SoFi Blog

Tips and news—
for your financial moves.

woman sitting on front steps of house

Buying a Home in the Summer

If your summer plans consist of days spent by the pool, catching up on a juicy summer read, we’re jealous. If you’re in the market for a house, you may want to consider swapping your easy beach read for the real estate listings.

As the weather heats up, typically so do housing markets—nearly nearly 40% of housing sales occur between April and July . Nice summer weather can not only make it easier for real estate agents to show a house, but it can also simplify the process of moving since you don’t have to deal with snow, ice, or any wintery complications.

Before you head out to the plethora of open houses, consider these tips for navigating the summer home buying season.

Read more
remodeled kitchen nook

5 Home Improvement Projects to Do If You’re Trying to Sell Your House

While it may seem obvious, it’s worth repeating: When you put your house on the market, you want it to sell quickly. Case closed. But how do you make the magic happen?

Real estate agents know the real deal—curb appeal wins the day. First impressions matter to potential buyers, and that may mean completing some renovations before putting the house on the market to help it sell with speed.

If you’re interested in improving your home’s resale value, what project should you choose? Renovations can have varying impacts on your home’s value, so it might be worth doing a bit of research. The best value-boosting projects can change from year to year, depending on the economy, demand for raw materials, and buyer preference.

Read more
woman on her tablet

How Student Loan Debt Can Hit Your Tax Returns

April 15th is a day most are familiar with. For some, it means sending money off to Uncle Sam. For others, it means an influx of cash as a tax refund is issued.

Tax season with student loans can be a little different since student loans could impact your tax return in a couple different ways. In some cases, certain tax deductions can help borrowers decrease their tax liability (which is the technical term for how much an individual owes in taxes). Other times, the harsh consequences of struggling to make student loan payments kick in.

Taxes and student loans can be confusing enough on their own. When you combine them, it can feel like you are trying to navigate a maze. While everyone’s situation is different, there are some rules and regulations worth knowing.

Read more
woman at desk writing

What Makes a Good Investor?

In a 2011 interview about what makes a good investor, Warren Buffett said, “The good news I can tell you is that to be a great investor you don’t have to have a terrific IQ. If you’ve got 160 IQ, sell 30 points to somebody else because you won’t need it in investing. What you do need is the right temperament.”

So what exactly is the right temperament? What are the shared characteristics of the most successful investors?

Read more
TLS 1.2 Encrypted
Equal Housing Lender