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Homeowner’s Toolkit Archive
RISMEDIA, January 18, 2011—In most areas of the country, it’s the time of year where you’re making frequent visits to your heat dial, to turn it up. Many homes, both new and not-so-new, have an oil-heating system working hard on the far side of that thermostat.
RISMEDIA, January 18, 2011—(MCT)—The housing industry is girding for a fight in Congress to protect the mortgage interest deduction, along with a number of other housing-related tax breaks. The National Association of Home Builders is putting a high priority on lobbying in favor of
RISMEDIA, January 15, 2011—The U.S. Dept. of Housing and Urban Development awarded nearly $127 million in grants to 48 local projects to conduct a wide range of activities intended to protect children and families from potentially dangerous lead-based paint and other home health and safety hazards. The grant funding will clean up lead and other health hazards in more than 11,000 homes, train workers in lead safety methods, and increase public awareness about childhood lead poisoning.
RISMEDIA, January 13, 2011—The Appraisal Institute released helpful tips for consumers, providing guidance for homeowners and buyers seeking to ensure their sales are completed in a timely manner.
As one of the nation’s largest professional associations of real estate appraisers, the Appraisal Institute created the helpful tips to let consumers know how to protect themselves and how to avoid unnecessary frustration when selling or buying a home.
RISMEDIA, January 12, 2011—As leisure travel continues to rebound, owners of vacation rentals are expressing optimism about their bookings in 2011. In fact, HomeAway, Inc.—one of the world's leading online vacation rental marketplaces—finds in its latest "HomeAway Vacation Rental
RISMEDIA, January 11, 2011—Winter's chill pervades much of the nation, and escalating gas prices are putting their own chill down the spines of U.S. consumers. But until the spring thaw arrives, simple energy-efficiency steps at home and on the road—potentially supplemented by federal income tax credits for specific energy-efficiency home improvements—can take the sting out of high energy bills, says the Alliance to Save Energy.
RISMEDIA, January 7, 2011—Alex Perriello, president and CEO, Realogy Franchise Group recently wrote an article that appeared in The New York Times discussing the advantages of equity-sharing and how it can help solve the foreclosure crisis. As we continue to move farther away
RISMEDIA, January 7, 2011—Fannie Mae recently launched WaysHome, a free, interactive multi-media tool designed to educate homeowners about their options to avoid foreclosure, empower them to make informed decisions and motivate them to take action and seek help in 2011.
RISMEDIA, January 6, 2011—The Federal Housing Administration (FHA) released guidance to homeowners and lenders that use the reverse mortgage or Home Equity Conversion Mortgage (HECM) program and are dealing with outstanding property taxes and unpaid hazard insurance premiums. FHA’s guidance is intended to assist elderly borrowers who have neglected to pay these expenses and may face foreclosure.
RISMEDIA, April 22, 2011—Trying to decide whether to do some home remodeling this year or leave your money in the bank? You can do both if you remodel with paint. “The cost of do-it-yourself interior painting is so low, it’s almost like remodeling without touching your bank account,”
RISMEDIA, January 6, 2011—(MCT)—Californians will see the light—and a resulting energy cost savings—earlier than the rest of the United States. The California Energy Commission says Golden State consumers will be the first in the nation to save money under a federal law
RISMEDIA, January 5, 2011—Outbound traffic from the Great Lakes region continued to lead the nation in 2010 with four states capturing high-outbound rankings. Western states that had traditionally experienced high-inbound traffic, most notably Nevada, saw their traffic level off. The findings are among the results of United Van Lines' 34th annual "migration" study, which tracks where its customers move from and the most popular destinations over the past 12 months.
RISMEDIA, January 4, 2011—Individual style, mixed with budget-conscious decorating will drive 2011 paint color trends, according to Debbie Zimmer, paint and color expert at the Paint Quality Institute.
“There’s no escaping the state of the economy, even for homeowners who want to beautify their homes,” says Zimmer. “Rather than diving into large-scale renovation projects, in the coming year, consumers will search for inexpensive ways to freshen and update their homes. Many will conclude that painting is the perfect solution.”
RISMEDIA, January 3, 2011—(MCT)—A behind-the-scenes battle is forming over a provision to the sweeping bank reform law that will affect mortgage availability. At issue is a provision in the sweeping Dodd-Frank Act that requires banks to have "skin in the game" by retaining
RISMEDIA, December 28, 2010—Improvements in consumer spending and consumer confidence, increased demand for goods and services, and falling unemployment claims are all positive factors for a brighter outlook as we move into 2011, according to the December 2010 Economic Outlook released today by Fannie Mae's (OTC Bulletin Board: FNMA) Economics & Mortgage Market Analysis Group.
