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Homeowner’s Toolkit Archive
RISMEDIA, July 29, 2010—Property owners prepared with research and information can save thousands of dollars on their property taxes. Following the simple steps outlined by Barry Sharpe, President of South Florida-based Property Tax Appeal Group (P-Tag), one can help property owners keep money in their pockets and assess property values on target.
RISMEDIA, July 29, 2010—The Obama Administration recently announced expanded opportunities for public engagement on the future of our nation’s housing finance system, including Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. These events, which will include a major
RISMEDIA, July 29, 2010—The Advertising Council, in partnership with the U.S. Department of the Treasury and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), announced the launch of a national public service advertising (PSA) campaign designed to encourage homeowners who are struggling with their monthly mortgage payments to learn ...
RISMEDIA, July 28, 2010—The van line community lost a lot of drivers during the economic downturn, and that is creating a backlog this summer as van lines are unable to keep up with demand. In some cases, families are being put on wait lists for up to two months. That can be a pretty stressful situation...especially if a deal can fall through because the homeowners weren't able to vacate by close date.
RISMEDIA, July 27, 2010—Someone once remarked that the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over, and expecting a different outcome. Despite the willingness of many in the media to blow one small bit of good news into a full blown
RISMEDIA, July 24, 2010—(MCT)—The outdoor kitchen is rapidly becoming the social hub of the home, much as the indoor kitchen is the favorite gathering place for family and friends. The trend is especially strong in areas where the climate favors outdoor living almost year-round.
"It's a hot item," said Scott Redmon, owner of Alfresco Living in Maitland, Fla. "And the outdoor kitchen is becoming a lot more than a grill and a sink in the corner of the porch. It's a whole entertainment system.
RISMEDIA, July 24, 2010—(MCT)—Long before granite and stainless steel dominated kitchens, chrome mixed with high-gloss, playful color was the look. These kitchens and their appliances of years past have droves of fans. The owners of vintage appliances
RISMEDIA, July 23, 2010—(MCT)—If you are lucky enough to get your lender to modify your mortgage, you shouldn't end up dogged by a miserable credit score. That's the essence of a bill introduced in Congress recently by U.S. Rep. Jackie Speier, D-Calif.
RISMEDIA, July 22, 2010—The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the U.S. Department of the Treasury recently released the second edition of the Administration’s Housing Scorecard showing that, thanks in part to interest rates
RISMEDIA, July 20, 2010—(MCT)—The new catch phrase among homeowners is "aging in place." Instead of selling their homes and moving into retirement villages or assisted-living quarters, a growing number of older Americans are modifying their homes to make them more user-friendly as they age.
The concept has caught on so successfully, it even has its own National Aging in Place Week, which falls on Oct. 11-16 this year.
RISMEDIA, July 20, 2010—While some sectors of the economy struggle to regain solid footing, the vacation home market is enjoying healthy numbers. The National Association of Realtors' (NAR) 2010 Investment and Vacation Home Buyers Survey, covering
RISMEDIA, July 19, 2010—“Homeowners and buyers who are sitting on the sidelines should get moving today, unless they want to get blindsided by the impact of a new law,” said Gibran Nicholas, Chairman of the CMPS Institute, an organization that trains and certifies mortgage bankers and brokers. “The massive financial reform law that just passed Congress has two main components that could very negatively impact homeowners and home buyers in the future.”
RISMEDIA, July 15, 2010—(MCT)—Some homeowners chase down high-tech solar panels and efficient appliances to make their homes environmentally friendly. Others eschew the latest technology in favor of something far more basic: caves.
Geothermal heating and cooling systems work just as caves do: The temperature underground is more moderate than the air above. If it's 85 degrees outside, it's cool in the cave. If it's 25 degrees outside, the cave is still 50-60 degrees.
RISMEDIA, July 14, 2010—(MCT)—Courtney Zinter doesn't have a big house with rooms full of stuff, a fancy car or a manicure habit. But she still has it all. Just not how the Joneses next door would define it. With a well-paying job, Zinter had no problem paying the mortgage on her 1,600-square-foot townhouse in Chaska, outside Minneapolis. But at 29, she sold it and moved to a $590-a-month studio apartment that overlooks a freeway on the outskirts of downtown Minneapolis.
RISMEDIA, July 14, 2010—Availability of loans, interest rates, tax credits, home affordability, and general economic conditions all influence housing trends. However, the primary factor affecting growth of green homes in any given area depends on where local government, designers, builders, and consumers are in their green education, adoption, and implementation. ...
