5 Things that Will Make Potential Buyers Lose Interest in Your Home
 If you are selling your home, then you probably have read all the tips for staging a home. However, you should also evaluate your home for things that could make a potential homebuyer leave your home quickly.
1. Not–so-nice DIY projects.
You may have saved thousands by remodeling the kitchen or adding on an entire new room yourself. However, if a potential homebuyer can walk into your house and know immediately that the work was done by the homeowner and not a professional, he will start seeing dollar signs as to how much... Read More
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Will the $25 Billion Foreclosure Settlement Help You?
 An investigation, headed in part by 49 state attorneys general and the federal government, found that employees at Ally, Bank of America, Citi, JPMorgan Chase, and Wells Fargo routinely signed foreclosure-related documents without even verifying the information. Other violations include lost paperwork and improper documentation. In short, some borrowers should never have lost their homes to foreclosure. What does the $25 billion foreclosure settlement do to right those wrongs?
Of the $25 billion settlement, $17 billion is dedicated to modifying mortgages for those behind on... Read More
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FHA Fee Increases and Decreases
 In the current economic climate, every dollar saved helps. Though new homeowners will pay more for their upfront insurance premiums, existing homeowners can save thousands by refinancing.
The Federal Housing Administration (FHA) is increasing their upfront insurance premium from 1 percent to 1.75 percent. FHA's annual mortgage insurance premium will increase by 0.10 percent for loans under $625,500 and by 0.35 percent for jumbo loans over $625,500. Anyone who rolls the upfront charge into their mortgage should expect higher mortgage payments. For a $200,000... Read More
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Choosing Easy-Care Plants for Curb Appeal
 The choice of plants for curb appeal should endow your home with charm, framing a setting that invites the visitor to dream of iced tea and lawn chairs. To convey easy-care grounds, forget plotting an immense perennial garden. To the majority of people, that says "You'll be spending all your fair weather weekends maintaining me."
Wise plant choice is the key. The following is a very brief list of hardy, enduring performers for easy maintenance in a variety of settings... Read More
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Deck Trends for New Decks and Makeovers
Courtesy of ARA Content
 Decks have become a summer staple for the American back yard. In keeping with the trend towards outdoor living spaces that mimic the indoors, decks are dressing up. From decorative railings to drainage systems and a greater variety of building materials, today's decks go way beyond simple wood platforms for a portable grill and some patio furniture.
"You don't need to be a do-it-yourselfer to build a professional deck," says Eric Stalemark, a 15-year... Read More
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