RISMEDIA, April 4, 2011—(MCT)—A home inspection often means the difference between a sale and no sale, even if the deal that results isn't exactly what the owner expected. Buyers and sellers typically recognize the need for a home inspection. Still, it may put both sides of a sale

RISMEDIA, April 4, 2011—(MCT)— What started as a hobby for Keith Gamble is now a risky, exciting, full-time job: buying properties at the monthly foreclosure sale and flipping them. Gamble, and others like him, are a new generation of property flippers who buy at low prices at a

RISMEDIA, April 4, 2011—(MCT)—Talks to settle state and federal investigations into botched foreclosure paperwork will be going on for a long time, government officials note after holding their first face-to-face meeting with top bank executives.

RISMEDIA, April 1, 2011—Located on Venice Island in Venice, Fla., this beautiful three bedroom home being listed by RISMedia’s Real Estate Information Network® (RREIN) Member Prudential Palms Realty. This three story home offers hardwood floors, formal dining, three full

RISMEDIA, March 31, 2011—According to DIY shopping and support website Trades Supermarket, the improved spring weather means more than giving the lawn a trim for homeowners; it signifies the time to undertake necessary repair and maintenance checks, not only to make sure

RISMEDIA, March 29, 2011—The arrival of spring brings not only warmer weather, but also spring cleaning and the undertaking of do-it-yourself (DIY) home improvement projects. Much to the chagrin of home improvement stores, the DIY home improvement market has seen a 21 percent decline from 2005-2010 according to latest research from Mintel, and more than a quarter (28 percent) of DIYers say they would like to undertake a major renovation or addition to their home, but they just don't have the funds.

RISMEDIA, March 28, 2011—It's that time of year again, and some of you should be expecting your property tax bill for the first half of 2011. If that's the case, then you'll probably be wondering just how the government calculates property tax rates and why your bill seems to change every year.

RISMEDIA, March 28, 2011—As winter gives way to spring, the threat of water flooding your basement substantially increases. “Most people believe that after the snow melts that the threat of basement flooding goes away,” explains Chris O’Donohue, water damage specialist and owner of Advantage Restoration and Cleaning Services, located in Pinckney, Michigan. “But snow usually isn’t the issue; it’s the combination of the frozen ground thawing around the foundation of the home and the arrival of heavy spring rains that cause problems.”

RISMEDIA, March 25, 2011—If your home was built before 1978 and you still have the original windows, it's time to seriously consider replacing them—especially if members of your household include young children or someone who is pregnant.

RISMEDIA, March 23, 2011—(MCT)—The frightening images of Japan's tsunami wiping out homes, roads and entire cities are vivid reminders that a natural disaster can strike at any time. And whether it's an earthquake, a wildfire or flooding, being covered against severe damage to your home or business is essential. Across the United States, flooding is the No. 1 natural disaster, according to the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

RISMEDIA, March 23, 2011—Updating a living room or family room doesn't have to mean giving it a complete makeover. A few simple changes can transform a tired room into a fresh space in no time.

RISMEDIA, March 21, 2011—Despite the uptick in sales of homes worth one million dollars or more last year (up 18.6% in 2010 according to DataQuick) the average American homebuyer is still proceeding with a large degree of caution. Below are six reasons why even qualified homebuyers are holding out on ...

RISMEDIA, March 21, 2011—Generation X—young families and adults ages 31 to 45—are likely to lead the home-buying recovery as it gets underway, according to real estate experts who spoke at an educational webinar produced by the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) in partnership with Builder magazine. These potential home buyers are most likely to think it's a good time to get off the fence—and have strong opinions about the design features their new homes will include.

RISMEDIA, March 21, 2011—U.S. Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Secretary Shaun Donovan announced that 17 communities will be the first recipients of Planning Grant funding through the Department’s new Choice Neighborhoods Initiative. These communities will share a

RISMEDIA, March 19, 2011—(MCT)—Bill Schramm and Bethany Siwicki scoured property listings for three months before agreeing to see a home in Round Lake Beach, even though its online pictures didn't look promising. "It looked like a piñata blew up in there," Schramm said. Every room was a different color, and the only way to tell the carpet once had been white was looking at the furniture marks.