The State of Maryland offers tons of Home and Business Ownership Programs and Incentives which vary from one County to another. These Loan Programs were established to make home ownership and the cost to run a small business more affordable and to help revitalize communities which were heavily affected by… read more →
Mardi Gras is French for Fat Tuesday, referring to the practice of the last night of eating richer, fatty foods before the ritual fasting of the “Lent” season, which begins on “Ash Wednesday”. The day is sometimes referred to as Shrove Tuesday, from the word shrive, meaning “confess.” Celebrated in… read more →
Thinking about refinancing? Before you do, put some time and effort — and some money too — into sprucing up. For anyone selling a home, sprucing up is a no-brainer. Repairs, upgrades, painting and landscaping can raise the sales price. But homeowners who are staying put and refinancing often don’t… read more →
In recent years, officials in many of the nation’s most expensive housing markets have embraced “micro-apartments” as a way to provide less-expensive housing for young renters. They are betting that the tiny apartments — generally the size of a hotel room for about half the rent of a full-size apartment… read more →
A lot of attention has been paid to the fact that mortgage rates are expected to rise throughout 2014. As mortgage rates creep upward in this year, borrowers need remember that rates will still be historically low and nowhere near the interest rates consumers faced in the early 1980s. Four… read more →
You likely have better things to do with your money than to prepay a low-rate, tax-deductible debt such as a mortgage. Only about half of homeowners receive any tax benefit from their mortgages. Many don’t pay enough interest on their loans to itemize their deductions, either because their mortgages are… read more →
Whether you’re gleefully expecting a refund or dreading writing that IRS check, scammers hit full throttle as you gear up for tax season, continuing through April 15 (and even afterward). Here’s how to stay clear of them. Mail Thievery In the last few weeks, tax-filing documents from employers, banks and… read more →
The early days in the White House, sheep happily called it home. Pets with Presidents seem to give these powerful heads of our country, a softer, more human side. Our beloved pets bring out the best in us. Their loyalty knows no bounds, and they never tire of hearing our… read more →
President Barack Obama Excluding his four years in Indonesia (between 1967 and 1971), Barack Obama’s life was spent in half a dozen residences, primarily in Honolulu’s Makiki neighborhood. His first boyhood home however, was on 6085 Kalaniana’ole Highway in Hawaii Kai district about 5 miles east of Makiki. This bungalow,… read more →
Before the days of online real estate listings, you knew a home sale was pending because you’d see a big red sticker across the “for sale” sign on the front lawn. But for home buyers searching listings online, it’s common to discover the words “pending” or “sale pending” only after… read more →