If you’re even considering purchasing a home in the next year, the time to start the pre-approval process is now. Why so early? Here’s some advice to get you on track to a smooth purchase transaction. While you don’t want to actually apply for the loan until your are ready to make an offer on […]
Energy Conserving Landscaping Tips
As you plan your landscaping for your new home, remember the green you plant outside affects the green you have left inside your pocketbook. Trees and shrubs can reduce the amount of electricity your home requires. Try these tips to keep some green in you wallet and beautify your green space too. Trees Careful choices […]
Tax Tips for New Homeowners
Congratulations on your new home! Whether a condominium, cooperative apartment, single-family home, townhouse or mobile home, your home-sweet-home affects your tax status. If this is the first year you’ll be filing your taxes as a homeowner, there are a few things you need to know to take the most advantage of your new status. Before […]
Create a Timeless Kitchen with the 4 Cs of Kitchen Design
Nothing says “dated” like a kitchen trend from a decade ago. Consider giving your kitchen a makeover using timeless elements that are always in style. That way, no matter when you sell, your home is always ready. Color The simplest and most marketable hue for a kitchen is a clean, bright white. Look in any […]
Loan Options with Low Downpayments
U.S. economists expect 2015 to be a strong year for housing. What this means to you is that more homes are selling and the supply of available homes is decreasing. This also means that prices likely will increase. If you’ve been thinking of buying a home, now might be the time even if you haven’t […]
House or Condo?
One of the big decisions facing homebuyers is whether to purchase a home, or to buy a condominium. Just to be clear, as used here, a condominium is a type of housing where a buyer owns a specific part of shared property. Typically, ownership is of the individual unit and a percentage interest of the […]
Should I Buy a Foreclosed House?
As a result of the housing bubble and resulting financial instability, many communities have a high rate of foreclosed homes. Even though the rate of new foreclosures is slowing, the number of foreclosed homes in a specific the market can make buyers leery of purchasing there — even if it seems like a really good […]
Early Spring Landscaping
Bulbs, tubers, perennials and indigenous plants beautify your home and give year-round enjoyment for decades to come. If you bought your home in the fall or winter, you may not know what is under the snow or mulch, but you can prepare for spring planting anyway and liven up the atmosphere with color inside your […]
New High-Tech Home Gadgets
As with The Jetsons cartoon, our imaginations run wild with the idea of modern gadgets to make our homes efficient and automated, and make our lives simpler. For cutting-edge products you can control from your smartphone, check out these contributions from the International Consumer Electronics Show. Held each year in Las Vegas, the event showcases […]
Is Adding a Skylight a Good Investment?
During the gray and cloudy days of winter, a bit of sunshine can make a huge difference in how you feel about your home and yourself. The physical and psychological affects of daylight are well documented. You could leave the drapes and blinds open, but then you lose privacy and the thermal insulation they provide. […]