Mortgage rates have been hovering near historic lows for five years. While the current average rate of 4.19% for a fixed, 30-year mortgage is not the lowest it has ever been – that was 3.35% in December 2012 – it’s still lower than at any time between 2010 and 1971, when Freddie Mac started keeping … [Read more...] about When it pays to refinance your mortgage
Home & Garden
14 moves to get your home sold faster
The peak home buying season is over, but you still want to sell your house before the first snow falls. Even in a slow season, there are steps you can take to sell your home quickly. How can you make it happen?First, of course, you want to make sure your home looks its best. “Curb appeal is … [Read more...] about 14 moves to get your home sold faster
Considering a reverse mortgage? Ask these questions
The TV pitchmen make it sound like the easiest thing: Use your home equity to finance your retirement through a reverse mortgage, and stay in your home without ever making a payment. What they forget to mention is a reverse mortgage is not nearly that simple. While it is a great way for some older … [Read more...] about Considering a reverse mortgage? Ask these questions
How to choose the right place to retire
A generation ago, retirement was more defined. You had a last day of work, collected your gold watch and headed for a planned community in Florida or Arizona. But the baby boomer generation is heading into a much different kind of retirement. Modern technology has made it easier to move to another … [Read more...] about How to choose the right place to retire
How to save money on plumbing repairs
Leaking pipes won't just run up your water bill, but can result in hundreds or even thousands of dollars in water damage to floors, walls and ceilings. Fixing running toilets and dripping faucets can cut your water bills considerably. But, how do you know when to tackle repairs yourself and when to … [Read more...] about How to save money on plumbing repairs
How to hire a good handyman
You love your home. But that leaky faucet, clogged gutter or cracked shower tile is driving you crazy. Who ya gonna call? A handyman. This general practitioner of the home repair industry is the go-to professional for jobs you don’t want to do, haven’t time to do or simply can’t do (and have no … [Read more...] about How to hire a good handyman
Save money with your own home security system
If you have reviewed your household budget lately, you might have been amazed by how many recurring monthly charges have added up over the years. One that jumped out at me recently was the amount we spend for my home security system's alarm monitoring.ADT service starts at about $30 a month. … [Read more...] about Save money with your own home security system
Get tax savings with solar or wind energy systems
With today's available tax credits, this is a good time to install renewable energy upgrades, such as a solar power system, solar water heater, wind energy system (turbine) or geothermal heat pump. Through 2016, homeowners can take advantage of tax credits for residential systems. Additionally, … [Read more...] about Get tax savings with solar or wind energy systems
How to buy a foreclosure home
Just a few years ago, buying a foreclosed home was seen as a way to get a bargain. With a glut of foreclosures and few buyers perusing the market, lenders were willing to sell homes at a substantial discount just to get rid of them.Those days are gone. Buying a foreclosure can still be a good … [Read more...] about How to buy a foreclosure home
New book shares easy DIY home decor projects
Kelly McCants, a Virginia-based author, entrepreneur, blogger, seamstress and mother of two teenagers, has a new book out. It’s called At Home with Modern June: 27 Sewing Projects for Your Handmade Lifestyle. Modern June, in case you’re wondering, is McCants herself, who also wrote Sewing with … [Read more...] about New book shares easy DIY home decor projects
Emergency-proof your life with a bug-out bag
I am not sure if it is the ubiquity of news or the actuality of climate change, but it seems you cannot turn around today without hearing of a disaster striking. Hurricanes, tornadoes, tsunamis, even the upcoming zombie apocalypse are all calling for a single thing.Be prepared.I hate to go … [Read more...] about Emergency-proof your life with a bug-out bag
How to get Bill Gates’ billion-dollar art collection for free
In the 1990s, Microsoft founder Bill Gates created a 22-foot-long “video wall" in his Seattle lakefront home. Gates spent many millions of dollars of his own money to create the world's largest digital art library. The library contained thousands of digitized images of fine art and classic … [Read more...] about How to get Bill Gates’ billion-dollar art collection for free
Could you live in a 100-square-foot house?
Do you have what it takes to live in a tiny house? You don’t have to be a tiny elf or fairy tale character yourself, but you do need some giant-sized courage to give up the materialistic lifestyle that most Americans have learned to love.Proponents of living in tiny houses (we’re talking 100 to … [Read more...] about Could you live in a 100-square-foot house?
Easy way to save 20% on grocery and toiletry items
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Amazon's subscribe and save service is perfect if you're always running out of staples like cereal, snacks, paper towels, shampoo, diapers and kitty litter. Or, more important, chocolate. You can set up delivery on a recurring basis, whether that's once a month or once every six months. You choose … [Read more...] about Easy way to save 20% on grocery and toiletry items
How to buy and sell a house at the same time
Now that the real estate market is climbing out of the doldrums (or now that your family has grown by a member or even a few), you may be ready to buy a new home.But do you sell your old home first? Or do you buy and then sell?“It’s always a tough choice to make,” says Anthony Vitale, senior … [Read more...] about How to buy and sell a house at the same time
