Own It with Angie Hicks

Buying a Home for Who You Are Now Is the Biggest Mistake You Can Make

Thu, 28 May 2026 05:00:00 -0400

Most people think buying a home is about finding the right mortgage. Tiffany Aliche — The Budgetnista, New York Times bestselling author, and one of the most trusted voices in personal finance — says that's exactly where they go wrong. A mortgage is one line item. The real question is whether you can afford the whole thing, and whether you're buying for your life right now or the life you're building.

In this episode, Angie and Tiffany break down the real math of homeownership: what it actually costs to carry a home, how to know if you're ready to buy, and the mindset shift that turns a house from a financial trap into a wealth builder.

Here's what we discuss with Tiffany:

• Why shame shields solutions, and what Tiffany had to let go of before she could rebuild

• The "is your mortgage rentable?" rule and why it changes how you think about buying

• What the full carrying cost of a home actually looks like beyond the mortgage

• The Noodle Budget: what it is, when to use it, and how it protects homeowners when things go sideways

• How much cushion you actually need before you buy, and why saving a down payment isn't enough

• The biggest mistake homeowners make that has nothing to do with the house itself

Ready to find the right contractor before your next project? Visit angi.com to connect with top-rated pros in your area. Angi (formerly Angie’s List) is a leading home services marketplace that has helped homeowners with 300M+ home projects from plumbing and remodeling to roofing and landscaping.

Learn more at Angi.com

He's Flipped 1,000 Homes. Here's What He Fixes First.

Thu, 14 May 2026 05:00:00 -0400

Tarek El Moussa has bought, fixed, and sold over 1,000 homes. That means he's walked into quite a few houses in his day. And he sees things the average homeowner completely misses. In this episode, Angie sits down with Tarek to talk about what actually moves the needle when you're preparing to sell, what kills deals at inspection, and how to think about ROI when you're deciding what to fix, update, or leave alone.

Here's what we discuss in this episode:

What buyers see the moment they walk through your door — and what they're actually looking for
Why seven out of ten homes fall out of escrow today, and the simple move that prevents most of it
The projects with the best ROI before you list and the ones that aren't worth it
How to get a high-end look without blowing the budget
The gold toilet rule: what's personal, what's smart, and when those two things collide
Tarek's four-step framework for any home improvement decision: evaluate, emulate, renovate, duplicate

Learn More: angi.com/landing/podcast-angie-hicks

Introducing Own It with Angie Hicks

Thu, 07 May 2026 14:30:00 -0400

Do you own your home, or does it own you?

For over 30 years, Angie Hicks has been hearing homeowners' hopes and headaches. What she learned: there's a lot nobody tells you about owning a home.

Introducing Own It with Angie Hicks!

In her new podcast, Angie sits down with leading experts, industry insiders, and real homeowners to tackle the questions that keep you up at night — whether to renovate or move, how to prioritize when you can't do it all, and what's actually worth the investment.

No how-tos. No Pinterest perfection. Just real talk, hard-won lessons, and the kind of advice you'd want from someone who genuinely gets it.

New episodes drop every other week. Follow now so you don't miss the first one.