Many homeowners can benefit from taking on a second mortgage. Some need the extra cash to fix up a second property or help their kid pay for college, while others just want to lower their payments. Applying for a second mortgage is similar to applying for a first mortgage. However, interest… read more →
There are a lot of articles about staging your home for sale or simple tips to improve curb appeal. This latest piece takes a look at four deeper fixes to consider after you’ve already put a fresh coat of paint on the walls: When your home is on the market,… read more →
Losing a home to foreclosure can be catastrophic. The mortgage lender claims the property. The homeowner is forced to move, and his or her credit and future ability to buy a home are affected. In some cases, foreclosure isn’t the end of a homeowner’s problems. Sometimes a foreclosure can also trigger capital… read more →
So you didn’t buy a house last year. That’s OK—you haven’t missed the boat yet on low mortgage rates or a healthy inventory of homes. In many ways, 2015 is a great time to buy a home, not the least of which is for certain tax breaks. Here’s how you could… read more →
While home is where the heart is, it’s also where your money is. Even if you’ve diversified your portfolio, your home is still a major asset and should be treated like any other investment. Think back to how much cash you poured into your home when you bought it. If… read more →
No one enjoys discussing life insurance, but if your family relies on your income to cover the bills, you need a life insurance policy to protect them if something should happen to you. If you’re a homeowner, life insurance is even more important. Many types of life insurance safeguard your home and protect… read more →
You can get a great deal on real estate owned property, but buying a home owned by a lender comes with some risk. Lenders sell REO properties “as is,” meaning you won’t receive any information about the history of the home. That could create some problems when you go to insure… read more →
Though often overlooked, your garage is one of the most important rooms in the house. It’s also one of the largest. It gets used several times everyday. It acts as a main storage unit. Plus, if you have an attached addition, it probably becomes your most accessible entryway, which makes… read more →
When you’re selling your home, it is natural to assume that anything you can safely remove is yours to keep—like the light fixtures you painstakingly cleaned and repaired, or the swingset you bought last year, but the buyer may want some of those items, too. Rather than keep everything, you… read more →
Not all tenants are created equal. Some pay the rent on time, others don’t. Some are high-maintenance, others aren’t. And some are just more trouble than they’re worth. Which brings up the unenviable question: How do you know when it’s time to say “happy trails” to a problem renter? Rules… read more →