Housing Starts Rise in September Spending on construction rose 0.5 percent in September with home building and government projects leading the way, the U.S. Commerce Department reported Monday. Spending on home building rose 1.8 percent, but the increase was offset by spending on commercial construction, which dropped 1.6 percent. Overall, non-residential construction was at the [...]

10 Tips for Lowering Homeowner’s Insurance Costs   1. Review the Comprehensive Loss Underwriting Exchange (CLUE) report on the property you’re interested in buying. CLUE reports detail the property’s claims history for the most recent five years, which insurers may use to deny coverage. Make the sale contingent on a home inspection to ensure that [...]

— Until lenders demonstrate that they are adhering to all existing laws, regulations, and contractual guidelines related to loss mitigation and foreclosure legal process, the civil rights groups believes that lenders in all 50 states should not move forward with any foreclosures.   —-  Across the country, lenders are announcing temporary foreclosure moratoria. • Neighborhoods [...]

TO WALK  or “NOT” TO WALK …… Borrowers considering a strategic default need to be aware and recognize the damaging impact their actions can have on others. Not many would care about strategic defaults if walkaway borrowers and their lenders were the only parties affected. But homeowners can’t do anything in this downward spiral. Foreclosures [...]

1. What is the assessed value of the property? Note that assessed value is generally less than market value. Ask to see a recent copy of the seller’s tax bill to help you determine this information. 2. How often are properties reassessed, and when was the last reassessment done? In general, taxes jump most significantly [...]

1. Know about exclusions to coverage. For example, most insurance policies do not cover flood or earthquake damage as a standard item. These types of coverage must be bought separately. 2. Know about dollar limitations on claims. Even if you are covered for a risk, there may be a limit on how much the insurer [...]

    Moving to a new home can be stressful, to say the least. Make it easy on yourself by planning far in advance and making sure you’ve covered all the bases.1. Plan ahead by organizing and budgeting. Develop a master “to do” list so you won’t forget something critical on moving day, and create [...]

If the latest technology or entertainment options are important in your new home, add the following questions to your buyer’s checklist. 1. Are there enough jacks in every room for cable TV and high-speed Internet hookups? 2. Are there ample telephone extensions or jacks? 3. Is the home pre-wired for home theater or multiroom audio [...]

    To attract buyers, sellers must up the ante to convince them that their property offers what many want most — top value for dollar expended. Here are eight fast fixes:   1. Buff up curb appeal. You’ve heard it before, but it’s critical to get buyers to want to look on the inside. [...]

The way things used to work aren’t how things work nowadays. Congress scrapped the old rule that required you to reinvest the proceeds of the sale of your home in a new, more-expensive property in order to avoid taxes. The new rules don’t turn on whether you reinvest or not.    Instead, the new rules [...]