Here are some simple tips to help you save money when remodelng your home.
Have any other interesting ways to save money on home remodeling costs? Share them with our readers by leaving us a comment below. We'd love to hear your ideas.
The freefall in home prices may be over, but the buyers' market persists–there's stiff competition to get a house sold for a good price. In a competitive market sellers need to make every effort for their properties to appear more attractive so they sell for more.
Believe it or not, it's the simple touches–not the big renovations–that often matter the most. HomeGain surveyed 1,000 real estate agents last year to determine which home repairs offer the biggest rewards. After ranking for return on investment, the survey found that cleaning and de-cluttering–including removing personal possessions, polishing woodwork and glass and removing excess furniture–is the most important. Spending $100 to $200 tidying up can increase a home price by $1,500 to $2,000.
Certain renovations can also add value, but they don't have to be major overhauls. One simple suggestion would be to install a new front door. It's an inexpensive exterior improvement. Also consider replacing worn-out siding. New fiber-cement siding will generate the best return on investment, but vinyl siding will work for those with smaller budgets.
Pre-sale home inspections have gained traction in the down real estate market because sellers are trying anything and everything to outdo one another. With a heavy supply of houses on the resale market, a pre-sale inspection can provide extra assurance that there won't be any surprises after signing the sale contract.
Sellers needing to move quickly should remain focused on the basics, neutral paint jobs and replacing or cleaning carpets. That could be the difference between a signed contract and the for-sale sign remaining on the lawn.
Exchange your time for favors from others in a virtual time bank. Here's how it works:
Have questions or comments? Just click the comment link below and let us know what's on your mind. We'd love to hear from you.
The Obama administration recently announced that borrowers with little or no equity in their homes will have yet another year to take advantage of a refinancing program that so far has made little progress.
The initiative, known as Home Affordable Refinance Program (HARP), was set to expire in June. But, so far, it has reached fewer than 200,000 of the up to 5 million borrowers federal regulators hoped it would help.
The program is aimed at the millions of borrowers whose home equity has been diminished by falling home prices, or who owe more than their homes are worth, making it impossible for them to take advantage of historically low mortgage rates. Originally the program targeted borrowers whose loan balances were slightly higher than their property's value. The program was later expanded to include borrowers who owe up to 25 percent more than their homes are worth.
These underwater borrowers are at greater risk of foreclosure, and the administration hoped that lowering their payments would decrease their chances of falling behind.
But the program ran into several problems. Many borrowers were too underwater to qualify and the program was limited to loans backed by Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac, the mortgage financing companies. The initiative was also dogged by delays as lenders struggled to update their computer systems to accommodate the program. Another obstacle was that many homeowners have second mortgages or private mortgage insurance, which can get in the way of refinancing a primary loan.
And for some borrowers, the costs associated with refinancing, such as closing costs, were not worth the lower interest rates, especially for homeowners worried they might lose their jobs or might hit another financial crunch later.
With tax time here again, here are some of the most common mistakes people make while doing their taxes. Avoid these to save yourself money, and a possible audit.
Questions or comments? Use the comment link below to sound off. Your email address will never appear on this site along with your comments, even though it is needed to post a comment (to help us prevent spam).
