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Put lawn upkeep on autopilot
Category: Real Estate/Home Improvement
... watered, it might be time to consider a sprinkler timer. There are sizes and styles that will work with anything from a complex underground system to a simple hose and sprinkler, in both electric and battery-operated ...Tuesday, 07 October 2008 -
Deck-staining that can't fail
Category: Real Estate/Home Improvement
... A good deck stain will penetrate into the wood, where it offers moisture protection by helping the wood to shed water. This prolongs the life of the wood, and helps prevent splintering and loosening around ...Tuesday, 07 October 2008 -
Two-day, $2,000 room makeover not reality
Category: Real Estate/Seller
... a simple bookshelf, that is indeed possible to do in two days with $2,000 -- but not by the average homeowner. The kind of accelerated pace depicted on these shows requires that absolutely everything has ...Tuesday, 07 October 2008 -
Changing out windows tricky with aluminum siding
Category: Real Estate/Home Improvement
... sized to the area of the pool room and the amount of moisture being generated. This will remove the moist air from the room properly and under complete control. I would strongly recommend that you contact ...Thursday, 20 March 2008 -
Kitchen is no place to skimp on lighting
Category: Real Estate/Home Improvement
... from fixtures that are strategically placed to provide good lighting for performing specific operations, such as cooking or cleaning up. Since the general lighting sources are located high up on the ceiling ...Thursday, 20 March 2008 -
Beware of kitchen-range fire hazard
Category: Real Estate/Home Improvement
... K. A: The required clearances for ranges will vary from manufacturer to manufacturer, and even between models, but any commercial gas range will generate quite a bit of heat, and the rear, top and side ...Thursday, 14 February 2008 -
Three must-haves for a good paint job
Category: Real Estate/Home Improvement
... off the dust and dirt with a pressure washer that is set on low pressure and wide spray. Do not use high pressure or a concentrated spray nozzle, which can drive water into the siding. For interior surfaces ...Thursday, 14 February 2008 -
Picking the right sander for the job
Category: Real Estate/Home Improvement
... and inside drawers. Black & Decker's new Mouse Sander/Polisher (Model MS600B, $39.99) is a very handy little detail sander, and incorporates a "feedback" system of lights that tells you when you're applying ...Sunday, 27 January 2008 -
The Critical Role of the REALTOR®
Category: Real Estate/National
... Present CMA results to seller, including Comparables, Solds, Current Listings & Expired 25. Offer pricing strategy based on professional judgment & interpretation of current market conditions ...Friday, 11 January 2008 -
Should you Refinance your Adjustable-Rate Mortgage?
Category: Real Estate/Mortgages
Adjustable-rate mortgages (ARMs) are risky, but they certainly have their uses. If the interest rate on ARMs is low and you're planning to sell after a few years, it can be a definite money-saver compared ...Wednesday, 26 December 2007 -
How Much Can You Afford to Borrow?
Category: Real Estate/Mortgages
... taxes and insurance. How much you pay for taxes and insurance will depend on the value of your property. Property tax rates also vary from state to state, and are usually deductible from federal ...Wednesday, 26 December 2007 -
Make your condo purchase a smart one
Category: Real Estate/Buyer
... complexes, or they charge above-normal interest rates. The reasons are absentee landlords often have little interest in properly maintaining the condo complex and their renters aren’t as considerate ...Wednesday, 26 December 2007 -
Pros and Cons of Buying Fixer-Upper Home
Category: Real Estate/Buyer
... who works full time, is short of funds, and has little or no previous contracting experience, you should reconsider this strategy. Regardless of whether you're a first-time or seasoned home buyer, ...Wednesday, 26 December 2007 -
100 Best Towns to Raise a Family
Category: Real Estate/Home Improvement
... have only one "best place" for families. Others have several towns, many of which are relatively unknown. To illustrate, have you ever heard of Getzville or Pittsford, N.Y? Me neither, but they ...Wednesday, 26 December 2007 -
Is it Time to Sell?
Category: Real Estate/Seller
... is completed. If your remodeling projects have a high return rate. Projects such as bathroom additions or kitchen upgrades have the best return on your investment. If you have the room to improve ...Wednesday, 26 December 2007 -
When to Fire Your Mortgage Lender
Category: Real Estate/Mortgages
... also receive an annual percentage rate. This is the cost of your credit in relation to the amount borrowed, and provides you with a means of comparing offers from different lenders. The annual percentage ...Wednesday, 26 December 2007 -
The Truth About Private Mortgage Insurance
Category: Real Estate/Mortgages
... separate loans which close simultaneously, and a 10% down-payment. Depending on your situation, it can be less expensive than paying private mortgage insurance. The first mortgage is for 80% of ...Wednesday, 26 December 2007 -
TV star reveals home-flipping secrets
Category: Real Estate/Home Improvement
... gains taxes. Although Kemp doesn't specifically state her profit target, her goal seems to be to at least earn double the cost of improvements. To illustrate, if she spends $25,000 for improvements, ...Wednesday, 26 December 2007 -
Tips for First-time Buyers
Category: Real Estate/Buyer
... competitively. In addition you need to decide if it's the right time for you to buy. If you have only a small amount of cash for a down-payment, if interest rates are high, or if property prices ...Wednesday, 26 December 2007 -
Open Houses '101'
Category: Real Estate/Seller
... your advertising is. Anticipate the types of questions prospective buyers are likely to ask. For example, get copies of fare rates and schedules for public transportation systems, and find out the ...Wednesday, 26 December 2007 -
Cut Your Closing Costs
Category: Real Estate/Buyer
... Paying more points can secure a lower interest rate. Title search and insurance - a title search examines a property's historical records to ensure that the seller is the legal owner of the property. ...Wednesday, 26 December 2007 -
Overcharges Run Rampant in Home Loans
Category: Real Estate/Mortgages
... lender who quotes a rate of 6 percent at zero points might pay a YSP of 1.6 points for a 6.375 percent mortgage. The borrower pays the higher interest rate but no cash out of pocket, and is either ...Wednesday, 26 December 2007 -
How Long Should Your Mortgage Be?
Category: Real Estate/Mortgages
... the total payoff will be on mortgages with different terms. Amount Borrowed: $200,000Interest Rate: 7.00% Payment Interest Paid 15-year $ ...Wednesday, 26 December 2007 -
All About Escrow Accounts
Category: Real Estate/Mortgages
... as well as earnest money (a small deposit made by the purchaser as a show of good faith, to demonstrate that the offer on the property is serious) and closing costs. To prevent closing delays, the ...Wednesday, 26 December 2007 -
Deciding on a Mortgage Lender
Category: Real Estate/Mortgages
... rates or other mortgage terms. These lenders tend to be more choosey, and many banks and credit unions do not approve applicants with bad credit ratings. Mortgage BankersMortgage bankers are companies ...Wednesday, 26 December 2007 -
Mortgage Glossary
Category: FAQs/General
... Rate - There are two interest rates applied to your loan: the Actual Interest Rate and the Annual Percentage Rate. The Actual Rate is the annual interest rate you pay on your loan (sometimes referred ...Wednesday, 26 December 2007 -
Everything You Need to Know About Mortgage Interest Rates
Category: Real Estate/Mortgages
Federal Rates Mortgage interest rates are dependant on federal interest rates, which are influenced by the Federal Reserve. The aim of the Federal Reserve is to stimulate the economy while avoiding ...Wednesday, 26 December 2007 -
Is an Interest-only Loan for You?
Category: Real Estate/Mortgages
... or if mortgage interest rates rise sharply (most interest-only loans have an adjustable interest rate). And if the worst happens and the value of your property decreases, you stand a good chance ...Wednesday, 26 December 2007 -
Tighter Lending Rules Could Backfire
Category: Real Estate/Mortgages
Case histories of subprime loans that have gone to foreclosure often generate righteous indignation. With benefit of hindsight, many if not most of them look as if they never should have been made. ...Wednesday, 26 December 2007 -
Four Reasons for Getting a Home Equity Loan
Category: Real Estate/Mortgages
... for one, make sure you that you have a definite goal for the money – one that is part of a financial strategy that will increase your overall wealth. The Good Reasons Home ImprovementsTaking out ...Wednesday, 26 December 2007 -
How to Find the Best Loan for You
Category: Real Estate/Mortgages
... of default and the loan must be given out by an FHA approved lending institution. First-time homebuyers often choose this type of loan and while the interest rates are competitive with other types ...Wednesday, 26 December 2007 -
How to Finance a Remodel
Category: Real Estate/Mortgages
Before approaching lenders, draw up a detailed budget for your remodeling plans. To calculate an accurate estimate, first decide what projects you’ll need to hire a contractor for and which ones you’ll ...Wednesday, 26 December 2007 -
Home Sellers Hit Roadblocks in Today's Market
Category: Real Estate/Seller
... agent to keep you informed on a weekly basis of recent comparable home sales prices. Perhaps it's time for an asking price reduction. To illustrate, I was recently in Minneapolis. On my drives around ...Wednesday, 26 December 2007 -
How to Avoid Paying the Capital Gains Tax
Category: Real Estate/Mortgages
When you sell your home, the profit you make can be subject to the capital gains tax. Understanding how the capital gains tax laws operate may help you pocket more of the profits. While it's important ...Wednesday, 26 December 2007 -
The New 40-Year Mortgage
Category: Real Estate/Mortgages
The idea of the 40-year mortgage has been around in America since the 1980s, when interest rates reached record highs of over 18%. With those massive interest rates, the affordability of monthly mortgage ...Wednesday, 26 December 2007 -
What do School Test Scores Mean for the Value of Your Home?
Category: Real Estate/Seller
... Ohio and published in the Journal of Regional Science in July 2006 found that an increase of 20 percentage points in the pass rate of school proficiency tests correlated to an increase in the district's ...Tuesday, 25 December 2007 -
Borrowers get tips on dealing with mortgage brokers
Category: Real Estate/Mortgages
... should shop. Shopping Rates and Points With Brokers Is a Waste of Time. To provide accurate price quotes, brokers need to know many things about the borrower, the property and the transaction. This ...Sunday, 23 December 2007 -
Vacation cottages can be challenging to buy, own
Category: Real Estate/Buyer
... coverage of the unique considerations vacation-cottage buyers need to know. On my scale of one to 10, this outstanding book rates a solid 10. "The Cottage Ownership Guide," by Douglas Hunter (Cottage ...Sunday, 23 December 2007 -
Mortgage Mistakes to Avoid
Category: Real Estate/Mortgages
... purchase, it makes sense to shop around. Many lenders often push the loans for individuals with lower credit as there is often more of a payout for them. If you don't know what the common interest rates ...Sunday, 23 December 2007 -
How to Find a Good Investment Property
Category: Real Estate/Buyer
... rental property, lenders often require larger down payments and higher interest rates. This is because lenders know that owners of rental properties are more likely to default on loan payments than on ...Saturday, 22 December 2007 -
What's Your Sales Strategy?
Category: Real Estate/Seller
If you've decided to go ahead and sell your house, it's important to have a sales strategy planned out before you even put your house on the market. It's also important to have a strategy that both you ...Saturday, 22 December 2007 -
Increase Your Home’s Value through Energy Efficient Upgrades
Category: Real Estate/Home Improvement
... with ammonium sulfate or borates, both of which are non-toxic. Cotton insulation has been increasing in popularity, due to its efficacy and the fact that it is environmentally-friendly. Cotton insulation ...Saturday, 22 December 2007 -
How to Avoid 8 Costly Moving Mistakes
Category: Real Estate/Buyer
... forget toiletries, medication, children's and pet's necessities - and maybe even a bottle of champagne to celebrate. 5. Not using a dolly or a hand truckWhether you're moving yourself or just rearranging ...Friday, 21 December 2007 -
Secrets to Making a Lowball Offer
Category: Real Estate/Buyer
... more likely to accept your second or third offer. Note: in a competitive market this strategy isn’t advisable, but in a slow market it’s worth trying. Make offers on several properties. The more opportunities ...Friday, 21 December 2007 -
Microhood a must for any Kitchen Upgrade
Category: Real Estate/Home Improvement
... and then look for the features you need. As with most appliances, features add cost, so concentrate on the ones you think you'll really use. INSTALLATION Installation is a relatively ...Friday, 21 December 2007 -
Shopping for the Best Mortgage
Category: Real Estate/Mortgages
Mortgage rates are on the rise, but historically speaking they are still fairly low. As a result of the favorable mortgage market, lenders have produced several new creative financing options ...Friday, 21 December 2007 -
Luxury Home Trends
Category: Real Estate/Investing
... oven, warming drawers keep foods hot and moist until guests arrive or the rest of the meal is ready. Refrigerating oven — Program it to refrigerate during the day then log on remotely ...Friday, 21 December 2007 -
Setting the Stage for a Successful Sale
Category: Real Estate/Seller
... light is well worth your time and effort. Beyond the pre-sale cleaning and organizing you would expect to do, successful staging includes strategically arranging objects and furniture, adding decorative ...Friday, 21 December 2007 -
Don't buy a house with these problems
Category: Real Estate/Buyer
... installed in millions of U.S. homes for fireproofing, insulation, roof shingles, and floor tile. In good condition, there is nothing harmful about asbestos. However, when it deteriorates and the particles ...Thursday, 20 December 2007 -
Finding Perfect House Is All About Timing
Category: Real Estate/Buyer
... because you don't think you know enough to make an informed decision. Instead, accelerate your due-diligence investigations so that you are prepared to make an informed decision. HouseValues Inman ...Thursday, 20 December 2007