Buying a new home is can be risky. One way for the buyer to make sure they are making a sound investment is to research home values now, and in the future. A good indicator of future home value is city growth. A city with strong growth will most likely increase the value of a home as more retail and services increase. With that in mind, here are a few of the fastest growing cities in 2016. Palmdale Palmdale is […]
California is a state designed for the automobile as it’s main form of mass transit. Years ago the automobile with it’s internal combustion engine was the dream solution for personal travel. You could just get in your car and drive it wherever you wanted to go, whenever you wanted to. Cars were cheap enough to be within reach of the average citizen, who had little control over larger transportation projects. Today, with pollution, gas prices, and the cost of just […]
When buying a new home, one thing buyers are often confronted with is a “Mello-Roos” tax. Though it comes up a lot, not everyone is exactly sure what the “Mello-Roos” is other than another tax to pay. So for those who aren’t sure, here’s a brief explanation. Mello-Roos is simply a special tax assessed to homeowners in a community as repayment for bonds used to fund the infrastructure within their community. To homebuyers a Mello -Roos is not a desirable thing […]
One of most effective and most visible ways to modernize a home is to start in the kitchen. In most homes the kitchen is often located close to the living and guest areas and is a very visible. For this reason a clean, functional and aesthetically pleasing kitchen area is a must. Today the most prevailing remodeling trend in kitchens starts off with the countertop. The countertop sets off the entire kitchen so the choice of material is crucial. Durability, stain resistance, beauty, and of cost […]
A fireplace is a desirable, sometimes functional feature in any home. A fireplace helps give a home a warm classic look whether it’s lit or not. Of course fireplaces where developed out of necessity back in the days when electric or gas heaters where not so readily available. Today in most homes a fireplace is an optional feature but one that is often desired. The most obvious difference in fireplace types is whether it is wood-burning, gas, or electric. Most […]
Some of us remember the days when TV was free. All we cared about was the cost of the TV itself and when our favorite shows were on. Today the big cable and satellite TV providers would like us to forget all about that and continue to pay the slowly but surely rising rates for there television services. Oh sure, they offer hundreds of channels, but who really watches all that. Most people end up watching only a fraction of […]
In these days of ever increasing crime rates it is even more important to be aware and at least do the minimum to make your home a little more secure. While it is probably impossible to stop every kind of home intruder, it makes sense to at least make your home a little less vulnerable and maybe convince a thief to move on to an easier target. Here are some tips to help you make your home just a little […]
Although the timing is on target for income property investing, not everybody is suited to be a landlord. Here are a few reasons why you may want to pass up this profession. Real estate is not liquid. Even in a hot seller’s market may take several months to complete a sale. Your mortgage may be fixed, but there is no guarantee that taxes will not rise faster than you can increase rents, or that insurance premiums won’t increase too. You […]
Buying rental property to create a positive stream of income and long-term capital appreciation in today’s marketplace has not been more favorable, unless you jumped in and purchased the property at the bottom of the 2008 Recession. And, the tax code is stacked in favor of real estate ownership even beyond home ownership. The positive point of investing in our current market continues with mortgage interest rates in the range of 3.75% – 4.25% and, locked in at those low […]
There are two appliance options for reducing household trash; installing a garbage disposal unit or a trash compactor. Though they are often referred to by similar names, they are two totally different appliances with their own distinct operational functions. The Garbage Disposal was invented in 1927 and now more than 50% of US homes have a disposal unit in their kitchens. Yet, many people either under utilized their disposal or continue to use the trash can method. Garbage or food […]