Chimneys are as old as homes themselves. Yet, when it comes to chores, cleaning the chimney is one of the most neglected tasks. While people often think about yard work and housework, they often forget to clean the chimney. When someone neglects to clean the chimney, they risk the development of mold. This can influence the efficiency of the chimney, causing debris to back up into the home. For this reason, it is essential for people to clean their chimneys on a regular schedule. Make Sure To Inspect The Chimney Properly Chimneys are used seasonally. When the temperature starts to drop … [Read More...]
Did you realize that only around 17 percent of the homes in the United States have a security system? Leaving your residence unprotected can come back to haunt you in the future. The longer you wait to find and fix security problems, the harder you will find it to keep your family safe. Taking the time to inspect your home is a great way to see where security problems exist. With the help of the checklist in this article, you can secure your home and keep burglars at bay. Check Your Existing Security Alarm If your home does have a security alarm, you need to make sure it has all of the … [Read More...]
One of the most common worries that people have is money. When it comes to those golden retirement years, many people worry about running out of money. At the same time, most people who reach their retirement years have a lot of equity in their home. Therefore, many people think about drawing on the equity in their home as a source of income. A reverse mortgage will allow someone to do exactly that. On the other hand, can receiving payments from a reverse mortgage impact the benefits that someone can receive from Social Security or Medicare? The Basics Of A Reverse Mortgage First, people need … [Read More...]
Millennials are a huge socio-demographic group of over 83 million people. Many of them want to buy a home but face challenges that their parents did not necessarily have. Homes are more expensive. In most places, home prices rebounded to exceed the pre-2008 economic collapse values. Moreover, home prices continue to go up. The encouraging news is that there is home financing readily available and mortgage interest rates are still reasonable. Even if it is more challenging, the greatest investment that most Americans can make is buying a home. Paying rent is only helping the landlord get rich. … [Read More...]
Last week’s economic reports included readings from Case-Schiller Home Price Indices and National Association of Realtors® data on pending home sales. The Conference Board of the U.S. Senate also released its Consumer Confidence Index. Weekly readings on mortgage rates and first-time jobless claims were also released. Case-Shiller Reports 0.10 Percent Uptick in National Home Price Index The National Home Price Index issued by Case-Shiller for October reported a year-over-year increase of 3.20 percent in home prices. Case-Shiller’s 20-City Home Price Index reflected … [Read More...]
Commuting for hours in traffic on a daily basis is a waste of resources, time, and money. It is stressful and bad for the environment. The infrastructure in many parts of the United States is falling apart. The roads and highways do not have sufficient capacity to handle the demands of the traffic load that continues to increase each year. Many busy professionals and families are turning to a solution of owning two homes for the convenience of enjoying dual-location living. What Is Dual-Location Living? The most common form of dual-location living is having a home and also owning a vacation … [Read More...]