Housing Or Stocks?

Money in handShould you hand over your money to housing or stocks? Today’s article discusses investing in the stock market versus the housing market. Here’s what they had to say, “even as the stock market soars to record highs, federal regulators are announcing new, cheaper ways for cash-strapped borrowers to buy a home. With the catastrophic housing crash of the last decade still glaring through the rear view mirror, the government is again pushing home ownership as the best way to build wealth, but is it? ” To read more, CLICK HERE.

How You Can Save With Your Homeowner's Insurance

HouseToday’s article explains how you can get a variety of homeowner’s insurance discounts and all you have to do is ask. Here’s what they had to say, “insurance companies are offering some surprising ways to save on homeowner’s insurance with four out of the top ten insurers offering a discount for a home that was recently built or renovated. Bankrate’s analysis examined the discounts offered by the ten largest insurers operating nationwide on their websites.” To read more, CLICK HERE.

How To Find A Great Contractor

ConstructionDeciding to renovate your home is a tough enough decision on its own but now that you’ve decided to do it, you need someone to do the work. It would be awful to put time and money into a renovation that was done wrong or badly. Today’s article gives nearly 20 tips on finding the right contractor. Here’s one, “Check licenses, complaints and litigation history. General contractors and most subcontractors should be licensed, although the procedure varies by state and municipality. Check the disciplinary boards, Better Business Bureau and local court records for problems. Ask the contractor for a copy of his license and copies of the licenses of the major subcontractors who will work on the job.” To read all of them, CLICK HERE.

Ways You Can Make Your Home An Energy-Saving Home

ToiletWhen it comes to energy-saving features for your home, today’s article has them all. From windows to toilets, there are several improvements you can make. Here’s one of them, “a lot of water flows through the bathroom and the cost of the water itself plus the expense of heating it adds up fast. Ask the seller if the bathrooms have low-flow toilets, faucets, and showerheads that meet federal WaterSense standards. Toilets use more water than anything else in the house, accounting for nearly 30 percent of an average home’s indoor water consumption. Older, inefficient toilets can use as much as 6 gallons per flush while WaterSense models use 1.28 gallons or less.” To see them all, CLICK HERE.

Tips For Buying A New Home

MortgageThinking of buying a new house at the beginning of next year? Today’s article discusses how you can evade paying way too much for a new home. Here’s one tip, “Do not rush into buying a house. While this is your potential home, it is also likely the biggest purchase of your life and you cannot make it lightly. If you find yourself too connected to a property, you may actually be more willing to overpay. It’s important to remain unattached and consider all options before you make an offer.” To see all of the tips, CLICK HERE.

Debunking Five Mortgage Myths

HouseToday’s article is telling you the truth when it comes to five mortgage myths. Here’s one, “A house is a great investment. It can be a good long-term investment, but nothing in real estate is guaranteed. Particularly if you plan to live in the home for several years, and you can’t afford to lose a lot of money, you need to think of your house as a house – not a financial tool designed to pad your investments or retirement.” To read more, CLICK HERE.

Check Out These Hot Spots For Foreign Investors

file3451252340792Today’s article discusses the top real estate hot spots for Chinese investors. Here’s what they had to say, “Big institutional Chinese investors who want global real-estate portfolios typically look for trophy projects in cities like New York, Los Angeles and London. Just this month, Hilton Worldwide agreed to sell its flagship Waldorf Astoria hotel in New York City to a Chinese insurance company for $1.95 billion—the steepest price tag ever for a U.S. hotel, brokers say, although it isn’t the highest on a per-room basis.” To read more, CLICK HERE.

Landlords In This Area Are Making A Lot Of $$

MortgageToday’s article discusses where landlords are making tons of money on rentals. Here’s what they had to say, “according to a new report from RealtyTrac, a leading source for comprehensive housing data, rental property in the United States posted an average annual return of 9.06% in the third quarter. That is down slightly from 9.65% in the same year-ago quarter, but still represents a significant return for landlords.” To read more, CLICK HERE.

What You Need To Know Before Buying A Foreclosed Home

Door KnobWhen you are planning to buy a home, your first thought may not be to buy a foreclosed home. However, if you do find yourself deciding whether you should buy a foreclosed home, you should check out today’s article. The article explains step by step what you should do. Here’s one tip, “Get Help From a Real Estate Broker Who Specializes in Foreclosed Homes. Some real estate brokers and agents have relationships with banks, and broker the selling of the banks’ foreclosed properties, also known as “real estate owned” properties.” To read all of them, CLICK HERE.

What You Need To Know Before You Buy A Fixer Upper

Fixer UpperWith all of the home improvement shows on television now, buying a fixer upper and creating an amazing house seems like a no brainer. But can you actually afford to buy a home that may require major repairs and improvements? Today’s article discusses your options. Here’s what they had to say, “committing to a fixer-upper is a big decision, one that can impact your financial picture for years to come. Before you start swinging a hammer, you’ll first need to find a way to finance your purchase. You may need a specialized mortgage product to buy a fixer-upper. Some lenders and loan types want properties in “move-in ready” condition, which can obviously pose a problem.”