Four Ways Emotions Can Interfere with House Hunting
 Buying a home is an exciting, emotional, and stressful project. Whether you have purchased a home before or are preparing to buy your first one, you don't want to let your emotions make the decision for you. The following are pitfalls that can be costly, and you'll want to avoid them.
1. Love at First Sight
Don't fall in love with the first house you see and determine to buy it no matter what... Read More
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National Housing Market: Higher Prices Helping Repeat Buyers
 To measure the stability of the housing market, Freddie Mac's Multi-Indicator Market Index (MiMi) looks at the number of home-purchase applications, the proportion of on-time mortgage payments, the employment picture, and the payment-to-income ratios for markets across the country. All of these indicators point to a national housing market that is on the outer range of its historic benchmark and continuing to improve month after month... Read More |
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Five Ways to Come Up with a
Down Payment
 Coming up with a hefty down payment can be intimidating, but with a little work and ingenuity you can do it. Here are a few ideas for coming up with the needed cash:
1. Down-Payment
Assistance Programs
Many states offer down-payment assistance programs. You must go through an application process and qualify based on income and credit, but if you do qualify, these programs are amazing... Read More
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Smart Upgrades to Make Your Patio More Fun
 If you are looking for a smart way to upgrade your home and make it more livable, you may want to look outside your four walls to the outdoors. Upgrading your patio can make your home more fun and improve your family's quality of life. Here are some smart and cost-effective patio upgrades you can do right now:
Plush Patio Furniture
If you are tired of living with the same old patio furniture, consider a more luxurious upgrade. Look for upholstered patio furniture that is easy to clean, and choose colors and patterns that go well with your existing decorating scheme. Be aware that bright colors and dark shades can fade in the hot sun... Read More
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How to Reduce Your Water Bill
 Water streams from our faucets so easily that we forget it's not free. Despite the fact that three-quarters of the Earth is covered in water, there's not an unlimited supply. Nor is there an endless supply of money in your bank account. So conserving water not only helps the planet but also helps you conserve another valuable resource—cash.
It's shocking to learn how much water we use for the most basic tasks. The average person uses 80-100 gallons of water per day. This number could be cut drastically with some minor behavioral changes and a few home improvements.
Toilet - The biggest water guzzler in the house is the toilet, so if installing low-flush models is an option, great! You'll go from using five to seven gallons... Read More |
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