It’s a brave homebuyer who decides to go through with the purchase of a home, despite an ugly, torn, tattered and/or dirty carpet. Floor covering can be pricey, especially if you pine for what many homebuyers do – hardwood floors. Some of today’s flooring alternatives, while just as attractive as hardwood, aren’t quite as expensive and, depending on your circumstances,…

Remember when declaring bankruptcy was kept a dirty little secret? The social stigma was bad enough, but the impacts of bankruptcy included employers who refused to hire anyone that went through the process and, of course, the ruinous end result of a credit score in the gutter. The bankrupt were seen as irresponsible spendthrifts and offered little sympathy. The…

Compromise is good, especially when deciding what you want in a home as opposed to what other family members want. There are certain criteria, however, that you should think long and hard about giving up and adequate storage space should be at the top of the list. The average American home contains 300,000 items, according to Los Angeles Times’ Mary…

Have you made your list of must-haves for your new house? Like any shopping trip, a list of what you need and want makes the project a lot easier. Aside from the gourmet kitchen or the extra bathroom, consider putting “safe indoor air” on that list. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), because the average American spends more…

To many first-time homebuyers, one of the most confusing parts of the process is sitting across from the closing agent, who is tossing them pieces of paper from a huge stack, quickly explaining what each one means and asking for signatures. From real estate transfer documents to loan documents to title documents there are, what seem to the newbie at…

In a perfect world, the entire family pitches in every morning to clean last night’s clutter and mess before heading out to work/school. In the real world? Not so much. But when your home is on the market, it’s important that you strive to get as close to that perfect world as possible. A hassle? Oh, yes. Crazy making? Indeed….

Between the down payment and the closing costs for the mortgage, homebuyers aren’t left with a whole lot of money. Yet, there are still movers to pay and, quite possibly, appliances to purchase and minor fixes to perform. So, how will you furnish the new digs – especially if you can’t stand the thought of dragging your mismatched furniture…

Selling a home that reeks of tobacco smoke is quite the accomplishment and that you purchased it makes you one brave buckaroo. The accolades don’t help, though, when you come home from work, open the door and the stench hits your nose. The good news is that 20 percent fewer Americans smoke cigarettes now than they did in 2005 and…

We can think of several reasons why a homeowner would consider selling a home with problems, marketed in “as-is” condition. The most obvious, of course, is that there’s no money to perform the required work. This frequently happens in probate sales where the heirs inherit a home in need of work but lack the funds to put the home…