How to Curb Clutter in Your Home

Your house may be clean, but if it’s cluttered and full of stuff, you may not even notice the sparkling counters or vacuumed room. And if your home is on the real estate market, clutter could drop your perceived home value and may be one of the biggest things standing in your way of a [...]

Banks Pay Delinquent Borrowers To Sell Their Homes

In an effort to cut their losses, banks are paying some struggling homeowners as much as $35,000 to sell their homes before they end up in foreclosure. The deals are aimed at incentivizing homeowners who owe more on their home than it is worth and who are seriously delinquent on their payments to sell their [...]

Know Your Expenses Before You Buy

For many, homeownership is still a dream. Moving from renting can seem like it’s an impossible mission. But if you plan ahead and carefully budget, the goal of homeownership can be yours. When budgeting how much home you can afford, it’s important to understand and anticipate the costs of owning and maintaining a home. Here [...]

Beat the Competition in Buying Foreclosures

While bank-owned homes are plentiful in many markets, they aren’t always easy for a buyer to get. Foreclosure sell at bargain prices — sometimes at 35 percent discounts when compared to nonforeclosures. These ultra-low prices are attracting investors and all-cash offers, which makes it difficult for non-cash buyers to win out. So how can you [...]

Current Tax Breaks for Homeowners

There are many benefits to owning a home, not the least of which are the financial advantages of home ownership. Homeowners can gain a number of tax benefits, and, combined with the Fed's indication to keep interest rates attractively low throughout the new year, home buying in 2012 is promising to be a financially astute [...]

3 Ways Homebuyers Kill Their Own Real Estate Deals

Today's ridiculously low prices and interest rates, combined, seem like the perfect storm for finding a great deal. But some buyers run into or even unwittingly create circumstances that deactivate or diminish the full value they otherwise stand to gain from buying at the bottom of the market, for both home prices and interest rates. [...]

What to Consider Before Buying a Foreclosure

Although foreclosed properties can be good deals, the process of buying is rife with pitfalls. Make sure you do as much due diligence as possible so you have some idea of what you are getting into. Here is what you must know: 1. Have you done your research? A foreclosed property may have all sorts [...]

Great Decor is in the Details

Sometimes the grandest design changes are in the small details—a re-covered lampshade, painted knobs for old cabinetry, a new valence above a window. Plus, small changes are manageable because they don't cause household upheaval. Transform your home decor style by paying attention to little design details. Replace dated hardware for a shiny new look. Simply [...]

The Pros and Cons of Pricing Your Home Under Market

Don't jump to conclusions when you hear that a listing sold for more than the asking price. You need more information. Are prices heading up in your area or did the sellers intentionally price low to stimulate multiple offers? There was good news about the housing market recently. In recent months, pending sales have been [...]

Is Buying in an HOA For You?

An HOA, or Homeowner's Association, can be very appealing to buyers. It can be the perfect way to have control over the appearance of your neighborhood as well as the look of your common areas. Many HOA's offer neighborhood activities (dances, mixers, cards, movies, etc), pools, gyms, walking trails, tennis courts, and of course beautiful [...]

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