are always strategies for finding cheaper homes. Here are nine of them. Competition for homes is cooling, but with mortgage rates climbing and home values still 14.1% higher than they were a year ago, it may feel like finding a deal when buying a house is […]

A new Zillow study reveals two shades of paint that may wow prospective buyers — and two that fall short. Ever browse homes on Zillow and pause at a home that has a stand-out front door? Perhaps it’s a fresh red or canary yellow. There’s a reason you paused — and it’s likely the seller […]

Licensed marriage counselor Lauren Cook-McKay shares what to do when you can’t agree. City or suburbs? Move-in ready or fixer-upper? Condo or sprawling ranch? These are just three of the many, many questions home-buying partners have to answer together. But “home” means different things to different people. And if you’re buying or planning to buy a home with someone […]

From handling inspections to finding an agent, here’s what you need to know to make long-distance house-hunting less complicated. Maybe you’ve been asked to relocate for a job. Maybe you’re looking to retire in another state. Or you’re thinking about getting a vacation home. Whatever your reasons, if you need to buy a house in another […]

From assembling your team to making your wish list, here’s how to get your home-buying journey off to a strong start. For the first time in years, home buyers are shopping with more time and bargaining power, and even price cuts in some areas — meaning you may be facing less competition on that home you’ve been […]