Michele Lerner

Michele Lerner is an award-winning freelance journalist and author based in Washington, D.C. who has been writing about real estate and personal finance for more than two decades. She writes for consumers, Realtors® and investors. Her work appears regularly in The Washington Post, New Home Source, Bankrate, Fox Business, MSN, Yahoo, The Motley Fool, REIT magazine, Realtor.com, HSH.com and numerous Realtor® association publications. She is the author of 'New Home 101: Your Guide to Buying and Building a New Home' and 'HOMEBUYING: Tough Times, First Time, Any Time.'


Michele's Articles

Questions to Help You Select a Builder

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Select a Builder

If you’ve made the decision to buy a newly built home, your next choice could be the most important one of all: choosing a builder. If you plan to build a custom home, using plans from an architect or working with a design-build firm, you’ll need to carefully vet the builders who work in your.....

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Tips for Interviewing Realtors®

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Tips for Interviewing Realtors

Hiring a real estate agent to help you buy a home or to sell a home requires careful consideration. You’re about to handle one of the biggest financial transactions of your lifetime; one that impacts your lifestyle as much as it does your bank account. In order to choose the right agent to represent your.....

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How Much Can You Afford to Spend on a Home?

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How Much Can You Afford to Spend on a Home

While it might be tempting to look at homes on the market where you want to live and decide that you can “afford” a place you want, purchasing a home requires more financial preparation than just an estimate of your monthly payment. A common rule of thumb is that you can afford to buy a.....

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Porcelain Counter That Looks Like Marble

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The New Kitchen Counter

Anyone who spends time perusing "shelter" magazines like House Beautiful or Architectural Digest or who drools over glamorous house photos on Houzz or Pinterest has probably daydreamed about marble. Marble kitchen counters, marble backsplashes, marble bathrooms… while marble has been the ultimate luxury material for centuries, a moment of practical thought sometimes brings those daydreams.....

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Home Organization Tips from Int’l Builders Show

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Home Organization Tips from Int’l Builders Show

Home organization and storage experts at the International Builders Show recently showcased the latest trends in building products and home design, including an array of ideas for home storage and organization that would make Marie Kondo proud. Builders and remodelers look for ways to incorporate more storage into every possible space. Whether you have a.....

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The Smartest Kitchen Appliances

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The Smartest Kitchen Appliances

Tech innovations and new ideas are changing the way Americans cook and eat. You can have a donut or filet mignon delivered with a touch on an app or have gourmet meals boxed at your doorstep and ready for you to play chef when you get home from work. Your kitchen can be run by.....

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