Real Estate Insights & Home Buying and Selling Guides - Homes.com

What to look for when viewing a house: A room-by-room checklist

Buying a Home

What to look for when viewing a house: A room-by-room checklist

A printable walkthrough guide covering the exterior, every major room and the questions to ask your agent before you leave.

Buying a Home

Buying a home in 10 steps — Buying a home in 10 steps

Homes.com helps you find your community, navigate the mortgage process, negotiate an offer and seal the deal.

Jul 28, 2025

How to find a home for sale before anyone else does — How to find a home for sale before anyone else does

Agents, public records and old-fashioned networking can help buyers spot listings before they hit the market.

Sep 11, 2026

Buying a home in September 2026: pricing, leverage, timing — Buying a home in September 2026: pricing, leverage, timing

Local market data, agent strategies and concession tactics to help you close on the right property this fall.

Aug 27, 2026

How hackers use AI to steal closing funds from homebuyers — How hackers use AI to steal closing funds from homebuyers

Fraudsters impersonate title companies, lenders and agents before anyone realizes the instructions were fake.

Sep 10, 2026

Selling a Home

Selling a home in 10 steps — Selling a home in 10 steps

Homes.com helps you get your place show-ready, hire an agent, negotiate offers, and seal the deal.

Aug 04, 2025

8 tips for selling a house you're still living in — 8 tips for selling a house you're still living in

Decluttering, cleaning and removing personal items are necessary to appeal to buyers.

Sep 03, 2026

Selling a home in September 2026: Pricing, prep and timing — Selling a home in September 2026: Pricing, prep and timing

Market data, agent advice and preparation strategies to help you close before year-end.

Aug 26, 2026

How to price your home in an extreme market — How to price your home in an extreme market

Aiming too high can add weeks to the selling process and cost thousands of dollars in lost proceeds

Sep 10, 2026

Renting a Home

How to rent a home in 10 steps — How to rent a home in 10 steps

What to know from checking your credit score to signing the lease to moving in.

Feb 10, 2026

The real cost of owning a car as a renter — The real cost of owning a car as a renter

Parking, insurance, gas and payments can rival your rent. Here's what to budget.

Sep 02, 2026

Affordable vs. workforce housing: The differences explained for renters — Affordable vs. workforce housing: The differences explained for renters

Find out which income band you fall into, how each program works and where to apply.

Aug 28, 2026

Rental walk-through checklist: Protect your deposit — Rental walk-through checklist: Protect your deposit

A room-by-room guide to documenting existing damage, handling pest evidence and keeping your security deposit intact.

Aug 11, 2026

Local Insights

Fall home maintenance checklist: What to do in September and October — Fall home maintenance checklist: What to do in September and October

The projects that protect your property from water and cold weather should come first.

Sep 10, 2026

How to prepare your home for fall and winter — How to prepare your home for fall and winter

A checklist for your yard, exterior and mechanical systems before you seal up for the season.

Aug 12, 2026

Do you need to get your home's air ducts cleaned? — Do you need to get your home's air ducts cleaned?

The answer depends on what is inside them, not how long it has been since the last cleaning.

Sep 10, 2026

How to paint a room like a pro — How to paint a room like a pro

Basic techniques for clean edges, even coverage and a professional-looking finish.

Sep 10, 2026

Architectural Styles

A guide to the most popular home architectural styles — A guide to the most popular home architectural styles

How to identify common home styles, their key features, origins and maintenance costs.

Jun 12, 2026

What is a Cape Cod-style house? — What is a Cape Cod-style house?

From colonial origins to modern renovation costs, here's what to evaluate before making an offer.

Aug 03, 2026

What is a Contemporary home? Here is a guide to the style. — What is a Contemporary home? Here is a guide to the style.

This constantly evolving architectural approach prioritizes open layouts, natural light and mixed materials.

Aug 18, 2026

What is a bungalow home? — What is a bungalow home?

From Craftsman porches to century-old wiring, here's what defines this single-story style and what owning one actually costs.

Jul 30, 2026

Explore Homes.com