52 Weekends in the Poconos
Buying a home sight unseen might seem like a massive gamble: plunking down hundreds of thousands (maybe millions) of dollars on a property you've never set foot in, your fingers crossed it looks just like the photos and doesn't have major issues! So how lucky do you feel, anyway?
But during the pandemic—when stay-at-home restrictions made touring a property difficult and folks were eager to get out of densely populated cities—greater numbers of buyers than ever before were more game to buy sigh...
Angelys Ocana-McFarland was a bit overwhelmed, like a frazzled mom in a holiday movie.
Besides the fact the COVID-19 pandemic has been escalating and Christmas was right around the corner, the young photographer and her husband, Christopher McFarland, have been attempting to purchase their home in the Poconos.
“If I would have known how difficult this would be, I wouldn’t have done it,” she said, jokingly.
The truth, though, is she most certainly would have made the move from Brooklyn to Effo...
Trying to buy a home in today’s market is tough.
COVID has motivated a lot of people to look for a home, but also deterred a lot of people from listing their home so the options are limited.
No matter how experienced you are,certain things are helpful, such as the importance of familiarizing yourself with the home buying process beforehand. One of the more challenging parts of a home search is going toe-to-toe with other buyers in a bidding war. Here are some things to consider if you find your...
Are you buying a house? Be sure to schedule that closing date for this month or next.
A recent ATTOM Data Solutions report found that buyers who close on Dec. 4 or Jan. 26 get the “best deal.” These buyers pay exact market value for a property, while many buyers across the U.S. are paying above market value in their areas due to a lack of inventory and an influx of bidding wars. Buyers who close on Dec. 6, Dec. 26, Dec. 27 and Dec. 31 paid just slightly over market value at 0.5%, making these...
This year’s housing market has been plagued with low inventory, rising home prices, and endless bidding wars, making it hard for some would-be homeowners to get their foot in the door. Will 2021 be any different? Or, will it be a good time to buy a house?
If you’ve been eyeing a home purchase but have sat out due to 2020’s competitive market (not to mention the other challenges the year has come with), you might be wondering just that.
Though there’s no crystal ball, a clearer picture is starti...
The money you make on the sale of your home might be taxable. Here's how it works and how to avoid a big tax bill.
It feels great to get a high price for the sale of your home, but watch out: The IRS may want a piece of the action. That’s because capital gains on real estate are taxable sometimes. Here’s how you can minimize or even avoid a tax bite on the sale of your house.
How does a capital gains tax work?
The IRS and many states assess capital gains taxes on the difference between w...
Tools that boost efficiency, comfort, and pleasure make any work-from-home assignment better.
Here are suggestions from Chicago designer Tom Segal of the design firm Kaufman Segal for the optimal home office setup.
Decide how much privacy and quiet are needed and whether it’s best to have a room or if a nook would suffice. Good options are a finished basement with a window well for daylight or, for empty nesters, a grown child’s former bedroom. Even a large hallway or walk-in closet can be out...
