Want to invest in real estate without tenants calling you in the middle of the night? A mortgage REIT, or mREIT, could be right for you. Find out how this type of real estate investment trust works, how risky it really is, and whether it fits into your financial plan.

If you’re thinking of buying a condo, there are lots of reasons why it might be a smart move right now. Condos have never been more popular, particularly with the aging Baby Boomer population, which is starting to downsize and move into homes that are easier to care for. As a result, condos are in

Shopping for your first home can be a bit discouraging, especially in a hot housing market like Boston or the San Francisco Bay Area. In these areas, even modest single-family homes commonly sell for upwards of half a million dollars. For many Millennials, even raising the down payment on a house that expensive seems like

For generations of middle-class Americans, homeownership has been a significant rite of passage to adulthood. After all, mortgage payments are often cheaper than rent, and homes tend to gain value, so you might someday sell the property for a profit. There are plenty of perks to owning a home, but it’s an expensive endeavor. The

While you’ve probably fantasized about living in an affordable vacation destination, it might not be in the cards for your family. Moving to a big, expensive city such as New York City or San Francisco might be out of the question too. Fortunately, the United States has many affordable, economically vibrant metropolitan areas that offer

Whether you’re a first-time homebuyer looking for a starter home or a seasoned homeowner ready to upgrade or downsize your property, the buying process is similar. From searching for the perfect place to call home to putting in an initial offer, it’s an exhilarating and life-changing adventure for new and experienced buyers alike. And with

Often, homeowners find themselves with a conundrum: They have thousands of dollars in equity in their home and financial needs elsewhere. Many start wondering how they can tap into their home equity to solve their other financial problems. One way to pull equity from your home is a cash-out refinance, often shortened to “cash-out refi.” It’s not

The median home price in early 1984 was around $65,000 according to an analysis by Don’t Quit Your Day Job. Today it sits around $280,000. Yes, the dollar has shriveled in value since the early ‘80s due to inflation. But even if you adjust for inflation, median real estate only cost around $165,000 in 1984.

The decision to rent or buy a home doesn’t just come down to comparing a neighborhood’s market rent to the principal and interest payment that a mortgage would cost. Neither, for that matter, does it come down to being able to pick your own paint colors or knock down walls. Owning a home costs far more