When it comes time to make a move, most of us are choosing between renting a place or buying a house. And making that calculation has a lot to do with where you are in your life and what your goals are. But it also has a lot to do …

Recent real estate data has revealed a strengthening housing market. In fact, both new and existing home sales were better than expected in November and new estimates from the National Association of Realtors show contract signings up as well. The NAR's Pending Home Sales Index – which measures contracts to …

Reading real-estate news can sometimes give you the impression that there are nothing but challenges in today's market. Inventory shortages and rising prices dominate the headlines and can make it appear as though prospective home buyers are in a tough spot. And yet, Freddie Mac's year-end recap says the housing …

New home sales are an important barometer for the housing market for a number of reasons. For one, the more new homes that sell, the more new homes builders will build. And, as more new homes get added to the number of homes for sale, home prices will begin to …

Sales of previously owned homes rose for the third straight month in November, according to new numbers from the National Association of Realtors. The improvement put home sales at their strongest pace since 2006 and 3.8 percent above where they were at this time last year. Lawrence Yun, NAR's chief …

The National Association of Realtors' Housing Opportunities and Market Experience survey asks consumers about buying and selling a home, their financial situation, and their perceptions of the economy. According to the fourth quarter results, Americans are generally optimistic about the housing market, with majorities expressing that they feel now is …

When something is yours, it can be easy to overestimate its value. Your personal attachment and nostalgia for something can make it seem as though its worth far more than it actually is. This is true whether you're having a garage sale or you're selling a house. Therefore, it's important …

An increasing number of Americans say they feel now is a good time to buy a house, according to the most recent Home Purchase Sentiment Index from Fannie Mae. The index – a monthly measure of how consumers feel about real estate, home prices, mortgage rates, job security, and …

Potential home buyers often describe the home buying process as being complicated. And, most likely, a lot of their confusion stems from the financing side of the transaction. A lack of knowledge about what is required and how to proceed can cause otherwise qualified borrowers to become intimidated and even …

There's been a perception, since the financial crisis and housing crash, that younger Americans had turned off to homeownership and were not buying houses at the same rate as previous generations. And, in fact, the share of first-time home buyers has been lower than historically normal for the past several …