It's no secret than lending standards have been tighter since the Great Recession, which started at the hands of loose underwriting rules. But what's the true economic impact of those stricter standar... more

WASHINGTON -- Zoning has often been described as a necessary evil. While it is meant to promote order, the strict application of ordinances can render a property practically useless.... more

New-home buyers usually don't concern themselves with footings, framing, wiring, ventilation and the various and sundry mundane structural items that go into a house. Those things are the province of ... more

Is your market hot?... more

Forget about millennials. Everything that can be written about that age cohort has been written. So let's move on to Gen Z. They are mostly teenagers today, but they will be homebuyers tomorrow. Or wi... more

If you have the feeling that it's getting more difficult to afford the roof over your head, whether it's a home of your own or a rented apartment, you're right.... more

Millions of consumers are in for a big surprise in the coming months.... more

Zip lines, velodromes and children-designed play areas are among the hot new amenities uncovered by the John Burns Real Estate Consulting firm in its annual census of master-planned communities.... more

People die in their homes all the time. Many pass from natural causes. But others go more violently -- a suicide, perhaps, or even a murder.... more

The term "aging in place" refers to the millions of seniors who would rather remain in their longtime homes than pull up stakes and move -- whether to a warmer climate or closer to their children. And... more

Many homeowners don't realize they have private mortgage insurance (PMI). But if you put less than 20 percent down, you are paying it each and every month in order to protect your lender against the p... more

The wheels are in motion for homebuyers to obtain a little larger mortgage at a little lower interest rate next year.... more

When Vince Barnaba discovered water had flooded his vacation apartment in Ocean City, Maryland, this spring, he did what any homeowner would have done: He had his plumber shut off the water to his uni... more

Everything is negotiable in real estate -- even when it comes to renting a place to live.... more

Two online platforms that allow investors to sell occupied rented single-family homes without disturbing their tenants -- and buy rented houses with tenants already in place -- are among a plethora of... more

Remember the "k-i-s-s-i-n-g" song from when you were a kid? "First comes love, then comes marriage, then comes a baby in a baby carriage."... more

The first thing you should do after you move into a new place is change the locks.... more

John T. Reed is a real estate investor and prolific author. He's also a pain in the backside for the modern-day snake-oil hucksters who peddle get-rich-quick real estate schemes on late-night TV and r... more

Donald's Trump "university" isn't the only school of higher learning in hot water these days. It's joined by the "fix and flip" seminars sold by Armando Montelongo, the onetime star of the A&E series ... more

In the 1980s police drama "Hill Street Blues," Sgt. Phil Esterhaus would begin the show with a warning to the assembled officers at the morning roll call. "Let's be careful out there," he cautioned.... more

The toughest challenge facing people looking to purchase a home this year is other buyers. And the competition is especially rough among first-time buyers who are searching for houses in the lowest pr... more

There's no rule or legal requirement that homebuyers must participate in a final walk-through inspection right before closing. But those who skip it could be making a costly mistake.... more

As part of National Homeownership Month, Shaun and Nicole Avery journeyed from rural Maine to the White House in late June to tell their story about how homeownership education classes helped pave the... more

As the drive to create more affordable housing strengthens, more and more state and local housing authorities are issuing mortgage tax credit certificates (MCCs). These help qualified low- and moderat... more

SAM is a bricklayer who never takes a day off, doesn't call in sick, never checks his cellphone and doesn't even take a coffee break.... more

Everyone -- well, practically everyone -- applauds lower mortgage rates. And why not? Lower rates mean homebuyers have more buying power.... more

Ever wonder how much the folks who build, sell and finance houses earn? How much of what you paid went right to their bottom line?... more

Houston lost its locally famous Bullock-City Federation Mansion in 2014 to a developer who plans to erect townhouses on the site.... more