Posts from December 2016
Subscribe and receive email notifications of new blog posts.
RSS Feed
- 2026 | 15 Posts
- 2025 | 77 Posts
- 2024 | 85 Posts
- 2023 | 73 Posts
- 2022 | 72 Posts
- 2020 | 44 Posts
- 2019 | 27 Posts
- 2018 | 20 Posts
- 2017 | 29 Posts
- 2016 | 85 Posts
- 2015 | 85 Posts
- 2014 | 117 Posts
- 2013 | 50 Posts
- 2012 | 32 Posts
- 2011 | 35 Posts
- 2010 | 16 Posts
30
Must-Have Home Features? It's Your Call
An outdoor kitchen. Double sinks in the master bath. A wrap-around porch. Solar panels. There are just so many things we want our new home to have.
However, when shopping for our dream home, it's essential to steer the dream a little bit more toward reality. No home will have every single feature you desire, so before you set out on the search, sit down and think hard.
Also think long-term. While certain features may not matter to you, they may weigh heavily in determining your home's resale value. According to a recent report by Kiplinger, there are seven features that will help sell a home faster: a laundry room; exterior lighting; energy efficient appliances and windows; a patio; hardwoo...
22
Buying a Home? Know your Musts
A fenced-in yard. Double sinks. A wrap-around porch. An open floor plan. Solar panels. There are just so many things we want our new home to have.
However, when shopping for our dream home, it's essential to steer the dream a little bit more toward reality. No home will have every single feature you desire, so before you set out on the search, sit down, think hard and narrow down your list of must-haves.
Must-haves are usually rooted in practicality – a classic case of needs vs. wants. Some important musts, therefore, often involve:
- The number of bedrooms and/or potential to turn a room into an additional bedroom – are you planning on children? Need space for an in-law to move in?
- The master bedroom – is it big enough for your king bed and does it include a master bath...
15
Real Estate Madness: How to Navigate Your Way to Your Future Home
Searching for a home should not be taken lightly. Keep in mind that approximately one out of four homeowners is unhappy with their homes—don't join that group! Increase your chances of real estate happiness with the following tips.
Use Your Smartphone
One issue that can get in the way of appreciating a possible house is if you cannot see how renovations or furniture might look in the home. There are several smartphone applications that can help you by using a 3D image, taken by you. This will allow you to place furniture or renovations in the space to see how it may change the property—a great way to see if the house is really meant for you.
Hire Help
You may think that finding the right house is as simple as perusing real estate listings online or jumping in a car and visiting homes w...
9
The Real Cost of Homeownership
Anyone who's owned a home before knows their expense extends beyond insurance and a mortgage. How much, really, does homeownership cost?
According to the U.S. Census Bureau's American Housing Survey (AHS), recently released with data from 2015, the real cost of homeownership factors in not only financing a home, but also maintaining and living in it. Spotlight stats from the survey include:
- Eighteen percent (the majority) of households that built or purchased a home in 2015 did so with a down payment of 11-20 percent. Less (15.2 percent) put down 21 percent or more. Even less (12.9 percent) put down 6-10 percent.
- Ninety-five percent had only one mortgage; 5 percent had two mortgages. Of the nearly 40 percent who refinanced their one mortgage, 71.2 percent refinanced for a lower interest rate.
2
Top Tips to Become a Proactive Homeowner
We've all heard homeownership sometimes referred to as "a money pit." Sure, homes are expensive, but there is no substitute for the sense of pride and comfort you achieve from living in a space that is truly your own.
Young homeowners decorating their house[/caption]
That said, it's true that from the day you move in to the day you sell your home, there will always be something that will need to be repaired or even remodeled as you—and your family—grows, shifts and changes. But to be a proactive homeowner, you will want to keep an eye out for the small issues that could cost big bucks down the line—like a crack in the foundation or a drafty window.
Below are a few top tips for forward-thinking. This information will protect your real estate investment far into the future:
Take Inventory
Get in the habit of...