This is SO cool, and TOTALLY visible standing in my back yard! Tonight they are all in a diagonal line, making the phrase "The stars are aligning" feel very close to home...and definitely how I feel! Try and check out this amazing event by reading the article illustrating different phases and dates!
Venus, Jupiter, Mercury, and moon to put on rare spectacle in sky
Monday, February 27, 2012
How to choose the right house for the right reasons - MSN Real Estate
How to choose the right house for the right reasons - MSN Real Estate
Just as most of us have a list of traits that are non-negotiable in a spouse, every house hunter has a list of things he or she wants in a house. Of course, these features and amenities won't necessarily ensure a match that stands the test of time.
We asked our readers to tell us what they love most about their current home and what, in hindsight, was clearly just a passing fancy. In this month's Buying Advice, we'll look at the real-estate love letters they wrote and compare them with what buyers are shopping for today.
We'll also check in with the latest home-sales data that hint at a bottoming market and answer a question that many first-time homebuyers have: "Where do I start?"
Just as most of us have a list of traits that are non-negotiable in a spouse, every house hunter has a list of things he or she wants in a house. Of course, these features and amenities won't necessarily ensure a match that stands the test of time.
We asked our readers to tell us what they love most about their current home and what, in hindsight, was clearly just a passing fancy. In this month's Buying Advice, we'll look at the real-estate love letters they wrote and compare them with what buyers are shopping for today.
We'll also check in with the latest home-sales data that hint at a bottoming market and answer a question that many first-time homebuyers have: "Where do I start?"
Sunday, February 26, 2012
February home-maintenance checklist
The transition between winter and spring is the time to get a jump on moisture damage and heat loss, make quick work of organizing storage areas and work in some garden prep before spring.
Don’t let winter slip away without using the cold, wet weather to help you detect where your home is leaking water and heat, giving you a chance to seal it up tight and develop a wish list for energy-saving improvements. Your first order of business inside your home is to make sure no water is getting in.
Goodbye, paper. Hello, 'e-closings'
Electronic processes are poised to make homebuying easier on the wallet — and on trees.
When Charles Schaffner of West Haven, Utah, closed on a home recently, he didn't leave with a giant stack of paperwork. Instead, he left with a CD containing electronic versions of all closing documents.The closing took less than 20 minutes, and yet Schaffner knew exactly what he was signing; he'd reviewed all of the documents at home the night before.
Schaffner got his loan through Mountain America Credit Union, which is one of the first banks in the country to roll out an electronic-closing option. Encompassing home contracts, closings and loans, electronic processes are saving time and money. (Bing: Paperless real-estate transactions)
Schaffner says his experience with electronic closing was a far cry from previous closings.
Tips for buying a house
The top 10 things you need to know when buying a home.
1. Don't buy if you can't stay put.
If you can't commit to remaining in one place for at least a few years, then owning is probably not for you, at least not yet. With the transaction costs of buying and selling a home, you may end up losing money if you sell any sooner - even in a rising market. When prices are falling, it's an even worse proposition.
2. Start by shoring up your credit.
Since you most likely will need to get a mortgage to buy a house, you must make sure your credit history is as clean as possible. A few months before you start house hunting, get copies of your credit report. Make sure the facts are correct, and fix any problems you discover.
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