Many experts are predicting that mortgage rates will drop in the fall, which is music to many would-be buyers’ ears.

But if you’re thinking about buying a home in the coming months, it’s important to understand how the rate drop may impact the housing market, and what you need to know to successfully navigate that market and buy a home.

So what, exactly, does that look like?

A recent article from realtor.com outlined things buyers may want to prepare for if and when rates drop in the fall, including:

  • Homes may not become more affordable. Many buyers are hopeful that home prices will drop along with interest rates, but that’s not how the market is shaping up. In fact, the realtor.com research team predicts that home prices will rise 4.6…

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When you start looking for a home, it’s important to understand the current market and how those market conditions will ultimately impact the process, and that includes getting a mortgage.

Because the market has changed so much over the last few years, mortgage best practices have also changed. If you want to successfully buy a home, you need to be current on what to do — and what not to do — when applying for a mortgage.

So what, exactly, are those “not-to-do’s?”

A recent article from realtor.com outlined mortgage mistakes you’ll want to avoid in today’s market, including:

  • Assuming you need a 20 percent down payment. Many buyers assume you need a 20 percent down payment before you can buy a home. But there are a number of loan programs…

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When you lose a loved one, there are so many things you find yourself dealing with, beyond just the sadness of your loss. It’s almost impossible to prepare for everything that has to be thought about and addressed.

Handling the estate of someone who has passed is often more involved and complex than many people expect. “Estate” is a broad term that involves many different things, but one of the largest elements of one’s estate is often the real estate they owned, which, for most people, is their home.

A recent article from realtor.com illustrated just how challenging it can be to deal with the home of a loved one who has passed. When a man in Massachusetts lost his mom, he planned on fixing the home up on his own before selling it. But it proved to…

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As a buyer, you want to get the best deal on your home, and sometimes offering less than asking price — aka “lowballing” — can help you score that deal.

But there is a right and a wrong way to negotiate a lowball offer, and if you want to get your home at a bargain price, you need to do it the right way.

So what, exactly, does that look like?

A recent article from realtor.com outlined best practices for offering less on a house, including:

  • Know the market. Lowball offers tend to be successful when the buyers have the upper hand. So, before you submit a less-than-listing-price offer, it’s important to know whether you do have the upper hand. Talk to your real estate agent about the overall market and the specific house you’re considering…

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When it comes to designing your home, the magic is in the details, and that includes in your dining room, where small design details can add up to major impact. If you want your dining room to feel trendy, stylish, and visually impactful, one detail you’ll want to focus on is texture.

Adding texture to your dining room — whether by wall treatments, textiles, or even lighting — can help you take your room design to the next level.

But how, exactly, do you do that?

A recent article from realtor.com outlined trendy ways to incorporate texture into your dining room design, including:

  • Shiplap walls. Many people associated shiplap with modern farmhouse design. But shiplap can work with a variety of design styles. Not only will it add texture to…

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Buying a home can be both stressful and exciting. For some buyers, that stress and excitement can cause them to say things without thinking about them — things that could potentially cause the process to take a turn for the worse.

So what, exactly, are those things?

A recent article from realtor.com outlined things you should never say when buying a home, including:

  • “This is my dream home.” You may really, really want to buy a certain home, but you don’t necessarily want the sellers to know that. The second the sellers know you’re anxious to call their home your own is the second you lose any sort of upper hand or negotiating power. Instead, keep it cool. It’s fine to say nice things about the home, but avoid gushing or showing too much…

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Want to buy a new home, but don’t want to let go of your super-low mortgage rate? Depending on your loan and situation, there may be something you can do to buy a new property and retain your mortgage rate — a practice known as “porting” a mortgage.

But what, exactly, is a mortgage port, and how do you know if you qualify? A recent article from realtor.com answered frequently asked questions about porting a mortgage, including:

  • What is mortgage porting? When you port a mortgage, you transfer your existing mortgage to a new property, which means you get to keep the same interest rate on your loan. However, in order to port a mortgage, you’ll generally need to reapply and get approved for your current loan again.
  • What mortgages are eligible for…

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When you’re renovating a kitchen, there are plenty of updates that will deliver serious ROI, like updating your fixtures, refinishing your cabinets, or adding new flooring. But there are also some renovations that can be a waste of money.

So what, exactly, are those potential money wasters?

A recent article from realtor.com outlined the unnecessarily expensive renovations homeowners should avoid when updating their kitchen, including:

  • Expensive backsplashes. Backsplashes can make a major visual impact in a kitchen. But backsplash colors and patterns are a matter of personal preference; while you may love a certain backsplash, when you go to sell your home, your color and/or pattern choice might not be the right fit for potential buyers. That’s…

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In today’s hyper-competitive market, the old rules for buying a home don’t always apply.

So what, exactly, are the new rules, and how can you leverage them to buy your dream home?

A recent article from realtor.com outlined the rules you need to follow if you want to successfully buy a home in today’s market, including:

  • Prepare for a marathon. Finding a home in today’s market is a marathon, not a sprint. Thanks to low inventory, you can’t go into your home search expecting to find and buy your dream home in a few weeks; instead, expect the process to take three to six months — or, in certain markets, up to a year.
  • Don’t lowball your offer. With so much competition in the market, lowball offers are quickly discarded. If you find a home you…

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A low home appraisal can derail a home sale.

But why, exactly, might an appraisal come in low?

A recent article from realtor.com outlined the top reasons an appraisal might come in low, including:

  • The appraiser didn’t use realistic comps. Appraisers rely on “comps” — or how much similar homes have recently sold for — when appraising a home. But appraisers don’t always do a deep dive on the comps they pull, so if they happen to choose homes that sold under market value (for example, because the property had a mold issue or the owners were getting divorced and were eager to sell), it could cause them to appraise your home under market value as well.
  • The appraiser missed the view. If your property has a killer view, especially when compared to…

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