|
|
| |
|
|
 |
 |
|
Going solar: Is it right for your home?
Just a short time ago, saving the planet took precedence over saving a dollar. Times have changed, but in today’s economy homeowners are still trying to find ways to do both. Just ask John Shipman, an energy analyst at Energy Efficiency Management (http://www.energyefficiencypro.com/) and a green home performance contractor with Energy Star (http://www.energystar.gov). Shipman states that his company’s "whole-house energy audits have increased three folds" since President Obama has taken office. The President’s stimulus package has made energy conservation a priority with initiatives that focus on energy-efficiency upgrades to homes and businesses.
...more |
| |
2010: year of the turnaround?
A spurt in home sales in 2009, aided by low interest rates and the first-time homebuyer tax credit, has led some economists to forecast a turnaround in the housing market this year. Other forecasters feel this is too optimistic a projection.
...more |
| |
Make your short sale shine
Short sales, where the lender agrees to take less than amount due to them, have tended to sell for less than similar homes in the area. One reason for this is that short-sale listings usually don't look as good as the competition. Another reason is that short sales require lender approval.
...more |
| |
Southern California Home Buyer's Fair March 13 and March 14
With interest rates at historic lows and home prices at affordable levels now is an ideal time to buy a home. Chances are you have many questions, ranging from how to find and qualify for a mortgage loan to what steps are required to get from finding a home to closing escrow and moving in.
...more |
| |
Southern California Home Buyer's Fair March 13 and March 14
With interest rates at historic lows, home prices at affordable levels, and a wide range of homes from which to choose, now is an ideal time to buy a home. Chances are you have many questions, ranging from how to find and qualify for a mortgage loan, to what steps are required to get from finding a home to closing escrow and moving in.
...more |
| |
Solution for icy gutters
With winter's storms comes the problem of ice buildup on the roof. No one relishes the thought of dragging out a ladder and trying to get all that ice out of the gutter. But if you allow it to build up in there, you are essentially forming the foundation that an ice dam will start building on, and once the ice dam takes hold it's a lot harder to get rid of.
...more |
| |
Not all woods absorb stain the same
Q: First-time homeowner and first-time stainer here! I had a small porch made out of untreated wood built last summer that I would now like to stain. I like the redwood look I see throughout the neighborhood, what I think of as the most common color of stain around!
...more |
| |
Inherit home, refi immediately?
DEAR BENNY: My husband and I inherited a home from my husband's uncle who passed away a few weeks ago. Will the lender expect us to refinance the home or can we just assume it even if it is a conventional loan? –Karen
...more |
| |
Rate-lock dos and don'ts
Interest rates dropped at the end of last year after creeping up over the summer, with 30-year fixed-rate mortgages with interest rates below 5 percent readily available.
...more |
| |
No capital gains tax on home exchange?
DEAR BENNY: My husband and I built a townhouse in 1983 for $33,000. We lived there for a few years and then rented it out for 17 years, taking all the tax advantages such as depreciation, etc.
...more |
| |
No benefit to refi with current lender?
DEAR BENNY: I am shopping for a new mortgage (I will refinance about $160,000 remaining on a condo worth about $300,000) and discovered my mortgage holder wants about $2,200 in closing costs. I just financed with this bank three years ago and have stellar credit. There seems to be no special benefit for refinancing with this lender. Their broker told me as much. I don't understand why they wouldn't want to keep a good customer. Any insight? --Janelle
...more |
| |
CFLs today
General Electric introduced the first compact fluorescent light bulb (CFL) to the market in 1992. In that same year, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) established the ENERGY STAR label as a “voluntary labeling program designed to identify and promote energy-efficient products to reduce green house gas emissions.” CFLs were one of these newly regulated products. The energy-saving bulb wouldn’t find popularity, however, until the new millennium when mainstream America became more conscious of energy conservation and the environment. Today, the CFL is still growing in popularity; consumers like that it saves energy -- and money. According to the EPA, in 2007, Americans saved $1.5 billion by switching to ENERGY STAR-qualified CFLs. The CFL light bulb has also improved greatly in the past 30 years with more lighting choices, regulation of its mercury output, and easier disposal.
...more |
| |
|
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
Your Newsletter is Powered by:
|
|
|
|
|
