63% of Americans Underestimate the Cost of Homeownership

Americans are paying nearly $5,000 more per year for homeownership than they expected, according to a survey by Credible.  Of the homeowners surveyed, 63% said they underestimated the true cost of homeownership, and 69% said monthly housing costs were higher than they expected.   First-time buyers w

New Ruling and Letter on Noncompete Clauses

My very first writing assignment in law school involved covenants not to compete. One of the most fascinating aspects of these agreements is that they can be treated very differently depending on the industry. There is also a long history of the courts either declining to enforce a covenant altogeth

45% of Homebuyers Sign Documents They Don’t Understand

  Nearly half (45%) of recent homebuyers said they signed documents they didn’t fully understand when purchasing their home, according to a survey by Smallpdf.  The documents that they found most confusing were:  Escrow instructions (31%)  Title insurance (26%)  Closing disclosure (21%)  Property di

45% of Recent Buyers Said Having a Good Agent Made Homebuying Easier

About 44% of recent homebuyers say their overall happiness has improved since buying, but 23% agree that their financial situation has gotten worse since doing so, according to a survey of respondents who bought homes in recent years (2023-2025) by Clever.  The survey found that more buyers are prio