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A cute, Cape-style home in Yorktown Heights, NY, is the oldest property to hit the market this week on Realtor.com®.

The cozy house features a Dutch door, an original fireplace, and a first-floor primary suite with a claw-foot tub. Modernizations include an updated kitchen with soapstone countertops and a restored farmhouse sink.

Other vintage dwellings to hit the market this week include an equestrian farmhouse in New Jersey, an affordable home with a brick silo in Connecticut, and a stone farmhouse in Pennsylvania.

Scroll down for a full look at this week’s 10 oldest homes.

Photo courtesy of True Life Design Co via Houzz

We get it. Finally landing your own home and putting a personal stamp on the decor is a big thrill.

But in the heat of the excitement, some younger buyers might do well to slow down and think things through a bit. Otherwise, the situation can quickly devolve to “bye-bye, charm; hello, boring” factory finishes and gallons of greige paint.

Of course, buying a home is a big, expensive deal. And there might not be enough money left for a complete and thoughtful renovation. But that doesn’t have to spell cringeworthy results.

So if you’re about to pull the trigger on a home remodel, be warned that diving headfirst into aggressive demos and trendy designs can be risky. Here are some common mistakes new homeowners make when renovating their spaces.

HGTV

On “Fixer to Fabulous,” Dave and Jenny Marrs are used to giving homes a bit more character—but what if the house already has too much character?

In the episode “Eccentric House to Modern Home,” the Marrses never suspect anything is off kilter based on the home’s exterior.

“I feel like we’re in Europe,” says Jenny as she and Dave walk up the lengthy front path. “The landscaping’s nice, the brick’s nice, the stone’s nice. I’m not doing anything to the outside of this house. It’s beautiful.”

But once she steps through the front door, her jaw drops.

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A decade of under-building has led to a shortfall of 6.5 million single-family homes in the U.S., according to a new report released Wednesday.

Realtor.com looked at household formation, housing starts, and home sales, and found that given how many households were formed between 2012 and 2022, the U.S. is short of 6.5 million single-family homes.

But that gap diminishes somewhat if households opted to live in multi-family construction, which has boomed. Including multi-family homes, the gap in housing units in the U.S. falls to 2.3 million homes.

Yet most of those multi-family units won’t necessarily provide a path to homeownership, said Hannah Jones, an economic analyst at Realtor.com.

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Singer Karly-Marina Loaiza, who uses the stage name Kali Uchis, has a stunning home in the San Fernando Valley.

And she’s willing to rent it out. But not for a song.

For the serious sum of $15,000 a month, you can live like the R&B, pop, and hip-hop star. There’s lots of room to drop your bags in the five-bedroom, six-bath, 3,772-square-foot manse.

The songstress purchased the inviting home in 2019 for around $1.7 million, according to the Los Angeles Times. Located in the upscale Valley Village neighborhood in Los Angeles, the house was recently remodeled.

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The Colorado Tudor at the center of one of the most infamous, unsolved crimes of the 1990s is on the market for nearly $7 million. But the sellers are unlikely to get that much for the spacious residence where the body of 6-year-old beauty queen JonBenét Ramsey was discovered in 1996.

The current owners have struggled to sell the Boulder home in the past, listing it several times over the past 15 years. The last time they listed the property was in 2014 for a relatively modest $2 million—and they couldn’t find a buyer. So why they are attempting to sell it for more than triple that amount today, given the property’s tragic history, is another mystery.

“I don’t think it’s going to be an easy sale,” says real estate agent and true-crime podcaster Christina Van De Water. She’s based in New Milford, CT, and co-hosts the REal Crime Podcast. “The price is astronomical for the history of the home. It’s going to take a very special person to comfortably move into that home.”

The five-bedroom, 5.5-bathroom estate went back up for sale in mid-November of last year, then taken off the market the week before Christmas. The 7,240-square-foot residence was relisted on March 1 for $6.95 million after undergoing a $300,000 price cut.

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Q: What are some creative ideas for first-time buyers to afford homeownership?

As the spring housing market kicks off, first-time homebuyers are staring down high home prices, mortgage interest rates above 7%, and a dearth of newly listed properties for sale. Even if they’re doing well financially, this is going to be a tough market for just about everyone.

I wish I had some magical advice I could sprinkle around to ensure a successful, low-stress homebuying journey that doesn’t break your budget. Spoiler alert: I don’t. You might have to compromise more than you would like and, perhaps, get creative.

Homebuyers struggling to make the math work might want to consider house hacking, an increasingly popular tactic in some areas.

It’s basically a new take on an old concept: Buying a home with the intent to rent out rooms or features on your property to make some additional cash. Many folks house hack to help pay off their mortgage and other bills.

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On the precipice of the hotly anticipated spring housing market, the U.S. Federal Reserve just dealt homebuyers another crushing blow.

Jerome Powell, chair of the Federal Reserve, told Congress on Tuesday that more aggressive interest rates might be needed to cool inflation. And while mortgage interest rates are separate from the Fed’s short-term rates, they often follow the same trajectory. Those higher rates have hit homebuyers where it hurts: their budgets.

In response to Powell’s comments, mortgage rates hit 7.03% for 30-year fixed-rate loans on Tuesday afternoon, according to Mortgage News Daily. Those higher rates are largely responsible for today’s buyers paying more than 50% a month in their mortgage payments than they would have a year ago.*

“That’s a bummer for buyers who had their hopes raised that rates would be falling,” says Realtor.com® Chief Economist Danielle Hale. “It’s going to be a more challenging spring than some people were expecting.”

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Some houses are so unique in their architecture and location that it’s hard to imagine they’ll ever be replicated. The Burbank Castle, in Burbank, CA, is one of them—and it’s on the market for the first time, priced at $4,995,000.

Known by some as “The Harry Potter House,” this four-bedroom, 4.5-bath mansion cuts a magical silhouette in the Burbank Hills. Inspired by the homeowner’s travels in England, the custom-built Victorian Tudor is on the market for the first time since its construction in 2002.

“This home easily has the most amazing, unobstructed views in the valley,” says listing agent Scott Rosenthal. “This is the ultimate view home and can all be enjoyed from an infinity hot tub with a glass of wine.”

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Photo-Illustration by Realtor.com; Photos: Getty Images (4)

Two true tests of any romantic relationship include building IKEA furniture together (without losing any of the tiny parts!) and, of course, renovating a house.

As you and your partner work together to achieve the perfect home, even the most straightforward projects can spark arguments, battles, and long-term resentments.

“Home renovations, like any major life change, can bring a lot of stress into a relationship,” says Candace Kotkin-De Carvalho, a licensed social worker and clinical director at Absolute Awakenings in Northern New Jersey.

So before you start looking for couples counselors and building contractors, here are six things to remember when tackling a big home project with your significant other.

Vecteezy

While most homebuyers know that they’ll need to meet certain requirements to get a home loan, in some cases the house must pass certain standards, too. This is definitely the case if you’re considering a USDA loan from the Department of Agriculture.

USDA loans can be a boon to homebuyers due to their fairly lenient qualifications for homebuyers’ incomes and credit scores. However, these loans do have strict standards that the house must meet to qualify as well.

One main requirement for USDA loans is the home’s location: Eligible properties must be in rural or suburban areas with a population of 35,000 or less. (Listings on Realtor.com® will typically indicate if they qualify for USDA loans.)

Beyond location, the home must also meet certain criteria. While the exact terms will vary by area, here are some general guidelines to help you tell whether a home is eligible for a USDA loan.

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The most expensive home in Vail, CO, has made a big splash on the market.

What’s attracting the most attention to this gorgeous residence? The suspended, glass-bottom pool, of course.

That, for starters, might explain the $40 million price tag.

The 75-foot pool’s design includes a translucent vertical wall and bottom, and it resembles a box with windows. Adjacent to a glass-walled floating staircase, both of these design features allow unblocked views of the surrounding mountains.

HGTV

Season 4 of designer showdown “Rock the Block” promises to be bigger and better than ever.

This time, four prominent HGTV designer teams spend $250,000 apiece over six weeks renovating four identical 5,000-square-foot houses in Berthoud, CO. The size of the homes and their budgets supersede all that’s come before, and the team that adds the most appraised value to their home wins.

Ty Pennington returns as show host, and this year’s teams include Bryan and Sarah Baeumler of “Renovation Island,” Michel Smith Boyd and Anthony Elle from “Luxe for Less,” Jonathan Knight and Kristina Crestin from “Farmhouse Fixer,” and Page Turner and Mitch Glew from “Fix My Flip.”

The first episode, titled “Kitchen Face-Off,” has the designers working on (you guessed it) the kitchens, as well as the dining areas, pantries, and mudrooms, plus the adjacent study and powder room, if they choose. Dave and Jenny Marrs of “Fixer to Fabulous” step in to judge this week’s efforts.

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Mom is moving on.

Yup. Tina Drew, the mother of pop stars Jessica Simpson and Ashlee Simpson, is parting ways with her longtime lakefront home.

Situated in the swanky Los Angeles neighborhood of Toluca Lake, the house sits behind a gated wall and is listed for $6.5 million.

And here’s a fun fact about this four-bedroom, 5.5-bath, 4,535-square-foot property: Drew purchased the place from actress Jennifer Love Hewitt for $4.1 million in 2014.

Photo-Illustration by Realtor.com; Photo: Getty Images

A significant shift in your life circumstances often ushers in an era of change. Those who are newly single, empty nesters, or recent retirees often find themselves mulling over the seductive yet stressful idea of downsizing their home.

A smaller home typically means lower bills and less upkeep. Then there’s the potential windfall that comes from selling your larger home and buying something smaller. But there are plenty of factors homebuyers forget to consider when downsizing.

We tapped real estate professionals and people who have recently downsized to share their best practices for navigating this daunting and emotional process.

Budget all costs ahead of time

Downsizing, as it turns out, can be pricier than you might expect.

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We’ve all come to accept—and perhaps even expect—some of the enhanced language sellers use in real estate listings.

You know the ones we’re talking about: “Cozy” can be code for small, “charming” likely means old, “efficient” often stands in for small, and “unique” might suggest it’s hard to sell.

Yes, some sellers use language to smooth over a home’s rough spots. But when homeowners veer into actual untruths, it’s a problem.

It’s one thing to hide clutter and spruce up the living room furniture to prepare the home to sell, but it’s another thing entirely when sellers outright fib to potential buyers. Read on to get the lowdown on how white lies can torpedo a sale.

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“I must break you,” Ivan Drago told Rocky Balboa in “Rocky IV.”  (Spoiler: He didn’t.) It’s the exact sentiment you may feel while staring at your dream home, thinking about its sellers, and pondering what to do when negotiation talks go cold.

Now you might not be able to break hard-headed sellers, but you can probably warm them up enough to at least bend a bit. We asked accomplished experts what home buyers can do when a real estate Cold War sets in.

1. Knock out the home warranty

When you need to sweeten the pot, it’s a smart idea to start focusing on some of the little things in the contract. The home warranty is a good place to begin.

“In our market, it is almost standard now for a seller to pay for a home warranty for the new buyer,” says Jeff Knox, broker and owner of Knox and Associates Real Estate in Dallas. These home warranty clauses generally cost a seller around $500.

HGTV

HGTV’s hit home renovation competition “Rock the Block” is back for Season 4, with four new groups of all-star designers going head to head remodeling homes in Berthoud, CO. This time, no expense will be spared, as they’re using the biggest budgets on the biggest houses in the show’s history!

Each team gets $250,000 and six weeks to renovate one of four identical 5,000-square-foot homes; the property that fetches the highest appraised value at the end wins.

No doubt, it will be a tight race between Bryan and Sarah Baeumler from “Renovation Island,” Michel Smith Boyd and Anthony Elle from “Luxe for Less,” Jonathan Knight and Kristina Crestin from “Farmhouse Fixer,” and Page Turner and Mitch Glew from “Fix My Flip.” Meanwhile, Ty Pennington has returned as emcee/referee.

We had a chat with the “Rock the Block” host and competitors to hear what the competition was like behind the scenes. Here’s what they had to say about their experiences, as well as which design trends are all the rage today (and a few that are on the chopping block). Bonus: Pennington introduces a new type of room he thinks every house should have, particularly when you’re renovating.

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What do you get when a historic house becomes the residence of a renowned journalist for 23 years? A good story, of course—which is exactly what the next owners of The Echo House will be getting. The price of the eye-catching property is $849,000.

The three-bedroom home in Madison, GA,  was built in 1915 and designed by Leila Ross Wilburn, one of the state’s earliest female architects.

The first owner of the home was Dan Carter, who was reportedly one of the last horse-and-buggy doctors in the county.

The detached garage, where Carter’s buggy was stored, was renovated by a previous owner, the late James McManus, a former CBS news correspondent and chief of press advance for Robert F. Kennedy. McManus died in 2022 at the age of 90.

Eva-Katalin

If you’re selling your home, you’re probably going to consider investing some money in a sprucing-up that the pros call home staging. Staging can be a cost-effective way to get a quick sale. If you don’t fancy yourself a design-minded individual, fear not; there are professional home stagers for that. But what is a home stager and how can they help you?

A home stager is responsible for preparing a home for sale. The goal of staging a home is to make it more appealing while still allowing the potential buyers to envision putting their own personal touch on the property. Home stagers will bring in furniture, art, and accessories to ensure the decor is on-trend and aspirational.

The pricier the home, the more it costs to stage. As a general rule of thumb, most stagers charge $300 to $600 for an initial design consultation, and $500 to $600 per month per room.

Why stage a house?