The Department of Energy reported that the average cost of utilities in American homes is $1,600 a year. How much is it for you? It's a lot more than that in my home, so anything that you and I can do to bring that figure down makes sense. Right now, many homeowners have seen … [Read more...] about Want To Save Some Money?
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The Skinny on Home Inspections
Let's face it - we can't all be experts on living structures. We may know some of the things to look for, but a lot of significant problems go right past our eyes. That's why I think it's a good idea to pay a home inspector to thoroughly go over any house you're planning to buy … [Read more...] about The Skinny on Home Inspections
Understanding Loss Mitigation
While there is much said these days about foreclosure there is little said about avoiding foreclosure. Part of the reason is that the media has a tendency to center on the worst case scenarios associated with a problem. This is unfortunate because it leads to a situation where … [Read more...] about Understanding Loss Mitigation
What’s with these mortgage rates?
The big question on everyone's mind right now is; what's with these interest rates? Beginning on Thursday, May 21, rates began to move up, dramatically. They are now a full 1% higher than they were just a couple of short weeks ago. What's going on, and will they come back … [Read more...] about What’s with these mortgage rates?
The 2009 Home Buyer Tax Credit at a Glance
There have been a lot of questions recently about the new tax credit for first-time home buyers. I say "new" because it does differ from the credit allowed in 2008. Here are the highlights: The tax credit is for first-time home buyers only. The IRS defines a first-time home … [Read more...] about The 2009 Home Buyer Tax Credit at a Glance
What Really Happened???
A few months ago, one of my colleagues emailed this slide show to me. In cartoon, which seems fitting somehow, this will show you how the mortgage mess really came about. Everyone is busy blaming everyone else. Let's face it - there's plenty of blame to go around. Now … [Read more...] about What Really Happened???