3 Green and Gorgeous Trends in Home Design

These days, people want energy-efficient homes that look great. To answer the call of passionate environmentalists, developer are rising to the occasion and designing home features that minimize waste, save energy and reuse reclaimed materials. The results are gorgeous, green homes that help move the sustainable living trend forward. Hidden Solar Panels Solar panels are a great way to save energy, but not everyone loves the optics. A series of solar panels on the roof may save you money on your utilities, but it can detract from the natural shape of your home. As an alternative, innovative in-roof solar panels…
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Differences Between A Short Sale And A Foreclosure

If you're looking to get a non-traditional deal on a new home purchase, you may encounter either a short sale or a foreclosure. These two terms refer to sales that are not usual. As a homebuyer, it's important to understand the differences between them and how each one might affect your buying experience. What's A Short Sale? A short sale is a situation where the owner has a strong motivation to hurry up and sell their home. In so doing, they're willing to sell for less than what they owe on the house. Homeowners have a variety of reasons why…
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What’s Ahead For Mortgage Rates This Week – February 4th, 2019

Last week's economic reports included readings new and pending home sales, Case-Shiller housing market indices and consumer sentiment. Weekly reports on mortgage rates and first-time jobless claims were also released. New Home Sales Rise as Pending Home Sales Fall Sales of new homes rose 17 percent in November for an eight-month high. Year-to-date sales of new homes were only 2.70 percent higher than for the same period in 2018.New home sales rose to 657,000 sales as compared to expectations of 563,000 sales and November's reading of 562,000 sales. Analysts cautioned that Commerce Department readings for new home sales are prepared…
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3 Ways Tax Reform Affects Your Real Estate Investments

The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 instituted some of the most dramatic changes to the financial landscape in the United States in over 30 years. These adjustments to the IRS code have an effect on everyone who earns and spends money in this country. What changes can real estate investors expect to see from the new legal standards? Higher Standard Deduction, Less Itemized Deductions Before the reforms, single tax filers were allowed a standard deduction of $6,350. Married couples filing jointly were given $12,700. The standard deduction is the amount of income you can earn before any income…
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