How Long Should I Spend Looking For a New Home?

Whether you've been looking for a home for a long time now, or you're just about to get started on the hunt, you're probably wondering how long should you spend looking for a new home. Does it take weeks to find your forever home, or months or even a year? What's typical? There Is No Typical The reality is, there is no typical amount of time it takes to find your home. There are too many variables, including how actively you're looking. Maybe you've heard horror stories of people who've been hunting for a house for a year. But come to find out, they've only really devoted one weekend a month…
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Smooth Move: Do These Six Things When Transitioning Towns

It can be physically and emotionally challenging when moving from one town to another. There are lots of things going on at once; the actual packing and moving your belongings, saying goodbye to friends, changing jobs and just getting used to a new way of living. It can be stressful, but it doesn't have to be. Try these six tips for a smooth transition. 1. Let Go Try to look forward instead of back. You will certainly want to remember all the wonderful moments you've had in your "old" town, but give yourself permission to be excited about your new place to live. Leave the past in the past while still…
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Using Smart Home Technology To Help Sell It

Smart home technology is useful for many reasons. It improves security, helps improve energy-efficiency, and makes it more convenient for the home's occupants. There is also a new trend in the use of smart home technology as a sales tool to help sell a home or a condominium. A real-estate agency in Atlanta, Georgia is using Alexa® devices, along with nicely-framed display cards, to help prospective buyers learn more about a condominium that is for sale in the Districts Lofts building. There are now more than 53 million personal assistant devices, such as the Alexa® device from Amazon and the Google Assistant®, which are in use. Many people are very comfortable…
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What’s Ahead For Mortgage Rates This Week – September 9th, 2019

Last week’s economic reports included readings on construction spending, public and private-sector jobs and the national unemployment rate. Weekly reports on mortgage rates and first-time jobless claims were also released. Construction Spending Rises in August Construction spending rose 0.10 percent higher than in July according to the Commerce Department. Analysts expected construction spending to increase by 0.60 percent based on June’s reading of -0.70 percent. Construction spending was -2.70 percent lower year-over-year based on revisions to data going back to 2008. Construction spending was impacted by multiple factors including costs of labor and building materials and inclement weather in some areas of the United States. As peak home buying season winds…
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6 Smart Ways Hardware Can Upgrade Your New Home

Decorating and putting the finishing touches on your new home is definitely one of the most fun parts of moving. It's satisfying to fill your new home with furnishings and décor choices that reflect your personality and lifestyle. One of the most overlooked aspects of decorating is the hardware. However, hardware changes can dramatically transform your home in unexpected ways. Here are some ideas to use. Install A New Door Knocker If your new home has a door knocker, replace it with a new one. If it doesn't already have one, it's easy to install a door knocker using a simple household tool box.  Install A Peephole Your front door will…
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Four Key Injury Prevention Tips On Moving Day

It's more likely that someone will incur an injury on moving day than on an ordinary day. The reason is that people are moving in ways that they don't normally move, loads can be heavy, and accidents do happen. However, most injuries on moving day can be prevented by taking a few simple precautions. Use A Dolly Instead of trying to move more than one box by hand, use a dolly or a hand truck. This inexpensive tool can safely move multiple boxes without you having to lift anything at all. Keep in mind that all the boxes should be of equal size; don't attempt to stack uneven boxes because they…
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