Dec
26
Financial Advisors and Financial Planners There are many different investment professionals that consumers can take advantage of. Two of these are a financial advisor and a financial planner. These two professionals help people manage their money. What is a financial advisor? A financial advisor is a broad term for any...
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Dec
26
Interior Designer Apps Do home decorating shows leave you jealous of the skills of the interior designers? Worry no more! There are plenty of apps that can bring out the interior designer in you. Color Capture Cost: Free Platform: iOS and Android Color Capture is a color matching app from...
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Dec
26
Snow and Ice Removal As colder weather sets in, the threat of snow and ice starts to build. Here’s how to remove snow and ice to make your driveway safer. Before the snow Before the snow comes, drive stakes around any plant beds near your driveway. This gives you an...
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Dec
22
Selling Your Home in the Winter It’s no secret that homes sell better in the spring and summer. However, this doesn’t mean that you can’t sell your home in the winter months! Here are some tips and tricks to sell your home in the winter. Combat the cold One thing...
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Dec
22
Entertaining in Small Spaces Small living spaces don’t mean that you can’t have big parties. Here’s how to entertain in small spaces. Clean Whether you have a big house or a small space, cleaning should always be a priority before guests come over. Small spaces may be even more important...
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Dec
22
The Tax Bill and Homeownership The House and the Senate have agreed on a compromise plan for the tax bill. This is how the compromise bill could change homeownership. Mortgage interest deduction The mortgage interest deduction is explained as a way to make homeownership more affordable. The compromise bill cuts...
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Dec
21
Fire Escape Plan Fire safety is very important, but it doesn’t stop at having fire extinguishers and alarms installed throughout the house. You and your family should have a fire escape plan in place should a fire start. Here are some things to include in your fire escape plan. Plan...
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Dec
21
Smart Home Technology and Parents Smart home accessories have been becoming more and more popular. Parents can also take advantage of these smart accessories. Motion-sensing lights Motion activated lights work perfectly when the little ones need to go to the bathroom in the middle of the night. Purchase a motion...
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Dec
21
Cost to Build a Home Building a new home is the perfect opportunity to get exactly what you want in a home. However, it can be costly. Here is a breakdown of typical costs associated with building your own home. Custom homes: $350,000 - $1.5 Million+ A custom construction allows...
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Dec
20
Buying a Home Before Marriage Many couples nowadays don’t wait until marriage before moving in together and buying a home. However, if you are thinking about making this decision, there are a few things you need to consider in addition to the type of home you want. Here is what...
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Dec
20
Homeless Care Package Throughout the year, and especially during the holiday season, many families gather together a care kit for the homeless people in their area. If you are thinking about making kits, consider adding these items. A typical care kit consists of a watertight gallon-size zipper-lock plastic bag. Food...
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Dec
20
Buyer's Remorse Buyer’s remorse is the sense of regret someone has after making a purchase. This is frequently associated with the purchase of an expensive item, such as a home. Here’s how to avoid buyer’s remorse. What brings on buyer’s remorse? Many things may bring on buyer’s remorse. Some of...
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Dec
19
Tenants-in-common Tenants-in-common is an arrangement that is characterized by multiple people deciding to purchase one property together. This can be either a primary residence or a vacation home. Basically, a tenants-in-common arrangement is a split homeownership among multiple people. A tenants-in-common arrangement does not have to be an equal ownership....
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Dec
19
Installing a Pocket Door A pocket door is a sliding door that disappears into a compartment in an adjacent wall once the door is fully open. They are great for small spaces where there isn’t enough room for a hinged door. Here is how to install a pocket door in...
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Dec
19
Credit Counseling Credit counseling is used to help debt settlement through education, budgeting, and other tools to help reduce and ultimately eliminate debt. How does credit counseling work? Credit counselors will look at your total financial situation to help you create a plan to pay off your debt, including a...
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Dec
18
What is Bitcoin? Bitcoin, created in 2009, is a cryptocurrency that exists in a digital form. Recently, Bitcoin has become more popular in the U.S. and international markets, even extending into the real estate market. One of the biggest draws of Bitcoin is that it holds more volatility than traditional...
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Dec
18
Fireplace Mantel Styling Fireplace mantels were originally used in medieval times as a projected hood over the fire grate to catch the smoke emitted. Over time, they have evolved to include the framework that sits around the fireplace. While many people stick to placing their family photos on display on...
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Dec
18
How to Move in Bad Weather Moving is difficult, and can be even more so when your moving day falls on a day with bad weather. If this happens, here’s how to protect your stuff during the move. Rain Moving while it’s raining presents some challenges. The most important thing...
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Dec
15
Underwriting Once a loan goes through the loan processor, it is handed off to an underwriter. During the mortgage underwriting process, an underwriter will ensure that your financial profile matches the guidelines of the lender and the loan. Ultimately, the underwriter makes the final decision on whether to approve or...
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Dec
15
Caroling Christmas caroling is a tradition that’s enjoyed by many families. If you want to start the tradition with your family and friends, or plan on continuing this year, here’s how to do it. Plan ahead A week or two before embarking on your night of caroling, send out invitations...
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Dec
15
Eviction Eviction is a landlord’s legal removal of a tenant from a rental property. There are many different reasons why a landlord may evict a tenant. They include rent not being paid and breach of the rental agreement. Notice of termination for cause There are three types of termination notices...
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Dec
14
Withdrawn Listings A withdrawn listing means the home has been removed from the Multiple Listing Service (MLS) by the homeowners and is no longer available for sale. However, this doesn’t mean that the home has been sold. If this were the case, the listing would say it was under contract...
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Dec
14
Holiday Cocktails The holiday season brings with it plenty of guests arriving at your home. Warm up your guests (and yourself) this holiday season with these festive cocktails! Wine-Based Mulled Red Wine Mulled wine is a popular drink all throughout Europe. To mix up your own, use orange juice, brandy,...
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Dec
14
What Makes Your Home Hard to Sell? There are many things that might make your home harder to sell. While these things may be a home run for some potential buyers, they can make others want to run for the hills. A central location Some people will love having stores...
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Dec
13
An IRA An individual retirement account, or IRA, is an account set up by a financial institution that allows someone to save for retirement with tax-free growth or on a tax-deferred basis. The main types of IRAs are: Traditional IRA: With a traditional IRA, you make contributions with money, you...
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Dec
13
Disposing of Paint After you’re done with painting a room, it’s likely that you are going to have leftover paint. However, you shouldn’t just throw it out. Here are some tips on how to properly dispose of your leftover paint. Try to donate it Before throwing away your leftover paint,...
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Dec
13
Encroachment What is encroachment? Encroachment, also referred to as structural encroachment, happens when a property owner violates the property rights of their neighbor by extending or building on that neighbor’s property. This can be an issue both intentionally and unintentionally when a property owner is unaware of their property boundaries....
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Dec
12
Hannukah Menu Hanukkah is a Jewish holiday that is celebrated for eight days and nights. Like many others, Hanukkah has foods that accompany the holiday. Here are some foods you should have on your table during Hanukkah. Main Dishes Brisket Brisket is a slow-cooked cut of meat that is a...
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Dec
12
Holiday Movies With the wide array of holiday movies out in the universe, it may be hard to narrow down which one you want to watch. Here are twelve holiday movies to get you in the spirit. White Christmas This Christmas classic focuses on singers Bob Wallace and Phil Davis...
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Dec
12
Foreclose Property Home Buying Process When searching for a new home, it’s possible that you might come across a foreclosed property. Before deciding to purchase a foreclosed property, there are a few things to consider first. Types of foreclosure Foreclosure happens when a homeowner is no longer able to make...
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Dec
11
Verification of Employment When applying for a mortgage loan, a lender will have to verify your employment. The lender needs to make sure you are and will remain employed to ensure all income sources are taken into consideration. Why is verification of employment done? Employment is verified early in the...
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Dec
11
Six Ways to Arrange Artwork There’s a lot to consider when deciding how to hang artwork in your home. Here are a few ways to arrange your artwork. Linear A linear arrangement refers to pictures that are hung in a line. This can be either horizontally or vertically. This arrangement...
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Dec
11
Personal Bankruptcy Bankruptcy allows you to alleviate parts of or all your debt when you can no longer meet obligations to your lender. The two major types of personal bankruptcy are Chapter 7 and Chapter 13 bankruptcy. Since personal bankruptcy laws are complex, be sure to consult an attorney before...
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Dec
08
The Tax Bill On November 16, 2017, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a version of the act. On December 1, 2017, the U.S. Senate passed its version of the Tax Bill. Both the House plan and the Senate plan are based on the Trump administration’s plan presented in September...
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Dec
08
Remove Scratches From Hardwood Hardwood floors are one of the most sought-after flooring types. For that reason, it can get frustrating when scratches appear. However, there are ways to repair scratches on hardwood floors. Wood Staining Marker Wood staining markers work well for shallow scratches. To use a wood staining...
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Dec
08
Modified Adjusted Gross Income What is Modified Adjusted Gross Income? Modified adjusted gross income (MAGI) is used to determine whether an individual can qualify for certain tax deductions. It is also used to determine how much of the IRA contribution is deductible and if the individual is eligible for premium...
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Dec
07
Basis Points What are basis points? Basis points are a common unit of measurement for interest rates. A basis point is equal to 1/100th of 1%, 0.01%, or .0001. This means that a 1% change is equal to 100 basis points, or 0.01% is equal to 1 basis point. They...
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Dec
07
Pests and Rodents in the Home Before you buy a home, you should always check for signs of pests and rodents. Here’s what you should look for. Rodents Besides the obvious factor of not wanting to have mice and rats in your home, there are many reasons why you shouldn’t...
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Dec
07
Right of Redemption What is the right of redemption? The right of redemption is the legal right of a borrower to reclaim their foreclosed property. Redeeming a home refers to two situations: Before the sale, paying off the total debt. This includes the principal balance and any additional costs and...
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Dec
06
Paying off your mortgage early Paying off a mortgage early is something that many borrowers may be interested in. However, there are a few things to consider before deciding to go through with this process. Why you should pay your mortgage off early Less financial stress in retirement Housing is...
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Dec
06
Preventing Theft During the Holiday Season Unfortunately, the possibility of theft increases during the holiday season. Here are some things that you can do to help prevent theft. Leave the lights on Try to leave the light on when you’re gone. Unoccupied homes make great targets for burglary. Hide the...
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Dec
06
Estate planning What is an estate? An estate encompasses everything you own. This includes your car, home, checking and savings account, and other personal possessions. The common ground among these is that you can’t take them with you when you die. Estate planning includes planning in advance, which names who...
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Dec
05
Budgeting with children Having a child changes a lot of things, including your budget. Here's how to budget for new parents. Budgeting basics still apply Keep budgeting your income with the typical 50/30/20 split-up. This means: 50% goes towards household bills, minimum loan payments, and other expenses such as diapers,...
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Dec
05
Winter Bucket List Winter brings with it some of the best activities to do both with friends, family, and by yourself. Add these to your winter bucket list for the best season yet! Do the polar bear plunge The polar bear plunge has its participants submerging their body into chilly...
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Dec
05
How does foreclosure work? Foreclosure occurs when a borrower fails to meet loan obligations. Foreclosure rights and procedures are different in each state. However, these differences are minor variations. The foreclosure process is: Default by borrower Foreclosure begins when a borrower defaults on their loan. This can be through failing...
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