All Blog Entries by Melinda Morgan 
There are currently 22 blog entries published by Melinda Morgan.
Tips on Saving Money as you relocate your family
Saturday, December 31st, 2011 at 2:11am. 42 Views, 0 Comments.
Savings Tips
Several Estimates Save a Bundle
Although many people don't bother to get several estimates before signing up with a moving company, moving company prices vary considerably and you can save a bundle. Consumer Reports recommends getting at least three estimates before selecting a mover.
Tax Deductions
Did you know that some of the expenses of moving are tax deductible? If you'd like to get any of the following expenses claimed against your tax, read on and see if you qualify.
- Cost of transportation or hauling from old to new residence.
- Cost of packing, crating and unpacking.
- Cost of shipping your car.
- Cost of moving the pets.
- Cost of the trip to the new residence which includes lodging but not meals
Take into account that these deductions must not be…
Crafty Ideas for Winter Curb Appeal
Friday, December 23rd, 2011 at 11:17pm. 64 Views, 0 Comments.
Yes, it's still possible to create great curb appeal when it's cold and gray outside.
During summer months when gardens are in bloom and the sun is shining bright, curb appeal comes naturally to many homes. But when the autumn chill turns to winter cold and the sun sets earlier in the day, it becomes more difficult to create that inviting exterior look that grabs buyers from the curb.
Fortunately, it is possible to create striking winter curb appeal without expensive or complicated exterior changes, says Charlene Storozuk, a home stager and designer with Dezigner Digz in Burlington, Ontario—a city that averages 51 inches of snow per year. It just requires a little creativity.
She and other home-design experts offer these eight tips:
1. Add splashes of green…
Looking for a new home?
Wednesday, December 7th, 2011 at 2:34pm. 63 Views, 0 Comments.
Looking for a new home? Is this your first time buying? Your sixth purchase? Do you know or remember how the process goes? Do you look for properties first? Call a Realtor? Or get a preapproval for a loan first? About how much will your closing costs be? How much are inspections and should you even get one.
If you would like to receive a FREE book that is a quick reference on the entire process of buying a home as well as an organizational folder to store flyers of homes of interest and later a permanent folder to store all your loan and escrow papers send us a quick email and we will send you a FREE no-obligation Buyer's Kit.
info@allaboutrealestate.com
The All About Real Estate Team specializes in efficient, technologically advanced systems to help you…
A Short Guide to Real Estate Lingo and Acronyms
Thursday, December 1st, 2011 at 4:47pm. 62 Views, 0 Comments.
Real estate ads are usually full of acronyms and terms that are unfamiliar to first-time buyers. Here's a cheat sheet to let you in on the lingo.4B/2B -- four bedrooms and two bathrooms. "Bedroom" usually means a sleeping area with a window and a closet, but the definition varies in different places. A "full bathroom" is a room with a toilet, a sink and a bathtub. A "three-quarter bathroom" has a toilet, a sink and a shower. A "half bathroom" or powder room has only a toilet and a sink.assum. fin. -- assumable financingclosing costs -- the entire package of miscellaneous expenses paid by the buyer and the seller when the real estate deal closes. These costs include the brokerage commission, mortgage-related fees, escrow or attorney's settlement charges,…
Today's Fed announcement
Wednesday, September 21st, 2011 at 6:23pm. 97 Views, 0 Comments.
With inflation under control, the Fed used its statement to reiterate its plan to leave the Fed Funds Rate within its current range, near 0.000 percent, at least until mid-2013. That's good news for debtors with revolving debt but doesn’t affect long term money like mortgages.
They also launched a market stimulus plan aimed at lowering long-term interest rates to incentivize companies to borrow—which will eventually lead to investment and job creation. They are calling it ‘The Twist’ because they are trading in short-term bonds for long-term ones. They will sell $400 billion in Treasury securities with a maturity of 3 years or less, and use its proceeds to buy the same with maturity between 6 and 30 years. Mortgage market reaction has been positive and…Market Action Report through July 2011 from RMLS
Tuesday, August 30th, 2011 at 5:51pm. 262 Views, 0 Comments.
Closed and pending sales were both up in Juy 2011 compared with July 2010. Additionally, the inventory level in July 2011 was down 3.8 months compared with the same month a year ago.
Closed sales grew 21% in July 2011 compared to July 2010. Pending sales were up 18.4%, and new listings dropped 27%
Comparing June 2011 with July 2011, closed sales decreased from 1,958 to 1709 (-12.7%). Pending sales decreased from 2,001 to 1,928 (-3.7%). New listings went down from 3,143 to 2,942 (-6.4%).
At the month's rate of sales, the 11,970 active residential listings would last about 7 months.
Average sale price for July 2011 declined 7.4% compared to July 2010. Median sale price also fell 7.6%.
Month to month, comparing June 2011 to July 2011, sale price activity rose…
Beware of Foreclosure Rescue Scams - Help Is Free!
Monday, April 5th, 2010 at 1:54pm. 581 Views, 1 Comments.
- There is never a fee to get assistance or information about Making Home Affordable from your lender or a HUD-approved housing counselor.
- Beware of any person or organization that asks you to pay a fee in exchange for housing counseling services or modification of a delinquent loan. Do not pay - walk away!
- Beware of anyone who says they can “save” your home if you sign or transfer over the deed to your house. Do not sign over the deed to your property to any organization or individual unless you are working directly with your mortgage company to forgive your debt.
- Never submit your mortgage payments to anyone other than your mortgage company without their approval.
The Obama Administration has launched a coordinated effort across federal and state government…
Home Affordable Foreclosure Alternatives (HAFA) Program
Monday, April 5th, 2010 at 1:53pm. 738 Views, 0 Comments.
Many homeowners may feel that they can no longer afford their home, but want to avoid the negative effects of foreclosure. The Home Affordable Foreclosure Alternatives (HAFA) Program offers homeowners, their mortgage servicers, and investors an incentive for completing a short sale or deed-in-lieu of foreclosure. With these options, under HAFA, a homeowner leaves their home to transition to more affordable housing and alleviate the mortgage debt they owe. These options are available for homeowners who: 1. do not qualify for a trial mortgage modification under the Making Home Affordable Program; 2. do not successfully complete the trial period for their modification; 3. miss at least two consecutive payments during their modification period; or 4. request a… |
Simple Tips for Better Home Showings
Thursday, March 18th, 2010 at 10:14pm. 327 Views, 1 Comments.
1. Remove clutter and clear off counters. Throw out stacks of newspapers and magazines and stow away most of your small decorative items. Put excess furniture in storage, and remove out-of-season clothing items that are cramping closet space. Don’t forget to clean out the garage, too.
2. Wash your windows and screens. This will help get more light into the interior of the home.
3. Keep everything extra clean. A clean house will make a strong first impression and send a message to buyers that the home has been well-cared for. Wash fingerprints from light switch plates, mop and wax floors, and clean the stove and refrigerator. Polish your doorknobs and address numbers. It’s worth hiring a cleaning service if you can afford it.
4. Get rid of smells. Clean…
Breaking News: President Signs Tax Credit Extension & Expansion
Friday, November 6th, 2009 at 3:26pm. 219 Views, 0 Comments.
President Obama signed into law legislation that extends and expands the first-time homebuyer tax credit this morning. This enacts the legislation into law making the extension and expansion effective immediately after today. To learn more about the jobless benefit extension and the extension of the homebuyer tax credit visit: Obama signs jobless benefit extension.
Who Qualifies for the Extended Credit?
- First-time homebuyers who purchase after today and before April 30, 2010, are eligible for the extended tax credit.
- Current homeowners purchasing a new principal residence after today and before April 30, 2010, who have used the home being sold or vacated as a principal residence for five consecutive years within the last eight.
- So long as a written binding…
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