Is your den feeling dreary? Does your kitchen have too much kitsch? Take a moment to read these tips for sprucing up your home. From time to time, or decade to decade, your home may start to look a little dingy, cluttered, or out-of-date. Have no fear! There are a few simple, inexpensive ways to update rooms for your own enjoyment or to impress buyers! First, declutter and reorganize. It’s amazing how much “stuff” we can accumulate...

While the Federal Reserve has promised to keep rates “low” until 2013, it is clear to many experts that the current historical lows we are experiencing will not last. According to the latest projections from the National Association of Realtors® (NAR), interest rates should gradually rise out of historic lows as we move through 2012. This isn’t the most welcome news for a housing market that has continued to falter and a...

We’ve seen the effects of tight mortgage conditions over the last year. Existing and new homes sales have struggled and we are now left with sizable pent-up demand. Will this trend continue into 2012? For starters, consumer prices fell in October, meaning low wage workers and others struggling to make ends meet will find more affordability. Additionally, according to experts, this decline gives the Federal Reserve more wiggle room when it comes...

It can be a tough market for selling a home, but those conditions can get even worse if sellers aren’t careful. While a seller doesn’t control the real estate market, his actions can significantly contribute to how long and how much their home is sold for. Underestimating Cleaning Up: It may seem obvious, but real estate agents everywhere are nodding their heads in agreement as they read this. Inviting potential buyers in to see an...

Most agents and homebuyers are not aware that the IRS is often one of the major delays to be able to meet the closing date on time. You may be asking, “How does the IRS delay the mortgage process?” Well, every mortgage lender in the U.S. today must obtain the IRS transcripts for the homebuyer’s last 2 years of filed federal tax returns. These transcripts are provided by the IRS once the mortgage lender sends in the signed 4506-T form that...