Narrowing Down
Your Home Search
It's an enviable position in which to find oneself, but it happens. You're approaching the end of your home search, and you're torn between two or more homes. The major deciding factors -- asking price, quality of the neighborhood, quality of school district and commute time to your office as well as your spouse's -- are relatively equal, so those won't help you favor one home over another.
What to do now? The decision could drive you batty. If you lean toward one home, you'll be looking over your shoulder longingly at the other home. All of those "What ifs?" questions will run
through your mind. Maybe the carpeting in the other house would have been more versatile. Maybe the layout of the other home would have been more agreeable both for your furniture and for your...continued-->
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Mortgage Rates
U.S. averages as of
January 2009:
30-yr fixed: 6.000%
15-yr fixed: 5.625%
5/1-yr ARM: 5.625%
3/1-yr ARM: 5.750%
Which Repairs Should You Make Before the Sale?
If you're preparing to place your home on the market, it's inevitable that you'll need a couple of minor repairs and slight improvements before that "For Sale" sign can be driven into the front yard.
Practical projects like a fresh coat of paint require little time or money but can make your home more attractive -- and more attractive homes are likely to sell faster and for more money.
But what if an item needs repair, something which doesn't jeopardize anyone's health or safety -- a problem of the "out of sight, out of mind" variety. Should you simply disclose it and leave the buyer to deal with the problem? Or should you fix it before placing your home on the market?
Before making any decisions, consider that repairing the problem could result in a higher sales price. It's sweet music to any buyer's ears to hear the terms "new" or "just replaced" as they walk through a home.
Think of it this way: A move-up buyer or transferee has a good idea of what it takes to operate a home. The goal here is to move in with the fewest costs and headaches, so making repairs in advance is a big selling point.
For first-timer buyers the situation is...continued-->
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Think Green: Trees a Big
Plus For Your Home
As you embark on your house-hunting ventures, chances are the contenders canopied by mature trees will make the top of your list. Or, if you're buying a new home, you're probably anxious to get those trees planted to reap the awards in the years ahead.
The benefits of trees are numerous. They increase property values, sometimes as much as 20 percent, according to the National Arbor Day Foundation. On average, trees add between 5 to 7 percent to the value of the property - the U.S. Forest Service says the added value results in an extra $5,000 per lot.
Trees also help cool your home...continued-->
Evaluate Homes for Your Current and Future Needs
 When my husband and I bought our first house, we tried to anticipate the needs of the babies we hoped to have. The house had 3 bedrooms, a big flat level yard for playing, and was in a top rated school district. What we did not foresee was that the spiral floating staircase would necessitate extensive custom babyproofing when we had a cruising toddler.
The "open plan" layout which had been great for adult entertaining later became problematic when the happy noise of children was channeled throughout the house. The ski-slope driveway leading to our wooded aerie created a private retreat for we two. When we became four, the first sign of snow on our driveway led to playdates hurriedly cancelled by nervous friends.
When buying a home, it's important to look at your future needs as well as your current ones. According to the National Association of Home Builders...continued--> |
