10
Feb
By Jim Hasek
Homeowner Tips, ,

3 Reasons You Might Decide to Retire to a Tiny Home – and Why You’ll Love It

Many people romanticize the idea of paying off their home mortgage early so they can enjoy their home in retirement, but when it comes to the later years of life, a big house can actually be too much to handle. If you've started to consider a smaller home and are wondering why it might be a good decision for you and yours, here are a few things you may want to consider. It's Much Easier To Maintain It is often the idea of the palatial estate with a pool that homeowners get excited about, but when it comes to reality,…
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30
May
By Jim Hasek
Homeowner Tips, ,

The Green Thumb: Four Easy Ways To Get More From Your Home Garden

Growing a home garden creates beauty, oxygen and even food for our families to enjoy. If you're looking to get more from your home garden, here are four easy ways to improve a green thumb. A Good Foundation For Your Garden Good soil is the foundation of a healthy garden. By using quality soil, you can give your garden plants the best start possible. Adding a variety of organic matter to soil will give plants a happy home to grow in. Add two to three inches of organic matter to your garden bed at the beginning of each season. Compost,…
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29
May
By Jim Hasek
Homeowner Tips, ,

5 Tips To Protect Yourself When Buying Newly Constructed Real Estate

Buying newly constructed real estate isn't much different from buying an "already used" home. What variances there are, however, can make all the difference between buying a diamond or a lemon.  Here are a few tips to keep in mind when buying new construction: Tip #1: Don't Use The Builder's Sales Agent - Hire Your Own If they're the builder's agent, they're being paid to represent the builder, no matter what they tell you.  Your own real estate agent, who is representing you, is required to tell you the negatives as well as the positives.  The builder's agent doesn't have…
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08
Apr
By Jim Hasek
Homeowner Tips, ,

Four Places To Look For Tax Deductions In Your Home

Paying your income taxes each year leave your wallet a bit thin? There may be money hiding in your home that lessens your tax burden. Here are four places to look: 1. Home-Office Deduction If you work from home, you could qualify for a home-office deduction. Taking the deduction can be a bit complicated; so many people who qualify don't claim the exemption. An estimated 26 million Americans have home offices, but only 3.4 million claim them on their tax return. Perhaps that's why the Internal Revenue Service attempted to simplify the process in 2013. The write-off takes into account…
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01
Apr
By Jim Hasek
Homeowner Tips, ,

Important Legal Tips For Homeowners

Being a homeowner is exciting. It can be financially rewarding, too. Unfortunately, it can also put you in a tough legal position. Between the complexities of owning a house, having to deal with lenders and the risk that comes from owning something valuable, keeping yourself legally protected is a good idea. Here Are Some Risks -- And Some Ways To Handle Them. HOAs. If you own a condo, townhome or other property in an association, the homeowner association is extremely powerful. Not paying their dues, violating their rules, or doing just about anything else to end up on the wrong…
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