Home Improvement Tips & Ideas
Whether you are a serial renovator or just looking to buy a home, find out the best ways to secure home loans & insurance for your home
Purchasing a house is a life-changing event. It shows you’re ready to settle down and commit to long-term responsibilities. When you apply for a home loan, it’s important to take your time and choose the right mortgage deal. That said, mortgage budgeting does not end once you move into your house. Most homebuyers need to …
Essential Mortgage Budgeting Strategies for Buying a HouseRead More
From a job loss to a surprise hot water heater repair, a dedicated emergency fund equips you to handle unexpected and emergency expenses without having to use credit cards or take out debt. Because it can keep you financially afloat in a time of need, you generally want to prioritize this savings goal. Here’s what …
If a disaster strikes your home, your insurance company will ask you for a list of personal property that’s been damaged. These key tips can help you keep an accurate list.
Uncertainties are a fact of life. There’s no way of telling for sure what the future holds. One day everything’s fine and dandy; the next day, your house gets consumed by fire. And if that happens, will the homeowners insurance options you’ve selected provide the right coverage get you back up on your feet? Home …
Qualifying for a mortgage can be a challenge for first-time buyers. By having a cosigner, a borrower may qualify sooner or for a larger loan than they would on their own, but there are risks.
Now more than ever, people want to get the most for their home improvement dollar. There are definitely great deals to be had, but to get the best prices, you have to know where to look. Some of the surprises on this journey? It isn’t always cheaper to do it yourself, and some bigger-ticket products …
If you’ve started a home renovation project, you probably know how difficult it can be to finance. Even if you set aside a considerable nest egg or take out a loan, extended timelines and unexpected costs can throw your budget into turmoil. Cosmetic repairs can often wait, but structural renovations tend to demand immediate attention …
Have you been sitting on a laundry list of home improvement projects? Home renovations, of any sort, can add significant value to your home, especially for those who plan on selling in the future. Not to mention, these updates can add the personal touch your home needs to make it closer to your dream home. …
How to Manage a Budget for Home Improvement ProjectsRead More
For many homeowners, it starts happening almost as soon as you sign the mortgage: a downed tree limb scuffing up the deck here, some exterior surface water damage there. Nothing catastrophic, but these minor damages might have you reaching for your homeowner’s insurance policy in a flash. And no wonder. You faithfully pay your insurance …
All signs indicate that we’ve firmly entered into a sharing economy. From rideshare services to coworking spaces, peer-to-peer car borrowing to Wi-Fi network exchanges, many look toward resource sharing as a means to solve problems and address temporary needs. One way this new economy has impacted us is in the rise of short-term lodging services …
5 Insurance Issues to Avoid Before Listing Your Home for Short-Term RentalRead More
When you’re struggling to pay down debt, it can be difficult to consider any other financial obligations. If you’re a homeowner, though, other financial obligations always seem to crop up. While some renovations may be less “obligation” and more “desire,” if you’ve decided to make changes to your home, chances are it will be a …
Pets are a part of life in the U.S. — more than half of all households own one, according to the American Veterinary Medical Association. Dog ownership in particular is on the rise, with 38% of households owning one or more dogs, the highest rate of ownership since the AVMA started tracking it in the …
Got Pets? 4 Ways Your Home Insurance Could Be ImpactedRead More
Whether you’ve lived in your house for five months or five years, chances are that you have a few maintenance tasks to accomplish this year. While some home renovation projects won’t take much time or money, the major ones can put a significant dent in your time and budget. One way to avoid mistakes is …
The number of renters is on the rise, according to the Pew Research Center, increasing from 31.2% in 2006 to 36.6% in 2016. Homebuying is a future goal for many of those first time renters, but for now, renting provides flexibility, convenience and less responsibility—especially for millennials. Although some renters hold off on homeownership to …
If you’re planning to buy a home, you’re likely curious about how much the insurance is going to cost. While home insurance cost can be based on the condition and age of your prospective new home, it can also vary greatly can be based on the area the home is located in. To avoid surprises …
Most homeowners are familiar with homeowners insurance policies. Although not a legal requirement like auto insurance, most lenders won’t approve a mortgage, home equity loan or other form of financing unless homeowners purchase an insurance coverage policy as part of the lending agreement. After all, even if the homeowner won’t protect his or her asset, …
We know that buying in bulk at the grocery store is a sure-fire way to see a smaller number at the cash register. We look for buy-one-get-one-free deals on everything from cell phones to shoes. Yes, we’ve learned that sometimes buying more is the best way to pay less. That can be true for your …
As spring and summer roll in, it’s time to start tackling the home improvement projects you’ve been thinking about all winter. Those may include painting the home’s exterior, mending fences and dragging away fallen branches. But before you start conducting DIY home improvement projects or calling in the contractors to help, you may want to …
These 3 Renovations Can Drive Up the Cost of Homeowners InsuranceRead More
It’s never good news to have to file a major insurance claim on your home. There is a myriad of things this could be. For example, roof damage after a big storm, flooding due to a major disaster, a tree coming through the roof, fire, porch or deck collapse due to water damage, and the …
Spring Storm Damage? Here’s How to Make Your Insurance Company Cover the RepairsRead More
Home improvement loans and other ways to finance home improvement projects, including store credit and home equity loans and lines of credit.
Learn the most important steps to take when filing a homeowners insurance claim to make sure you receive the homeowners insurance claim coverage you are entitled to.
When we are inspired to complete a new home improvement project, we can’t help but want to tackle it right away. However, if you haven’t exactly budgeted for this upcoming project, it can be tough. Don’t panic, though. We have compiled four excellent money-saving tips that will help you get your project completed, save you …
Remodeling can have an added cost of increased homeowners insurance premiums which most potential home improvers know little about and have huge expenses to pay from their pocket midway through remodeling their living spaces.
Now that 2018 is here, people are setting resolutions and goals for the new year. But if you’re a cash-strapped 20-something, you might not be in the mood to think about the future – you could be facing heavy student loan debt, working in a job that pays less than you’d hoped, and worrying about …
