Lori Blank & Associates

17

Jun

Around The Home

Wrought Iron, A Simple, Strong, And Beautiful Addition To Any Modern Home

Wrought iron is a classic accent that has been used to beautify homes for centuries. Its strong and simple elegance is a wonderful addition to any modern home and can be incorporated into home design in many different ways. A Masculine Addition To Any Design Wrought iron is considered to be masculine from a design standpoint. It is a great way to add depth and balance to a home. It works well with both light and dark palettes, and can be incorporated into most modern home designs. Because it is fabricated by welding, wrought iron has a strength beyond that…

16

Jun

By Lori Blank

Market Outlook

What’s Ahead For Mortgage Rates This Week – June 16, 2014

Last week's economic news was quiet in the housing sector, but retail sales and employment-related reports provided indications of less consumer spending and reduced consumer confidence. On Monday, James Bullard, St. Louis Fed President, commented that inflation appears to be rising. Although not a voting member of the Fed's Open Market Committee (FOMC), inflation has been a topic of concern to the FOMC in recent years. Mr. Bullard had previously noted that inflation was stable. His remarks set the stage for this week's FOMC meeting and press conference by Fed Chair Janet Yellen. Analysts expect the Fed to continue tapering…

13

Jun

By Lori Blank

Home Selling Tips

Three Easy Ways to Make Your Home More Inviting

Many home owners putting up their home for sale on the market don't have a lot of available cash to spruce it up. While staging houses is a definite plus, it can cost a fair amount of money, as do many of the other suggested "to-dos." Here are a few inexpensive and easy ways to make your home look more inviting to buyers. Put Up Your Personal Stuff Not every buyer looking at a home for sale appreciates the fact that someone still lives there. Putting away the your personal things can help the buyers' see themselves in the home.…

12

Jun

By Lori Blank

Real Estate Tips

DIY Or Hire It Done, Renovating Real Estate Investment Properties

Sometimes, when buying - or even thinking about buying real estate for investment purposes, you're faced with the need to fix up the property. The question then arises: Should I fix it up myself or hire it done? Unfortunately, no one can give you the right answer. However, there are a few questions that you can ask yourself to help decide the issue: Do I Have The Time? Time is an issue that many people forget about, but it should be one of the deciding factors. Some renovations, such as handles, hinges or kitchen hardware can take very little time…

11

Jun

By Lori Blank

Investment Properties

Thinking About Buying An Investment Property? 6 Tips To Ensure You Don’t Get Fleeced

Purchasing an investment property is one of the most important decisions that you'll ever be a part of. As such, it's a necessity to make your decisions with only the most careful of consideration. Here are six tips that you need to heed in order to ensure that you don't get fleeced. Find The Right Property At The Right Price Yes, this is a whole lot easier said than done. However, it's not impossible. All it takes is some patience and research. You have to determine what everything in your area is selling for in order to be able to…

10

Jun

By Lori Blank

Home Tips

Three Mobile Apps That Make Home Automation Tasks Quick And Easy

These days, efficiency and productivity are the keys to life, which is why it's no surprise that home automation is a bigger topic than ever before. As more and more people become tech savvy and get used to working with handheld devices, home automation becomes a natural fit for your smartphone or other handheld device. After all, it's a true pleasure to be able to control nearly everything in your home from just one device! You have so many things to do each and every day that it could be too much of a hassle to do everything separately and…

09

Jun

By Lori Blank

Market Outlook

What’s Ahead For Mortgage Rates This Week – June 9, 2014

Last week's economic news was mixed. Construction spending grew, but fell below the expected level. CoreLogic reported that April home prices continued to rise, but did so at their slowest growth rate in more than a year. Employment reports for private sector and government jobs indicated fewer jobs, but the national unemployment rate was steady. Here are the details: Construction Spending, Home Price Growth Slows Construction spending reported by the Department of Commerce reached $953.5 billion annually, and increased by 0.20 percent month-to-month against expectations of an 0.80 percent increase and the March reading of 0.60 percent growth. According to…

06

Jun

By Lori Blank

Real Estate

The Green Thumb: Four Easy Ways To Get More From Your Home Garden

Growing a home garden creates beauty, oxygen and even food for our families to enjoy. If you're looking to get more from your home garden, here are four easy ways to improve a green thumb. A Good Foundation For Your Garden Good soil is the foundation of a healthy garden. By using quality soil, you can give your garden the best start possible. Adding a variety of organic matter to soil will give plants a happy home to grow in. Add two to three inches of organic matter to your garden bed at the beginning of each season. Compost, dried…

05

Jun

By Lori Blank

Home Seller Tips

3 Signs It’s Time To Lower The Price On Your Real Estate

Selling your home or property in a slow real estate market isn't easy, but it can be done. Pricing your property right is the key to selling it within a reasonable amount of time. Sometimes this means lowering your price while it's on the market. Of course, you want to get as much money as possible, so how do you know when it's time to lower your asking price? No One Is Looking At Your Home If you expect your home to sell, you need to have people look inside it. Most buyers search for homes within a certain price…

04

Jun

By Lori Blank

Real Estate

Six Easy Ways To Protect Your Home Against Burglars And Thieves

Burglaries are a concern for many North Americans. Although some communities report more break ins than others, everyone should be aware of their home's safety and security. Protecting yourself and your home from thieves can contribute to a better quality of life. Know And Connect With Your Neighbors There is much to be said about knowing your neighbors. By establishing connections with the residents around you, you'll be better equipped to spot suspicious people. When neighbors look out for other members the community, they give thieves less opportunity to case homes unnoticed. You may consider getting your neighbors together to…