It’s the place you’ve lived for years — maybe even decades. The pencil marks measuring each kid’s height are still behind the pantry door, and the sapling you planted in the front yard is now a towering tree. You’ve invested a great deal in this house. So when the time comes to put it on […]
5 Things You Need to Ask Yourself Before Turning Down a Low-Ball Offer Read More »
By Patti Stern, PJ & Company Staging and Interior Decorating This spring has been one of our busiest home staging seasons with many sellers enjoying the benefits of preparing their homes early and marketing to targeted buyers – boosting the value of their property and selling quickly. However, there are sellers who are hesitant and
Educate Sellers How Home Staging Pays Off Read More »
Knowing which type of relationship you have with your agent, and his broker, will help you negotiate the best possible deal, whether you’re a buyer or a seller. When you hire a real estate agent, it’s important to understand whose side she’s on as you select a home to buy (or list your current home
Who Represents You in a Real Estate Transaction? Read More »
1. Home Inspection A home inspection helps protect you from purchasing a home that could be a lemon. So you don’t want to forgo it. Tip Your inspector isn’t required to be an expert in everything. If you suspect termites, asbestos, and foundational issues, for instance, you’ll need to hire a specialist. Inspectors will look
8 Hidden Costs When You Buy a Home Read More »
A real yard. Closets bigger than your average microwave. The freedom to decorate however you darn well please! Making the switch from renting to owning is exhilarating, but many rookie homebuyers find the process trickier to navigate than they expected. This is why we created our First-Time HomeBuyer Checklist. The 12-month timeline will help you
What to Do BEFORE You Start House Hunting Read More »
Tight-fisted lenders have made home equity loans harder to come by. So what’s a fixer-upper to do? Meet the 203(k) loan. Lenders’ weak stomach for extending credit doesn’t have to sour your upgrade dreams. The old but new again FHA 203(k) loan rolls remodeling and mortgage costs together, whether you’re buying or refinancing an existing
Ready to Renovate? The Rehabbers’ Guide to 203(k) Loans Read More »
Selling your house can be scary: It’s been your home, where you’ve lived and made memories. Chances are good it’s your most important asset and your biggest investment so far. Wrestling with the emotional heft of putting your home on the market is a difficult byproduct of real estate — but once a closing date
For Lucas Hall, finding that answer has been trial and error. As a “DIY landlord” for more than two years and founder of Landlordology, an online resource for landlords, he’s gutted three homes and renovated countless others. “I’m just handy enough to be dangerous,” Hall says. He’s suffered more than his fair share of
4 Ways to Avoid DIY Mistakes — From a DIYer Who’s Made Them All Read More »
Getting a bit queasy as tax time nears? Worried about making mistakes or missing out on a deduction — especially if this is your first time itemizing? Unless you’re a CPA, it can be easy to miss deductions, or worse: raise a red flag with the IRS because you got deduction happy. Here are the
Don’t Panic! You CAN Do Your Taxes Error-Free. Here’s How Read More »
Your home is a great source of tax savings if you know what qualifies and don’t forget to claim deductions and credits. If you missed any of these five, you can go back in time — roughly two to three years — by amending your tax return. (Read more nitpicky details in How to Amend
5 Good Reasons to Amend Your Tax Return — and How Read More »
