The residents of high-income neighborhoods often have busy travel schedules and hectic social calendars. So does that mean plush neighborhoods are less welcoming to newcomers than less affluent ones? ... more
Are you planning to sell your home during the first couple of months of 2015, when buyers will be scarce due to normal seasonal variations? If so, don't hesitate, says Sid Davis, author of "A Survival... more
A woman in her 50s was highly motivated to make an out-of-state move for a new job. But before her house could go up for sale, she had to cull through her huge collection of belongings. The task was e... more
Given the advancing economic recovery and mortgage rates that remain favorable, home sales in most neighborhoods continue to be strong. But there are always "outliers" -- places where the market is sl... more
Because he's facing both financial woes and multiple maladies, a semi-retired consultant in his 60s badly needs to sell his suburban cottage. But although his place is located in a popular neighborhoo... more
Does your life involve a demanding boss, kids who must be pressed on homework and a spouse who travels a lot on business? Beyond all that, are you also planning to sell your house in the near future?... more
Landlords are now commanding premium rents in an increasing number of popular neighborhoods. That makes it all the more difficult for long-time renters to save sufficient funds to afford the transitio... more
A machinist and his homemaker wife, both in their early 40s, had long been planning to sell their fully renovated Craftsman-style house to build a bigger, custom place on a rustic country lot. But the... more
After a long foreign-service career and early retirement, a couple in their late 50s decided to leave their sprawling 5,000-square-foot suburban home for a 3,500-square-foot place in a resort town an ... more
The latest recession is over, at least according to statistics from the Federal Reserve. Yet many people are still feeling the fallout. Some who for several years have met their mortgage payments by d... more
While the real estate market traditionally slows in the fall and winter, that doesn't stop diehard buyers who aspire to a property that's newer, larger or simply more to their liking.... more
A couple in their early 30s -- an elevator company salesman married to a nurse -- had for five years relished life in a up-and-coming city neighborhood with lots of good restaurants and bars nearby. B... more
A couple in their mid-60s were excited to sell their house and move to a condo they'd carefully chosen. But these empty-nesters also realized the necessity and the enormity of sorting through the thin... more
Michael Connerly had a happy childhood, except for one thing. Every two to three years, his parents got an itch to move. And every time the family changed houses, he and his three siblings endured the... more
With her children just off to college, a widow in her early 50s tackled a tough question. Should she keep the big family house with high mortgage payments that symbolized security and comfort for her ... more
Every real estate agent has stories about late-night calls from clients who "just can't take it anymore." They're stressed out by the constant need to keep their property in showcase condition until i... more
James Hughes is one of a cohort of Americans who still loves owning a large plot of land, no matter how long a commute it imposes. He lives on a 13-acre parcel a full hour's drive from his office.... more
Fewer Americans now seek a "show-off" house than a few years ago, real estate market observers say. That means oversized houses are less popular than in the past, in large measure due to cost.... more
If you offer your home for sale this fall, would you be doing so in a market that favors sellers or buyers? That will depend heavily on the neighborhood where you live, the timing of your sale and int... more
As a homebuyer, how can you pinpoint a property that will gain value in the future rather than decline? Instead of relying on hunches, Allan Weiss suggests you take an analytical approach.... more
Real estate economists who project into the future don't always like what they see. That's because many younger people are less likely to buy a home than were their parents at a similar age.... more
They were a married couple of attorneys fresh out of law school. They'd landed a pair of well-paid positions in a prestigious downtown law firm. Still in their early 30s, both were driven by professio... more
Fred Meyer, a veteran real estate broker, helps homebuyers find property in the vicinity of Harvard University, a high-cost area where it's tough for many purchasers to locate a property they can affo... more
The Great Recession was supposed to make Americans less materialist. But researchers who track consumer behavior say there's no data to show that spending habits have changed.... more
Michael Crowley lives in a handsome Victorian with nearly 6,000 square feet of living space. He and his attorney wife bought the 107-year-old domicile for its charm, glorious interior moldings and shi... more
Patricia Nowak was thrust into widowhood suddenly at the age of 47, when her husband was struck and killed crossing a street. She was overwhelmed by grief and the realization that she'd become both th... more
A couple in their 40s -- a truck driver married to a convenience store manager -- were in the throes of a nasty breakup when they rang Sid Davis to say they wanted to liquidate their property promptly... more
A trend for marriage in America is that more couples are older when they tie the knot. In fact, an increasing number of people now marry for a second time after their kids have reached adulthood and l... more
A construction company manager in his 50s bought a ranch-style house in a desirable neighborhood with the intention of renovating the place to flip it -- meaning he hoped to quickly sell for a profit.... more