SoFi Blog

Looking to buy or sell a home this year? While doable, 2019 could potentially be one of those years in the real estate market where it gets a little harder for both the buyers and the sellers.

Overall, the real estate market could remain in favor of sellers—called a “seller’s market ”—as compared to being on the buying end of the equation. This is a continuation of what we’ve seen for the last five-plus years .

Compared to the beginning of last year , some forecasts predict that home prices will grow more slowly , which could be good for buyers, but mortgage rates have also increased . Ultimately, this makes homes less affordable for buyers.

It’s down to the last few seconds. The star point guard steals the ball and dribbles his way down the court. Swish—the buzzer sounds. The game is over and your team is headed to the big tournament.

Every March the 68 teams compete in a frenzy of competition in the big basketball tournament . It’s competition at its best, the fans are loud, the rivalries are tense, and the games are exciting. It’s no wonder that thousands of fans travel in order to show their support for their favorite teams.

The excitement kicks off March 17th on selection Sunday . While supporting your alma mater or favorite college basketball team can be thrilling, it can also get expensive.

Almost 70% of U.S. households have a pet at home, with 60% of U.S. households having a dog and 47% of households having a cat. And there’s a good reason: our pets make us happier and healthier . Having a pet at home can improve self-esteem, physical fitness, and decrease loneliness. Plus, there’s pretty much nothing cuter than a newly adopted kitten or puppy.

But for all the positives of pet ownership, the costs can be overwhelming. As it turns out, 98% of pet owners seriously underestimated the cost of pet ownership. Excluding emergency and other serious vet procedures, the cost of taking care of a dog over the course of its lifetime ranges from $27,074 to $42,545. Thinking smaller?

The lifetime cost of owning a rabbit ranges between $12,893 and $19,338. Most of these costs end up concentrated at the start of adoption, when new pet owners pay for adoption fees , vaccinations, vet care, and the bulk of supplies, while the remaining costs are spread out over the animal’s lifespan and account for things like food, vet care, and supplies.

You may have noticed lately the increased incidences of extreme weather—everything from hurricanes to wildfires to a polar vortex. Of course, in the event of a natural disaster, your first obligation is to protect your family.

In advance of these events, most people think immediately of non-negotiable musts like food , water and other supplies (as well they should). However, it’s also a sound idea to make sure that your savings, investments, and other financial obligations are kept safe from the elements and the possible ravages of nature.

As more of our financial lives go online and are stored in clouds, we may tend to dismiss the possibility that natural disasters can wreak havoc on our financial records.

Should an emergency happen in your area, you and your family and friends may need to hang tight for several days before things return to a relative normal.

In this post, we suggest ways to consider how to protect your finances and investments from the physical damage caused by forces of nature. Just like your overall survival plan, protecting your money and financial records takes preparation.

The Millennial generation has become synonymous with student loan debt, swiping right and left on dating apps, and taking a political stance, whether for the right, left, or anywhere in between. These associations also have a tendency to bleed together: beliefs about money, love, and politics all impact one another in interesting ways.

So, for this Valentine’s Day, we surveyed over 1,000 millennials (ages 25-35) across the U.S. to see how they are navigating these topics and found some trends that surprised us.