Lori Blank

17

Mar

Uncategorized

What’s Ahead For Mortgage Rates This Week – March 17, 2014

Last week's economic reports provided rays of light as compared to the recent slump in positive economic news. Unusually severe winter weather conditions affected housing-related indicators as home builders and home buyers stayed on the sidelines. With spring on the horizon, last week's economic news showed welcome signs of growth. Job Openings Up, New Jobless Claims Fall Employment is a major factor in the decision to buy a home; would-be home buyers received a vote of confidence last week as January's job openings increased by one million to 40 million as compared to December's reading of 39 million job openings.…

14

Mar

By Lori Blank

Uncategorized

Make Your Home Green This St. Patrick’s Day

You're ready to make some changes to your home, but you want to be smart with your money and see a positive return on your investment. While most homeowners don't see that return until they sell their home, you can start seeing the benefits now through conserving energy by making your home green. So in honor of the upcoming green holiday, stop searching for that pot of gold. Get inspired by St. Patrick's Day to go green to cut your energy costs with the environmentally friendly renovations below. You'll soon see the savings building up at the end of the…

13

Mar

By Lori Blank

Uncategorized

Kitchen Space Saving Designs To Maximize What You’ve Got

So you've found the perfect home, but there's just one problem: the kitchen isn't as big as you'd like it to be. At first glance, a smaller kitchen might seem like a deal-breaker, especially if you love to cook. With a few space-saving design tricks, though, you'll have all the space you need and then some. It's all about making the most of what you've got. Here's how you can turn even the smallest kitchen into an efficient cooking and dining space. Fill Up The Walls: There's Ample Storage All Around You Walls are a surprisingly underused surface area in…

12

Mar

By Lori Blank

Uncategorized

Where To Find Inspiration For Your Home Decor

Are you working on decorating your home? Perhaps you want to spruce up your decor, but you aren't sure where to start. Where can you find inspiration for your home decor, besides the obvious home decor magazines and websites? Here are some fun and creative ideas that will inspire you when designing your decor: Luxury Hotels The next time you go on a vacation, you can find decor inspiration at your hotel. Most hotel rooms in mid-range to luxury hotels have beautiful, comforting and understated designs, so take photos if you find something that you like. Perhaps you can invest…

11

Mar

By Lori Blank

Uncategorized

Furry Friend Blues, The Best Ways To Settle Your Pet Into Your New Home

Moving can be a stressful and exciting process, and when moving with pets, your furry friend most certainly feels the stress and excitement as well. Pets don't always respond well to a new environment, so it's important to do whatever you can to ease your pet into your new house. Settling yourself and your pet into your new home may take time, but you can make it a smoother process by doing some research and planning. Here's how you can create a stress-free transition for your beloved pooch or kitty. Where To Put The Pet During The Move During the…

10

Mar

By Lori Blank

Uncategorized

What’s Ahead For Mortgage Rates This Week – March 10, 2014

Last week's economic news included construction spending and the CoreLogic Home Price Index for January. Reports for February included ADP Employment, Non-Farm Payrolls and national unemployment data. The Federal Reserve's Beige Book report and weekly reports on mortgage rates and new unemployment claims rounded out the week's economic news. Highlights for last week include: Consumer spending gained 0.40 percent for January. The expected reading was 0.20 percent and the reading for December was flat. The Commerce Department reported that increased spending was less an indicator of consumer discretionary spending than an indicator of high utility costs caused by severe winter…

07

Mar

By Lori Blank

Uncategorized

How To Add Color To Your Home Decor Without Going Overboard

There is a fine line between adding color to your home decor and using too much color, so that you feel like you are living inside a rainbow. A little bit of color will add a lot of fun and interest to your home design, but too much color can be overwhelming. How can you achieve that perfect balance? Here Are Some Tips To Keep In Mind For Using Color In Your Home In A Subtle And Balanced Way: Use Color Schemes Before choosing the colors for your decor, do a little bit of research into color schemes and how…

06

Mar

By Lori Blank

Uncategorized

Winter Blues, 9 Easy Ways To Brighten Your Home And Your Spirit

These gray, dreary winter days can really sap your energy and dull your enjoyment of life. To survive the winter doldrums, brighten your home. Use These Easy Tips: Open your home's window treatments during the day to let the light brighten and warm your room. Close them again as soon as night falls to retain heat. Brighten dark rooms with few windows by placing spotlights on the floor behind furniture. Add a mirror. Wherever a mirror reflects light in a room, it visually doubles that light. Place a mirror opposite a window to immediately brighten your space. No window? Hang…

05

Mar

By Lori Blank

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Housing Analysis

Highest Year-Over-Year Increase In Home Prices Since 2005

Two major indicators of home price trends showed a slowing momentum for home prices in December. The S&P Case Shiller 10 and 20 city indices reported that of 20 cities tracked, home prices were lower in December than for November. Case-Shiller’s seasonally adjusted month-to month reading showed that home prices rose by 0.8 percent as compared to 0.90 percent in November. David Blitzer, chairman of the index committee at S&P Dow Jones Indices, said that “Gains are slowing from month-to-month and the strongest part of home price recovery may be over.” He also noted that seasonally adjusted data was showing…

04

Mar

By Lori Blank

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Homebuyer Tips

The Unexpected In Buying Real Estate

When buying real estate, you may find some unexpected problems. Generally, these issues revolve around plumbing, wiring or sticking doors and windows. Although they aren't as expensive to fix as other issues, there's always a possibility that they indicate bigger problems. Sticking Doors/Windows Spotting wear and tear on doors and windows is fairly easy. Check the hinges and locks. Squeaking hinges or locks that stick indicate wear on seals and metal. Although sticking doors and windows aren't a big deal in and of themselves, these issues can be indications of moderate to severe foundation problems. If you find these issues…