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Is Buying a Home Together Right for Your Family? Here's How to Think It Through

Is Buying a Home Together Right for Your Family? Here's How to Think It Through For a long time, multigenerational living had a reputation problem. It was the option families turned to when something had gone wrong — a job loss, a divorce, a health crisis. Moving back in with your parents, or having your parents move in with you, meant something hadn't worked out. That story has changed pretty significantly. Today, families are choosing this arrangement on purpose — not as a fallback, but as a deliberate decision to share costs, stay connected, and build something that actually works for how their lives are structured right now. According to NAR, 14% of buyers recently purchased a multigenerational home, and the year before that hit 17%. 1   These aren't people making the best of a bad situation. They're rethinking what "home" needs to do. If this is something you're considering — or something a family member has brought up — here's what'...
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What Actually Makes a Listing Stand Out in 2026

  What Actually Makes a Listing Stand Out in 2026 4 \n The tolerance for deferred maintenance has evaporated. Buyers are already stressed about affordability. When a buyer sees deferred maintenance, they do not see \"potential.\" They see risk. In fact, 58% of agents report buyers want closing cost credits, and 20% recommend sellers reduce price based on inspection findings.<sup>5</sup>","type":"unstyled","depth":0,"inlineStyleRanges":[{"offset":234,"length":54,"style":"BOLD"}],"entityRanges":[],"data":{}},{"key":"7fkv","text":"Energy Efficiency as a Financial Filter","type":"header-four","depth":0,"inlineStyleRanges":[{"offset":0,"length":39,"style":"BOLD"}],"entityRanges":[],"data":{}},{"key":"7s9q6...

The True Cost of Homeownership: What You Pay Beyond the Mortgage

The True Cost of Homeownership: What You Pay Beyond the Mortgage When most homebuyers calculate whether they can afford a new home, they focus almost exclusively on one number: the monthly mortgage payment. It's the figure lenders qualify them for, the number discussed during showings, and the benchmark used to determine budgets. The average annual cost of owning and maintaining a single-family home in the U.S., excluding the mortgage itself, is estimated at around $21,400 in 2025—roughly $1,800 per month.¹ When you factor in these national average ownership expenses, a $2,500 monthly mortgage can grow to over $4,000 in total housing costs. Qualifying for a mortgage answers one question: "Can a bank trust you with this loan?" It doesn't answer the more important one: "Can you comfortably maintain this lifestyle?" In today's market, where nearly 45% of homeowners report post-purchase regrets (most commonly because maintenance and hidden costs were...