Fortune 500 recently released their 2019 list of The World’s Most Admired Companies and Berkshire Hathaway holds the current #5 All-Star Rank! Click here to read the complete Fortune 500 article. Key Attributes of Reputation: Ranks Innovation: 3 People Management: 1 Use of Corporate Assets: 1 Social Responsibility: 10 Quality of Management: 1 Financial Soundness: […]
Don’t call them decorators! Interior designers are trained, degreed and licensed professionals who do far more than choose curtains. Their job is to transform the interior of your home to make it more functional and beautiful. If your home could use more space, better traffic flow, better lighting, or an additional room, an interior designer […]
Here’s a case for buying a less expensive home than you secretly want. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average American spends approximately 37% of his or her income on housing. Notably, the top 20 percentile earners spend only 29.9% of their income, while the bottom 20% pay 39.9%. So what do high […]
In this environmentally ‑correct age, you can’t throw an old appliance out with the garbage anymore. Most areas require that you place household and yard waste in separate containers, and that you deliver hazardous items to collection centers. So what are the rules in your area? Trash pickup dates. Your city’s website will offer a garbage […]
You’re almost done! All that’s left to do is to pack up and move in to your first real home. Here are a few tips that will make your moving day as a new homeowner easier. Sort your belongings. Moving can be more expensive when you cart along items you don’t really want or need. […]
You may be feeling fairly flush these days, with a bigger salary, job security, appreciating homestead and other wise investments. Now might be the right time for you to buy a vacation home. According to the 2019 U.S. Vacation Home Counties Report compiled by the National Association of REALTORS, the median price of vacation homes […]
Have you ever taken the time to stroll the marketplace in your neighborhood or the city simply for the pleasure of observation? Then you might be what the French call a “flaneur.” The flaneur was first described in the writings of 19th century poet Charles Baudelair as one who casually wanders, watches and chronicles the […]
Some mortgage terms can be confusing, none more so than the similarities and differences between prequalification and preapproval. The two terms are often used interchangeably, but they mean very different things to lenders, real estate professionals and home sellers. Prequalifying is a rough-idea process that tells you how much money you’ll likely be able to […]
The comparison market analysis, otherwise known as a CMA, is an analytics tool real estate professionals use to help sellers learn what homes similar to theirs in size, age, and features have sold for, and buyers learn how close to asking price homes have sold for so they have a better idea how much to […]
Do you know what to do when a disaster strikes? Do your children? By creating and practicing an emergency safety plan, you can protect your family when natural disasters happen. Wildfires, tornadoes, hurricanes, and earthquakes each require special preparations, including emergency kits with food, water, first aid, medicines and blankets. Fires. The National Fire Protection […]
Great Britain’s Tudor reign spanned 1485 and 1603 and was unprecedented in terms of prosperity. International trade led to a great expansion in free-thinking and in – home design concepts, including new ideas like the decorative indoor fireplace with a mantle, hand-made rugs from the Orient as table coverings, and built-in cabinets and seating. Tudor […]
According to the National Taxpayers Union, between 30% and 60% of taxable property in the United States is over-assessed, yet less than 5% of homeowners appeal their assessments. Your2020 tax assessment will outline county, city and school taxes, as well as special assessments. Look online or call the assessor’s office for a list of factors […]
All housing reflects the culture and the economics of their day, and the ranch-style home of the ‘50s, ‘60s and ‘70s is a symbol of post-World War II prosperity and an icon of the space age. The mid-century saw the first real sprawl in communities away from town centers, made accessible by the increasingly affordable […]
Did you know that the holidays are among the best times of the year to buy a home? Put a giftwrapped set of housekeys under your Christmas tree and ring in the new year with a new abode you’ll love. Here are a few reasons why now is the time. Home prices aren’t going down. […]
With warmer weather across the country, it’s taking longer for trees to drop their leaves, so you may find yourself doing a lot of raking in late October and early November. But after the work is finished, you have to bag the leaves and let them sit on your curb for collection. Or, you can […]
In a survey released this year, the National Association of REALTORS found that 83% of buyers’ agents said that staging helps homebuyers visualize themselves living in the home and influences them enough to make higher offers. Sellers’ agents report that homes sell faster and for more money. Over half said that staging sells a home […]
Cabinets set the style for any kitchen, and with advances in functionality as well as beauty, your new cabinets should transform your food prep workspace. According to Consumer Reports, new cabinets account for about 40% of an overall kitchen remodel budget, so it’s important to get the look and features you want. The most popular […]
Spooky houses look like they haven’t seen a living occupant, gardener or handyman in years. Many so-called haunted houses are so dilapidated they look occupied by ghosts, or they’ve been on the market so long, buyers suspect there’s a skeleton hidden in the closet. But that house for sale that gives you the creeps may […]
If you’re a seller refreshing your home for resale or an investor selling a remodeled home, you should know that some updates won’t impress today’s homebuyers. Inexpensive updates in lieu of the more durable and sustainable materials that buyers prefer may scare buyers into wondering where else you cut costs. Single coat paint – Single coats […]
You’re ready to make an offer on a home. You’ve got the seller’s disclosure of material (physical and environmental) defects, but is that all the information you need to move forward? Before you sign your purchase offer, do a little quick research. Get a loss history report. The Insurance Information Institute advises homebuyers to obtain a loss history […]
