home buying

7 Financial Must Haves for the First-Time Home Buyer

Making the leap into homeownership for the first time? Before you buy, make sure you've covered these seven financial basics.

Things I Wish I Knew Before I Bought My Second House

You might think that once you've bought one house, you're a pro. But being a second-time homebuyer can come with some unexpected surprises.

How to Find and Hire a Real Estate Agent

Choosing the right real estate agent is the first of many difficult decisions home buyers and sellers must make. Here's how to make the right choice.

Why I Didn't Pay My Mortgage Off In Full

Getting out of credit card debt, paying off all student loans, and paying off their mortgage in full ASAP is the #1 goal of almost every personal finance blogger on the Wise Bread

How to Prepare for a Home Purchase in 2010

The housing and mortgage industries took a giant leap backwards last year. Read about what you need to do if you are finally ready to buy the home you've been looking for.

Why the Affordable Home Really Isn't

I've taken a look at home affordability calculators that are available from many reputable sites offering personal finance advice. "Affordability" is based on bank lending guidelin

Are the new home appraisal rules good for consumers?

On May 1st a new set of home appraisal rules called the Home Valuation Code of Conduct was put into effect by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac in order to distance realtors and mortgage

Personal Finance Lessons from Online Adventure Game (RuneScape)

A friend shared with me some strategies he's learned for playing RuneScape. Can these strategies be applied to personal finance? Let's see.