Home Staging Tip – Urban Gardening in Small Spaces

Home staging means getting a home ready for sale with the goal to maximize the sale price and close a sale as fast as possible. Some home staging tasks are very dreary, like having to get the place sparkling clean. That is really not fun work. It may be better, if it is affordable, for the homeowner to hire professionals to do that grunt work. Another part of home staging is really fun and even can start long before putting a home on the market for sale. Children like to participate in this as well. It is creating an urban garden. Urban Garden An urban garden fits in anywhere. The idea…
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Pros And Cons Of Installing A Pet Door

If you've just moved into your new home and you have a pet, you may be thinking of installing a pet door. A pet door is a permanent door feature that is cut into the bottom third of an entry door. Before making a permanent alteration to your door, consider the pros and cons of installing a pet door.  Pro: Your Pet Can Come And Go As Needed A pet door could cut down on indoor pet accidents if that's a problem you've had to deal with in the past. This is especially convenient if you get home late to let the dog out, or if they have a temporary gastric…
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Buying A Home In Foreclosure

Foreclosure is a process that happens over many months. There are various opportunities to acquire real estate that is in a different stage of foreclosure, including before the foreclosure process completes. This short guide identifies the different stages and the opportunities that may exist to acquire a property at a discounted price. Get The Money Lined Up First To acquire a property at any part of the foreclosure process requires cash or pre-approved credit. Have the full amount of cash available to pay for the transaction or have a recent pre-approval letter from a reliable lender. The letter shows the amount of mortgage financing available and approved for buying a foreclosure.…
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The Benefits Of Adding An In-Law Apartment To A Home

One renovation that may add value to a home is an in-law apartment. Even if a homeowner does not have any relatives, an in-law apartment makes wonderful guest accommodations. It is possible to rent it when unoccupied to earn some money. Homeowners who rent out part of a home need to check with their insurance agent to upgrade insurance to accommodate commercial use of a part of the home. Additionally, a person staying in an in-law apartment, who is not a member of the owner's household, may need to get renter's insurance to cover any personal property kept in the in-law apartment. Renovation Plans An in-law apartment may be in a…
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How To Buy A Bargain Home As A Short Sale

A short sale is when the mortgage lender(s) agrees to sell the property for a lower amount than the loan-balance remaining. During the worst moments of the 2006 to 2008 real estate crisis, homes sold as short sales for a fraction of their value. Lenders had so many properties with loans in default that they could not manage the ones that they had in foreclosure. Foreclosure is an expensive legal process that causes a lender to lose more money on a property. This is one of the motivators that encourages lenders to accept a short sale because sometimes through a short sale the foreclosure process is avoided. Are Short Sales Still…
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7 New Home Upgrades that Could Save Your Life

One of the best things about moving into a new home is personalizing it and really making it yours. From hanging wall art to arranging furniture to finding the perfect spot for your grandmother's hand crocheted afghan, it's a real joy to decorate. But are you forgetting about the big investment you just made? Consider the following important home upgrades that will protect your home and your family. 1. Smoke Alarm Take an afternoon and upgrade all your new home's smoke alarms. Smoke alarms save lives and it's not worth it to assume that just because it's there it's working.  2. Carbon Monoxide Alarm Do the same upgrade with your carbon…
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