Armed with a few important facts about your local real estate market, you will be prepared to make smart decisions about the sale of your house. The phrase All real estate is local accurately describes how to think about your individual circumstances. National trends in real estate do not necessarily reflect what is happening in your town, [...]
You've heard of spring cleaning, but what about fall? Cooler temperatures and storms often mean unexpected leaks, cold drafts, home repairs-and home repair bills. Fortunately, basic fall home maintenance can prevent many of these repairs. Below are a few tips to prepare your home and prevent maintenance [...]
No house is perfect. Here are some clever interior design tricks to minimize your home's flaws and make it a more beautiful place to live:
1. Dark Rooms
Everyone loves light-filled rooms. If your home's small windows don't let in enough light, paint the walls a light color to help brighten dark corners. Hanging mirrors on walls opposite [...]
Most people pay the minimum amount due each month toward their mortgage, taking either 15 or 30 years to pay off the loan, depending on the original terms. However, if you can afford to pay more—even just a small amount—it can make a big difference in your [...]
A lot is said about curb appeal when listing your home for sale, and the outward appearance of your property is important. What many home sellers do not know, however, is that the backyard can be even more enticing to would-be buyers. A beautifully manicured lawn and perfectly landscaped exterior will draw buyers in, but what they see in the [...]
Job Stability
The lender needs to see signs of stability. Don't make any sudden changes in your employment if you're planning to apply for a mortgage soon-stay at your job for well over two [...]
The cash buyer outranks the financed buyer because there is a lower chance of the deal falling through and because, typically, a cash buyer can close faster than a financed buyer. These are attractive benefits in some situations. Yet there's more to a home offer than a finance contingency and the closing date. In general, there are three [...]
Hiring a contractor can be a process fraught with anxiety. Take a few precautionary steps to ensure that you're getting a trustworthy contractor who does high-quality work.
1. Ask for Referrals
Reputable contractors do not knock on doors to solicit work. The best source of recommendations is talking to people who have had similar jobs done. [...]
The Remodeling Cost vs. Value Report for 2015 analyzed home improvement projects to see which would give homeowners the biggest return on their investments when it came time to sell. The top five investments that put the most cash into sellers' pockets were all visible from the [...]
In a recent survey conducted by the Demand Institute, 10,000 households were asked if their current homes met their lists of must-haves. The survey found that many homeowners are going without some important features. Home buyers and renovators should take heed; these are the features that should be on every must-have [...]
