Lori Blank

03

Mar

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Mortgage Rates

What’s Ahead For Mortgage Rates This Week – March 3, 2014

Last week's economic news was mixed, with new home sales increasing and weekly jobless claims higher than expected. Case-Shiller and FHFA home price reports reflected slower growth in home prices. Mortgage rates moved higher for the third consecutive week. Weakness in the jobs sector and harsh winter weather were seen as factors contributing to economic events, but sales of new homes jumped unexpectedly to their highest since 2008. Case-Shiller, FHFA Report Slower Growth for Home Prices The Case-Shiller composite home price index for December reported that home prices declined by 0.10 percent in December, which was the second consecutive monthly…

28

Feb

By Lori Blank

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Around The Home

How To Make Your Home Look More Luxurious On A Budget

Have you been looking through home décor magazines and gazing with wonder at the gorgeous homes inside? Do you want to add a touch of elegance and luxury to your home, but you are on a tight budget? No need to worry, there are many ways that you can make your home look like a million bucks, without actually having to spend a fortune. Luxury Home Decor Ideas Here are a few great ideas that don't have to cost a lot, they just require a little bit of planning and some elbow grease and they will take your home…

27

Feb

By Lori Blank

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Around The Home

Where To Squeeze A Home Office In Your Home

If you have started working from home, whether you are a freelancer or running a business, having a home office in your home is very important. It is a place where you can separate your home life and work, so that you can get "in the zone" and concentrate on the important work tasks that you need to complete. But where should you place your home office? If you have a spare bedroom in your home, the answer is easy - but what if you don't have this extra space? Is it possible to squeeze a home office into an…

26

Feb

By Lori Blank

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Around The Home

How To Maintain Your Gutters

An entire gutter system around the home might seem expensive to many homeowners. However, not having one could mean water pooling around your home creating a moat and costing you thousands of dollars in damage to your foundation. So it's a good idea to install gutters and take care of them. Below are tips for gutter maintenance to help keep water away from your home. Unclog The Gutters Annual gutter maintenance includes cleaning them of debris, such as leaves, sticks or animal nests. Remove downspout cages and clean them. Determine if they're still in good shape or need to be…

25

Feb

By Lori Blank

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Homebuyer Tips

What To Consider When Buying A Fixer-Upper

In your imagination it seems like a great idea - you purchase an older run-down property and you have the chance to fix it up and turn it into the home of your dreams. To Renovate, Or Not To Renovate However, the renovation project that is simply a quick montage in your imagination will actually take several months or years and thousands of dollars in real life. The concept of renovating a "fixer-upper" property is exciting, but the reality is a lot of work and investment. How can you make sure that you are making the right choice for you?…

24

Feb

By Lori Blank

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Mortgage Rates

What’s Ahead For Mortgage Rates This Week – February 24, 2014

Last week's economic data supported recent reports indicating that housing markets are slowing, The National Association of Home builders/Wells Fargo Home Builders Index (HBI) dropped by 10 points to a reading of 46 for February. Home builder confidence dropped to its lowest reading in nine months, and fell below the benchmark of 50, which indicates that more builders are pessimistic about current market conditions than not. Severe weather was blamed for the lower builder confidence reading, which fell below the expected reading of 56. Regional readings of builder confidence were also lower: Northeast: Builder confidence fell from 41 to 33…

21

Feb

By Lori Blank

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Homebuyer Tips

The Three R’s Of Fixing Historic Homes For Sale

If you enjoy history and fixing things, then it may be hard to drive by historic homes for sale without feeling the urge to buy one and fix it up. Before you do, you need learn the three R's of fixing up historic homes and the differences between them. The three R's of fixing up historic homes are restoration, renovation and repair. Some of the differences are minor, but they can make all the difference in cost, time and problems. Restoration "Restoration" literally means returning something to its original state. Restoring historic homes for sale involve city and state programs.…

20

Feb

By Lori Blank

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Home Selling Tips

How To Get The Full Asking Price When Selling Your Home

Selling your home is a complex process and there are a lot of factors that you will need to consider. Your goal will be to sell your home in a timely manner, while getting the highest price you can. However, many properties sell at a discount because the buyer is able to negotiate a lower price on the property. Although it is impossible to guarantee that you will receive your full asking price when you sell your home, there are things that you can do to increase the likelihood of this happening. You will need to have a strategy that…

19

Feb

By Lori Blank

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Homeowner Tips

Smart Ways To Create Equity Within Your Home

Home equity is the difference between what your home can sell for and what you owe on it. Generally, the longer you own your home, the more equity you build. This is money you can use before you sell your home through a home equity loan. Just keep in mind that a home equity loan is secured with your home. If you can't make the payments, you can lose your home. Use Your Home Equity In Smart Ways: Remodel Your Home - If you've wanted to add on a family room or modernize your kitchen, consider using your home's equity to…

18

Feb

By Lori Blank

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Mortgage Rates

What’s Ahead For Mortgage Rates This Week – February 18, 2014

Last week's economic news was dominated by the first address by the new Fed chairperson, Janet Yellen. Tuesday's news included the Jobs Openings report for December 2013, which matched November's reading of 4.0 million jobs available. This information was taken from a gauge of competition for available jobs; in December, competition for job openings fell to its lowest level in five years. Fed Chair Janet Yellen's First Address to House Janet Yellen addressed the House Financial Services Committee for the first time on Tuesday as Chair of the Federal Reserve. Ms. Yellen indicated that she expected "a great deal of…