Mortgage, Home & Renting Tips

Get tips for managing mortgages and adding value to your home. From renting vs. buying to DIY home improvement, learn how to build and retain equity.

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​​15 Terms To Include in a Remodel Contract​

This is an image of three people looking at paperwork on a desk. The setting of the photo suggests a couple is getting a consultation with a home contractor. The contractor is on the left side of the image and is wearing a bright orange vest. He's wearing glasses and is pointing at paperwork on a table. In the middle is a man, who is wearing a gray shirt. Both of his hands are resting on the table, as he looks down at the paperwork. On the right-hand side is a woman. She is also wearing a gray shirt and has a ponytail. Both her hands are also resting on the table, as she looks down at the paperwork. In the background is a window and brick walls.

​​Clear contract terms can help your home remodeling project go smoothly.​

How Credit Debt Could Affect Your Mortgage

Image of a young, smiling couple standing in front of a brick home with one of the individuals holding house keys in their hand.

Find out if credit card debt affects whether you qualify for a home loan.

Time To Winterize: Fall Projects That Save Money

Homeowner double checks duct work for holes or gaps. Consumers' Checkbook logo in bottom right corner.

Improve energy efficiency and prevent the need for costly repairs.

5 Upgrades To Increase Home Value in 2022

Photo of a modern house with stone veneer along the bottom, vinyl-framed windows, and a four-panel garage door with windows across the top.

How to make the most of your home improvement dollars.

Low-Cost Tips For Reducing Energy Use at Home

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Get tips to benefit your wallet — and the planet.

End of Rental Eviction Ban: Where To Get Help

Rental relief written in a notebook

Find help through government and nonprofit programs.

Is DIY Home Improvement Right for You?

A woman smiles as she paints a white wall gray using a roller brush.

Save time and money and increase your home value by doing your homework.

Mortgage Scams Are Real in 2021: How To Avoid Them

A woman, man and dog sit on the front stairs outside their gray house. The bright yellow front door is ajar behind them.

Protect yourself from mortgage fraud, foreclosure scams and wire fraud.
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How To Save on Moving Help and Avoid Scams

A man and woman stand in their garage doorway. The man is carrying a cardboard box labeled "BEDROOM # 2" in black marker. A woman, who is smiling at him, rests her hands on top of a stack of labeled cardboard boxes. A white text logo in the lower right says "Puget Sound Consumers' Checkbook."

Comparison shopping tips to protect your stuff and your money.

Buy or Refi? Low Mortgage Rates Boost Buying Power

Standing in front of a yellow house, man cradles woman in his arms while she dangles keys from her fingers.

Read expert tips about what low rates could mean for you.

5 Budget-Friendly Home-Improvement Hacks

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You don't have to break the bank to up your curb appeal.