houses: Find a Good Deal on an East Coast Vacation Home - 08/07/10 12:01 AM
Whether you're looking for a condominium, multi-family unit or a single-family home, you'll find an abundance available in the housing market in almost every major city in the U.S.
Florida's slumping home market has targeted this state for some sweet deals on real estate. You'll even find beach front property at astounding prices. Check out Cutler Bay, Fisher Island or Homestead, all in Miami-Dade County.
Nassau County has some great offerings, too, on Amelia Island. Right now you can get a beautiful condominium on Sea Marsh Road right next to Oak Marsh Golf Course listed at $100,000. It's … (2 comments)
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houses: Five Bad Home Improvement Ideas - 05/16/10 03:28 AM
When considering adding value to a home, you consistently hear from the real estate industry that updated bathrooms and quality kitchens stand out in a home sale. Those are proven sale closers. There are certain other improvements you can make to your home that will beautify it or create convenience for your family. When it comes time to selling, however, those improvements may do nothing to increase the value of the property and may even turn off potential homebuyers.
Over-the-Top Renovations
Au contraire mon frère, not all renovations will raise the value of your home. Just `cause it's … (5 comments)
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houses: Control Home Building Costs - Here Are Some Tips & Tricks - 10/16/09 03:57 AM
Home building costs can often be a challenge to control when you've got so many variables in the building or remodeling project. You can avoid overages or, at least, keep them at a minimum if you are armed with some valuable advice.
When planning your build, pad your budget with a 15 percent Contingency Fund. This fund will enable you to pay for overages you have no control over, like unknowns behind walls and ceilings and problems found once excavation commences.
You may not be able to avoid all of them, but you can certainly keep overages under … (4 comments)
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houses: Preparing to Sell Your Home - 03/24/09 12:28 AM
You have worked hard to maintain your home and ensure that repairs were completed. It's not been that long since everything received a fresh coat of paint and everything else appears to be in good shape ... but is it, really?!
Use the checklist below to ensure that you are ready to sell your home before it ever gets listed on the market.
* Pull out a tablet of paper and a pen. These will be your instruments to identify any repairs or improvements you may have missed.
* You are now going to take a slow and … (5 comments)
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houses: How to Buy a Home Without a Down Payment - 03/15/09 12:26 AM
There's an old television program that aired in the 1960's called Hogan's Heroes. Sgt. Schultz (John Banner) was one of the main characters. His constant exclamation throughout his tenure on this show was, "I know nothing!" Is that where you are in regards to how to buy a home without a down payment? If so, you are about to become educated.
Believe it or not, if you have decent credit - and sometimes even if you don't! - you have alternatives as to how to purchase a home without a down payment. Look at the following examples:
* VA … (2 comments)
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houses: Should You Refinance or Remodel in Today's Economic Market? - 03/03/09 11:40 PM
Refinancing your home is likened to buying your home again but homeowners often choose to do so when the option of a lower interest rate is available. Refinancing can also help you build equity faster. When contemplating whether or not to refinance, it is important to compare the interest rates of the two loans. You should also look at how much equity you have available in your home before deciding whether or not to refinance, especially if you want to do a cash out refinance.
There are also up front costs to consider, such as closing costs. One potential benefit of … (2 comments)
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houses: Round Rock, Texas - 11/07/08 12:00 AM
Round Rock, Texas was founded around the year 1851 on the banks of a local creek called Brushy Creek, and the city was named for a large, circular rock which was situated in the middle of the creek. Wagon Wheel tracks can still be seen on the rock today, and the rock was in the middle of a low water crossing on Brushy Creek, which at the time was part of the famous Chisholm Trail which was used to herd cattle from Texas to Kansas. The town was originally called Brushy Creek, but changed its name in 1854 to Round Rock … (0 comments)
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houses: Mortgage Is Not a Bad Word: Steps to Getting a Home Loan in the Credit Crunch - 11/03/08 01:05 AM
The bad news about the economy is inescapable these days. Consumer confidence is at an all time low and it's easier to follow a tennis match than keep up with the daily rise and fall of the stock market. Even though everyone is carefully watching the bottom line, life does go on.
For those looking to buy a house, the current credit crisis can seem daunting. "Mortgage" seems to be the newest bad word. However, with some careful research and thoughtful consideration of long-term plans, it is possible to get a mortgage. Mortgage rates are historically low and housing prices … (1 comments)
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houses: The Fallout From the Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac Takeover - 09/12/08 04:26 AM
So it has been a week since the feds came in and took over Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae. While it will obviously take some time to know the long term repercussions I wanted to look at some of the immediate reactions to the move.
First let's look at the reaction from the media and the general public. One would expect there to be some political fallout from the largest takeover in government history. But because of the election and Hurricane Ike the reactions have largely been muted. There have been of course the expected positive reactions that this was a … (4 comments)
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houses: Mortgage Interest Rates Plummet after Fannie Mae/Freddie Mac Takeover - 09/12/08 03:56 AM
I have been tracking mortgage rates for the last few months. Its always more interesting when there are drastic changes. This week we saw some of the largest changes we have seen this year. This is of course in response to the Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac takeover. The 30 year mortgage rate dropped from 6.35 to 5.93 this week. What makes this more pronounced is that rates have been coming down the last month back on July 24th rates were at 6.63. The 15 year mortgage came down as well this week falling from 5.90 to 5.54. We did not … (1 comments)
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houses: Fannie Mae And Freddie Mac Takeover: What Does It Mean? - 09/08/08 12:33 AM
So on Friday it was leaked that the government is taking over Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae. On Sunday it was official. Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae have now been taken over by the federal government. But what does it mean for the real estate market, mortgage interest rates, and the US economy.
First let's look at what it means for mortgage rates. I would expect that the government takeover will result in lower mortgage rates, possibly a full point lower. Why? Basically the Fed has been struggling to lower mortgage rates for the last year in an attempt to … (13 comments)
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houses: Allandale Neighborhood - 07/17/08 07:12 AM
Allandale is the name of a lovely neighborhood in central Austin, although the area was originally considered to be northwest Austin, before Austin’s expansion into a large metropolitan area. Allandale recently celebrated its 35th anniversary as an active central Austin community, and the Allandale Neighborhood Association has been a presence in the neighborhood since 1973. Currently, Allandale is home to over 21,000 residents, and two of the boundaries of the neighborhood are the MoPac Expressway and Burnet Road, which form the western and eastern perimeters, respectively.
Typical residences in Allandale are three to four bedroom single family homes, most within … (0 comments)
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houses: How To Minimize The Stress Of Moving - 07/13/08 03:30 AM
Regardless of whether it's across the country or across town, moving is a stressful, expensive and time-consuming event. It requires extensive planning, organization, and a lot of physical activity. While there is no easy way to move house, there are several things you can do to simplify the process and reduce the amount of stress on yourself.
First things first: identify a target moving date. You'll want to take a variety of factors into consideration when determining your moving timeframe, such as work schedules if you're changing employment, school schedules for your kids, housing considerations such as rent or lease … (2 comments)
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houses: Southeast Austin - 78741 - 07/07/08 09:49 PM
Charming pockets of single family homes are studded throughout this hidden gem of a neighborhood, and although certain parts of the area are given over to apartment complexes, duplexes and fourplexes, this is an overlooked area with enormous potential. Bounded by I35 to the west, Ben White to the south, Riverside to the north, and Montopolis to the east, this rising star offers a wide range of restaurants, a big park with loads of amenities, an ACC campus, and the promise of an area on the way up.
Both Burleson and Parker streets, two of the main north-south arteries between … (0 comments)
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houses: Texas Friendly Flowers - 06/14/08 02:09 AM
Do you love the beauty and color of flowers but cringe at the thought of the maintenance required for their upkeep? If your colorful blooms have a tendency to turn brown and crunchy from neglect in the hot Austin sun, there may be some flowers made just for you. Flora native or adapted to the Austin area thrive where others perish, resisting drought, pests and other hazards. Just choose your plants wisely and you can have fabulous landscaping for your property with little work.
There are many benefits to growing native plants. In addition to saving on water and fertilizer … (2 comments)
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houses: Neighborhood Profiles – Southwest Austin - 06/12/08 12:54 AM
As the Austin Texas real estate market expands in all directions, areas we used to think of as “way out there” are not only seeming closer, but are getting their own infrastructure. Maple Run in Southwest Austin is just one of those areas. Located south of William Cannon, north of Slaughter, west of Brodie and east of Mopac, this little oasis offers quiet streets, attractive and affordable housing, burgeoning businesses and is a hop, skip and a jump to one of the city’s cleanest, newest and nicest parks.
Each street in the area seems to have its own personality. The … (0 comments)
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houses: Easy Ways To Make Your Home More Energy Efficient - 06/06/08 02:34 AM
The average home spends a whopping $1500 annually on energy costs—an energy bottom line that is much bigger than it needs to be, because a significant portion of that energy is wasted and lost. The good news is, changing just a few simple things around your house can make a big difference and save a lot of energy—and money.
More than 10% of a home’s energy is consumed by light bulbs. By changing from standard incandescent bulb to compact florescent bulbs (CFLs), you can cut that consumption dramatically. A CFL uses 2/3 less energy and comes in a variety of … (2 comments)
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houses: Changing The Look Of A Fireplace - 06/04/08 02:01 AM
A fireplace is meant to be the centerpiece of your living space, the heart of your home. Sometimes, however, this focal point is less than impressive and more than lacking in the drama factor. If your fireplace is bland, plain or simply unattractive, a quick color change can do wonders. The secret is using multiple coats to build up depth and create a faux finish, rather than just painting on one flat color.
You will need three complimentary colors for this project in progressively darker shades. Natural stone and earthy colors, such as grays and browns, are ideal. A quart … (4 comments)
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houses: The Tarrytown and Deep Eddy Areas of West Austin - 06/02/08 11:07 PM
Two beautiful areas of Austin which are also very historic are the Tarrytown neighborhood and the Deep Eddy neighborhood, and these two areas are adjacent to each other with Tarrytown being slightly farther north than Deep Eddy. These areas are situated in western Travis County, adjacent to Lake Austin, which is what the part of the Colorado River which is just west of Lady Bird Lake is called. These areas roughly encompass the part of Austin between Lake Austin Blvd. to the south, and Loop One to the east, which is also called the MoPac, since it runs alongside the Missouri … (0 comments)
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houses: Removing Countertops - 05/30/08 11:05 PM
One of the most cost effective ways to renovate your home is to “do-it-yourself.” From sanding and painting to digging and planting, there are many projects that a determined homeowner can accomplish. There are some jobs, however, that are better left to the professionals. These jobs are too heavy, too labor intensive or require specialized tools and skills.
Case in point: installing new granite countertops. The weight of the granite alone is enough to send anyone running to a phone to call for professional help. If you have new countertops on the way complete with the manpower do get it … (1 comments)
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