Everybody’s heard of the 30-year home mortgage, and probably the 15-year mortgage, too. But did you know that there is a 10-year, fixed-rate mortgage? And for some, it can offer big advantages. Read more here.
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Buying a home can be both exciting and overwhelming for the first-time homebuyer. If you’ve decided to take the plunge into homeownership and have already started the search process, make sure you’re not making some common first-time homebuyer mistakes. Your upcoming investment could end up being a bad decision if you overlook some important facts about homeownership and sign that contract before you’re really ready. Read more here.
To successfully purchase a home today, you will need a down payment of at least 3.5 percent of the purchase price. Gone are the days of no down payment alternatives, down payment assistance and seller-offered programs to come up with the money needed to buy a home. Instead, let’s look at the five ways you can come up with a down payment to seal the deal. Read more here.
Sandwiched between art nouveau and art deco chronologically, the American Arts and Crafts movement revolted against the mass production of home goods and the overcomplicated design style of the Victorian era. This design era favored originality, craftsmanship, simple forms and local and natural materials. Read and see more here.
Patios, porches, decks, terraces and verandas are lovely things. Too often we just toss out a few chairs, and perhaps a table and call it a day. These beautiful spaces are often neglected and not utilized to their fullest potential. When the weather starts to get warmer, we absolutely should take advantage and turn this outdoor space into an additional, usable living space. Read more here.
In a dramatic about-face for the housing market, sellers are now calling the shots. A survey of more than 2,000 Americans found that 33% of the 365 who were searching for a home have been on the hunt for more than a year and many were willing to make compromises on where they live or the type of home they would buy in order to close the deal. Read more here.
Home purchase contracts in New Jersey soared in April, recording a 28% increase compared to one year ago. Given that the pace of sales rose by 23% in April-2012, purchase demand has expanded by an astounding 58% over the past 2 years. The “buy now, pay less” mood among home buyers is creating a sense-of-urgency that is likely to raise purchase demand in 2013 to pre-recession levels last seen in 2006.
The New York Times says: Americans are in a buying mood, thanks largely to the housing recovery. Housing prices rose in every one of the 20 cities tracked, continuing a trend that began three months ago. Similar strength has appeared in new and existing home sales and in building permits. Read more here.
If you’re thinking about renovating your bathroom, check out what experts say are the hottest bathroom trends today. Read more here.
The housing market is heating up, yet many house hunters are not prepared to take on the biggest purchases of their lives.
When it comes to mortgages, homebuyers answered basic questions about terms, how to choose a lender and financing wrong nearly one-third of the time, according to an April survey of more than 1,000 current and prospective homeowners by real estate website Zillow. Read more here.
Livingston Johnson 