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Your real estate agent does so much more than just meet you at open houses or negotiate on your behalf.

Studies say moving ranks right behind divorce and death on the stress scale. So with my moving day right around the corner (or, let’s be real, sneaking up on me), it’s no wonder I was feeling a mirage of emotions: stress, excitement, joy, confusion, to name a few. Mostly, the thought of unpacking filled me with overwhelming dread. But I had a realization: Why did moving have to be scary? Why couldn’t it be a fun, exciting, and—most importantly—controlled experience?

Maxing out credit cards, falling behind on bills, going into foreclosure—these are all known villains that will slay your credit score. But did you know that buying a house will also most likely cause your credit score to drop? That’s right; after you’ve demonstrated utmost financial responsibility by establishing a solid credit score and saving for a down payment, taking out a mortgage will ding your score.

This historic condo marries old-school charm with modern everything. 501 Fletcher Ave, Apt B Located in Indianapolis, Indiana $650,000 3 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms This is the kind of apartment that has everyone looking at Indianapolis real estate. For starters, it’s huge. And historic. Built in 1897, this former church is now a downtown condo that marries old with new, and does it seamlessly. The open floor plan boasts soaring ceilings, large stained glass windows, and wood beams.

We’ve all seen the ads: Rent a unit in our building and you’ll get access to amazing common areas! Dog spas! Bike storage! Real estate companies and landlords will toss in freebies until the cows come home to ensure you sign a lease. However, nothing lures prospective renters in as much as the appearance of a serious dent in their rent. But “appears” is the key word here.

‘Tis the season… to look for houses? It may seem counterintuitive since it’s actually a slower time of year and there may be fewer houses on the market, but the holiday season might actually be the ideal time to house hunt.

Your home is on the market, and you’re gunning to sell, but you still haven’t gotten any offers. Staging your home, or preparing it for resale, can make all the difference. According to realtor.com, staged homes sell 88% faster and for 20% more than non-staged ones. But for the average person, dropping thousands of dollars (and there’s no doubt — it will cost you that much) to stage a home is a bit unrealistic.

It looks like our favorite royal foursome is splitting up!

When my husband, son, and I moved into our new apartment eight weeks ago, we fell in love with our new warm and welcoming building as well as the energy of the neighborhood itself. While looking at the place, we noticed a fire station two blocks away—but how busy could it be at night? Ha! Joke was on us because rare is the night when New York City’s finest don’t race up the avenue outside our windows on some life-saving mission.

Certain areas of the country, like Seattle, Washington, and Denver, Colorado, are notorious for their influx of young folk—be it for their tech-hubs, Instagram-worthy walls, or to-die for food. But when it comes to putting down roots, where are younger people buying homes? A new report from LendingTree ranked America’s metropolitan areas by average age of homeowner, and not surprisingly, (with one exception) the coolest millennial cities didn’t fare too well.

This past summer, my husband and I checked off that most elusive goal on our “someday” list: We bought our first home together—a perfect open loft space, one of seven carved out of a small former factory building in intown Atlanta. I say that laying claim to our humble loft was “elusive,” only because I honestly didn’t think we’d ever be able to make it happen. Buying a home requires a serendipitous set of circumstances to all fall into place.

If you’re like me, you’re probably spending the holiday weekend indulging in the ultimate Thanksgiving tradition: Marathoning the “Friends” Thanksgiving episodes. Amid lost toes, shepherd’s pie trifle, and The Geller Cup, you might be marveling at that marvelous purple apartment.

House hunting? You probably need a broker to help with your search. A great broker can find you a place to live but also sometimes winds up acting as your best friend, your mom, and your therapist all in one. For a successful end result, you really want to make this complex relationship work; we’ll let you in on what your broker might really be thinking… When you’re a broker there are no guarantees.

If we’re all being honest here, there’s a stage in anyone who’s under 30 and recently moved to New York’s life that happens: we assume it will be something like an episode of “Girls.” Maybe a significant other dumps you before/after your short story reading, or you get splashed by a cab right before a job interview and have to explain why you’d be a good something or other, and then you come home to your weirdly gigantic apartment for a freelance writer.

A remodeled house with loads of space and charm. 6548 SE Ash Street Located in Portland, Oregon $670,000 3 bedrooms, 2.5 bathrooms Well, for starters, we featured this three-bedroom home in a House Tour this past May! One of the “besties” got married, so the home is now on the market. This large Mt. Tabor home has loads of space and feels like a hip retreat the minute you walk in the door.

You need a little creativity to make ends meet these days. With wages stagnating and housing prices skyrocketing, people are looking for ways to cut expenses and boost their income. And that’s especially true for anyone trying to save for a down payment on a house. This was all top of mind several years ago when Sam (my now-husband, then-boyfriend) and I decided to move in together.

Oh the ‘L’ word: For renters, a landlord can be (hopefully) an awesome resource or, in other situations, a thorn in your side. Either way, when you move into a new place, you’re going to have to deal with your landlord at some point. “When you move into a new rental, you’re also embarking on a new business relationship with the apartment’s owner,” says Gary Malin, president of Citi Habitats in New York City.