Maria Powell | Bathroom Renovation Trends to Consider This Year

Bathroom Renovation Trends to Consider This Year

Published June 16, 2016

Thinking of giving your bathroom a makeover but not sure where to start? Consider looking at current trends in the world of bathroom remodels to get some inspiration. Updating your bathroom is a sure-fire way to add some value to your property, and tapping into what interior designers are doing to their clients’ homes is a great way to get some ideas and insight into what’s trending in the world of bathroom renovations.

The Ins and Outs of Private Mortgage Insurance

Published June 13, 2016

Can’t come up with 20% for a down payment? Be prepared to pay for private mortgage insurance (PMI). Borrowers who are applying for a conventional mortgage and aren’t able to come up with a sizeable down payment towards a home purchase will have this additional fee tacked onto their mortgage payments. This is in addition to others like interest, escrow and taxes.

Understanding Capital Gain Taxes When Selling Real Estate

Published June 9, 2016

You’ve probably heard the term “capital gains” float around when it comes to selling real estate, by do you know what it really means? More specifically, are you familiar with the taxes that may have to be paid on these gains, and how they can affect how much money you wind up with?

Kitchen Trends Making a Splash in 2016

Published June 6, 2016

Just about every room in your home could be spectacular, but if the kitchen is ho-hum, there’s lost value there. The kitchen truly is the center of a home. It’s not just where dinner is prepared; it’s also where people tend to gather. Property values are largely dependent on the quality of the kitchen, so if yours needs a little TLC, now’s the time to bring it up to par.

Lenders Take Advantage of Strong Seller’s Market to Diminish Foreclosure Inventory

Published June 2, 2016

Vacant foreclosure properties – dubbed ‘zombie foreclosures’ – are on the decline. According to the second quarter 2016 US Residential Property Vacancy and Zombie Foreclosure Report, there are just over 19,000 properties that are in the zombie foreclosure process, a drop of 3.1% from April and a 30.1% plummet from the same time last year. These properties represent 4.7% of all foreclosures.

Millennials Are Moving to These 5 US Centers

Published May 31, 2016

With 43.5 million millennials making up the US population, it’s worthwhile to find out exactly where this generation is buying and moving. Whether they’re already existing homeowners who are relocating, renters who are entering the housing market for the first time, or are homebuyer hopefuls who are moving out of their parents’ homes, millennials are on the move.

Buyers: 6 Things to Know About the New "Know Before You Owe" Rule

Published May 26, 2016

If you’ve ever bought a home in the past, you’ve likely experienced some level of confusion over the cumbersome mortgage documents that came along with the transaction. Going through this paperwork can be like reading a foreign language. Many buyers have complained about confusing terminology, inconsistencies in information, and inadequate time to go through and understand the mortgage documents before signing on the dotted line.

INFOGRAPHIC: Exterior Upgrades That Can Boost Your Property Value

Published May 23, 2016

Many sellers tend to focus on the interior of their homes to impress buyers, which is great. But while this is an excellent idea to help boost property value – and thereby help sell your home faster and for more money – it’s important not to gloss over the exterior.

Tips to Keeping Your Home Safe While on Vacation

Published May 19, 2016

The whole idea of taking a vacation is to get away from the everyday stresses of life and change the scenery, if only for a temporary amount of time. The last thing you need is to worry about the security of your home while you’re gone.

Why More Millennials Are Entering the Housing Market Today

Published May 16, 2016

With mounds of student debt and sky-high housing prices, millennials have certainly had the odds stacked against them when it comes to getting into the housing market. And after seeing their parents deal with the recession back in 2008 after which millions of Americans lost their homes, millennials have been nervous about becoming homeowners themselves.