11
Feb
By Jim Hasek
Home Buyer Tips, ,

Three Excellent Reasons to Buy a Home So You Can Get out of the “Renting Rut”

Renting a home is a good option for some, but buying a home just might be the best thing for you. When you rent a home, you send money to someone else every month in exchange for knowing that you can call on your landlord when the roof leaks, an appliance stops working or your bathroom faucet breaks. There are some big advantages to buying a house that will help you get out of your renting rut and focus more on your future. Build Equity Did you know that when you rent a home, you help someone else build equity?…
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06
Feb
By Jim Hasek
Home Buyer Tips, ,

Are You Ready to Make the Leap into Home Ownership? Here’s How You Can Tell

Are you ready to make that leap from living at home or renting to owning a home of your own? While everyone moves at their own pace, here are some signs that you can use to determine if it is time to own your own home. Let's take a look at some of the reasons you can use to justify your decision. Are You Sticking Around? If you plan on moving soon for a job or think that you won't be in town much longer, it may be better to rent. However, if you are thinking about living in the…
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27
Jan
By Jim Hasek
Home Mortgage Tips, ,

Three iPhone and Android Apps That Make Managing Your Mortgage Payments Quick and Easy

Your mortgage payment may be among the largest payments you make every month. While certainly an important part of your budget, this payment is also critical to helping you build equity in your home because it attributes to mortgage principal reduction. Managing your mortgage payments can be challenging, but there are some incredible apps available for use with Android or iPhone smartphones that can simplify your mortgage management tasks. Mortgage Mentor This app is available for both iPhones and Android devices, and is designed to be compatible with all types of mortgages. It can calculate PMI for adjustable rate and…
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14
Nov
By Jim Hasek
Around The Home, ,

Save Money on Your Home Energy Costs This Winter in Just Three Easy Steps

It doesn't matter if you heat your home with electricity, natural gas or some other energy source; prices continue to rise and that means increased heating costs for most of us. In today's blog post we'll share three easy ways that you can save money on your home energy costs this winter. Install and Use Programmable Thermostats Now that Nest and other companies have brought Wi-Fi enabled, programmable thermostats on the market there's very few excuses to avoid using them. At bare minimum you'll want a digital thermostat that can be programmed to turn on and off at certain hours…
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13
Jun
By Jim Hasek
Real Estate Tips, ,

DIY Or Hire It Done, Renovating Real Estate Investment Properties

Sometimes, when buying - or even thinking about buying real estate for investment purposes, you're faced with the need to fix up the property.  The question then arises: Should I fix it up myself or hire it done? Unfortunately, no one can give you the right answer. However, there are a few questions that you can ask yourself to help decide the issue: 1. Do I Have The Time? Time is an issue that many people forget about, but it should be one of the deciding factors. Some renovations, such as handles, hinges or kitchen hardware can take very little…
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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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