Energy Auditing Tips:
1 Check the insulation levels through your home.
2 Check for holes or cracks around your walls, ceilings, windows, and electrical outlets.
3 Check for open fireplace dampers
4 Maintain appliances and heating and cooling systems.
5 Look for ways to reduce lighting energy use.
Heating & Cooling Tips:
1 Set your thermostat low in the..(read more)
Deter – Detect – Defend
DETER
1. Cross shred financial documents and paperwork with personal information before you discard them.
2. Don’t carry your Social Security card in your wallet or write your Social Security number on a check. Give it out only when absolutely necessary or ask to use another identifier.
3. Do not put your wallet on a counter.(read more)
Invest in face-lift, they say, and keep your asking price moderate
Before putting their Outer Richmond condo on the market, Megan Christoph and her husband, Scott Davis, repainted the entire apartment. They replaced the faucets and showerhead, replanted the yard and had the hardwood floors refinished.
The couple borrowed plants and artwork from friends and bought a new dining room table and chairs..(read more)
Investors in second or multiple homes stand to be among the biggest losers from the housing downturn. That’s because proposed mortgage bailout programs don’t address second homes and investment properties. Many owners of multiple properties don’t realize that investments they thought would help them build long-term wealth may in fact leave them in bankruptcy and..(read more)
A modest gain in the level of home sales is possible over the next couple of months, and an improvement is forecast for the second half of this year as more buyers are able to access affordable mortgages, according to the latest forecast.The Pending Home Sales Index rose 6.3 percent to 88.2 from a reading of 83.0 in March. It's the highest index figure since last October. Lawrence Yun, NAR chief economist,..(read more)
Be sure that: Repairs you’ve requested have been made. Obtain copies of paid bills and any related warranties. All items that were included in the sale price—draperies, lighting fixtures—are still there. Screens and storm windows are in place or stored. All appliances are operating. Intercom, doorbell, and alarm are operational. Hot water heater is working. HVAC is working. No plants..(read more)
The Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act (RESPA) statement. This form, sometimes called a HUD 1 statement, itemizes all the costs associated with the closing. You’ll need this for income tax purposes and when you sell the home.
The Truth in Lending Statement summarizes the terms of your mortgage loan.
The mortgage and the note (two pieces of paper) spell out the legal terms..(read more)
When you sell a stock, you owe taxes on your gain—the difference between what you paid for the stock and what you sold it for. The same is true with selling a home (or a second home), but there are some special considerations.
How to Calculate Gain
In real estate, capital gains are based not on what you paid for the home, but on its adjusted cost basis. To calculate this:
1...(read more)
Answer these questions to help you decide whether moving up makes sense.
1.How much equity do you have in your home? Look at your annual mortgage statement or call your lender to find out. Usually, you don’t build up much equity in the first few years of paying a mortgage, but if you’ve owned your home for a number of years, you may have significant unrealized gains...(read more)
