Are you looking to buy a home without spending your life’s savings? Housing news in 2025 alludes to expensive and outpriced markets — but some of America’s lowest-cost cities are located in value hotspots with low-cost housing fees, ample supply, and modest price-income ratios. From Midwestern towns to Southern cities, they’re among the cheapest states…
Author: .
How To Calculate Net Operating Income (NOI)
If you’re investing in a rental property, knowing how to calculate NOI (net operating income) is one of the most important skills you can pick up. NOI tells you how much revenue a property generates after covering operating expenses, but before paying the mortgage, taxes, or big-ticket upgrades. Lenders use it. Buyers rely on it….
How to Determine Vacancy Rate for Your Rental Property
Whether you’re a landlord, investor, or agent, knowing how to determine the vacancy rate is key to understanding a rental property’s health. It is the percentage of all rentable units in a property that are unoccupied and not generating income at a given time, which gives you an idea how much of the investment portfolio…
The 6 Best Free Real Estate CRMs for 2025
The list of things to do as a real estate agent is seemingly never-ending, but that’s where a fantastic customer relationship manager (CRM) comes into play. The best real estate CRM software makes your life easier with features like task reminders, marketing automations, lead scoring, and AI-powered tools to help you more easily and efficiently…
Best Home Warranty Companies for 2025
The best home warranty companies aren’t just affordable, they actually deliver when things break. You want fast claims, solid coverage, and a team that doesn’t leave you hanging when your heating system dies, as proven by previous customer feedback. For real estate pros and homeowners, that kind of reliability matters a lot. That said, I…
Zillow Estimates Ultimate Guide: What Is It & How Accurate Is It?
The Zestimate is Zillow’s automated home valuation tool. It uses public data, MLS records, and proprietary algorithms to instantly estimate a property’s market value, with no agent or signup required. It’s one of the most widely used pricing tools in real estate, but also perhaps the most misunderstood. That’s why so many clients ask: “How…
Expired Listing Letters That Work: Free Templates & Tips
Reaching out to owners of expired listings is a prime opportunity for agents. A well-crafted, personalized, empathetic, and solution-focused letter can turn cold leads into clients. Below are seven expired listing email templates, along with tips for writing and customizing your own. Download The Close’s Expired Listing Letter Templates 1. Include agent & neighborhood statistics…
Will Tariffs Raise Mortgage Rates? Here’s What to Know
Key takeaways Tariffs are taxes on imported goods to make foreign products more expensive and encourage people to buy locally. The new tariffs begin at 10% on all imports, with additional rates applied to specific countries and construction materials, including steel and lumber. As construction costs rise due to tariffs, home prices could go up,…
Homes.com vs. Zillow: Which is Best for Real Estate 2025?
When it comes to browsing listings, connecting with real estate agents, or marketing a property, Homes.com and Zillow are two of the biggest names in the game. While they might seem similar at first glance, each platform brings something different to the table, especially when it comes to tools for agents, advertising options, and user…
6 Best Home Mortgage Lenders in 2025
A great mortgage lender provides you with plenty of options, including different types of mortgage loans and products. The right lender should also give you plenty of support throughout the process, have an easy application process, strong reviews, and competitive rates. Based on these factors, we’ve selected six of the best mortgage lenders for homebuyers:…