Living in cities is expensive. But what can make parting with that monthly rent more painful is you get so little for such a big number. Living in tiny apartments is pretty much the norm in places such as New York City or San Francisco. To afford to live in… read more →
Ah, your first apartment. It may be smaller than a closet with a next-door neighbor who likes to blast Celine Dion into the wee hours of the morning, but hey, it’s a space to call your own. Whether you’re moving away from college or out of Mom and Dad’s house,… read more →
There’s more that goes into buying a home for the first time besides shopping online for mortgage rates. To find the perfect home, you have to log off of the computer, get in your car and see homes for yourself. One way to do that is visiting open houses. First-time… read more →
The home-improvement shows you see on TV make it look so easy. Buy a complete dump of a house with “good bones,” and presto change-o, turn it into your dream home. The reality, however, is that buying a fixer-upper is some serious work. One option is to hire someone to… read more →
Rental vacancy rates have dropped, which means competition for apartments and other rentals can be fierce. But if you’re a renter looking for a new place, you still need to be sure your home will meet your needs, and that means looking for more than just adequate square footage, a… read more →
The property you’ve fallen in love with has everything you want: open floor plan, updated kitchen, beautifully landscaped lawn. But it’s located near high-voltage power lines, and that’s risky. Right? The belief that living near power lines is dangerous has been around for generations. In fact, many researchers have studied whether proximity to… read more →
The number of people who drive to work and the total number of miles traveled by car in the Washington region have dropped by almost 5 percent since the turn of the century. As teleworking from home increases, baby boomers enter retirement, car ownership and the percentage of people… read more →
When renting, research a location and spend time in it before signing a lease. Of course affordability is at the top of most prospective renters’ list of must-haves when searching for an apartment. A bargain may seem like the ultimate win, but an apartment that fits into your lifestyle is essential… read more →