Nearly 5.5 million more households are priced out of the housing market today than a year ago, NAR data shows. The 30-year fixed-rate mortgage rose again this week, averaging 6.79% and forcing more home buyers to recalculate their budget. Mortgage applications for home purchases are falling—down 31% year over year, according to the Mortgage Bankers […]

Sustainable Home Upgrades for Owners on Any Budget Here’s a breakdown by budget of the projects that can save homeowners money on energy bills—and the potential savings. © Halfpoint – iStock/Getty Images Plus Energy-efficient home upgrades could help homeowners cut their annual energy bills in half while also reducing their home’s carbon footprint. But even […]

In the olden days, when someone wanted a home loan they walked downtown to the neighborhood bank or savings & loan. If the bank had extra funds lying around and considered you a good credit risk, they would lend you the money from their own funds. It doesn’t generally work like that anymore. Most of […]

Lead poisoning is a serious problem that can lead to adverse health problems. In children, high levels of lead can cause damage to the brain and nervous system, behavioral and learning problems, slow growth, and hearing problems. In adults, lead poisoning can cause reproductive problems, high blood pressure, digestive problems, nerve disorder, memory and concentration […]

Analyze why you are selling – If you understand your motives, you will be able to better negotiate and to get what it is that you want, whether it be a quick sale, high price, or somewhere in the middle. Prepare your home for the buyer – Maximize the strengths of your property and fix up its […]

With the burst of the housing bubble, credit crisis, and millions of foreclosures across the country, you may wonder if buying a home is such a good idea after all. However, it’s important to consider all of the facts. The important message to take away from these events is not that buying a home is […]

Have you received an advertisement offering to save you thousands of dollars on your thirty-year mortgage and cut years off your payments? With email spam becoming more pervasive as everyone tries to get rich quick on the Internet, these ads are popping up with troublesome regularity. The ads promote a Biweekly Mortgage and for the […]

Lower interest rates have motivated you to refinance your home loan. The lower rate may save you a tremendous amount of money over the life of the loan, but you should also expect to pay the lender the typical closing costs associated with any new loan, including service fees, points, title insurance protection and other […]

Underground heating oil tanks can pose many potential problems to both home buyers and sellers. They have been the source of many environmental problems such as contamination of surrounding soil and ground water. Leaks are generally caused by the rust inside underground tanks or by an electrical condition sparked by electric utility lines. Buyers should […]

FSBO (pronounced fizz-bo), or For Sale By Owner, is a way of selling your home without the use of a professional real estate agent or broker. The idea behind FSBO is that by selling your home yourself, you save the approximate 6% that would be the agents’ commission. 6% may not sound like a lot, […]