“The support upon which something rests,” is how Merriam Webster Dictionary defines ‘foundation.’ Think about that for a minute. Your home rests on its foundation, which, when functioning properly, provides structural stability, safety and value to the home. If it’s not in peak condition, you may end up paying a fortune to repair it and/or the damage to the home that has occurred because of it. So, how do you know if there might be a problem with the foundation of your home? Read on and we’ll share with you what we learned from the experts. Cracks in the foundation Not all cracks indicate a f ..read more

Most American homebuyers at the turn of the 20th century were forced to pony up 50 percent of the home’s appraised value to get a mortgage. Needless to say, most low- and middle-income folks’ version of the American Dream didn’t include homeownership. Today, it’s not at all uncommon for cash-strapped homebuyers to put down far less than the “standard” 20 percent of the home’s appraised value – but the privilege comes with a price in the form of monthly private mortgage insurance (PMI) premiums. What is PMI? PMI (or MIP, short for “mortgage insurance premium,” when dealing with an FHA loan) is ..read more

Once upon a time, not too terribly long ago, homebuyers wouldn’t even dream of submitting an offer for less than what a home was listed. That, however, is so last year. We are moving into a time where it appears that buyers will have more homes from which to choose, more time to shop for a home and more leeway in asking for concessions. They will also not hesitate to submit an offer lower than asking price. Lowball offers, those that are 10% or more off the list price, aren’t common. Yet. That doesn’t mean, however, that you won’t receive one when your home is on the market. It’s insulting, r ..read more

Sometimes it makes financial sense to hang on to your old home when you buy another. Of course, you’ll want to talk it over first with your financial advisor, but if he or she crunches the numbers and they come up in your favor, you may consider renting out the home. In fact, renting it out to someone else may be the perfect way to keep ownership while the home gains value. And, as you’ve no doubt read in the media, rents are at record highs. Here are a few financial aspect to think about before making the leap to becoming a landlord. Can I afford it? After speaking with your financial adviso ..read more

Ants on the porch or insects in the garden are annoying but tolerable summer staples. With cooling weather, however, many pests go on a hunt for a nice, warm place to hunker down over the fall and winter. Unfortunately, our homes beckon these critters. There are ways, however, to discourage them from taking up residence. 1. Roaches “Cockroaches can’t migrate during the colder months, so they need to find a warm hiding spot to survive,” according to Jack Andersen at CockroachZone.com. In your garden, they will hibernate under leaf piles, rocks and other areas. The problem for these outdoor roa ..read more

“Frankly, I don’t think a Realtor does much that I can’t do myself,” a New Jersey homeowner tells CBS News. It’s understandable that many real estate consumers feel this way; after all, the only part of the process that they see is an agent pounding a sign into the yard, hanging a lockbox on the door and then sitting around for a couple of hours during open houses, right? Surely it can’t be that hard to sell a house. And just think of the money you’ll save if you sell it yourself. Lots of jobs look easy to outsiders. But, before you head to hunt for real estate contracts, before you join one ..read more

What if we told you that you could turn $402 in cleaning supplies into $2,024 extra in the sale of your home, just by cleaning your house? A home improvement study performed by a real estate portal revealed just how much you can net just by performing the basics. Imagine how much more you’d realize if you went beyond just decluttering and cleaning. Staging the home is the next logical step once you have it clean and sparkling. The psychology of homebuyers is complicated but two things a seller can count on include: They want a home they can move right in to without hiring a cleaning crew fir ..read more

Depending upon where you live in the U.S., home security may be your biggest concern when buying a house. Urban homes with security features are hot sellers and insurance on these homes is typically discounted. There are many home security systems available, including alarm systems and cameras that make houses less attractive to crooks and more attractive to buyers. First, look for basic home security features when house hunting High-tech home security systems are only one aspect of home safety. Basic home security includes some common-sense strategies that make your home a tougher target for ..read more

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The open house has been a part of home selling for more than 100 years, according to the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR). Fast forward to today and, although still a tool that many real estate agents use, the open house has decreased in popularity. We can thank the internet for that. With online access to video tours, virtual tours and 3-D floor plans, many homebuyers decide which homes to view online, not by driving around and visiting open houses on weekends. According to Home Buyers and Sellers Generational Trends, the NAR’s annual survey, when asked about the first step taken duri ..read more