7 Home Improvements To Increase Its Value
November 3, 2009 by Erik Folgate
Filed under Real Estate
For the most part, the real estate markets around the country have flattened out, and homeowners are breathing a tentative sigh of relief. So, where do homeowners go from here? It will be a while before we start to see home values appreciate on their own, because demand will need to drastically increase before that happens. So, if you want to increase the value of your home, you’ll need to do it the old-fashioned way. Here are seven ways to improve home’s value.
Help A Reader: From Buying A House to Selling Wholesale Goods on eBay
September 3, 2009 by Erik Folgate
Filed under Investing, Real Estate
I answer all of these questions with what I would do, so don’t take my word as gospel. Surround yourself with a team of professionals that you trust like a financial planner, accountant, good real estate agent, and attorney, before you make any final decisions such as these.
I am looking into purchasing a house for 80K. Payments are about 680 a month with insurance and taxes already included.
In order to tell you if I think buying this house would be a good idea, I’d need to know more information. If $680 a month would be no more than 25 to 30% of your take-home pay, then I think it’s a good deal. If not, then stay away from buying for now.
When Should You Sell Your Home To Improve Your Financial Situation?
August 24, 2009 by Erik Folgate
Filed under Credit and Debt, Real Estate, Spending and Saving
Owning a home can be a great blessing, but it can also be a great burden. There are many advantages to owning a home like building equity, the freedom to customize it, and various tax advantages. But, homes are not cheap and they come laden with expenses. You have homeowner’s insurance, property taxes, home maintenance, home improvements, and the list goes on. Some people buy homes at the wrong time in their life or they buy too much house than they could afford. When this happens, homes can be a real burden and so much that selling it may be the only option to getting ahead with your finances. Here are three signs to help you know when the house is the root of your financial problems.
How Stupid Could Credit Card Companies Be?
July 20, 2009 by Erik Folgate
Filed under Credit Cards, Credit and Debt, Real Estate
I don’t know what it is with credit card companies, but they do some awfully dumb things. Credit card issuers have automated the entire process of extending a line of credit. Even with the massive credit crunch this country has experienced, banks are still issuing credit cards to anyone, and when I say anyone, I mean ANYONE.
Best Cities To Live From Money Magazine
July 13, 2009 by Erik Folgate
Filed under Careers, Real Estate
Money Magazine has come out with their 2009 best cities to live around the United States. Here are the Top 10:
- Louisville, CO
- Chanhassen, MN
- Papillion, NE
- Middleton, WI
- Milton, MA
- Warren, NJ
- Keller, TX
- Peachtree City, GA
- Lake St. Louis, MO
- Mukilteo, WA
Keep in mind that Money Magazine picks small towns that are near large metropolitan areas. Most all of these towns are self-incorporated towns that are considered to be suburbs to locals of the large city they feed from. Money Magazine heavily weights employment rate, crime rate, median income, median price of housing, the overall real estate market, and school systems.
Seth Green “Cribs” Personal Finance Spoof
June 15, 2009 by Erik Folgate
Filed under Real Estate, Spending and Saving, Video
I found this on the Dave Ramsey Facebook page, which by the way, I was really impressed by his Facebook page. It gave me a good laugh:
How To Reverse The Debt Cycle
May 4, 2009 by Erik Folgate
Filed under Credit and Debt, Real Estate
What is the debt cycle?
The process of spending more money than you make on a consistent basis that forces you to borrow money each month to reconcile the deficit.
How To Get Out Of The Debt Cycle
- Cut up your credit cards. It’s the only way to stop using them. If you eliminate the temptation to use them, you will force yourself to find a way to pay your bills and expenses each month without using them.
Savings Tip: Eliminate Your Private Mortgage Insurance
April 7, 2009 by Erik Folgate
Filed under Banking, Real Estate, Spending and Saving
There are a great deal of people who are paying private mortgage insurance premiums every month that don’t need to be paying them anymore. The market value of real estate has definitely gone down the past two years, but many of you still have 20% or more equity in your home, which qualifies you to remove the private mortgage insurance from your mortgage. If you think this might be you, do the following:
- Purchase an appraisal from a certified housing appraiser.
Will Obama’s Housing Rescue Plan Work?
March 4, 2009 by Erik Folgate
Filed under Economic Policy, Economy, Politics, Real Estate
Obama is making an effort to rekindle the housing market, and here is a good article outlining his propose plan.
I think the housing market is the key to jumpstarting our economy again. Everyone is focusing on the financial services and auto industry, but I think the real estate industry is the key to an economic recovery. I don’t like the idea of bailing out people, not because I don’t have a heart, but because buying a home is a risk. Failure is not always such a bad thing. Anyway, we are going to bail them out, and we’ll see how Americans respond to this gift.
It’s A Great Time For Young People To Buy A House
February 18, 2009 by Erik Folgate
Filed under Real Estate
If you have been contemplating becoming a homeowner for the first time, circle 2009 as the year that you’ll own a home. This is the perfect time for young people and other first-time home buyers to buy a house. Why? Because you have everything going your way. Here is a list of reasons why you should buy a house in 2009.
- The price of homes continue to drop. I thought they would start leveling out at the beginning of the year, but apparently there is a little more fallout to come. Some areas have seen a spike in home sales, and this is because first-time buyers are realizing that this is a great time to get a deal on a house.
