Sean McDowell's (smcdowell) Blog

When moving into a new home, transporting your items from your old house to your new home can be a major factor, and hiring movers to do this job may become pricey. If you are considering moving your belongings yourself, here are a few tips to help make renting a moving truck a simple process:Dec...

When you move into a new home, changing your address is one of the first things you need to do to update your information. While changing your address may seem as simple as updating where you receive mail, there are several other places where you will need to change your address as well.To change...

According to a recent study conducted by the National Association of Realtors, most homebuyers expect to live in their homes for at least 14 years.  However, the reality is that most people only live in their homes for an average time of 9 years.  Click here to view an infographic from the study....

In the last 10 years, students themselves have gone from paying 30% of college costs, to paying close to 50% of their own college costs.  This has resulted in driving up the outstanding student loans in the US from $350 billion to a staggering $1.2 trillion over the past 10 years.  The interestin...

April 17th is the United States tax deadline. Americans with tax refund checks may be starting to consider how to spend their money. Rather than using your tax refund for an impulse purchase this year, why not plan a practical use for the money? There are many awesome options that would allow you...

A successful real estate transaction is based upon taking the appropriate steps to make sure that the property you are buying is a good value and structurally sound. You will want to schedule a final walk-through of the home to confirm the condition of the home is the same (or better) as it was o...

Having a budget that you adhere to each month is the quickest and best solution for saving money, paying down debt and investing in your future. However, if you are like most people, it can be difficult to stick with your plans even with the best of intentions. While some people find the word “bu...

Whether it is because of student loans, credit cards or car payments, holding on to a large amount of debt may prevent you from obtaining financing for a new home, car or other large purchase. More than likely, you are also paying interest on this debt, which is costing you even more. Make a reso...

As your life changes and your family grows, so do your needs in a home. You may begin to need more space, less space, or different features than you currently have. Here are some ways to determine if you may have outgrown your current home:Space – One of the most common reasons for outgrowing you...

When buying a home, especially a first home, the down paymentcan seem like the biggest hurdle. There are a variety of loan programs that can help make the most of what money you have to put down, but you can also use “gifted funds” for your down payment. Gifted funds are funds given to you either...