You're definitely onto something with the location factor. I've seen similar things happen in my neighborhood. A few years back, we decided to go all-...

I've been there myself—felt like signing a mortgage was an endurance event rather than a financial transaction. Totally relatable! Digital closing...

Good advice overall, but I'd caution against assuming charges will always vanish just by asking nicely. I've had instances where I spotted questionabl...

Good points there—I've been through this myself. When we refinanced, I was cautiously optimistic after redoing our floors and landscaping. Appraisal c...

I've definitely learned the hard way about keeping receipts organized. A few years back, we did a pretty big kitchen remodel using a home equity loan,...

GIS maps are definitely handy, but I wouldn't rely on them completely for property lines or zoning specifics. They're usually accurate enough for a qu...

Exactly this. I refinanced a few years back—yeah, paperwork was annoying—but dropping just under 1% shaved off nearly $150/month. Adds up fast, especi...