Posts from January 2016
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30
5 Money-Wise Tips for Your Tax Refund
Tax refunds present an opportunity to better your financial health. Unfortunately, many refund recipients don't take advantage of it.
"A tax refund often feels like 'free' money, and many people use the funds to splurge on expensive items they wouldn't otherwise purchase," says Mike Sullivan, chief education officer for Take Charge America, a national non-profit credit counseling agency. "However, a refund presents a unique opportunity to use the money to improve your family's financial wellbeing now and in the long term."
If you receive a refund this year, consider using it in one (or all!) of the following ways:
1. Pay Off Debt – When you receive your refund, resist the urge to spend it on a shopping spree, fancy dinner or pricey vacation. Instead, use your refund to pay down credit card ba...
28
5 Numbers You Need to Know When Buying a Home
There are so many things to consider when buying a new home, from house features to location, that it's easy to overlook what's really important. However, remember that buying a home is more than just picking out floor plans and backyard space - it's a financial investment. Plan for a home you can afford by keeping these important numbers in mind.
Buying a home can be daunting, but CENTURY 21 American Homes can help.
Source:www.century21.com 27
How to Prepare for a Pre-Listing Home Inspection
If an inspector is coming to look at your home before you list it, you may have a few questions. What will the home inspector be looking at? How can you prepare for the inspection?
For insight and answers, we turned to the National Association of Home Inspectors (NAHI), who've outlined many steps you can take before your pre-listing inspection-and most can be done at little or no cost to you. These include:
- Removing grade or mulch from contact with siding; six or more inches of clearance is preferred.
- Diverting all water away from the house, i.e. downspouts, sump pump, condensation drains, etc.; grade should slope away from the structure.
- Painting all weathered exterior wood and caulk around trim, chimney, windows and doors.
- Sealing asphalt d...
21
6 Tips for Buyers and Sellers to Best the Market
This year's housing market is expected to favor sellers-and for buyers, those circumstances will likely result in multiple-bid situations. Whichever camp you fall into, it's important to understand how to navigate this type of market in order to achieve the best possible outcome in the transaction.
"The 2016 housing market is forecasted to be mainly a seller's market, filled with increasing home prices, relatively low inventory and fierce competition between buyers," says realtor.com® Chief Economist Jonathan Smoke. "Buyers looking to close this year need to keep an open mind and be prepared to move quickly when they find a home that meets their needs. For sellers, it's about understanding the ins and outs of their local market so they can optimize the price of their home and close quickly."
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14
Housing Market Progresses toward Stability
The housing market continues to move toward stability, most recently with the addition of two more states, Kansas and New York, to the outer range of stable housing activity, according to the Freddie Mac Multi-Indicator Market Index® (MiMi®). The most recent MiMi value indicates the overall national market is in the outer stable range, as well.
"The strong annual change of 6.31 percent is the best improvement we've seen in the MiMi on a year-over-year basis since July 2014," explains Len Kiefer, Freddie Mac's deputy chief economist. "While strong home purchase applications and rising home values in some markets are contributing to this improvement, it's largely more of a reflection of mortgage delinquencies continuing to decline at a steady pace, especially in those hardest hit markets, a...