June 23, 2007
- House Hunting Strategies
House Hunting Strategies
There are many factors to consider when looking to purchase a home - from what neighborhood to which floor plan and much more. Let's review 4 things you should keep in mind when looking for a home.
1. Location, location, location.
A house needs to be near what's important to you and your lifestyle. How [...]
June 20, 2007
- 30-Year Fixed Mortgages Looking Good Now
30-Year Fixed Mortgages Looking Good Now
Amid a steady stream of headlines about turmoil in the U.S. mortgage market propelled by rising defaults of subprime loans, home buyers and owners are fast turning to traditional, long-term mortgages for home financing needs.
Thirty-year fixed-rate mortgages provide certainty and security, features that had been of little concern to many [...]
June 18, 2007
- Choosing a Real Estate Appraiser
Choosing a Real Estate Appraiser
If you plan to finance your home through a bank or other lender, you’ll more than likely need to get the property appraised first. Banks and most lenders want to know the value of the home for your protection, as well as make sure that the home they are financing is [...]
June 12, 2007
- Vacation Homes Can Raise Your Tax Load
Vacation Homes Can Raise Your Tax Load
People who spend a lot of time relaxing in one state while calling another home can trigger state income tax in both. A common way to go wrong is to hold on to a condo and social connections after moving away to a tax haven such as Florida or [...]
June 9, 2007
- Consider Income Taxes When Relocating
Consider Income Taxes When Relocating
As many states close their budget gaps by raising taxes, an important factor in the calculus of where to live is shifting, particularly for retirees or people with an option of choosing between neighboring states. In the past 3 years, 26 states have raised taxes significantly in one way or another.
Of [...]
June 8, 2007
- House Hunting - A Battle of the Sexes?
House Hunting - A Battle of the Sexes?
When hunting for a house, what do women want? What do men want?
Surprisingly, there's very little formal research on this issue, and much of it is on singles rather than couples.
For instance, the National Association of Realtors' 2006 survey of consumers found that unmarried women looked for places [...]
June 7, 2007
- Buying a Home - New vs Resale
Buying a Home - New vs Resale
When buying a home the largest decision that you will have to make is the choice of whether to buy a new home or a resale home. There are specific concerns that relate to both options so a smart buyer should take the time to consider the pros and [...]
June 5, 2007
- How to Buy That Home with No Mortgage
How to Buy That Home with No Mortgage
What? Buy a home and not have a mortgage? Who can afford that? Only the Rich and Famous?
Yes, it can be done, it's not the easiest thing in the world, but it's entirely possible.
What if five years from now you were sitting in a reasonable paid for house. [...]
May 29, 2007
- Home Kits Test for Mold
Home Kits Test for Mold
It's mold season again — for some homeowners, a time of fretting over whether fungus may be secretly growing behind the wallpaper or other places. Companies that sell do-it-yourself mold tests say their simple and inexpensive sampling methods can find a mold problem. Scientists say some tests are useful while others [...]
May 27, 2007
- Alternatives to Having a Lawn
Alternatives to Having a Lawn
It's common knowledge that the first thing prospective buyers see when they arrive at your home may be the most important factor in determining whether they even bother walking in the door. It's known as curb appeal.
It's also common knowledge that a big part of good curb appeal is a well-manicured, [...]
May 25, 2007
- Relocation - Housing Markets are Causing Hesitation
Relocation - Housing Markets are Causing Hesitation
Relocation experts say common reasons job candidates hesitate to uproot often has to do with people's reluctance to leave their comfort zones, their families and their friends.
A relocation survey on mobility trends found that family issues were still the dominating reason employees turned down a job that would require relocation [...]
May 24, 2007
- FHA Loans - Help for First-Time Buyers
FHA Loans - Help for First-Time Buyers
If you have little or no money for a down payment, iffy credit and too many bills, an FHA loan could be what you need to buy a house.
The Federal Housing Administration, a part of the Department of Housing and Urban Development, was created 70 years ago to help [...]
May 21, 2007
- 5 Things Every Home Buyer Should Consider
5 Things Every Home Buyer Should Consider
As the start of the home buying season kicks into gear, there are five things every first-time home buyer should think about before actually purchasing a new home.
First, check your credit report and find out what your score is. Knowing what your credit looks like will give you an idea [...]
May 18, 2007
- Home Shopping - A Few Guidelines
Home Shopping - A Few Guidelines
When shopping for a new home, the most important tip to heed is to communicate with your real estate agent. Let the agent know exactly what you want and how much can you afford to spend; that way you won't be wasting time looking for houses that don't fit your [...]
May 17, 2007
- Home Renovations: Beware of Sneaky Contractors
Home Renovations: Beware of Sneaky Contractors
Having a new home built or doing some renovation? Odds are, you're not getting everything you paid for. With many home construction projects, a contractor or a subcontractor may be cutting corners at your expense.
There are honest building professionals, but many will play every angle to increase their profits. They might use low-end [...]
May 15, 2007
- Should Newlyweds Buy a House?
Should Newlyweds Buy a House?
If you're like many freshly minted couples, now you're thinking about buying a home of your own, with plenty of storage space for the wedding gifts you actually kept. But how do you know if you can afford to be homeowners? Is it wise to buy a home before the ink [...]
May 11, 2007
- The Dumbest Renovation Fads
The Dumbest Renovation Fads
A remodeling trend may look good on paper, but it may not make your home more livable - or more valuable.
The great Great-Room Craze of the 1980s was all about openness: Why should the kitchen be so removed from the other living spaces? Indeed, why should there be any distinction between one public [...]
May 9, 2007
- Home Buying Glossary
Home Buying Glossary
Are you in the market for a new house or already in the process of buying a house? There are some terms you should be familiar with:
Assessed Value The value of a real estate property, based on a percentage of the house's overall market value, placed on a property by city or [...]
May 8, 2007
- Homeowners Can Battle Against Global Warming
Homeowners Can Battle Against Global Warming
Going green is the new black in 2007. Advice abounds on how to cut your carbon dioxide output and do your part in the battle against global warming. But how much does a person have to spend to go green–and what kind of environmental impact would that spending actually have?
The [...]
May 7, 2007
- The Advantages of Using a Real Estate Agent
The Advantages of Using a Real Estate Agent
Together with getting married or becoming pregnant, selling and buying a house are the most important stages in one's life from both a financial and emotional standpoint. In times of such importance it is always good to be able to depend on somebody with experience in real estate [...]
