The home-improvement shows you see on TV make it look so easy. Buy a complete dump of a house with “good bones,” and presto change-o, turn it into your dream home. The reality, however, is that buying a fixer-upper is some serious work. One option is to hire someone to… read more →
You’ve decided to sell your home, and you want to get top dollar for it. And you’ve seen TV shows where homeowners spend thousands of dollars staging their homes for sale, but there’s an important detail to consider: You don’t have thousands and thousands to spend. The good news is… read more →
You’ve decided to sell your home, and you want to get top dollar for it. And you’ve seen TV shows where homeowners spend thousands of dollars staging their homes for sale, but there’s an important detail to consider: You don’t have thousands and thousands to spend. The good news is… read more →
The home-improvement shows you see on TV make it look so easy. Buy a complete dump of a house with “good bones,” and presto change-o, turn it into your dream home. The reality, however, is that buying a fixer-upper is some serious work. One option is to hire someone to… read more →
You want to start climbing the property ladder. You want to buy your own home. But there’s just one problem: You don’t have the cash for a 20 percent down payment. What should you do? First, let’s assess your current situation: Are you a first-time homebuyer? Or do you own a home?… read more →
If you are selling your home and have gotten an offer, you may concerned about the prospective buyers asking you to make costly repairs that potentially could cut into your profit. Repair requests can be negotiated under most circumstances, but it’s important to recognize that your ability to negotiate depends… read more →
If you’ve recently come into some money, you may be tempted to pay off your mortgage early so you can finally be done with monthly payments and own your home outright. But while plenty of people choose this route for the security of owning their homes free and clear, it… read more →
Impressions count when visitors arrive at your home’s front door. It’s the first and last space they see, and it has the power to make a positive or negative impression. In a sense it’s like the face of your house. And depending on how it’s designed, that face might be… read more →
As the weather warms up and flowers begin to blossom, Americans with grassy yards will soon be thinking about mowing and lawn care. The National Gardening Association estimates that U.S. households spent roughly $29.5 billion on their lawns and gardens in 2013, an average of about $347 per household. Lawn… read more →
Rent, heat, electricity, student loans and groceries—living expenses can add up quickly. While some of these expenses can’t be avoided (you do, after all, need a place to live), others are unnecessarily causing you to go over your monthly budget. Whether it’s figuring out effective ways to reduce your bills or… read more →