Kitchens Sell a House

It's a tool used by house flippers all across the nation. Stagers know its power. Real estate agents push its importance. What is this not-so-well-kept secret of real estate? A kitchen can sell a house.   A kitchen is the heart of a home. This is true all across the globe. The old saying that [...]

HARP 2.0 Refinance: What You Need to Know

Highlights     HARP 2.0 allows refis on mortgages, no matter how far underwater they are.     Among the requirements: You must have a good recent payment history.     Having a second mortgage shouldn't be as much of an obstacle. The wait is over for homeowners who want to refinance but owe more on their mortgages [...]

Can’t Claim a Loss When Short-Selling Home

No tax on debt forgiveness is seller's best hope By Tom Kelly, Wednesday, March 14, 2012. Due to the decline in housing prices, many home sales are "short sales" in which the purchase price offered by the buyer is less than the mortgage amount owed by the seller. In a recent column, we discussed how [...]

What You Need to Know About Cancelled Mortgage Debt

A lender will, on occasion, forgive some portion of a borrower’s debt. The general tax rule that applies to any debt forgiveness is that the amount forgiven is treated as taxable income to the borrower. Some exceptions to this rule are available, but, until recently, the borrower was required to pay tax on the debt [...]

Warren Buffett Says Now is the Time to Buy Homes

Warren Buffett is one of of the biggest investors and wealthiest men of our time. In an interview with CNBC on Monday, February 27th, 2012, he says now is the time to buy and invest in single family homes… "a "couple hundred thousand" of them. If he's willing to make that committment then it's time [...]

Remodeling Improvements That Entice Buyers

Over the last few years, some homeowners have opted to stay put for the time being and that's caused them to consider remodeling instead of moving. But most homeowners know that one day they might need or want to sell their home so which remodels help to add value and entice buyers? There are a [...]

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 [...]

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