Tools
- Neighborhood research
Ratings, home ages and systems coming due for homes in a ZIP code or city.
- System lifespans
Typical service life for roofs, HVAC, water heaters and more.
- How the rating works
The method behind the ResidentData Rating and condition indicator.
- All homes
Browse every listed home with its rating and map.
Guides
Buying · Buyers
What to check before you buy a homeThe records, inspections and quotes worth getting before your option or inspection period ends.
5 min read
Owning · Homeowners
A seasonal home maintenance calendarSmall jobs each season that prevent the expensive ones, and how to keep proof that they were done.
4 min read
Owning · Everyone
How long home systems last, and how to plan for replacementTypical service lives for roofs, HVAC, water heaters and more, and why your home may differ.
3 min read
Insurance · Everyone
Getting a home insurance quote: what insurers askThe details that move a homeowners premium, and how having them ready gets you a more accurate quote.
4 min read
Insurance · Everyone
Flood risk and flood insurance basicsWhat a flood zone means, why homes outside one still flood, and when to buy coverage.
3 min read
Financing · Buyers
Mortgage pre-qualification and pre-approvalThe difference between the two, what a lender checks, and why sellers care.
3 min read
Projects · Homeowners
Hiring a contractor: bids, contracts and permitsHow to get comparable bids, what a contract should say, and how to pay as the work progresses.
5 min read
Selling · Homeowners
Selling: how a verified home history helpsWhy buyers pay attention to records, and what to gather before you list.
3 min read
Glossary
- Actual cash value
- Insurance payment for the replacement cost minus depreciation.
- Allowance
- An amount in a bid for an item not yet chosen, such as tile or fixtures. The final cost can be higher.
- Change order
- A signed change to a contract's scope, price or schedule.
- Escrow
- Money held by a neutral party until conditions are met, such as at closing or for taxes and insurance.
- Lien release
- A document confirming a contractor or supplier has been paid and gives up the right to claim against the property.
- Loan Estimate
- A standard three-page form lenders give after an application, for comparing loan offers.
- Option period
- In some states, a negotiated window after the contract when a buyer can inspect and back out for a fee.
- Replacement cost
- What it would cost to rebuild or replace with similar materials today, without deducting for age.
- Retainage
- A share of each payment held back until a project is finished.
- Service life
- How long a system or material typically lasts before it needs replacement.