When buying at a foreclosure auction, be aware you will be required to pay a large sum of money down when/if you win the bid (very often $20,000). The remaining balance will be due within 24 hours.

Industry Insider Joel C.

The choice to enroll in an outpatient program altered my life immensely. Our choices determine our future, and I had made a poor one driving drunk...Help is an amazing way of embracing freedom.

Robin M.

The first weeks were hard and my grandmothers made sure we were aware of their abandonment feelings. However, their passionate disdain transformed into a secretive fondness; then they asked us if they could go on the weekends.

Samantha M.

The process to get approved for adoption or foster care is intense...You will be called upon to answer personal questions that only the bottom of your soul can answer.

Elizabeth N.

Finding a place to hold the wedding reception was the most difficult part of planning our St. John wedding because the majority of villa owners do not allow any kind of “party” to take place on their property, even a small wedding reception.

Jennifer B.

The biggest mistake a buyer can make is not to ask for proof of the repairs or fail to have the property reinspected...If the work isn’t done adequately and you proceed to close on the property, you could now own the problem.

Industry Insider Dana B.

When we were told the staff all helped out with the patients, that everyone from administration to maintenance knew each patient's care plan, and that patients were considered family, we knew we'd fount the right place.

Stephanie V.

Lugging decorations and formalwear to your wedding destination is a hassle and could lead to everything getting damaged, and rushing to acquire the items when you arrive is hectic. The location is its own centerpiece.

Patrick S.

Through this experience, we learned to make our own decisions on health care. We should listen to our doctors, but we must pay attention and make sure that our loved one is getting the best care.

Theresa F.

Ask the contractor if he or she has completed or managed this type of work before. Be specific about the individual trades involved (electrical, plumbing, tiling) and ask for references.

Nigel H.

I took everything very seriously and really tried to get the most out of the program...When I have days where I struggle with the desire to drink, I can go over a lot of what I learned in that rehab program and make the better choice...to be sober.

Kelly R.

We didn’t need permits for the kitchen remodel, but obviously this is something you’d want to check on in advance. You don’t want to remodel and then find out you can’t claim it on your insurance or that it doesn’t add to the value of your home.

Wendy T.

This is the best thing I ever did to help my credit...The difference with bank-issued prepaid credit cards is the simple fact that banks report them to credit-monitoring agencies.

Robin M.

One thing we did not do so well was thinking ahead about the possibilities. If we had talked about it, we might have chosen not to have [my mother] undergo the hip operation and simply allowed her to remain bed-ridden with hospice pain medication.

Carrie B.

I spent hours researching real estate agents and pricing our home...I am convinced that our home sold in two hours because I had done my homework. The hours of research had paid off.

Scott B.

On the trip home, I noticed immediate, impossibly true improvement. By the next day, I was seeing 20/20, on my own, for the first time in my entire remembered life.

Cherri C.

[Our real estate agent] offered to sweeten the deal by accepting a lower commission and represent both us and the buyer. Knowing what I know now, the equivalent of a submarine diving alarm should have sounded.

Curtis J.

One of my worst nightmares had just occurred. I had never experienced a house fire and I had no idea what to do next. Fortunately, our insurance company was helpful and assigned us an adjuster immediately.

Rebecca B.

Escrows for property taxes & home insurance can pack a shocking wallop in terms of what the buyers must bring to the settlement...the bank often requires the buyer to contribute to escrows that accumulate with each monthly payment.

Industry Insider John C.

Had we interviewed realtors, researched their backgrounds and made an informed decision, we would likely be in a different place right now.

Joanna H.