Outshine Other Sellers With Essential Upgrades Imagine walking into a significant business meeting appearing like you simply dragged yourself straight from bed. You would be unlikely to produce a good impression and waste your time of securing the job. The same thing goes for selling a house. First impressions are lasting. Some buyers won't even consider many homes that don't have good roadside charm. Today's buyers are very picky. There isn't any sense of urgency in the current market, so buyers are taking time to find the best home possible, which will last them for many years to come. In certain areas, there are far to many homes for sale, so you need to be sure that buyers are going to be drawn to your property before they even walk-up to the front door. Fortunately, exterior improvements...

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Emergency Mortgage Relief Program Under Attack The House of Representatives elected last Friday to wipe out mortgage help for homeowners who have lost their jobs or become ill, as the two parties struggled over how to balance frugality and concern during a period of massive budget deficits. A dominate party-line voted, 242-177, lead by the Republican-run House to abolish the Emergency Mortgage Relief Program may be as far as the legislation gets. The White House has threatened to veto the measure, and its prospects are unsure in the Democratic controlled Sena...

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Walkable neighborhoods offer surprising benefits to the environment, our health, our finances, and our communities. Environment: Cars are a leading cause of climate change. Your feet are zero-pollution transportation machines. Health: The average resident of a walkable neighborhood weighs 7 pounds less than someone who lives in a sprawling neighborhood. Finances: One point of Walk Score is worth up to $3,000 of value for your property. Communities: Studies show that for every 10 minutes a person spends in a daily car commute, time spent in community activities falls by 10%.  Find A Walkable Place To L...

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Increase Your Energy EfficiencyUnless your home was specially constructed for energy efficiency, you can usually reduce your energy bills by adding more insulation. Many older homes have less insulation than homes built today, but adding insulation to a newer home may also pay for itself within a few years.Heat flows naturally from a warmer to a cooler space. In the winter, this heat flow moves directly from all heated living spaces to adjacent unheated attics, garages, basements, and even to the outdoors. Heat flow can also move indirectly through interior ceilings, walls, and floors—wherever there is a difference in temperature. During the cooling season, heat flows from the outdoors to the interior of a house.To maintain comfort, the heat lost in the winter must be replaced by your heating...

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