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Our Mission.

You care about your home. The NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® cares about homeownership. To help you become the best, most responsible homeowner you aspire to be, we want to provide you with free information and tools you can use to make smart and timely decisions about your home.

From time to time, we may reach out to you to help us support legislation and/or policies that may have an impact on you, the homeowner. You can choose to join our cause. Or you can choose not to. Regardless, your privacy is safe with us.

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Author Profiles

Donna Fuscaldo

Donna Fuscaldo has written about personal finance for more than decade for Dow Jones Newswires, the Wall Street Journal, and Fox Business News. She's currently a freelance writer with her own home office.

Articles by this author

For rent sign in front of mailboxes

Tax Deductions for Rental Homes

While being a landlord certainly has its cons, tops among its pros are the tax deductions for rental homes enjoyed by owners. Read More

Progress $ K
Save Money High $750 (on $100,000 MAGI)
Effort High 4 hrs/wk (manage rental)
Added to Binder
Lawn furniture outside a vacation home

Opening and Closing a Vacation Home

Don’t neglect to budget time and money for opening and closing a vacation home before the season starts and after it ends. Read More

Progress K
Effort Low 2 days/yr (open/close home)
Investment Low $100 (clean 3BR/2BA home)
Added to Binder
Vacation home outfitted with a keyless entry system

Maintain Your Vacation Home

Plan to spend time and money to maintain your vacation home, no matter if you hire a property manager or local caretaker, or do the work yourself. Read More

Progress K
Effort Low 3-4 hours (emergency list)
Investment Low $100 (basic keyless entry)
Added to Binder
Foreclosed home with boarded-up windows

Fight Foreclosures in Your Community

Even if you’re current on your mortgage, nearby foreclosures can affect your community through lower property values, higher crime rates, and lost services. Read More

Progress C K
Effort Low 1 hr (mow vacant home's lawn)
Added to Binder
Fuel cell installed at house

Tax Credits for Residential Fuel Cells

While residential fuel cells are as expensive as they are energy efficient, a federal tax credit could entice more homeowners to give the green technology a try. Read More

Progress $ E K
Save Money High $880/yr (energy bills)
Effort Med Up to 3 days (install)
Investment High $50,000 (plus installation)
Added to Binder
Foreclosed house for sale

Avoid Foreclosure Rescue Scams

With foreclosure rescue scams widespread as more homeowners fall behind on mortgage payments, be smart if you seek help. Read More

Progress K
Effort Low 1 day (research alternatives)
Investment Low $0 (HUD counseling is free)
Added to Binder
Man looking at home refinance offer

Avoid Home Equity Loan and Refinancing Scams

Home equity loan and refinancing scams can cost you more than money—these scams can cost you your house. Read More

Progress K
Effort Low 1-2 days (research loans)
Investment Low $37 (avg credit report fee)
Added to Binder
New appliances for sale at store

States Offer Cash Rebates for Clunker Appliances

Buying a new Energy Star appliance can lower your utility bills and perhaps even earn a cash rebate from your state. Read More

Progress $ E K
Save Money Med Up to $135/yr (energy bills)
Effort Low 2 hrs (research/claim rebate)
Investment Low $750 (Energy Star washer)
Added to Binder
Woman in front of laptop in home

Making Home Affordable: The Modification Option

The Making Home Affordable program offers at-risk homeowners a chance to modify mortgages to avoid foreclosure on their homes. Read More

Progress $ K
Save Money High $640/mo (avg modification)
Effort High 3 mos (trial period)
Added to Binder
Man working at laptop

Making Home Affordable: The Refinance Option

The Making Home Affordable program offers financially stable homeowners the chance to refinance mortgages to lower rates. Read More

Progress $ K
Save Money High $290/mo (refinance to 5.5%)
Effort High 2 wks (gather paperwork)
Added to Binder
Geothermal systems are extremely quiet. Because there are so

Tax Credits for Geothermal Heat Pumps

Energy-efficient geothermal heat pumps cost a lot up front, but an expanded federal tax credit combined with lower heating and cooling bills speed up the payback. Read More

Progress $ E K
Save Money High $715/yr (utility bills)
Effort High 4 days (install)
Investment High $10,500-$14,000 (post-credit)
Added to Binder
Solar panels installed on roof of house

Tax Credits for Installing Solar Panels

A generous federal tax credit makes solar panels more attractive to the average homeowner, especially if electric bills are sky high. Read More

Progress $ E K
Save Money High $300-$600/yr (electric bill)
Effort Low 1-2 days (install)
Investment High $29,120 (after incentives)
Added to Binder
Vacation house with dock

Tax Deductions for Vacation Homes

Tax deductions for vacation homes vary greatly depending on how much you use the home and whether you rent it out. Read More

Progress $ K
Save Money Med $488 (on $100,000 AGI)
Effort Med 2 hrs/wk (manage property)
Added to Binder
Solar water heater mounted on roof

Tax Credits for Solar Water Heaters

A federal tax credit makes energy-efficient solar water heaters a more affordable and sustainable option for many homeowners. Read More

Progress $ E K
Save Money Med $190-$265/yr (utility bills)
Effort Med 2-4 days (install)
Investment Med $4,000 and up
Added to Binder
Couple observing drivers on their street

Stop Drivers From Speeding in Your Neighborhood

You have the power to slow down drivers on your street—if you’re willing to invest time and perhaps some money in a traffic calming plan. Read More

Progress C K
Effort High 6-12 mos
Investment Med $1,500 (speed hump)
Added to Binder
A capital improvement increases your home's value

Tax Breaks on Capital Improvements to Your Home

Keeping track of the cost of capital improvements to your home can really pay off on your tax return when it comes time to sell. Read More

Progress $ K
Save Money High $3,750 (cap-gains tax)
Effort Low 1 hr/mo (file receipts)
Investment Low $0
Added to Binder
alt tag

Tax Deductions When You Work from Home

Working from home can offer many advantages including tax deductions, just take care what you try to write off for your home office on your return. Read More

Progress $ K
Save Money Med $113 (on $100,000 AGI)
Effort Low 1 hr/wk (paperwork)
Investment Low $0
Added to Binder
Small wind turbine in back yard

Tax Credits for Small Wind Energy Systems

An uncapped tax credit makes a sustainable small wind energy system more financially feasible for some green-leaning and penny-pinching homeowners. Read More

Progress $ E K
Save Money High $50/mo (off avg electric bill)
Effort High 3 mos
Investment High $28,000 (after tax credit)
Added to Binder