I’m Shopping for My First Condo – And I’m Only 20!

April 29, 2015 | By Contributors AuthorMy First Apartment

Hi everyone! My name is Sarah Stiebritz. I’m 20 years old and I live in a rural area in upstate New York. I am currently working full time at a daycare center as the supervisor and I am going to my local community college where I am studying elementary education. I have a 2-year old…

How to Succeed Buying in a Competitive Condo Market

March 16, 2015 | By Contributors AuthorMy First Apartment

By Dan Bergman In a competitive housing market, homes sell fast, often within a day or two. To succeed in purchasing your dream condo, you’ll need to move quickly as well. While that may sound intimidating, there are several steps you can take to make sure you move with confidence as well as speed. Get…

What You Need to Know About Condo Shopping in the Winter

January 22, 2015 | By Contributors AuthorMy First Apartment

By Dan Bergman Traditionally, the winter is a no man’s land in residential real estate. There are fewer homes on the market, and fewer home shoppers. And it makes sense: Between the rush of the holidays and the inclement weather, shopping for a condo in the winter can be difficult. That said, some people do…

What’s Fair for Your HOA Dues?

November 20, 2014 | By Contributors AuthorMy First Apartment

By Ali Donoghue What do Homeowners Association (HOA) dues, insurance premiums and car payments have in common? No one particularly likes them, but everyone recognizes their necessity. And everyone wants to pay less. But, before you howl that your HOA dues are too high, you need to understand what causes dues to be higher and…

How to Check If Your Condo Has a Criminal Past

October 1, 2014 | By Contributors AuthorMy First Apartment

A version of this post by James White was originally posted by MyFirstApartment.com It’s the spooky time of the year again, so let’s take a look at another one of condo buyer’s nightmares – unknowingly purchasing a place with a criminal past. Yes, it can and does happen with rentals as well as sales. The…

7 Budget-Friendly Ways to Make a Kitchen Feel Bigger

September 22, 2014 | By Contributors AuthorMy First Apartment

By David Glenn The kitchen is the heart of your home, but a tiny, cramped kitchen just isn’t all that inviting—for you or your guests. While a complete kitchen renovation may be way out of your budget right now, here are some simple ways to make a kitchen look and feel bigger than it is.…

5 Renovations You Can DIY

August 25, 2014 | By Contributors AuthorMy First Apartment

Owning your first condo is a special experience and you are eager to make the space your own. However, you might not have the money to invest in large-scale renovations. Thankfully, there are plenty of small projects – with big impact – that you can easily do yourself on a limited budget. (Just remember to skip these five that you should never try…

Should a First-Time Condo Buyer Consider Purchasing a Foreclosure?

July 29, 2014 | By Contributors AuthorMy First Apartment

By Stephanie Brimo First, let me describe a foreclosure. Also known as an REO sale or a bank-owned sale, a foreclosure takes place only after the home’s original owner has stopped paying the mortgage for a long enough time (often a year or more) that the bank has the legal right to repossess the home.…

5 Renovations You Should Never Try to DIY

July 22, 2014 | By Contributors AuthorMy First Apartment

Whether you consider yourself handy around the house or you’ve just got a weekend free, a DIY project to spruce up your condo can be a creative and profitable use of your spare time. Unfortunately, not all renovations are DIY. Below are five such projects that qualify as too tricky, too dangerous or both. 1. Demolition It might…

Bidding Wars: 7 Winning Multiple Offer Strategies

June 29, 2014 | By Contributors AuthorMy First Apartment

By Ali Donoghue What if you find a condo you love, but someone else also loves it? It happens more than you’d think. In fact, in many urban areas there are more buyers than suitable condos. That’s great for sellers, but not so great for you – especially if you’re buying your first condo. If…