In theory, there’s no rule about how quickly a seller has to respond to purchase offers. You can take as long as you want before responding since there is no official time frame. However, the industry standard is to get back to interested buyers within 24 to 72 hours. This is a common courtesy observed by many professionals in the industry.

You’ve bought your first home—congratulations! It’s a huge milestone you finally accomplished after what could be years of saving up for the down payment. However, once you’ve moved into your new home, that’s when it hits you. Your house now requires far more furniture than the tiny apartment you rented. And the furniture is expensive.

The coronavirus pandemic turned the real estate market into a frenzied rollercoaster ride for both buyers and sellers. Especially because of the historically low mortgage rates coupled with the inventory shortage.

Every homeowner is faced with a huge truth: their home’s systems and appliances don’t last forever. Every major appliance has an average life expectancy, although it depends greatly on its usage and maintenance. And with many of us spending more time at home in recent years due to the pandemic, extra use may shorten their lifespan even more. Once their parts stop working, they’re bound to require some costly repairs and replacements, which could be agonizing to any homeowner.

Selling a home is a serious venture for any homeowner. The process could be both time-consuming and emotionally challenging, more so if you’ve never done it before. You’d get anxious just thinking about all the steps it takes to list and sell your home. Or be overwhelmed by the fact that you have to remove most of your personal belongings to make your home ready for showings. The process is unlike any other financial transaction in your lifetime, which is why it’s easier to make risky decisions that could sabotage your home sale.

Most New Year’s resolutions are about self-improvement—learning a new skill or hobby, eating healthier, or hitting the gym. If you’re a homeowner, it’s a no-brainer that you also want to improve your home and keep it in its best shape. Your living space has a much bigger impact on your life than you might realize, so what better way to improve your life than by making your home more appealing and comfortable?

The home buying and selling journey is a massive undertaking for anyone. It takes plenty of time, expertise, negotiation, patience, and sometimes, even a little bit of luck. And as far as luck goes, many follow these superstitions still, even when it comes to real estate. And since it’s the season of holidays and festivities, we thought we’d touch on a lighter but equally interesting topic around the subject.

Owning and buying your first home is the perfect reason to host Thanksgiving dinner. And since it’s next week, chances are you have already made a checklist and started getting ready for the long-awaited holiday. But if you haven’t or still need a few reminders to make your festivities even a little less overwhelming, we’ve rounded them up shortly but sweetly so you’ll have plenty of time to prepare not only your home but yourself so you can prioritize what really matters.

You just got the keys to your new home and can’t wait to adorn your space with brand new furniture. That’s fantastic, especially if you already have specific items in mind or you’ve been eyeing a particular piece for such a long time. But if your budget is quite limited, especially after paying for closing and other costs associated with homeownership, buying everything brand new may not be the best option. Shopping for secondhand furniture is also a great way to furnish your home, and should be considered for a lot of reasons.

Once you’re set to sell your home, you also need to decide which type of transaction works best for you. Generally, you have three options: you can hire a licensed real estate agent, go FSBO (“For Sale By Owner”) and sell sans agent, or work with an iBuyer.

The damage a storm causes to your home can leave you feeling lost and devastated. Concerns about securing your family’s safety, restoring your property, and getting your life back together can be completely overwhelming. And with destructive storms becoming more and more common, it pays to have a strategy to help you deal with the damage.

Once you’ve bought a home, there’s nothing that could be more stressful than moving. This is why it’s a no-brainer to hire a professional moving company to help you with your valuable possessions, especially if you’re making a long-distance or interstate move and you’ve got bulky items to bring with you. Choosing a mover, however, is the tricky part since there are thousands of companies out there that provide a wide range of services. It’s a very important decision to make and could mean the difference between having a smooth relocation and a complete disaster.

With the help of certain tools and systems, real estate professionals can take steps to guarantee the long-term loyalty of past clients and earn the future business of their current prospects.

It’s halfway through the year, and you’re probably one of those homeowners who’d already forgotten about their New Year’s resolutions to keep their home more organized. Or you’re a new homeowner who has just packed and moved to a new place and realized you have way too much stuff even if you don’t want to admit it.

Selecting and buying furniture for your beautiful abode, whether it be a sofa, dining table or any other piece, is no doubt fun and exciting. Especially if you’re a first-time homeowner who finally has the liberty to choose whatever furniture you want to fill your private space with.

For many first time buyers, saving for a down payment is one of the most challenging steps in fulfilling their dream of purchasing a home. Oftentimes, they know they can afford their potential monthly mortgages (which could be less or equal their current rents), but the upfront costs of buying, such as down payment and closing costs, may be too much for them to pay.

Neighborhoods, like people, have unique sets of personalities and characteristics. Whether you’re planning to buy a home or considering renting for the meantime, it’s important to figure out if the neighborhood you’re considering fits your lifestyle before you make your move.

While there’s certainly a huge debate on renting vs buying a home, no one could argue that it’s a major decision for many people. Some say renting is like throwing money down the drain and you’re just paying off someone else’s mortgage. Others insist that there’s no way they could give up their flexibility and be tied up in one place.

The COVID-19 pandemic has put a stop to many of our daily activities and routines. It has also forced us to practice our “new normal”, such as maintaining social distancing and following stay-at-home orders as much as possible. Many businesses have been affected, and the real estate industry is no exception. In some markets, home buying and selling activities may have declined, so in turn moving service providers are left with fewer people wanting to relocate.