tip: 10 Fall Home Improvement Tips
- 09/28/16 07:57 AM
Now that summer gear has been stowed away, it's time to focus on fall home improvement projects. According to Vicki Payne, host of the For Your Home with Vicki Payne television show, autumn is the key time to evaluate your home exterior and prepare it for the harsh winter months ahead.
"With cooler fall weather comes the realization that your home will soon experience cold, snowy weather," says Payne, a nationally recognized home improvement expert on the country's longest running home and garden television show. "To get your house ready, start by giving your exterior a thorough review. Everything should be checked, … (3 comments)
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tip: Smart Home Technology: 6 Gadgets That Will Increase Home Efficiency
- 09/27/16 08:25 AM
For bolstered efficiency and enhanced convenience, it's worth it to equip your home with the newest technology. There are practical smart home devices that will help you save on utility costs, ensure the safety of your home and assist in home maintenance. There are also more personalized gadgets that will help you monitor health, ensure your pet’s safety, and also provide multifaceted assistance in home management. Tailor your home with the right technology for you and your family. Here is a list of the best smart home gadgets you should invest in:
Nest Thermostat
The Nest Thermostat pays for itself with its energy … (1 comments)
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tip: Written Contract Essential For Major Home Renovations
- 09/26/16 08:07 AM
Question. We plan on adding two rooms and a bath to our house. What protection should we include in the contract with our architect and contractor?
Answer. I receive a number of questions on this topic every year. It is an area where an ounce of prevention can make a significant difference to the homeowner, and yet it always amazes me that homeowners will hire contractors for major renovations to their homes having only a loosely written one or two-page "letter agreement" or nothing in writing at all.
In my opinion, it is absolutely essential to have a written contract with your home … (0 comments)
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tip: 3 Things You Need to Know About Insuring Your Vacation Home
- 09/26/16 08:02 AM
Ready to purchase a summer home along the coast or a winter home in the mountains? Although it may seem like a can't-miss investment, a vacation home could prove to be more expensive than you think, especially when you consider what it takes to insure this residence.
Believe it or not, vacation home and homeowners insurance are not interchangeable. Even though vacation home insurance may offer some of the same coverage as a typical homeowners' policy, certain exceptions could apply.
What differentiates vacation home insurance from a homeowners' policy? Here are three things you need to know about insuring your vacation home, and … (0 comments)
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tip: Use Technology To Attract High End Home Buyers
- 09/21/16 11:31 PM
ERA Real Estate and HGTV reported 46 percent of consumers see smart-home technology as important for their current and future residences. But luxury homebuyers are willing to make the ultimate sacrifice. According to Digital Interiors, 94 percent of buyers surveyed would sacrifice 1,000 square feet of living space for more technology in their new home. Oversized houses are no longer the driving trend in the luxury real estate market and agents are under pressure to respond to the demand. Here’s what affluent homebuyers are looking for and which gadgets are must-haves.
Get a Smart Thermostat
Outfit your listings for luxury with smart-home additions … (3 comments)
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tip: Understanding How Credit Scores Work
- 09/21/16 11:26 PM
Lenders want to give you a mortgage, but they also want to minimize their own risk. The easiest way to retard risk is by using your credit scores to make lending decisions.
Credit scores are compiled separately by three consumer reporting agencies -- Equifax, Experian, and Trans Union. These credit reporting bureaus calculate scores differently, and base their scores on information that may differ from other bureaus.
*Equifax Beacon 5.0 Facta: scores range from 334 to 818.
*Experian Fair Isaac V2: scores range from 320 to 844.
*Trans Union FICO Risk score Classic 04: scores range from 309 to 839.
Your credit score is a number … (1 comments)
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tip: 8 Essentials For Cooling Your Home
- 09/20/16 08:19 AM
When the temperatures spike, most families crank up the air conditioning to keep their homes cool. While blasting the AC is often viewed as the first step in cooling a home, there are a number of other ways to keep your home comfortable in the summer.
#1 Open Windows at Night
If you live in a region of the country where nighttime temperatures tend to dip into the lower 70s and upper 60s, open your windows at night and turn off the AC. Once the sun is down, that cool air can flow into your home overnight and help maintain a cooler starting … (0 comments)
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tip: Understanding Adverse Possession
- 09/16/16 10:04 AM
There is an ancient legal concept in the law known as "adverse possession." If we go back to our history books, this is also known as "squatters rights."
The theory of the doctrine of adverse possession is that the person who holds or uses property adversely against the rightful owner should ultimately be entitled to clear title. But not every possession of land will turn into fee simple ownership. As the name of the doctrine implies, the possession must be adverse, hostile, actual, notorious, exclusive, continuous and under claim of right.
Needless to say, these sound like highly complex legal concepts, and to … (1 comments)
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tip: Premise Liability Expanded
- 09/16/16 08:36 AM
Most everyone who pays attention to real estate matters knows that along with ownership and/or control of real property comes various liabilities. If someone gets hurt on property that you own and/or control, then, depending on what happened and how, you may be held liable for their injury. Among other things, you have a duty to exercise reasonable care not to expose people to a risk of foreseeable harm. But what about property that is next to or around yours? Do you have any duties to prevent harm from occurring on them? In some circumstances, the answer may be ‘yes' according … (0 comments)
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tip: How To Make Your Offer On Your Next Home Stand Out
- 09/15/16 11:44 PM
It may seem hard to imagine but, yes, the cycle has spun around and in some markets there are bidding wars leaving buyers wondering, "What can I do to make my offer stand out?"
The real estate market is again heating up and many buyers are trying to get into the market now after taking a long break. For some, it's a chance to become first-time homeowners. For others, it's a chance to make a move up to a larger home or to buy a second home. Still others may have owned in previous years and are now getting back into homeownership. … (1 comments)
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tip: Hiring a Handyman When Selling Your Home
- 09/14/16 11:39 PM
As you get ready to sell your home, you may discover the need to make numerous repairs and updates. But when do you have the time? Most jobs you can do yourself, but others require a little more skill. Maybe it's time to consider hiring a handyman.
According to Angie's List, hiring a handyman can prevent waste and overcharging, as the handyman will only charge you for hours worked. Plus they keep their rates low with low overhead and by not having to pay other workers.
A handyman is someone who can handle small painting and carpentry jobs that can be completed quickly. … (1 comments)
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tip: Homeowner Happiness And How It Affects You
- 09/14/16 07:21 PM
Owning your own home can be one of the most exciting times of your life. But are you truly happy with your current situation? According to a recent survey by HomeAdvisor, there are a number of different factors that come into play that determine whether someone is happy with their current living situation or not.
Some of the key factors include:
*Accessibility -- Homeowners don't want to spend hours having to get from one location to another. They want to be able to get to any important services, attractions and employment opportunities within the shortest amount of time possible. On average, Americans spend … (0 comments)
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tip: 4 Things You Should Be Doing With Your Home Equity
- 08/17/16 07:18 AM
You may be sitting on a goldmine. Or a small fortune. Or at least a little chunk of cash. Rising home prices across the country means homeowners have some equity. So what can you do with it? More importantly, what should you do with it? If you've got money in your house, you've got some options.
"Done wisely, you can use the lower-interest debt secured by your house to pay off debts with high interest rates, like credit cards," said houselogic. "It's also a good choice if you know exactly how much you need to borrow for a big expenditure like a … (1 comments)
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tip: When It Comes To Buying A Home, Are You A Donald Or A Hillary?
- 08/15/16 08:03 AM
Are you bold and independent, not considering anyone's opinion but your own?
Or are you more cautious and studied, making sure your choice is accepted and appreciated?
Do you buy like a Trump or claim your home like a Clinton?
There are pros and cons to both, depending on the situation. And, there are things you can learn from each of the presidential candidates that can make you a more successful real estate buyer.
Having confidence
It's no secret that Donald Trump will say anything to anyone at any time, regardless of (and sometimes in spite of) the potential blowback. Meek the man is not. Hillary … (1 comments)
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tip: 10 Things To Consider Before Buying A Couch
- 08/15/16 02:16 AM
A couch isn't just a place to sit. For many of us, it's the biggest piece of furniture in a room, and also the most expensive. Get it right and you can set the tone for the rest of the space. But if it's the wrong size or color, if you choose the wrong fabric for your lifestyle, or if it's just plain uncomfortable, you may have regrets.
"Sofas are a big commitment - both literally and figuratively," said Houzz. "On the figurative side, they're expensive, and they need to last for a long time. And literally, well, they're big. They take … (0 comments)
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tip: What To Consider Before You Buy A Condo
- 08/15/16 02:12 AM
Condos were once thought of as homes that attracted singles or couples, often without children. But today, condos are growing in popularity and attracting families of all sizes.
Condos can be an excellent choice for the right buyers. Here are a few things that should considered before purchasing a condo. Most buyers start with the condo itself. That may be a good place to begin but, before they buy, buyers should also consider other factors outside of the condo.
Some developers are building condos that have a look and feel like single-family homes. These modern condos have great rooms and open, flowing floor … (0 comments)
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tip: Defining Your Principal Residence
- 08/06/16 10:23 AM
There are now only two real tax benefits available to the American homeowner -- interest and real estate tax deductions, and the capital gains exclusion for your principal residence.
In order to qualify for these tax benefits, the home in which you live must be your legal, principal residence. And although interest and tax deductions are also available for investment properties, this column will address only your personal home.
There is no statutory definition for principal residence in the Tax Code. If you ask an IRS agent for a definition, she will have to admit that "whether or not property is used by … (1 comments)
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tip: What If Your Home Appraisal Is Too Low?
- 08/06/16 10:10 AM
You have signed a contract to purchase a house. Your potential lender has qualified you for the mortgage loan, on the condition that the house will appraise high enough to support the loan. Now you have learned that the appraisal has come in too low, and the lender is not prepared to commit the loan.
You have a number of options.
Let's take this example. Your contract price is $500,000, and you are seeking a loan which will be 80 percent of the purchase price -- or $400,000. Such a loan will help you avoid paying private mortgage insurance (PMI) premiums. However, the … (1 comments)
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tip: A Few Things Home Sellers Should Never Do
- 08/06/16 03:27 AM
When you prepare to put your home on the market, you hope that everything will go the way you imagine and that is your home will sell for over listing price the very first day it goes on the market.
The reality isn't so rosy. The market may slow down. Your home may get few showings or no offers. You may have to lower your list price. Or, your home may not sell at all because you made a big mistake.
So if you're thinking of doing any of the following five no-no's, stop yourself right now.
Don't hire the first REALTOR® you meet. … (1 comments)
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tip: When It Comes To Real Estate, Is It Ever OK To Overpay?
- 08/06/16 03:24 AM
A story broke this week about how Zillow CEO Spencer Rascoff overpaid for his $20 million home. The New York Times called it "ironic" that he paid "over $1 million above its Zestimate" for his 12,732-square-foot Brentwood, CA mansion. Everyone who's had an issue with Zillow's farcical Zestimates calls it "payback."
"The next time you're surfing popular real estate listings site Zillow for a new home and stumble across a "Zestimate" - the company's estimate for a property's value - you might want to take it with a grain of salt," they said.
Frankly, we could sit here all day and debate the … (0 comments)
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Now that summer gear has been stowed away, it's time to focus on fall home improvement projects. According to Vicki Payne, host of the For Your Home with Vicki Payne television show, autumn is the key time to evaluate your home exterior and prepare it for the harsh winter months ahead.
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