Someone once asked me: With the way the economy has taken a toll on savings accounts, the traditional 20% down payment seems out of reach for many first-time home buyers like myself. Are more first-timers going the route of 5%-15% down payments? Or should I wait until I've got the 20% saved?

I can answer your question in two ways because you're asking two separate questions.

Believe it or not, many a homebuyer who may have saved up meticulously for years for the down payment on a house can end up flat-footed after the close of escrow. Why? Because often they have not thought about the expenses of homeownership that have nothing to do with their monthly mortgage payment.

Many companies try to design great workspaces for their employees — clean, spacious areas where productive work is encouraged. So why wouldn’t you do the same for your school-aged child when it comes to setting up a place for virtual learning?

It's all about the presentation. When you're trying to sell your home during these pandemic days, it's even MORE about the presentation, since most potential buyers may never even enter it, relying instead on how it looks in videos and photographs.