Blog

03
Jun
By Lori Blank
Real Estate

How To Build The Ultimate Tree House For Your Children In Just Seven Steps

Building a tree house is a time honored tradition for many families. One of the benefits of having a yard is the ability to build a tree fort for your children. If you're planning to build a fun fort for your kids, here are seven steps to help you create the ultimate tree house. The Ultimate Plan For The Perfect Playhouse The best projects are often the most thought out. Sit down with your children and lay the plans for their tree house. Let them contribute their thoughts and ideas so they feel a part of the planning process. Although…
Read More
02
Jun
By Lori Blank
Mortgage Rates

What’s Ahead For Mortgage Rates This Week – June 2, 2014

Last week's economic news was fairly quiet due to the Memorial Day holiday on Monday and no scheduled news released on Wednesday. Home Prices Post Modest Gains, But Growth Rate of Home Prices Slows Tuesday's release of the S&P Case-Shiller Home Price Index for March showed that home prices are edging up, but at a slower pace than last year. Home prices increased by 12.40 percent year-over-year as compared to February's reading of 12.90 percent year-over-year. Analysts expected prices to fall as construction picks up and more homes are listed for sale. Lower demand due to strict mortgage lending standards…
Read More
30
May
By Lori Blank
Around The Home

Did You Know? How Paint Color Choices Can Drastically Affect The ‘Mood’ Of Your Home

Whether you're sprucing up your house to sell or simply looking for a color to bring out the beauty of your home, it's imperative that you do your homework. Before you head off to your local DIY store with a paint sample in one hand and a wallet in the other, you need to ensure that you're picking the colors that are right for your home and your personality. It is true that you can never go wrong with a neutral, but you can also go so much more right with the correct color in the appropriate space, whether it's…
Read More
29
May
By Lori Blank
Homeowner Tips

Here’s How You Can Leverage Your Home To Reduce Your Tax Burden For Next Year

Each year around April, we can find ourselves becoming a little more tense at the thought of what is about to occur: tax time. Instead of falling into the trap of procrastinating your taxes, however, it's much more beneficial to face tax time head-on and do your research on your applicable deductions well in advance. Your home is good for many things, but using your home to reduce your tax burden may be one benefit you haven't thought of. Here are some tax benefits that can be leveraged with your home, and some ways to lower your tax bill in…
Read More
28
May
By Lori Blank
Uncategorized

FOMC Minutes: Committee Discusses “Normalizing” Policy

April's meeting of the Fed's Federal Open Market Committee was held along with the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System. Meeting minutes released Wednesday indicated the committee's interest in "normalizing" its monetary policy. This included the FOMC's ongoing commitment to tapering its asset purchases under its quantitative easing program. The committee agreed to taper the Fed's monthly asset purchases by $10 billion to $45 billion per month. Committee members discussed raising the target federal funds rate, which now stands at 0.00 to 0.25 percent, but the minutes clearly stated that this topic was undertaken as part of "prudent…
Read More
27
May
By Lori Blank
Uncategorized

What’s Ahead For Mortgage Rates This Week – May 27, 2014

Last week's economic news was dominated by speeches given by Federal Reserve presidents, the minutes from April's FOMC meeting and commencement address given by Fed Chair Janet Yellen. The latest readings for new and existing home sales were also released. Federal Reserve Speeches Suggest Concerns Over Monetary Policy Dependence, Low Inflation Here are highlights of comments made by each of the Fed presidents' speeches. Richard Fisher, president of the Dallas Fed, and John Williams, President of the San Francisco Fed, spoke at a conference held at the Bush Institute. Mr. Fisher said that 98 percent of jobs lost during the…
Read More
23
May
By Lori Blank
Uncategorized

3 DIY Kitchen Upgrades That Will Boost Your Home Selling Price With Just A Few Hours Work

Homeowners who want to increase the appeal of their residence before putting it up for sale can, within a few hours and with a little elbow grease, perform some do-it-yourself (DIY) kitchen upgrades that are sure to pique the interest of would-be buyers. Many people either have or are in the process of listing their home, so it makes sense to do as much as possible to attract the interest of prospective purchasers. It need not cost a proverbial arm and a leg to boost the selling price of a home. Here are three DIY kitchen upgrades that will help…
Read More
22
May
By Lori Blank
Uncategorized

What’s In A Color? Six Paint Colors That Will Affect Your Mood

Believe it or not, paint colors can affect your mood. When remodeling your home, the color you use on the walls can end up being just as critical to the thematic consistency of your home as the furniture you use to decorate it. Before you slap any old color on the walls, take some time to consider what mood you'd like each room to inspire. Red, Yellow And Orange: The Colors Of Excitement, Hunger And Happiness Ever wonder why the dining rooms, kitchens and entertainment rooms you see in magazines always seem come in every shade of red? It's because…
Read More
21
May
By Lori Blank
Uncategorized

3 Surprising Spots in Your Home That Might Be Aggravating Your Allergies

Environmental allergens affect the way many people live their lives and clean their homes. Allergens make their way into our houses, and can settle in some unexpected places – but knowing where these irritants can hide can help you eliminate problematic allergens from your home. If your house has you sneezing and wheezing in every room, here are three allergy-triggering places where you wouldn't expect to find allergens in the home. 1. Allergens Lurking In Your Living Room Visitors to your home brings allergens with them. Allergens are easily transferred from your visitors onto your carpets and couches. Even if…
Read More
20
May
By Lori Blank
Uncategorized

Four Signs You Have Mold In Your Attic, And What You Can Do About It, Now!

Signs of mold in your attic can be indicative of a bigger problem in your house, which is why it is a good idea to nip this situation in the bud as soon as you see it developing. The signs of this type of fungus can be quite diverse and sometimes unexpected, so it pays to understand exactly what to look for if you suspect you have mold in your attic. Here are the four signs that you have mold in your attic, as well as what you can do about it right now. Sign #1: You Spot Condensation In…
Read More
Skip to content