08 Feb 2019
By noelkelman

How To Keep Your Pets Safe During Your Home Sale

Real Estate, ,
If you have pet, you probably wonder what you can do to keep them safe after you decide to put your home up for sale. With all the disruption going on during a home sale, it's all too easy for pets to get lost, frightened or even injured. Learn how to keep your beloved pets safe during your home sale. Provide An Oasis During Repair Work Most home sellers make a few repairs before allowing agents to show the home for sale. In some cases, repairs can be extensive, leading to a lot of construction materials, tools and strange new items in the…
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07 Feb 2019
By noelkelman

How To Handle Common Homeowner Challenges

Real Estate, ,
It takes hard work to achieve the American Dream of homeownership. Everyday people work to save for a down payment and build a good credit score. When you turn the key to your first home or dream home, the sweat equity feels well worth it. But the hard work of buying a home continues long after hanging family photos and hooking up a big-screen TV. There are challenges that property owners are unprepared to handle. These are three of the more common ones you may want to be ready to manage. Leaking Pipes Plumbing does not last forever and at…
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06 Feb 2019
By noelkelman

3 Green and Gorgeous Trends in Home Design

Real Estate, ,
These days, people want energy-efficient homes that look great. To answer the call of passionate environmentalists, developer are rising to the occasion and designing home features that minimize waste, save energy and reuse reclaimed materials. The results are gorgeous, green homes that help move the sustainable living trend forward. Hidden Solar Panels Solar panels are a great way to save energy, but not everyone loves the optics. A series of solar panels on the roof may save you money on your utilities, but it can detract from the natural shape of your home. As an alternative, innovative in-roof solar panels…
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05 Feb 2019
By noelkelman

Differences Between A Short Sale And A Foreclosure

Real Estate, ,
If you're looking to get a non-traditional deal on a new home purchase, you may encounter either a short sale or a foreclosure. These two terms refer to sales that are not usual. As a homebuyer, it's important to understand the differences between them and how each one might affect your buying experience. What's A Short Sale? A short sale is a situation where the owner has a strong motivation to hurry up and sell their home. In so doing, they're willing to sell for less than what they owe on the house. Homeowners have a variety of reasons why…
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04 Feb 2019
By noelkelman

What’s Ahead For Mortgage Rates This Week – February 4th, 2019

Financial Reports, ,
Last week's economic reports included readings new and pending home sales, Case-Shiller housing market indices and consumer sentiment. Weekly reports on mortgage rates and first-time jobless claims were also released. New Home Sales Rise as Pending Home Sales Fall Sales of new homes rose 17 percent in November for an eight-month high. Year-to-date sales of new homes were only 2.70 percent higher than for the same period in 2018.New home sales rose to 657,000 sales as compared to expectations of 563,000 sales and November's reading of 562,000 sales. Analysts cautioned that Commerce Department readings for new home sales are prepared…
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01 Feb 2019
By noelkelman

3 Ways Tax Reform Affects Your Real Estate Investments

Real Estate, ,
The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 instituted some of the most dramatic changes to the financial landscape in the United States in over 30 years. These adjustments to the IRS code have an effect on everyone who earns and spends money in this country. What changes can real estate investors expect to see from the new legal standards? Higher Standard Deduction, Less Itemized Deductions Before the reforms, single tax filers were allowed a standard deduction of $6,350. Married couples filing jointly were given $12,700. The standard deduction is the amount of income you can earn before any income…
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31 Jan 2019
By noelkelman

Case-Shiller: Home Prices Lower in November

Real Estate, ,
Home price growth continued to struggle in November, with Case-Shiller's 20-City Home Price Index moving from October's reading of 5.30 percent annual growth to 5.20 percent growth in November. This was the lowest reading since January 2015. Las Vegas, Nevada remained first in home price growth rate with a year-over-year home prices growth of 12 percent. Phoenix, Arizona's year-over-year home price growth rate was 8.10 percent and Seattle, Washington held third place with a year-over-year home price growth rate of 6.30 percent. Las Vegas' large year-over-year growth in home prices was attributed to the city's ongoing recovery from the recession…
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30 Jan 2019
By noelkelman

Is a Hard Money Loan the Right Strategy for You?

Mortgage, ,
When used as a part of an effective real estate investment strategy, hard money loans are an excellent tool to quickly increase holdings without risking existing properties. However, these loans aren't for everyone. What investors get the most value from hard money loans? Investors With Less-Than-Stellar Credit Investors with credit challenges can qualify more easily for hard money loans. That's because these loans aren't based on the borrower. While you will have to prove a measure of creditworthiness, hard money lenders are more interested in the property you plan to buy. If you default on your payments, the lending bank…
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