This tax season, I know a lot of people who are really happy. Many of you are getting hundreds, even thousands of dollars, back on your tax refunds- and that’s awesome! Most of us spend it all (guilty- I love going on spontaneous vacations). Maybe the smarter ones store some of it away in a savings account. However, there are plenty of ways you can put your money to work for you! Check out this article by Vera Gibbons at the Zillow blog for tips on putting your tax refund into your home:
-Pay down debts- pay off credit cards or debts incurred from remodeling projects. You can even choose to make an extra mortgage payment- get that home paid off faster!
-Freshen up- start a new project, like updating paint colors or fixtures
-Make your home more energy efficient
-Buy insurance to protect your home, like flood insurance
Once you’ve sold your home, bought a new one, moved across the country, and unpacked, it’s time for life to begin again. You might have a new job already (this is one of the main reasons why people move in the first place), but there’s more to life than working! Check out this post by 
When buying a home, getting pre-approved for a mortgage is a huge step! It means you have a stable job, a steady income, good credit, and are responsible enough to buy a home. Most Realtors will not work with buyers who have not been pre-approved. Getting pre-approved is also a great way to get a “budget” for your home. No, you shouldn’t spend the whole amount you’re approved for, but it’s a good way to get a ballpark idea of how much you can afford. However, pre-approved does NOT mean approved! It is possible to get denied for the actual mortgage, even if you did go through the pre-approval process. Check out this article by 
Selling a home is stressful enough if it’s just you and a spouse. You have to get the place spotless, repaired, decluttered, and staged, and you have to be ready to leave at a moment’s notice for showings. Anyone with kids probably laughed out loud at that sentence. Keeping a clean home instantly becomes a million times harder with kids in the picture, never mind getting it in showroom condition. If you have kids and are looking to move soon, read 
Making mistakes as a seller can cause your home to sit on the market for months, sell for less than its value, or not sell at all. A Realtor will help you avoid major pitfalls, like this list of the worst sins a home seller can make. All of these will send buyers running for the hills:
From the time we are young, we are conditioned to believe that more is more. The bigger our house, the more expensive our car, the larger the paychecks, the happier we will be. We live in a culture of excess consumerism, and we are taught that that is what “success” looks like.