Real Estate Editorial Team

Real Estate Editorial Team is the collective byline for our editorial team and contributor network. Articles published under this byline or an editorial pen name are researched, written, and reviewed according to our editorial standards for clarity, consistency, and independence before publication.

Before You Sign a Purchase Agreement: A Buyer's Checklist

Before You Sign a Purchase Agreement: A Buyer's Checklist

Earnest Money, Down Payments, and Closing Costs: Where Your Cash Actually Goes

Earnest Money, Down Payments, and Closing Costs: Where Your Cash Actually Goes

FHA, VA, USDA, and Conventional Loans Side by Side

FHA, VA, USDA, and Conventional Loans Side by Side

Fixed-Rate vs. Adjustable-Rate Mortgages

Fixed-Rate vs. Adjustable-Rate Mortgages

Home Buying Myths That Mislead First-Time Purchasers

Home Buying Myths That Mislead First-Time Purchasers

Negotiating After the Inspection: What's Reasonable to Ask For

Negotiating After the Inspection: What's Reasonable to Ask For

Preparing to Buy Your First Home

Preparing to Buy Your First Home

Reading a Home Inspection Report

Reading a Home Inspection Report

Renting vs. Buying a Home in the US

Renting vs. Buying a Home in the US

The Home Buying Process, From Offer to Closing

The Home Buying Process, From Offer to Closing

The Real Estate Agent's Role in a Home Purchase

The Real Estate Agent's Role in a Home Purchase

Things First-Time Buyers Overlook Before Making an Offer

Things First-Time Buyers Overlook Before Making an Offer

Understanding Escrow in a Home Sale

Understanding Escrow in a Home Sale

What a Mortgage Pre-Approval Actually Means

What a Mortgage Pre-Approval Actually Means

Why Buyers Waive Contingencies—and What They Risk

Why Buyers Waive Contingencies—and What They Risk

Before You Hand Over a Security Deposit

Before You Hand Over a Security Deposit

Communicating with Your Landlord: Documentation and Professionalism

Communicating with Your Landlord: Documentation and Professionalism

How Rent-to-Income Ratios Work—and Why Landlords Use Them

How Rent-to-Income Ratios Work—and Why Landlords Use Them

How to Dispute an Unfair Deduction from Your Security Deposit

How to Dispute an Unfair Deduction from Your Security Deposit

Month-to-Month vs. Fixed-Term Leases: Flexibility at a Cost

Month-to-Month vs. Fixed-Term Leases: Flexibility at a Cost

Moving Out Without Losing Money: What Tenants Often Get Wrong

Moving Out Without Losing Money: What Tenants Often Get Wrong

Reading the Rental Market: Urban, Suburban, and Rural Trade-Offs

Reading the Rental Market: Urban, Suburban, and Rural Trade-Offs

Renting Without a Rental History: How to Make Your Application Competitive

Renting Without a Rental History: How to Make Your Application Competitive

Renting in America: A Complete Overview for First-Time Tenants

Renting in America: A Complete Overview for First-Time Tenants

Security Deposits Explained: What Landlords Can and Cannot Keep

Security Deposits Explained: What Landlords Can and Cannot Keep

Subleasing: Tenant Rights, Landlord Approval, and Common Pitfalls

Subleasing: Tenant Rights, Landlord Approval, and Common Pitfalls

Tenant Rights That Many Renters Don't Know They Have

Tenant Rights That Many Renters Don't Know They Have

What 'Habitability' Actually Requires of Your Landlord

What 'Habitability' Actually Requires of Your Landlord

What Every Clause in a Standard US Lease Actually Means

What Every Clause in a Standard US Lease Actually Means

Why Renters Insurance Is Not the Same as Your Landlord's Policy

Why Renters Insurance Is Not the Same as Your Landlord's Policy

Before You Apply: A Mortgage Readiness Checklist for US Homebuyers

Before You Apply: A Mortgage Readiness Checklist for US Homebuyers

Buying Your First Home: A Ground-Up Guide to Financing the Purchase

Buying Your First Home: A Ground-Up Guide to Financing the Purchase

Conventional Loans vs. FHA Loans: Which Path Fits Your Situation?

Conventional Loans vs. FHA Loans: Which Path Fits Your Situation?

Fixed-Rate vs. Adjustable-Rate Mortgages: What Changes and What Doesn't

Fixed-Rate vs. Adjustable-Rate Mortgages: What Changes and What Doesn't

Government-Backed Mortgage Programs in the US: FHA, VA, and USDA Compared

Government-Backed Mortgage Programs in the US: FHA, VA, and USDA Compared

Home Equity Loans and HELOCs: Borrowing Against What You've Built

Home Equity Loans and HELOCs: Borrowing Against What You've Built

How a Mortgage Actually Works: Principal, Interest, and the Long Game

How a Mortgage Actually Works: Principal, Interest, and the Long Game

Mortgage Points, Origination Fees, and Closing Costs: What You're Actually Paying

Mortgage Points, Origination Fees, and Closing Costs: What You're Actually Paying

Mortgage Refinancing: When It Makes Sense and What the Process Involves

Mortgage Refinancing: When It Makes Sense and What the Process Involves

The Home Financing Glossary Every First-Time Buyer Should Know

The Home Financing Glossary Every First-Time Buyer Should Know

The Real Impact of Your Down Payment on a Mortgage

The Real Impact of Your Down Payment on a Mortgage

Understanding Your Loan Estimate and Closing Disclosure

Understanding Your Loan Estimate and Closing Disclosure

What Lenders Look at When You Apply for a Mortgage

What Lenders Look at When You Apply for a Mortgage

Why Borrowers End Up Paying More Than They Expected on Their Mortgage

Why Borrowers End Up Paying More Than They Expected on Their Mortgage

Widespread Myths About Mortgage Qualification That Hold Buyers Back

Widespread Myths About Mortgage Qualification That Hold Buyers Back