house: Change For The Better In Your HOA
- 02/28/16 06:46 AM
Boards of homeowner associations are often challenged to change the status quo for the better. A common scenario includes a newly elected board that promises to start enforcing rules or architectural policies. Problem is, there are HOA members that like it just fine the way it is and they loudly resist the board's proposed changes. If certain board members are single minded about forcing change, the resulting brouhaha will take center stage, the goals moved to the peanut gallery and little accomplished other than ruffling feathers. Flexibility is the key to success. Consider the following observation:
"What prevents human beings from successfully … (2 comments)
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house: 5 Front Yard Landscaping Tips That Will Wow Home Buyers
- 02/28/16 01:37 AM
Your front yard is the red carpet inviting buyers into the beauty that is your home. If it's rugged, messy and unkempt, buyers will take one look and then keep on driving to the next property on their list. Don't let that happen by making your front yard luscious and as amazing as the inside of your home.
What areas should you focus on in your front yard? Where do you start? To help you break down the revitalization of your front yard, here are the steps you should take:
1. Cut the grass.
Buyers don't want to trudge through high grass as though … (2 comments)
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house: How To Know If Your Home Is Making You Sick?
- 02/28/16 01:14 AM
Between flu season and spring allergies and surprise summer colds, it can be difficult to stay healthy. But what if the biggest culprits aren't high pollen counts or people who don't cover their mouths when they sneeze? It could be that your house is making you sick.
"Toxins, pesticides, gases, mites, and molds are everywhere, and the more you're exposed to them, the greater your risk for developing the health problems they can cause," said WebMD.
And the numbers are a bit staggering. According to the Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Housing and Urban Development, "More than 30 million homes have … (1 comments)
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house: Increase Your Living Space With A Converted Garage
- 02/17/16 04:46 AM
Out of room and looking for a way to create more usable space at home? You might not need to move or add on. Look to the garage, where the ideas for what you can create with a space you already have are endless.
"The solution to your need for more space may already be attached to your house," said Bob Vila. "Converting an existing garage is less expensive than building an addition—and it's a lot less complicated too! Remaking your garage into an extra bedroom, den, or kids' playroom can improve not only the resale value of your home but also … (0 comments)
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house: Is Your Furnace Affecting Your Indoor Air Quality?
- 02/17/16 04:30 AM
The push to make our houses as energy-efficient as possible has, in some cases, led to unintended consequences. Because modern houses are less drafty due to tighter-fitting windows, doors and weather stripping, pollutants that were vented in the past are trapped inside. Most of the pollutants are relatively harmless, but some can be dangerous, and they all contribute to what some people call "sick house syndrome."
"Pollutants" is a broad term, and can include things like dust mites, pet dander, mold spores and viruses, as well as gaseous pollutants like tobacco smoke and the off-gassing from paints, cleaning products and some building … (0 comments)
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house: How To Keep From Going House Poor
- 02/16/16 07:45 PM
The only thing worse than not being able to buy a home when you want to is owning a home and not being able to do anything but sit inside because after your house payment, HOA fee, taxes, and household bills, there's nothing left.
A few smart strategies can help you avoid becoming house poor.
Think hard about that preapproval amount
Just because the bank tells you that you can buy a $400,000 home doesn't mean you have to spend all $400,000. It might be that you're not comfortable with a payment that high if it means you won't have a cushion and can't … (2 comments)
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house: Shared Equity: Helping Family Members Buy Their House
- 02/09/16 02:46 AM
Your son and daughter-in-law want to purchase their first house, but their income will not carry the mortgage. There are a number of ways you can help them out. This column will focus only on a concept known as "shared equity".
This is an arrangement where you -- as investors -- own a portion of the property with your children. Under a shared equity arrangement, there generally are two separate entities. You (and your spouse, if applicable) would be considered the owner-investors, and your son and daughter-in-law would be considered the owner-occupants. The four of you would take title to the property. … (0 comments)
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house: 10 Ways To Cut Costs While Building A Pool
- 02/09/16 02:20 AM
Having a pool can be one of the most enjoyable parts of homeownership, but building it can be an expensive undertaking. "If you're planning to install a pool, be prepared to open your wallet," said US News. "PK Data reports that the average cost of a residential in-ground swimming pool was $39,084 last year."
If you want a pool without the high price, there are ways to keep costs down:
1. Get multiple bids
Talking to only one company gives you no point of reference. You'll want to compare at least three bids from three different companies while you're deciding who is going to … (1 comments)
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house: Open House Sign Rules Are Frequently Disobeyed
- 02/09/16 02:03 AM
Because open houses are an important part of the real estate business, it follows that open house directional signs are an important part of the real estate business. Yet, while open houses are not particularly controversial, a great deal of controversy centers around open house signs. (For purposes of this discussion open house signs refers to off-site open house directional signs.)
It may come as a surprise to many real estate agents -- especially new ones -- that many people do not like open house signs. They especially do not like forests of open house signs. The second surprise in this regard … (0 comments)
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house: 5 Eco-Friendly Innovations to Help You Live Green in 2016
- 01/27/16 03:22 AM
With the Paris Climate Agreement closing out 2015, 2016 promises to be a year for major acceleration of environmental policy changes and green living trends. Demand for home roof solar paneling grew 70 percent year-over-year in the first quarter of 2015, reflecting record growth in recent months, Fortune reports. The Solar Energy Industries Association expects this trend to continue into 2016, projecting growth of 25 to 50 percent across all solar markets this year.
Improved energy storage, better asset management and smarter technology will make 2016 a pivotal year for solar. Smart home energy management technology and increasing competition among electric car … (2 comments)
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house: How Does Foreclosure Impact On Tenants
- 01/27/16 03:11 AM
You have been renting a single family home, and have just been notified that your landlord has not been paying his mortgage, and the house will soon be foreclosed. What should you do? Will you suddenly be thrown out on the street?
Not necessarily, but there are some things which you should do -- and do immediately.
The letter you received advising you about the pending foreclosure probably came from the lender's attorney. You should call that lawyer, and ask several questions:
1. when and where will the foreclosure sale take place?
2. can you start making your rent payments to the lender, or putting … (0 comments)
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house: What Does Your Personality Say About Your Home buying Future?
- 01/26/16 04:43 AM
You found what you think is the right house. The bank approved you. The lender secured your loan with just five percent down. You've got your closing costs together and you've lined up your movers. But are you really making the right move?
Turns out, a simple personality test might help you figure it out.
A study titled "Real Estate and Personality" from the Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Economics shined a light on the relationship between personality and buyer decisions, suggesting "that a person's personality traits are predictive of his or her real estate decisions" said Lakeside Real Estate Group. "Researchers gave … (0 comments)
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house: Capital Gains: The Stepped Up Basis
- 01/25/16 11:53 PM
If you are married, and file a joint income tax return, the tax laws allow you to exclude up to $500,000 on any gain you make on the sale of your principal residence. There are some basic rules (conditions) which must be met, the most important is that you must have owned and lived in the house for two out of the last five years before the sale. This is referred to as the "ownership and use" test.
If you are single -- or widowed -- you can only exclude up to $250,000 of your profit.
At first blush, this seems unfair -- … (2 comments)
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house: Does Having A Gym In Your Home Add Value To Your Home?
- 01/25/16 11:04 PM
It's that time of year of again. Seemingly everyone is dedicating the next few days, weeks, and months to getting in better shape. That being said, traditional gyms are absurdly crowded right now and will most likely be for the next few months.
So how about just building one in your home? Sounds expensive and it probably will be as exercise equipment is both pricey and difficult to move. That being said as a society we are very unhealthy and many of us are overweight. To combat this there has been a plethora of movements to help prevent obesity. One such movement … (3 comments)
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house: 20 Tips To Get Your Credit In Check In 2016
- 01/20/16 12:54 AM
Struggling to get your credit cards paid off? Juggling balances between several cards? Just plain tired of paying interest? Make this the year you get your credit in order. Whether your goal is to buy a new home, become debt free and raise your credit score, or just make your payments more manageable, these 25 tips for handling your credit can help get you there.
1. Talk to a lender - If you're planning to buy a home anytime soon, a call to a lender can clarify what you'll need to do in order to qualify (and qualify for the best rates).
2. … (0 comments)
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house: Is 2016 The Year Millennials Will Start Buying?
- 01/20/16 12:43 AM
Millennials. They're the ever-frustrating group that's been making the real estate industry quiver for years. Where are they? Why aren't they buying homes? What's going to happen to the market if they don't step up? What is going on here?!
Every blip, bump, and bounce has been microstudied, overanalyzed, turned into an infographic and used to define an entire generation whose buying habits don't seem to behave.
"The lack of buying among first-time buyers in the wake of the economic crisis has had the industry biting its nails wondering if young adults would ever give up renting or move out of their parent's … (2 comments)
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house: There Are Tax Benefits With Home Ownership
- 01/10/16 09:51 PM
Homeownership has always been the "great American dream".
To foster and encourage this dream, Congress has consistently enacted tax legislation which favors homeowners. Indeed, much has been written that our tax laws discriminate against renters, by giving unfair and unequal tax benefits to those who own homes.
Every four years, some candidate for high political office tries to focus our attention on equalizing the tax laws, and repealing the homeowner benefits, but these arguments have consistently fallen on deaf ears. And this coming election year is no different.
For those of us who own homes, here is a list of the itemized tax deductions … (1 comments)
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house: Ask The HOA Expert: Policies To Exclude Certain Categories Of Dogs
- 01/10/16 09:46 PM
Question: Can the board enact a policy to exclude certain categories of dogs that are perceived to be dangerous such as rottweilers or pit bulls?
Answer: The board has the authority to make rules but should not do so without feedback from the members. This is especially true of pet issues which are among the most sensitive HOA topics. However, the board does have a responsibility to establish reasonable rules to protect the residents while in the common area from dangerous animals.
While rottweilers and pit bulls have a potential for aggressive behavior, there are other breeds and breed mixes that have the … (1 comments)
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house: High School Exit Exam: Challenge YOURSELF!!!
- 01/08/16 10:04 AM
The High School Exit Exam, you only have 4 CORRECT answers out of 10 to be able to pass….
Remember….. 4 correct answers means you PASS!
1. How long did the Hundred Years’ War last?
2. Which animal do we acquire cat gut?
3. Which country creates Panama hats?
4. What is a camel’s hair brush consists of?
5. Russians commemorates the October Revolution in which month?
6. What country did Chinese gooseberries came from?
7. Purple finch is what color?
8. King George VI’s first name was?
9. Which animal did The Canary Islands in the Pacific named after?
10. What color is the commercial airplane black box?
SCROLL DOWN to Check … (1 comments)
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house: 7 Rules for Choosing The Right Area Rug
- 01/08/16 10:00 AM
You just moved into your new home. You've purchased the perfect furniture and accessories. You even found the perfect area rug to add to your hardwood floors, but you're totally stumped on which size to buy.
There are so many questions: Should the furniture be placed on or off the rug? Does the rug go underneath or next to the bed? How big should a dining room rug really be? It can seem overwhelming, but here are seven simple tips to help you choose wisely. After all, a good rug is an investment, and you don't want to make any costly mistakes.
Rule … (0 comments)
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Boards of homeowner associations are often challenged to change the status quo for the better. A common scenario includes a newly elected board that promises to start enforcing rules or architectural policies. Problem is, there are HOA members that like it just fine the way it is and they loudly resist the board's proposed changes. If certain board members are single minded about forcing change, the resulting brouhaha will take center stage, the goals moved to the peanut gallery and little accomplished other than ruffling feathers. Flexibility is the key to success. Consider the following observation:
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