Trulia Voices

Real Estate How-To Guides

Home Buying »

Tax tips for home owners

Buying and owning a home is a big expense -- besides the purchase price, there are the property taxes, heating and cooling costs, maintenance expenses…the list goes on. But the good news is that there are tax savings available to homeowners. Read on to find...

By Trulia Staff | Leave a comment

What to do before making an offer

You've found a home you like, and you're ready to put in an offer to make it yours. But before you take that step, there are lots of things to cross off your to-do list. To avoid running into problems with your purchase and getting buyer's remorse, complete...

By Trulia Staff | 1 Comment

Why home buyers need contingencies

Anyone who is thinking of purchasing a home or has ever owned a home has heard about contingencies. What are contingencies? Contingencies are clauses in a real estate contract that stipulate various conditions that must be met by the buyer and the seller for...

By Trulia Staff | 1 Comment

View all home buying guides »

Home Selling »

How does the closing process work?

It would be great if closing a real estate transaction was like buying a new bike or TV, just cruise through the aisles, pick your favorite model and head for the register. But this just isn't the case. Real estate transactions are complex and involve as many...

By Trulia Staff | 1 Comment

Hidden costs you should know about

One of the worst things that can happen to you as a seller is to walk away from closing with less than what you expected. As most homeowners need the proceeds of their sale to fund other major purchases, like a replacement home, every nickel counts. So how...

By Trulia Staff | Leave a comment

Five ways to avoid foreclosure

Over the last few years, as real estate values have plummeted and the overall economy has slipped into recession, foreclosures have been on the rise. Perhaps you or someone you know is facing the imminent threat of losing their home. Don't despair - in this...

By Trulia Staff | 1 Comment

View all home selling guides »

Financing »

Why you need pre-approval letter

"Trust but verify" was a popular expression in the Cold War, conveying the need to hold nations true to claims about their own nuclear arsenals. The same principle applies to you as a home buyer when you make claims about your ability to buy. To verify your...

By Trulia Staff | 1 Comment

Refinance case study

There are many reasons to refinance your mortgage—some good and some not so good. If interest rates have dropped since you locked in your loan, and you aspire to pay less mortgage interest over time, you may have an excellent reason. If you're looking...

By Trulia Staff | Leave a comment

Neither a borrower - explaining annual percentage rates

Humans have a natural tendency to portray themselves in the best possible light. When the neighborhood kid who mows the lawn wants more money, he says his rate is lower than what the other kids are charging. When he gets together with the other kids, he...

By Trulia Staff | Leave a comment

View all financing guides »

Rentals »

A roommate is moving out; how to handle a shared property

One of the most regularly contentious issues among roommates is what to do with all that junk you shared in common in the house or apartment, and have to somehow divide now that everyone is going his or her separate way. It's difficult not to get emotional...

By Trulia Staff | Leave a comment

Do you need renter's insurance?

Many renters mistakenly believe that the contents of their apartment or rental home are covered by a landlord's insurance policy, but this isn't usually the case. To assure coverage of your belongings in the event of theft, fire, or acts of nature, and for...

By Trulia Staff | Leave a comment

Dealing with roommates: who gets the "good" bedroom?

Few things start fights (or feed simmering resentment) like unequally divided bedrooms in a shared house or apartment. Where you live in a house or apartment has a major impact on your life. Does it put you closer to street noise? Does it give you a big walk-in...

By Trulia Staff | Leave a comment

View all rentals guides »
Search Advice
e.g., "foreclosure", "short sale", "mortgage"
e.g., "San Francisco, CA", "New York, NY"
SEARCH
Trulia Guides educates you – about real estate processes
  • Read – articles written by experts
  • Comment – start a discussion
  • Ask – get free advice
Email me when…

Learn more

Send us your feedback
Copyright © 2009 Trulia, Inc. All rights reserved.   |   Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity
Help us improve our service—send us feedback