Shopping for Your First Home? Here's What to Look For
 A starter home is a stopgap between a rental and a dream house. In today's real estate market, however, that stopgap is becoming a little less temporary. If you're a first-time home buyer, you should plan to live in your starter home for seven to ten years. Your address might not change during that time, but your life will. To ensure that your living space suits both your current and future needs, look for a starter home that meets these four standards.
Affordable Price
You may be able to afford an... Read More
|
|
|
Gardening in Five Minutes a Day
 Want a beautiful garden but think you don't have the time? These quick and easy landscape tricks will improve the look of your garden in as little as five minutes a day.
Don't let your plants die of thirst. Establish a watering schedule and post it in a conspicuous place, such as on the refrigerator or in the laundry room. Most people simply forget the last time they watered and by the time they realize it has been over a week, their petunias are wilted... Read More
|
|
|
Six Easy Bathroom Updates
 If you're tired of your bathroom's decor, but don't want to spend a fortune, try one of these six ideas to take your bathroom from failing to fabulous.
Paint perfection.
Pale yellows brighten up a room and make it appear larger; darker colors like burgundy or chocolate have a rich, warm appearance. Greens or blues are soothing and exude peace and tranquility. Don't just paint the walls; if your bathroom cabinet looks shabby, paint it too (you may need to lightly sand the old... Read More |
|
|
 |
|
 |
|
|
|
The Pending Home Sales Index Rises in May
 In a healthy real estate market, homes go up for sale, offers are made, and contracts are signed. To keep track of market activity, the National Association of Realtors (NAR) developed the Pending Home Sales Index, a tool that measures the number of signed real estate contracts on existing homes. According to the May findings, more and more home buyers are signing on the dotted line.
The Pending Home Sales Index reached 101.1 in May. Not only is this level up from 95.5 in April, it is 13.3 percent higher than May 2011, when the index rang in at 89.2. Every region of the country saw both monthly and yearly gains in the number of pending real estate contracts. This is the... Read More |
|
|
Remodeling Your home? Start from the Outside In
 The kitchen and bathroom are at the top of most home remodeling project lists. But homeowners intent on remodeling should also consider investing in the exterior of their homes—maybe even start there.
That's the advice of Sarah Susanka, one of the nation's leading voices for redefining the American home, and author of the Not So Big House series, a collection of nine books focusing on home design, architecture and remodeling.
The reason for investing in the exterior is simple. The exterior should set the tone for your home's interior look and feel. Also, first impressions really do count to the long-term value of a house, especially when it comes time to sell it... Read More
|
|
|
