Tina Furgala - Associate Real Estate Broker

06/03/2026

Closing a credit card account can hurt your credit score, but there are other options if you no longer use it.

Canceling a credit card that you rarely use or have paid off can feel good. It can give you a sense ...

05/30/2026

Open house today
12-3
126 Lucinda Ln.
Fayetteville

05/27/2026

Retirees, consider saving money by moving to a smaller home or a less expensive location!

If you’re nearing retirement and haven’t saved much for it, you’re not alone. Forty-eight percent of...

05/27/2026

Truth!

Your mortgage gets paid off eventually. Your property tax bill never does.

In these 12 states that bill runs over $4,000 a year forever. Most people don't fully process that when they buy.

Think about what that actually means over time.

You spend 30 years paying off your mortgage. You celebrate. The house is yours. No more payments.

And then the property tax bill shows up in January exactly like it did the year before and the year before that.

In New Jersey the average property tax bill runs around $9,000 to $10,000 a year. In Connecticut it's over $6,000. In New York, Illinois, and Massachusetts it's well above $6,000 in most counties. Texas homeowners are paying $6,000 to $8,000 in many metro areas despite having no state income tax.

That's $500 to $850 a month. Every month. After the mortgage is gone. For the rest of the time you own that home.

And here's what most people miss when they run the retirement math.

Property taxes don't stay flat. They go up. As home values rise, assessments rise, and the bill rises with them. A homeowner who bought in suburban New Jersey in 2000 and paid $4,000 a year in property taxes is now paying $10,000 or more on the same house.

Their mortgage is paid off. Their income is fixed. But the tax bill kept climbing regardless.

This is why so many retirees in high property tax states eventually sell and leave.

It's not that they don't love where they live. It's that a $800 a month tax bill on a fixed Social Security income stops being manageable and starts being a crisis.

Where you buy a home isn't just a lifestyle decision. It's a 30-year financial commitment that includes a tax bill that never goes away and almost always goes up.

Run that number before you fall in love with the house.

05/20/2026

Are pink and aqua the new neutral? Retro colors are back!

Everything old is new again, and that goes for decorating with color. While the last decade in home ...

05/17/2026

This is the labor of love I've been working on for the last year. Completely rebuilt! A new build on an existing foundation. Great deal for a new home!

This clean lined, simple ranch home is a rare find. Located on a private road 4.7 miles from Trilith Studios and 2.3 miles from the new National Soccer Center with easy access to I-85. Situated on one acre, peaceful and private setting with plenty of room to put up an outbuilding or garage. The enti...

05/13/2026

Increasing your credit score takes time, but there are a few things you can do to quickly gain a few points.

Improving your credit can take time, often many months. But there are some things you can do to rais...

05/08/2026

2623 Sandy Plains Rd Marietta
Fully leased!

05/08/2026

🚙☠️- don’t finance a car!

05/07/2026

When setting up your children’s future, it looks like the 529 education account is still the best avenue to fund their education. If setting up your children for retirement, go for the Trump account or the IRA!

A financial expert breaks down the best accounts for kids, whether you're saving for their education, a future down payment on a home, or their retirement.