Most homeowners refinance for financial reasons, such as to lock in a lower interest rate or switch from an adjustable- to a fixed-rate loan. Refinancing can also help you extend your repayment term ...

An appraisal for a refinance is part of the underwriting process for a new loan. Appraisers look at various factors, including your home’s location and its size, layout and improvements. Many lenders ...

When you’re refinancing your mortgage, your home’s appraised value has a major impact on how much of a loan you can get. An appraisal is an independent assessment of your home’s value that a lender ...

With the likelihood of slower appreciation ahead, here's how to take an active role in growing your home equity.

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An appraisal is a critical part of the homebuying process. If your home appraisal comes in lower than expected, it can cost you money and delay — or even derail — the entire transaction. Here we delve ...

Do you need a home appraisal to qualify for a HELOC or home equity loan? While you've been focused on everything else life throws at you, your property has been working behind the scenes. Most people ...

Rebecca Brill is a writer whose essays have appeared in The Paris Review Daily, VICE, Literary Hub, and elsewhere. She runs the Susan Sontag's Diary and the Sylvia Plath's Food Diary accounts on ...