- Why Sellers Should Offer Rent-to-Own Contracts
Owning property is often seen as a landmark of adulthood, indicating prosperity and fiscal responsibility. Unfortunately, down payments, closing costs and loans are expensive and not everyone can afford the fees associated with home ownership. However, some properties can… read more…
- America’s Best Minor League Baseball Towns
Minor League Baseball may be America’s best kept secret. While most casual sports fans can quickly name several Major League teams (Yankees, Red Sox, Dodgers), the same probably cannot be said about their Minor League counterparts. Yet, as anyone who has ever caught a game at a Minor League ballpark can attest, Minor League Baseball… read more…
- The Most Interesting Cities in America
Some places stay with you long after you are gone. While they may not necessarily have the most pleasant weather or the best food, they’ve got something else, a certain indefinable quality that makes them hard to forget. They’re full of adventure waiting to happen, and secrets waiting to be discovered. They keep you guessing.… read more…
- The Top Ten Most Dangerous Cities in the Country
A feeling of safety where we live and work is an essential part of quality of life. After all, it’s hard to enjoy our situation when we’re constantly worrying whether we’ll come to harm. So where is safety hardest to find – which of America’s major cities is most dangerous? SmartAsset wanted to find out.… read more…
- Pros and Cons of Tapping Home Equity to Pay Off Debt
If you’re getting hounded by debt collectors or your monthly minimums are eating up a huge chunk of your budget, consolidating your bills can give you a little more breathing room. Transferring your high interest credit card debt to a… read more…
- Which States Put the Most People in Prison?
The United States has the highest percentage of its population in prison in the world, ahead even of countries like China and North Korea that are notorious for locking away political dissenters. All in all, close to 1.6 million people… read more…
- What Are the Top 10 Largest Mortgage Lenders?
Mortgage lenders are integral to the housing industry. Across the country, they help people become homeowners with various types of loans, which may have any number of different repayment periods with interest rates that may be variable or fixed-rate. One… read more…
- Top Ten Best American Cities to Work in Tech
The tech industry is booming across the country. From big cities to small ones, successful startups are taking root, and job prospects for tech workers are rising precipitously and show no signs of stopping. Lots of people want to get in on the tech boom, and SmartAsset wanted to find out what cities are truly… read more…
- Top 10 Best Cities to Be a Real Estate Agent
Across the country, real estate markets are much healthier than they were a few short years ago, when a housing bubble precipitated a much larger economic crisis. But some places have recovered better than others have, and continue to grow… read more…
- Best and Worst Counties to Save (If You’re a Renter)
In order to save money, it’s important that the necessities of life are already covered. Therefore the best places to save money would likely be where the income is high and the cost of life’s necessities are low. SmartAsset has come up with a list of the places that give renters the best and worst… read more…
- Best and Worst Counties to Save Money (If You’re a Homeowner)
Saving is an important part of any budget. The ability to put money away is indicative both of an ability to cover necessary expenses and of an ability to plan for the future. Stashing your cash can protect you from unexpected misfortune, increase your net worth through compound interest, and let you work towards financial… read more…
- Advantages and Disadvantages of Buying a Townhouse
With land in desirable neighborhoods at a premium, townhouses represent a growing share in the real estate market. Townhouses can be an attractive option for many new homeowners–offering something of a “middle ground” between single family homes and condominiums. A townhouse can give you what feels like a single family home in prime urban centers.… read more…
- U.S. Cities That Will Pay You to Live There
A city will pay me to live there? How is that possible, you may ask. Well, it’s true. There are cities in the United States that will pay you to live there. Will they always be your first choice for where you would live? Maybe and maybe not. But getting paid to move and live… read more…
- Top 5 Tips for Buying Renters Insurance
According to the National Multifamily Housing Council, renters account for more than one-third of all U.S. households. Renting can be less expensive than buying since you’re not shelling out money for things like maintenance, repairs, property taxes or homeowner’s insurance. The… read more…
- What Is a Mortgage Credit Certificate (MCC)?
Mortgage credit certificates (MCCs) can help with your tax bill in relation to your mortgage payments. MCCs come from originating mortgage lenders, and they turn the mortgage interest you pay directly into a tax credit, which is non-refundable. They are… read more…
- Property Tax: Who is Getting the Best Bang for Their Buck?
SmartAsset wanted to know who in the country is getting the best deal for their property taxes. To find that out we answered 3 questions: how good are the schools, how safe is the area and how much are the property taxes. Methodology The United States is divided into 3,144 counties (or county equivalents in… read more…
- 3 Things to Consider When Buying a Retirement Home
Leaving the workforce behind for good means making some important decisions that impact both your lifestyle and your finances. One of the biggest questions for many retirees is where they’ll live once they reach the golden years. Buying a home… read more…
- 5 Strategies for Paying Off Your Mortgage Early
Buying a home is a long-term financial commitment that typically involves taking on a mortgage for 10, 20 or even 30 years. Knocking out your home loan a few years early may save you thousands of dollars in interest but it’s often easier said than done. If you’re trying to get the mortgage monkey off… read more…
- Understanding the Annual Percentage Rate on a Mortgage Loan
You may find the Annual Percentage Rate (APR) on a mortgage loan a confusing aspect of the home financing. You can find the loan APR listed on the Truth in Lending (TIL) disclosure. The disclosure lists the APR figure as… read more…
- What Is Home Buying Season?
The months of April through July generally account for more than 40% of a year’s housing transactions. This is when people think about whether to keep renting or if it’s time to buy a home. What Is Home Buying Season?… read more…
- The Pros and Cons of a Reverse Mortgage
A reverse mortgage is a financial tool that allows a homeowner to cash in on the equity in their homes. To do this, a homeowner would borrow against their home’s value and receive a lump sum of money, monthly payments… read more…
- Should I Get a Loan Through a Mortgage Company or Bank?
Before buying a home, you will need to choose who you’re going to work with through the homebuying process. This starts with your real estate agent, though your mortgage loan officer can be almost as important. They can advise you on refinancing or home equity loans if you already own a home. A financial advisor can also… read more…
- Underwater Mortgage Definition & What Your Options Are
When you owe more money on your mortgage than your home is worth, your mortgage is considered to be underwater. No homeowner wants to be underwater because it can be difficult, if not impossible, to earn a profit when trying to sell an underwater home. In fact, if you need to sell when you have… read more…
- What is a Good Offer for a Home – 3 Things to Consider
So you’ve found your dream home. You’re ready to make an offer. But what is a fair price? Will there be competing offers? You don’t want to lose this house, yet you also don’t want to pay too much on… read more…
- What Is Title Insurance And Do You Need It?
If you recently bought a home, you may be considering title insurance. This protects you from taking a financial downfall triggered by property ownership issues. Believe it or not, someone may have a legal right to the home you’re in,… read more…