These days, it is as popular to cut down as it is to move up. If you have been longing to ditch your oversized, overcomplicated house in favor of something smaller and more appropriate for your current needs, you have to do a little planning.

Avoid these common mistakes so that your downsizing does not become a downward spiral.

Failing to Consider Future Needs

Downsizing means recognizing that your current home is not meeting your needs as you see them. When you buy a smaller home, it is crucial to perform the same kind of reality check about your future home.

Buying the little old house in the middle of the woods may seem like a dream come true, but it could become an awful decision 10 years from now if you end up not enjoying the

Under ideal circumstances, home buyers will be able to take their time when purchasing a home in order to make sure they're getting the best home and deal available. However, sometimes circumstances are less than ideal, and one of those times is in a seller's market when there are far more buyers than there are homes for sale. Here are six essential tips all home buyers should know when purchasing a home in a seller's market.

1. View Homes Quickly

In a seller's market, homes can be sold within days of being put on the market, so it's important for buyers to make an appointment for a home showing as quickly as possible. If they try to wait until the weekend to go see the home, there's a chance that the homeowner may have already accepted an

Big changes have been happening in the world of architecture and home building. In this article, we'll talk about materials that can improve efficiency around the home and make the house a more comfortable place to live.

Solar-Thermal Cladding

The solar activated facade is a cladding system that consists of prefabricated panels. Solar cladding deflects sun in summer and absorbs radiant energy in winter. This material stores heat at night to reduce interior heat loss and keep the home warmer as needed. At all times of the year, solar-thermal cladding helps keep your home more comfortable. Solar-thermal cladding is especially efficient in northern, cold-weather climates.

Self-Healing Concrete

Self-healing concrete is a type of concrete

Does the word "moving" send chills down your spine? It's a common feeling that many people get whenever they end up having to move or they choose to make a change in their living situation. However, moving doesn't have to be synonymous with stress, as we have a few helpful tips that can make the process less stressful and less expensive.

Planning Your Move in Advance

Although it's advice we hear time and time again, taking some extra moments to plan ahead for a move can save a lot of time and stress in the long run, especially during the stressful process of selling a home. Moving isn't just about physically changing the location of household items; it gives us an opportunity to assess our needs and pair down what we own.

Often referred to as

So, you just bought a new home. Congratulations! Now that you're a homeowner, it's important to have tools on hand for home improvements and repairs. The following tools will come in handy for basic improvement projects around the house.

Painting Supplies

One of the first things that many homeowners do when they move into a new house is paint one or two rooms. New colors on the walls can help you enjoy a new home and personalize your space. Painting can be done easily, even if a homeowner has little or no experience with DIY projects. All you need are the right tools. To get started on your first home painting project, you'll need the following:

• Tarp
• Paintbrush, angled and chisel
• Paint roller (long and short handles)
• Spackling

When people, especially millennials, start looking for a home to buy, they often start by looking at their ability to get a mortgage. If they do not, they should. The mortgage is one of the most important parts of the home buying process. Without it, many buyers could not secure the money needed to make the purchase. There are many steps to getting approved for a mortgage, and buyers should understand where they need to be before they begin visiting available properties. With an understanding of the differences between mortgage pre-qualification, pre-approval, and approval, buyers will be better prepared.

For informational purposes only. Always consult with a licensed mortgage professional before proceeding with any real estate transaction.

Buying a home can be both rewarding and overwhelming by the amount of information that's out there. Once the ideal community is selected, buyers have even more to consider. Some communities use a homeowners association (HOA) to provide certain services and enforce rules. Each HOA can be quite different, so even people who have owned a home in an HOA should take care when considering another. Here's what buyers need to know before they buy a home with an HOA.

What Benefits Do HOAs Bring to Homeowners?

The benefits of a homeowners association make it easier to maintain the home and the surrounding landscape. Homeowners will know that they have the services they need in place, and the space around their home is going to be well-kept. With everyone

Many real estate agents are beginning to create floor plan images and documents to attach to their listing marketing materials to assist in selling their home. This is because homeowners want to look beyond the photos and images found online and visualize the floor plan for the property. For buyers, the floor plan can make the difference between liking or loving the home.

From open-concept floor plans to intimate floor plans with plenty of charming nooks, these are the most common floor plans in the country:

Contemporary Floor Plan

In many of the new construction properties built around the country today, the contemporary floor plan is a hallmark feature. This floor plan is designed to be an open concept floor plan, in which one room

Foreclosure filings spiked in the height of the housing crisis, and for many years, foreclosed homes were readily available. Today foreclosures are less common in many parts of the country, but they are still available for patient home buyers. If you're thinking about purchasing a home in foreclosure, the following tips will help you understand the process and get the best value for your money.

For informational purposes only. Always consult with a licensed mortgage professional before proceeding.

Home Auctions Vs. Home Traditional Sales

How do you buy a foreclosed home in Franklin or the surrounding areas? Homes in foreclosure are usually sold in one of two ways: through an auction or through a traditional sale. Auction sales are usually

When saving up to buy a home, a down payment can be a looming expense that intimidates or turns away buyers. For those who find the task of saving for a down payment insurmountable, pulling money out of a 401k or IRA to make a down payment could make it easier to buy a home. Here's what buyers need to know before they prepare to make a withdrawal.

For informational purposes only. Always consult with a financial advisor before proceeding with any real estate transaction.

How 401k Withdrawals Work

People are not really encouraged to withdraw from a retirement plan before they get close to retirement age. However, there are a number of ways that people may be able to do it. Anyone pulling money out of a retirement account may be subject to a