Dos And Donts Of Buying Distressed Real Estate

Distressed real estate is real estate in need of serious repairs. These properties are often called "handyman specials." If you have the skill or the money to complete the repairs, you can often find great deals. Here are some dos and don'ts of buying distressed real estate. DO Get A Home Inspection Distressed homes need repairs. Some of these repairs, like broken floor tile, are easy to see. Others, like water damage in the attic, can be easily hidden. The only way to know for sure what you're buying is to have the property inspected by a professional home inspector.…
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4 Tips To Lower Homeowners Insurance For Your Home

With the prices for everything skyrocketing these days, every penny counts. This includes your homeowner's insurance costs. If you're thinking of buying a home and need homeowner's insurance, here are a few tips on getting quality insurance for a fair price: Tip #1: Shop Around Ask family and friends about their homeowner's insurance. Check the Yellow Pages, the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) and the state insurance department.  Other places to shop for insurance include consumer guides, insurance agents and online insurance quote services. Don't just look for lower prices, however. You need a fair price for the services…
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Understanding Your Credit Score And How It Impacts Your Home Ownership Prospects

Understanding your credit score and how it impacts your home ownership prospects your credit score is an important part of your financial profile. It has a direct impact on your ability to take out loans. The score itself is a numerical reflection of your credit history. It gives lenders a way to discern your reliability before approving a loan like a mortgage for instance. Though this is the basic function of a credit score, it can also have a far-reaching influence over other aspects of home ownership. Mortgage Loan Approval: Will Your Score Make the Cut? First and foremost, the…
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Did You Know? How Paint Color Choices Can Drastically Affect The ‘Mood’ Of Your Home

Whether you're sprucing up your house to sell or simply looking for a color to bring out the beauty of your home, it's imperative that you do your homework. Before you head off to your local DIY store with a paint sample in one hand and a wallet in the other, you need to ensure that you're picking the colors that are right for your home and your personality. It is true that you can never go wrong with a neutral, but you can also go so much more right with the correct color in the appropriate space, whether it's…
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Three Mobile Apps That Make Home Automation Tasks Quick And Easy

These days, efficiency and productivity are the keys to life, which is why it's no surprise that home automation is a bigger topic than ever before. As more and more people become tech savvy and get used to working with handheld devices, home automation becomes a natural fit for your smartphone or other handheld device. After all, it's a true pleasure to be able to control nearly everything in your home from just one device! You have so many things to do each and every day that it would be too much of a hassle to do everything separately and…
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What Will Harp 3.0 Mean For Homeowners After 2014?

As economic influences affect the housing market in the United States, there has been the introduction and development of programs to assist with the downturn. During the 2009 economic crisis in the United States that resulted in home prices and values falling, a program named HARP was introduced to assist the many affected homeowners. Harp has since developed and a 3.0 version has been introduced. As a result, many homeowners are beginning to wonder: What will Harp 3.0 mean for homeowners after 2014? The Economic Crisis: Harp 1.0 In 2009 In 2009, HARP 1.0 was introduced. The program was designed…
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