REAL ESTATE
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One of the joys of homeownership is having the freedom to do exactly what you want with your house or apartment—as lo...
All real estate is local, but it’s national real estate statistics that dominate headlines. If you wish to identify e...
All of a sudden there are not enough houses for sale to meet homebuyers' rising level of demand. Could you pull off ...
At times it's necessary to walk a fine line when remodeling. On the one hand, you want to give your house distinct ap...
House hunters today aren’t necessarily fixated on luxury finishes like stainless steel. They are practical and focuse...
Will your project pay off? For a trustworthy estimate, consult Remodeling magazine's annual Cost vs. Value report to ...
That choking sound you hear is the echo of real estate deals not getting done, because suddenly, buyers can’t find ho...
Putting into action a few simple home staging tips will help your house stand out from the pack in today's improving market.
“Curb appeal” is real estate jargon referring to the first impression your home makes on prospective buyers. With ab...
Selling a house can yield some unexpected tax benefits. Few of us buy or sell often enough to stay abreast of the lat...
What do Bob Vila and Taylor Swift have in common, you ask? Apparently, a love for Cape Cod-style architecture! Taylor...
Making the right renovation decisions can help you sell your house quicker, and for more money.
Hyperventilation over the housing market recovery is reaching gale force. National news outlets are quoting some expe...
The unexpected has become the norm for the US real estate market. As evidenced by the annual Profile of Home Buyers a...
If you’ve inherited or converted even a small slice of space to a standalone living unit that could be rented, you’ve...
While analysts argue whether 2012 was in fact the turnaround year for home sales, it’s clear that home remodeling is ...
That sacred cow, the home mortgage deduction, is likely headed for the slaughterhouse. As Congress explores ways to r...
Savvy homebuyers these days know that a home is worth more based on its location than on its square footage. Listen t...
Price is the number one factor for home buyers, according to the annual Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers recently r...
For the DIY-minded, it makes perfect sense. If you've fixed up the house on your own, why shouldn't you sell it on yo...
Brace for a remodeling revival in 2013. The Harvard Joint Center on Housing is predicting double-digit growth for ho...
Homeownership is widely considered to be a bedrock of family financial stability, but as aftershocks continue to reve...
Hooray! The housing market is bouncing back from the depths! No, wait, prices are going sideways—in some markets. Who...
You saw its potential. You designed, bought, plumbed, wired and painted it. Now that you are thinking of selling your...
Documenting your project makes for great before-and-after photos to impress friends. A scrapbook can also validate yo...
Traditional real estate wisdom dictates that you should never buy the nicest house on the block. Calibrate potential ...
Good news! Real estate prices are firming up, and sales are on an upswing. You may soon be able to cash in on your ho...
Keeping up with the Joneses can actually be a good rule of thumb if you’re planning to sell your house within the nex...
Kitchens sell houses. That's still true. But if you are remodeling your kitchen with an eye towards recapturing your ...
Here's some context for the old adage that home values are based on location, location, location: We identify three w...
Baked-in obsolescence is the last thing you want in your kitchen remodel. Classic layouts, finishes, and styles are ...
Whether you are selling or buying a house, your plans are likely to be derailed by one of three factors that are trip...
The smart way to buy today is with resale in mind. Here are four long-term trends that will likely shape the marketab...
Lots of home-buyers look for “short sales”, because on the surface, they can seem like a bargain. CM_BVILANOTES-6 Buy...
Photo: shutterstock. comBasements are a common target for the supposedly easy and fast addition of livable space. Aft...
Home values continue to vacillate in most markets, which means that it's difficult to estimate exactly how much equit...
Though they've seen their parents lose equity, today's 20-somethings have home-buying on their minds. A just-released...
Summer’s here, and it’s a great time to expand your living space—and your home’s value—by making the most of the grea...
Make your bathroom and kitchen remodeling jobs pay for themselves and find out where to spend your money best
It's a realty agent's dream: bidding wars are back! At least, that's the hyperventilation du jour. From Boston to Los...
Not much has been guaranteed in the housing industry in the past seven years, but there's one trend that is sure to r...
Did you know that making your home look like a stage set can actually add 10 or 15% to the selling price? You can hir...
You stripped the woodwork, replaced the windows, and brought the kitchen from the dark ages into the light. You poure...
Five years ago today, I moved into my condo. It was the first home that I purchased. Not only did I have a new home, ...
Quality home renovation got a shout-out from Wall St. recently with Morgan Stanley analyst Oliver Chang recommending ...
Ask any realtor how to maximize your home’s value; they’ll tell you to grab a paintbrush. LISTENListen to BOB VILA ON...
Ah, a secluded, peaceful vacation home, far from the madding crowd. . . But not far enough to be away from the IRS. T...
Renting is suddenly cool: these days, renting is about lifestyle and flexibility, says Jane Hodges, author of the new...
Following some simple guidelines can safeguard your property, keep your family protected, and lower your insurance premiums. Here is a useful checklist to help yo...
Talk isn't cheap, not when it comes to picking the right words to describe the house you are selling. Paul Anglin, an...
Bob Vila Radio is a newly launched daily radio spot carried on more than 60 stations around the country (and growing)...
You're proud of your work. But the ultimate validation comes from househunters and real estate agents. In today's u...
Realty agents have clung to their traditional 6% fee structure through boom and bust, insisting that 6% of the home s...
If you're tackling a home improvement project this spring, you're not the only one reinvesting sweat equity in your h...
Ready to buy a home? There’s a lot to consider before selecting the right one. This home-buying checklist will help you decide.
A well-planned yard sale will leave your wallet fatter and your home de-cluttered. Proper planning, skillful organization, and a sense of humor will save the day ...
A foreclosed home may be a great way to get a sweet deal on a house—but buyer beware!
Staging your home sets the scene for potential buyers. A well-staged home can help it sell faster and for more money. Here are some basics for prepping your house.
Find out everything you can about the true state of the house’s condition, before you buy.
The pros, cons, and everything you need to know about buying a registered, historic home.
Paint your house to increase its value without spending too much.
Here are some tips on how to inspect the roof, gutters, and overall structure.
Read our guide for simple home staging suggestions to help your home increase its resale value.
Learn what questions to ask when you conduct an inspection of the heating and cooling systems, insulation, water and electrical service, of your home.
Vacation condominiums offer amenities and less maintenance, but more restrictions.
If you’re in the market to buy a house to rehabilitate for profit — also known as “flipping” — you’ll need to play it smart. Here are some common errors as well a...
Houses needing a little TLC might seem like a bargain, especially for your first home, but are you the person to give that house an overhaul? Find out whether or ...
Bob and architect Gregory Rochlin tour the exterior of Bob's 100-year-old Shingle Style home in Cambridge, MA.
Tom Fox, founder and former president of New York Water Taxi, takes Bob on a tour of the Brooklyn waterfront, highlighting various points of interest.
Bob tours the Simplex Industries manufacturing facility where workers are precutting the plywood as they construct the interior and exterior walls.
Bob reviews the site preparation process with the on-site contractor, Michael Sheils.
Bob introduces an 1890s Brownstone on New York City's Upper West Side.
Bob visits with Jim Vaccaro and Tom Ferontie of Mashpee Commons, in Mashpee, Massachusetts and talks with Pat Fiero of the Housing Assistance Corporation about th...
Bob meets with Joe Valle, the developer and general contractor for the River Hill development in Mashpee, Massachusetts on Cape Cod.
Realtor Lynn Zekis leads Bob on a tour of her own loft conversion in the Boston Leather District.
In touring the neighborhood, Bob introduces the nine-unit Roxbury affordable housing project.
Bob talks with Evelyn Friedman Vargas and Robert Vargas (from Nuestra Comunidad) to learn more about rebuilding efforts in this low-income area.
The home's side entry will be restored using the original columns, which homeowner Jim Verity found in the basement. On the front porch, new support beams and rai...
Bob and contractor Ed Weller tour of another work in progress, a home being built using construction techniques unique to tropical climates.
Bob meets with the contractor to inspect the poured footings and discuss the pouring process. Next, Bob helps install the sill plate and explains the various type...
Bob goes on a helicopter ride over the Los Angeles area, passing such famous landmarks as the Hollywood Bowl, the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, and the perpetually p...
Real estate agent Lois Bostic shows Bob some interesting properties in the area representing a variety of styles-- cottage, Spanish, contemporary, and ranch.
In Malibu, Bob tours a house that was built in the mid-50s and really looks that way, from the tile to the windows. Bob decides to undertake an ambitious overhaul...
The search for Bob's next project house ends, when he finds a small 19th-century home on a large plot of land in East Chop, a laid-back, picturesque part of the i...
Bob goes house hunting in Plymouth, MA, talking with the realtor while he tours the area homes for sale.
After house hunting with a realtor, Bob inspects one home in particular to check for structural and cosmetic problems before buying.
Bob accompanies carpenter-contractor Bob Ryley on a "contractor's tour" of the home with the aim of assessing any needed modifications to the interior.
In search of the perfect "cracker" cottage to remodel, Bob goes on a neighborhood tour of Naples, FL, both by car and by boat.
Bob takes a driving tour with realtor Catherine Caravette of two Chicago suburbs, Wicker Park and Lincoln Park.
