Posts in category 'Bpt'
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15
3 things to look for when buying a new home
(BPT) - Purchasing a new home is an exciting and sometimes stressful experience. Whether you're moving to a new town or looking to upgrade from your current space, finding a new home requires patience, expert guidance and a keen eye for detail.
As a home seeker, the first thing you'll evaluate is location, space and amenities such as fireplaces, granite countertops, a finished basement, deck or a swimming pool. The next thing to consider is cost, shopping for the right mortgage, making your down payment and negotiating other fees. Finally, you look at the various features inside and outside the home that make it safe, convenient and energy-efficient for you and your family.
To ease some of the stress of house hunting, here are a few top considerations to keep in mind throughout the process:
Always start with a...
9
Smart tips for buying a first-home
(BPT) - Call this the age of personalization. You can customize practically anything these days, from the kind of information you get on your favorite news feed and the offers you receive from your bank to the icons, background and sounds on your smartphone. Personalizing something really makes it feel more 'yours,' so of course you want to be able to do that to your first home.
If you're shopping for your first home, you may already know what you want to do to personalize it. However, you may not be aware that certain features can make a home easier and more affordable to customize after you've moved in. For example, if you think you'll need room to expand for a growing family down the road, it will be cheaper in the long run to buy a home with an attic or basement that you can finish into living space than to try and build...
7
3 simple, fast changes to make your kitchen more usable and beautiful
(BPT) - Why do you want to remodel your kitchen? Sure, the cabinets date back to the disco era, but the doors and hardware all still work. Your stove may be older than your college senior, but you can still bake a batch of chocolate chip cookies in it. So why invest the time, money and emotional capital in renovating the most-used room in your home?
If you're like most Americans, you'll undertake a kitchen renovation to make your life easier and happier. In a Houzz survey, 79 percent of homeowners who planned a kitchen project said they were doing it to improve the look and feel of the room, while 59 percent wanted to improve functions. The popular home improvement website Homeadvisor says tha...
1
Helping first-time home buyers get from 'I can't' to 'I can'
(BPT) - Finally! The economy is improving, interest rates are low and many consumers now find themselves in a great position financially to become a first-time homeowner. There's a small problem though for some locations around the country — the booming real estate market is resulting in rising home prices and increased competition for the most desirable properties.
The S&P/Case–Shiller national home-price index recently estimated that 2016 prices are within four percent of the peak in 2006. In some areas, low inventories around the country are making the situation even more challenging.
These conditions are introducing first-time buyers to common challenges and frustrations while searching for their dream home. "Don't get discouraged," says Travis Peace, executive director of mortgage at USAA Bank. "Buying a home requires...
26
Wise up to the benefits of a smart home
(BPT) - Smart homes make life easier and more convenient. Who wouldn't love being able to control lighting, entertainment and temperature from their couch — or from anywhere for that matter? Whether you're at work or on vacation, smart devices alert you to what's going on at home and help you stay connected and protected.
"Since inventing the world's first residential smoke alarm, First Alert has been at the forefront of advancement in home safety technology," says Tom Russo, president of First Alert. "Our Onelink portfolio of smart products goes beyond traditional perceptions of safety products and ushers in a new era of interconnectivity between a home's comfort level and people's safety and lifestyle preferences."
According to the experts at First Alert, the following are just a few of the many benefits of giving your home...