Earth Day is celebrated each year in April to remind us all of the benefits of ecologically-sound living that is more in harmony with Mother Earth. There is quite a bit of positive news when it comes to going "green." There are significant benefits for home sales. Green homes may sell faster and for higher prices. Many people are willing to pay more for a green home in order to receive the long-term benefits of the savings on utility costs. The Numbers Are Very Appealing AHS reports many encouraging statistics. The estimates are about one-third of the real estate market for single family homes … [Read More...]
You've finally found the perfect home for your family. Now the only thing standing between you and domestic bliss is the loan process. Use these techniques to shorten the amount of time between placing your bid and getting the final approval on your new home mortgage. Perfect Your Credit Rating Your credit score is a measure of your financial responsibility. Lenders look closely at your creditworthiness in their attempt to decide your loan's risk. Before you start shopping, take some time to clean up your credit history. Some credit habits that help shorten your loan approval period include: … [Read More...]
For most people, the mortgage payment is the biggest monthly expense. Whether you're facing retirement or still working, it would be nice to be free of this debt. Although you probably can't pay it off in one lump sum, it is possible to pay off your mortgage sooner than expected. Here are four strategies to try. 1. Make Bi-Weekly Payments You could shave eight years off a 30-year mortgage simply by breaking down your monthly payments into two payments instead of one. You'll pay the same amount each month while the interest paid over the length of the loan is reduced. 2. Make … [Read More...]
Last week's economic news included readings on home builder confidence in housing market conditions and Commerce Department reports on housing starts and building permits issued. Weekly readings on mortgage ratees and first-time jobless claims were also released. NAHB Housing Market Index: Builder Confidence Rises One Point in April Home Builder Confidence readings posted by the National Association of Home Builders held steady for April and rose one point overall. Component readings for the NAHB Housing Market Index were mixed; builder confidence in current housing market conditions rose one … [Read More...]
Perhaps you plan to sell your home in the next few months or years. Keeping your garage organized can save time and ensure that you have storage space when you need it most. Get Your Purge On! Clear out the garage and separate items into categories: keep, trash, donate and recycle. If you get rid of 50 percent of your stuff, you're doing great. The more you can get rid of up front, the less you have to organize! And if you haven't used it in years, why would you need to keep it around? Create Zones Map out space with masking tape, starting with where your vehicles go. Mask out where you can … [Read More...]
Home builder confidence increased in April to an index reading of 63, which was one point higher than for March and the highest reading in six months. Analysts said that April's reading revealed more about housing market conditions in the past six months than it was an indicator of future market conditions. November's builder confidence reading was the lowest since housing markets tanked in 2008, Builder confidence recovered over the past few months despite headwinds including higher materials costs and shortages of labor and buildable lots. Home Builder Confidence Holds Steady Despite … [Read More...]
