Author Archives: Sabrina Mapes

See which seaside and vacation towns made the list. Small cities and towns captured the imagination of Zillow® surfers in 2023, drawn perhaps by smaller home prices and proximity to major cities with lots of amenities. “Affordability was the word on home shoppers’ minds, and it shows in the most popular cities that buyers on […]

A mortgage is a loan you take out on a piece of land or real estate when you don’t have all the cash-on hand to buy, improve or maintain it on your own. A bank or other financial institution will lend you the money under the condition that you repay the loaned amount by a set […]

Moving — whether it’s buying, renting or selling — poses special challenges for people with ADHD. These tips may help. Jessica McCabe knows a thing or two about moving. The host of the popular “How to ADHD” YouTube channel and website by the same name moved five times in three years — and during a pandemic, no […]

See the next wave of interior design trends in action. We know we’re biased, but there are few things we love more than finding home design marvels on Zillow (and we’re not alone). Sure, not every home can claim a moat or a ’50s style diner as an amenity, but we have noticed a number of features arguably just as […]

Loan officers break down what you need to know about student debt and owning a home. Student loans are undoubtedly a daunting financial obstacle, so it’s only natural to feel like they’re holding you back from owning a home. But buying a house with student loan debt is possible. Whether or not you should get […]

What experts say is the key to an odor-free kitchen, plus more room-by-room advice. Open concept homes can feel airy and spacious, but they can be relatively difficult to keep clean. The lack of walls means clutter is inevitably out in the open, and suitable storage space is a precious resource. Luckily, there are tricks […]

The forecast calls for a calmer real estate market with slight improvements in affordability for buyers, concessions for renters and more AI-generated guidance for home shoppers. It’s been one of the most challenging years on record for the housing market, with rock-bottom inventory and mortgage rates hitting highs not seen in the past two decades. […]

Credit card companies, auto dealerships, mortgage bankers and other lenders use credit scores to determine the risk of loaning money to a borrower, how much they will loan, and the interest rate they’ll charge. Most lenders use FICO scores, which range from 300 to 850, to gauge creditworthiness. The higher your score, the more credit-worthy […]

Find out what getting pre-approved for a mortgage means, if you should get pre-approved while house shopping, and how you can get pre-approved. When you start to get serious about buying a home, a mortgage pre-approval is an important first step. Getting pre-approved for a mortgage lets you know how much money you can borrow, the range […]

Loan officers break down what you need to know about student debt and owning a home. Student loans are undoubtedly a daunting financial obstacle, so it’s only natural to feel like they’re holding you back from owning a home. But buying a house with student loan debt is possible. Whether or not you should get […]