According to new research from lender Freddie Mac, every generation—from millennials to Gen Xers to Baby Boomers—are continuing to rent because they think it's saving them money. According to the report, 76% of Millennials, 75% of Gen Xers, and 81% of Baby Boomers said renting was the more affordable option. But with rents rising across the country, that's just no longer the case. According to the most recent Market Outlook Report from Realtor.com, rents rose year over year in nearly ¾ (73%) of counties across the United States. And according to Trulia, it is now more affordable to own a home than to rent in a whopping 98% of the largest metro markets in the US.
The Takeaway
The misconception that renting is more affordable than homeownership is not only costing renters of every generation money, it's also costing them the ability to own their own home. If you've been renting because you believe it's saving you money—no matter how old you are—it ...

As the new year approaches, plenty of homeowners look for ways to refresh their spaces to keep them feeling interesting and updated. If you're preparing to put a place on the market, keeping up with trends is key because unless your prospective buyers are flippers, stagers, or redecorating fiends, nothing can make would-be buyers turn tail faster than some outdated decor. Check out these once-popular home decor trends that are being shown the door, and find out what's replacing them in the months ahead.
1. Rose gold loses its luster














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Buying or selling a home can be a complicated and stressful experience. There can be a lot of moving parts involved that may come as a surprise to people who have never been through the process before. This is why having a great real estate agent is critical. Picking the right agent isn’t always easy, but you’ll definitely know if you’ve picked the right one for you. Here are seven signs that you’ve made a great decision in picking your real estate agent:

1. You like being around them
You don’t have to be head over heels in love with your real estate agent, but you need to at least enjoy being around him or her. You will spend a lot of time communicating with your agent, so the relationship needs to be a good one to help make the experience as painless as possible. There’s nothing worse than dealing with a person who you don’t like being around, especially if the going gets rough. If you don’t cringe at the sound of your agent&rsquo ...

When homeowners are preparing to put their properties on the market, one aspect is usually foremost in their minds: money. Setting the asking price accurately can mean the difference between getting an offer quickly and having a house languish for months, drawing little interest. With that in mind, it's important that potential sellers block out a lot of the noise that often surrounds the intricate art and science of pricing. There are plenty of myths that may cause sellers to lose sleep at night as they attempt to separate fact from fiction. The following are statements that can stand in the way of a successful sale.

1. 'If we keep waiting, a better offer will come along!'
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When sellers receive an offer from the first showing, they may be skeptical or hesitant to accept it, wondering if other prospective buyers would be inclined to pay more. Thoughts of potential bidding wars could cause sellers to want to wait and see who else falls for their place. But, remember the ...

Who Knew?
When you're getting ready to list your home, the general mindset is to get it on the market as quickly as possible, so that it will sell as quickly as possible.  This may not be the best plan of attack according to Redfin's Data Driven Selling Tips.  Read more below. 

What’s The Best Day to Put My House on the Market?
Thursday. Homes that hit the market Thursday typically sell faster and for more money, with more than one in five getting above asking price. Homes listed on Thursdays in April do even better, with one in four going for above asking price.
Wednesday’s Price Advantage
Homes listed on Wednesday had an advantage of $2,023 in sale price over homes listed on a Sunday, a sale-to-list premium of 0.53 percent. For a $500,000 house, that means you could make $2,650 more just by listing on a Wednesday instead of a Sunday.
Thursday’s Speed and Certainty Advantage
For speed, Thursday had a clear advantage, with Thursday- ...