Should you replace old wiring?
Originally published on December 14, 2010
If your house was built more than 40 years ago, replace old electrical wiring for safety.
Read More →Is Mortgage Life Insurance right for you?
Originally published on October 13, 2010
Mortgage life insurance pays off your mortgage when you die. This–the payoff, not dying–sounds good, but it has major drawbacks, which can outweigh the benefits. Read the fine print before taking out your checkbook.
Read More →Property zoning laws for a workshop or studio
Originally published April 27, 2010
Check local zoning laws, ordinances, building codes, and covenants before adding a workshop or studio to your property.
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Come visit our Open House today from 2:00-4:00pm at this Garden District beauty!
Read More →Please visit us today from 2:00-4:00pm and view this fabulous Open House located in the Kelly Springs Subdivision.
Read More →Do-It-Yourself home security check: 5 essential steps
Originally published November 12, 2010
Conduct a do-it-yourself home security check by walking around your house to assess what needs to be done to reduce the risk of a break-in.
Read More →With proper care and maintenance, you can keep your septic tank in good shape for decades—and avoid costly repairs.
Read More →What makes a neighborhood or home worthy of a Historic Designation?
Originally published December 30, 2010
Your home and neighborhood may be old, but that doesn’t mean they’re historic. To earn historic designations, you have to research what makes them unique and historically relevant.
Read More →Get rid of mold: DIY or hire a Pro?
Originally published October 13, 2010
Here’s how to tell if you can get rid of mold yourself or if you need a professional.
Read More →What affects credit scores? 7 misconceptions
Originally published October 22, 2010
If you’re trying to raise your credit score to get a good rate for a refinance or HELOC, you might be surprised by what affects—or doesn’t affect—your score.
Read More →If you have determined that the mold problem in your home or commercial building is too much for you to handle yourself, it is time to hire a professional to make sure the job gets done both safely and completely. However, if you plan to Do-It-Yourself, you may find these two videos helpful.
Read More →Swimming pools: alternatives to Chlorine
Originally published March 25, 2010
Chlorine keeps swimming pools safe and clean, but there are alternatives to chlorine if you’re willing to pay the price.
Read More →Green kitchen flooring: linoleum and cork
Originally published on November 6, 2010
Linoleum flooring and cork flooring are natural, sustainable kitchen floor options that look sharp, fight germs, and last almost as long as you do.
Read More →Does walkability raise property values?
Originally published on November 12, 2010
Your property value will be higher if you live in a community where you can quickly and comfortably walk from your home to schools, parks, and stores, according to one study.
Read More →Repair and replace kitchen counters to stay on top of scratches
Originally published on January 14, 2011
You can repair kitchen counter mishaps with only a little time and money. Big boo-boos, however, will need professional help.
Read More →Fit a small bath in your small home
Originally published on January 21, 2011
Squeezing a small bath into your already-small home might seem like a head-banger of a problem, but the space is there if you know where to look.
Read More →5 steps to owning a home again after foreclosure
Originally published July 8, 2010
Foreclosure is just a one-time event–with discipline and perseverance, you can get a mortgage and become a homeowner again.
Read More →Your small home: 5 big reasons to love it
Originally published on January 21, 2011
Living in a small home has the benefits of lower insurance rates, less hassle, and less overall cost to own.
Read More →Laundry room storage: 5 naked truths
Originally published on October 1, 2010
Unless you do your laundry in the buff, it’s one chore that’s never really done. Follow these laundry room storage ideas, however, and you can breeze through your dirty duds in no time.
Read More →7 gardening mistakes to avoid
Originally published on February 10, 2011
Even veteran gardeners make rookie mistakes, like giving plants too much water and too little space. Here are common garden blunders. Consider yourself warned. It’s easy to misjudge and make a mess out of your landscaping. Here are seven common garden blunders, and how to avoid them.
Read More →FHA-backed loans make sense; it’s Congress’ whims that are nonsensical
Does your credit score fall below the 640 to 650 range? If so, good luck getting a home mortgage or refinance through traditional lending channels. Since the housing market crashed in 2008, lenders have tightened their belts and turned away borrowers who have less-than-perfect credit scores or low downpayments. Luckily for you, if you’re looking to buy or refi, the local bank isn’t your last resort for a home loan.
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Perhaps you know the feeling. There I was, tooling along through a simple, nice neighborhood—one with tidy homes and pride-of-ownership lawns—and smack in the middle of everything was a property so out of tune with its surroundings, so heartbreakingly wrong, that I wanted to jump out of my car, run over to that poor old blemish of a house, stroke its painfully misconceived paint job and say, “There, there. It’ll be all right.”
Read More →Buying a house at foreclosure auction is risky business
Originally published on May 18, 2011
You can buy a home at a significant discount at a foreclosure auction, but you’ll face a host of challenges. Don’t get burned; be solutions-ready.
Read More →7 mortgage interest deduction myths
Originally published on February 16, 2011
Think losing the mortgage interest deduction would be no big deal? We bust seven myths to show why the cost is bigger than you think.
Read More →No sweat: programmable thermostats save on energy costs
Originally published on February 17, 2011
Advanced programmable thermostats give you precise control over your heating and cooling, helping to reduce wasted energy.
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