If you’re serious about buying a home, getting pre-approved for a mortgage is a critical step. It’s also a tedious one. Lenders seem to want a mountain of documents and have so many {{ start_tip 124 }}requirements.{{ end_tip }}
Yet the payoff is worth it. Most agents recommend mortgage pre-approval because it strengthens your offer. Sellers like
Are closing costs tax deductible? What about mortgage interest? Or property taxes? The answer is, maddeningly, “It depends.”
Basically, you’ll want to itemize if you have deductions totaling more than the standard deduction, which is $12,000 for single people and $24,000 for married couples filing jointly. Every taxpayer gets this deduction,
Tax Deductions for Homeowners: How the New Tax Law Affects Mortgage Interest
Tax season is upon us once again, and to make it even more interesting this year, the tax code has changed — along with the rules about tax deductions for homeowners. The biggest change? Many homeowners who used to write off
A home inspection may feel like a final exam, but it’s not quite so clear cut. Your inspector’s report won’t include a clear-cut A+ if a house is a keeper or an F if it’s a money pit.
What is included in a home inspection report is a set of neutral facts intended to help
If your home has increased in value and you are short on cash or have a large upcoming expense, you may be thinking about tapping your home equity. Home equity loans and home equity lines of credit (HELOC) are two easy ways to turn your appreciation into cash in
Homes that are located in rural or semi-rural areas can be more difficult to find financing for when researching conventional loans. Homes in these areas by nature are somewhat isolated as well as remote. This is important as it relates to identifying comparable sales in the area. When lenders
It’s not your stuff that’s ever the problem, but how you react to your stuff that is the point of concern. PJ Wade offers insight into the good, the bad, and the ugly of clutter.
We have all brought things into our lives, into our environments, which
What Kind of Room Do You Want? Use your imagination. Create a multipurpose room and make it as informal or as formal as you want. Here are a few ideas:
Den/Guest Room
Turn the room into a guest room, reading room or den.
A den can be a
Buyers and sellers typically work with a licensed real estate salesperson or broker. It is important to ascertain if that person is working “for” you (you are the client) or “with” you (you are the customer). Most states will require that the licensee make early written disclosure concerning the
If you’re hiring someone to inspect the home you want to buy, or you’re a seller trying to find out if there are any hidden problems that need fixing before you put your home on the market, here are five things you need to know:
1. You