Good points about attic ventilation. When we bought our first place, the inspector pointed out that the bathroom exhaust fans were venting straight in...

I can relate to that stress—insurance companies seem to have gotten pickier lately, especially about roofs and water heaters. When we moved in, our in...

I can see both sides here. A few years back, my neighbor tapped into his equity to renovate the kitchen and take a nice vacation. He loved the immedia...

We had a similar experience—our appraiser completely overlooked our finished basement, which was a major selling point when we bought the place. Had t...

I agree with this completely, especially the psychological aspect: When I first started paying down my mortgage, I felt stuck too—like I was just s...

Maintenance is definitely something to factor in. I've had a rainwater catchment setup for about five years now, and while it's not overly demanding, ...

Couldn't agree more with your perspective. I've seen friends obsess over tiny differences in mortgage rates, only to realize later that the stress was...

Congrats on the new place—sounds like you landed a great deal. USDA loans can definitely be a hidden gem for homebuyers willing to look outside city l...