Latest Local Insights Articles

10 ways to fit in like a true Atlantan

Atlanta is an easy place to live.

The cost of living from state to state

A buyer looking to move to a new state needs to consider costs beyond the mortgage payment, costs that can vary greatly.

10 ways to fit in like a true New Yorker

The largest city in America is known for being a melting pot of people, customs and cuisines all packed into roughly 300 square miles encompassing five boroughs.

Tips for finding the right schools

Public boards of education in Atlanta, New York City, Chicago and other large markets tend to assign school districts by home address, putting the onus on prospective buyers to select the right neighborhoods to set their children up for academic and social success.

How property taxes are handled in each state

Property taxes are the primary means for most city, town and county governments in the U.S. to fund themselves. In the past few years, escalating home values have led to rapid tax hikes, sparking an effort by state legislators to try to reduce or even eliminate property taxes. But for the most part, they remain the primary way public schools, public safety, roads and many other local services are funded.

10 ways to fit in like a true Charlottean in North Carolina

Charlotte, North Carolina, is one of the fastest-growing cities in the country — but it hasn't always been like that.

10 ways to fit in like a true Chicagoan

Despite its rank as the third most populous city in the country, Chicago is often underestimated and misunderstood, say residents.

10 ways to fit in like a true Denverite

Denver is an attractive move for out-of-staters who want to be closer to the great outdoors while maintaining an urban lifestyle. Just don’t think it’s a mountain town.

10 ways to fit in like a true Detroiter

For decades, Michigan's largest city experienced a population decline fueled mostly by major automakers moving their manufacturing outside the U.S., leaving Detroiters with fewer middle-class job options.