This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible. Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful.
Real Estate News
What Can Happen if You Take Your Home Off Market and Decide to Refinance Instead
Therersquo;s some initial interest, a couple of ldquo;lowballrdquo; offers that border as an insult, but they pay little attention to them. Theyrsquo;re just going to wait. They hire a professional house cleaner to perform a thorough cleaning. They pay some money to stage the home and also pay for a storage unit to house the […]
Full Story >Buy for Children Before You Have Them
If you donrsquo;t have children, but you and your partner share the solid conviction that your lives will revolve around children in the near future, consider buying a home as if you now have children. Thenbsp; ldquo;2019 Moving With Kidsrdquo; Report, > How would pretending to yourself that you already have children change how you […]
Full Story >NAR Report Emphasizes Agent Must-Haves for Strong Digital Presence
ldquo;The world we live in today is a digital one and searching for a home is no different,rdquo; they said. Buyers now have apps that let them search by location and neighborhoods. Online searching maximizes the ability to compare and contrast homes on the market by selected features. Most of this is done before a […]
Full Story >Its a DIY World out There. Are You Game?
Wersquo;re looking at five of the most popular projects to determine whether you can have at it or you should turn it over to the pros. New floors The cost to install new wood floors can range widely, and is largely dependent on the cost of the product itself. HomeAdvisor estimates the cost of installation […]
Full Story >Reasons to Power Wash Your Home Before Putting It On the Market
Soft wash pressure washing dramatically improves the overall curb appeal of your home. Safely yet adequately cleaning away dirt, mold, mildew, and other debris will make your property look brand new. You dont have to stick with just your homes exterior either. Pressure washing decks, patios, driveways, walkways, fencing, roofing, and everything else you can […]
Full Story >How Lenders View Retirement Income
Social security is a given. You can apply for social security up to three months before you turn 62. However, if you wait until 65 your monthly social security income will be higher. There are arguments on both sides as when to take social security, so itrsquo;s important that you have a discussion with your […]
Full Story >Are You Ready for Some Football? Move to One of These Top NFL Cities
Yes, for some people, there is no greater motivator to move to a city than whether or not therersquo;s an NFL team to root for, and the chances of them actually ending up in the Super Bowl. Now that the new NFL season has started, wersquo;re taking a look at the best places to live […]
Full Story >A Checklist for the New Homeowner
1. Notify the Post Office and the Bank The first thing that you should do is make sure that you contact the post office and make sure that theyrsquo;re aware of the change. All you have to do for this is fill out a change-of-address form. Head into the closest Post Office and fill out […]
Full Story >CLEVER AND SIMPLE WAYS TO REDUCE YOUR CARBON FOOTPRINT
Use Less Electricity One of the easiest ways to lower your carbon output is to use less electricity. You can easily start by turning off lights when youre not in a room and unplugging devices when you are not using them. You may think that turning off your devices is enough, but electronics like your […]
Full Story >THE MANY STEPS YOU CAN TAKE TO START SAVING FOR YOUR FIRST HOME
Find Out How Much You Should Save Many potential first time home buyers do not know how much they need to save in order to pay for a home. Now is the time to find out. In general, mortgage lenders expect all buyers to have at least ten percent in savings. A good mortgage will […]
Full Story >FIRST TIME HOME BUYERS: YOUR SIX MONTH PAN
Herersquo;s what to do financially when yoursquo;ve decided to stop renting and start owning. Month 1: Yoursquo;re still sort of in the exploratory phase but yoursquo;re still committed on buying your first home. Yet buying a home isnrsquo;t something you should do on your own, especially as it > Month 2: Now itrsquo;s time to […]
Full Story >HOME UPGRADES THAT WILL MAKE YOUR HOUSE WORTH EVEN MORE MOOLAH
Replace the Windows Poorly insulated, drafty, or cheap windows can bring down the value of a home like nothing else. Todays discerning home buyers expect double or triple pane windows with elements like Argon gas, low-e coatings, and all the other elements that make good-quality windows look good and function well. According to money.com, homeowners […]
Full Story >AMERICAN OBSESSION WITH MURDER SPURS INTRIGUING NEW DESIGN SHOW
But is there a cap? Do we just want to see and watch and read about murder, or does it go further? How do you feel about buying a house where a murder was committed? Thatrsquo;s the question new mobile streaming platformnbsp;Quibi is posing. When the platform launches in April 2020, it will offer a […]
Full Story >FALLS ON STAIRS FILL UP EMERGENCY ROOMS
Scary but true: there were more than 50,000 emergency visits for injuries from falls on stairs in Ontario in 2015, according to Ontario Injury Compass, which analyses and discusses injury issues in the province. ldquo;In B.C., stairs were involved in approximately 8.2 per cent of all hospitalizations for fall-> And it gets worse: a 2011-2015 […]
Full Story >CREATING THE SMART HOME OF TOMORROW, TODAY
Real estate agents should champion these facts.nbsp; Real estate agents should apprise clients of these facts, so as to reveal how real estate appraisers consider these facts. On a practical level, homeowners should invest in technology that is as substantive as it is stylish. To distinguish between the twomdash;to know the two are not always […]
Full Story >REMOLDING STATS AND SPENDING TRENDS TO INFORM YOUR IMPROVEMENT PLANS
The study found that, ldquo;Spending on improvements and repairs to the US housing stock continued on an upward trend in 2017, setting a new high of 424 billion. This represents a 10 percent increase from 2015 and more than 50 percent gain from the low in 2010.rdquo; According to their analysis, 22 million homeowners across […]
Full Story >USDA LOANS: THEYRE NOT JUST FOR HOMES IN THE BOONIES
If yoursquo;re saying to yourself, ldquo;But USDA loans are only for homes out in the sticks,rdquo; we get it. Itrsquo;s true that the loans were designed to help buyers in rural areas. But ldquo;ruralrdquo; is a broader term than you may know.nbsp; On the USDA website, you can enter an address in the search bar […]
Full Story >The 9 Best Tips on How to Find a Property for Profitable Investing
Tip 1: Buy a Property in a Top Real Estate Market Anyone in the real estate industry will tell you that location is the first and foremost factor for a profitable investment. Where your rental property is located will determine the price you have to pay for it, the rental demand, the best rental strategy, […]
Full Story >5 Creative Ways to Add Value to your Property Via Your Driveway
Upgrading your driveway offers an endless amount of possibilities and potential, and wersquo;re very lucky to have partnered up with a Annapolis Paving Prosnnapolis Paving Prosnbsp;to help us compile this list of ways to help give your driveway a makeover that can definitely lead to dramatic property increases and a simply fantastic external appearance Brick […]
Full Story >Crime in Canada: Fewer Break-Ins, More Fraud Cases
The good news is that Canadarsquo;s crime rate is 17 per cent lower than it was 10 years ago. The bad news is that it crept up by two per cent compared to the year before. Statistics Canadarsquo;s Crime Severity Index CSI counts the number of police-reported offences and assigns a weight to each crime, […]
Full Story >10 Easy Solutions for Creating More Storage at Home
Take a new look at your house Donrsquo;t have enough linen space? Maybe therersquo;s a corner or niche that could be turned into a closet. It might just take an open mind and a fresh outlook to reimagine a space.nbsp; Pick the right furniture ldquo;A hardworking family needs a hardworking living area, one that uses […]
Full Story >5 Basic Tips to Make Small Bedroom Look and Feel Amazing
However, to create a small bedroom which looks admirable and feel comfortable is not that easy. You have to deal with the limited space in placing the furniture, deacute;cor items, and accessories inside. Moreover, choosing the colors, patterns, and texture to decorate a small bedroom is not as easy as when you have a huge […]
Full Story >Things to Consider When Moving to A New Neighborhood
Financial You may have purchased a home with an affordable mortgage interest rate, however property taxes can become a significant part of your expenses. If you moved from another state or even county, its a good idea to find out about potential taxes or local special assessments that will affect your budget. A good way […]
Full Story >Problem Area: What Do You Do With a Glass Block Window?
The window, as you can see, is directly over the bathtub and also right in the line of sight if you happen to be: in a towel, changing your clothes, or in the commode with the door open It happens. No one wants to meet eyes with a stranger while theyrsquo;re on the toilet.nbsp; We […]
Full Story >Understanding Seasonal Income
Regular income is verified by paycheck stubs and W2 forms. Income must be documented to have at least a two year history. This timeline is valid for all sources of income. If someone has only worked for one and a half-years, that individual will have to wait until the two year period has passed. Documentation […]
Full Story >How to Do DIY Work on Your Property Safely
Even the simplest jobs come with their safety risks. Understanding these risks and what measures you need to take to protect yourself can save you from some nasty injuries. In this post, wersquo;ll take a look at the proper safety procedures that come with using tools and clothing while doing DIY work at home. Clothing […]
Full Story >5 Things You Can Do If You Cant Sell Your Property
Change Real Estate Agents Sometimes the problem with selling your home isnrsquo;t the house but the selling agent. The worst performers are ldquo;post and prayrdquo; agents who assume that listing your home on the MLS is all they need to do. The solution is to change your real estate agent. Switching to a high volume […]
Full Story >Using Solar Panels for a Sustainable Home
What is Solar Power? How is it Used? In using sustainable solar power, solar panels use photons, or light energy from the sun to create electricity. Crystalline silicon or thin-film cells collect the energy. A junction box connects the solar panel and its output interface. MC4 connectors or USB power interfaces provide weatherproof connections to […]
Full Story >How Consumers Achieve High Credit Scores
You must first understand how these three digit scores are calculated. Scores range from as low as 300 to as high as 850. Although Irsquo;ve never seen any score as low as 300 or as high as the perfect 850. Personally, I think either is impossible to achieve. That said, those with excellent credit didnrsquo;t […]
Full Story >Seller Intent: Inertia vs Action
You have not listed your house or condominium unit for sale. Why? Is the decision not to sell and move the result of your active exploration of housing and life> Inertia, or the trend toward passiveness or inactivity, describes, in physics, the tendency of a body at rest to stay at rest unless external energy […]
Full Story >Why an Investment Property Should Be Your First Real Estate Purchase
1. Rates are crazy low. Lower rates mean more affordable lending, or more for your money if you choose to reach higher.nbsp; 2. Because it will appreciate. According to Co> 3. Because passive income is good.nbsp; Yes, itrsquo;s nice to know there will likely be appreciation over time, but the real key to success with […]
Full Story >Finding Down Payment Money
The Bank. Okay, this is the obvious source. From a checking or a savings account, accessing readily available cash from a bank account is the most common. Consumers can save up a little each month until the minimum amount of funds needed have accrued. The lender will ask for copies of the most recent bank […]
Full Story >Fed Cuts Interest Rate for First Time in 11 Years. What Does It Mean to You?
The Federal Reserve just cut interest rates for the first time in 11 years. So what does that mean for consumers, especially those who are looking to buy a home? Wersquo;re breaking it down.nbsp; Mortgages Itrsquo;s important to remember that mortgage rates arenrsquo;t set by The Fed. And, as Bankrate puts it. ldquo;The Fedrsquo;s influence […]
Full Story >Moving Strategies for Clients
Do Repairs and Painting at the New Place First Beforenbsp;move-in day, go through the new place and jot down areas that need improvement. Is the wood flooring scuffed, or does the hallway need a coat of paint? Come back and take care of it prior to lugging in your boxes and furniture. Youll be too […]
Full Story >5 Questions to Ponder If Youre Thinking of Buying Your Very First Home
How much money do I need? Yoursquo;ll need money for a down payment, closing costs and cash reserves. There are a couple of loans that donrsquo;t require a down payment, VA and USDA loans, but those are either reserved for certain buyers or the property is located in a rural area. Otherwise, yoursquo;ll need a […]
Full Story >Define Your World with Color
Any discussion of color must include the effects of both warm and cool colors as well as the so-called ldquo;neutralsrdquo; colors that do not appear on the color wheel. The > All colors can lean toward warm or cool, depending on the addition of another color. In that way, red can be even warmer if […]
Full Story >