Paint has remodeling power when you use it to emphasize
a room's best features or play down the flaws.


Every home suffers a few negatives, but not every solution requires pricey structural changes. Paint (http://www.houselogic.com/home-improvement/painting/) is an often-overlooked, low-cost remodeler's remedy for common complaints with interiors, offering the chameleon-like ability to lighten, warm, enlarge, erase, or attract attention.

"Paint is a powerful tool that can enhance the architectural character and intent of space," says Minneapolis architect Petra Schwartze of TEA2 Architects. "As you choose your paint, think about what the experience in the room should be."

More Schwartze advice:

          •Always sample paint colors…

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Before you put your home up for sale, use the right comparable sales to find the perfect price.

Knowing how much homes similar to yours, called comparable sales (or in real estate lingo, comps), sold for gives you the best idea of the current estimated value of your home. The trick is finding sales that closely match yours.

What makes a good comparable sale?

Your best comparable sale is the same model as your house in the same subdivision—and it closed escrow last week. If you can’t find that, here are other factors that count:

Location: The closer to your house the better, but don’t just use any comparable sale within a mile radius. A good comparable sale is a house in your neighborhood, your subdivision, on the same type of street as…

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Extra Touches to Help Sell This Fall

Homes can look less inviting in the fall and cooler months, but there are easy ways you can evoke that “homey” feel buyers crave. 

"Inventory is low, so if you have your house on the market and it's priced well, it's going to sell," says Gail Hartnett, a National Association of REALTORS® regional vice president and an agent with Keller Williams Realty Boise in Idaho.

Hartnett offers some of the following tips: 

--Creating a cozy smell. Hartnett says that fall can channel warm childhood memories of family Thanksgiving dinners. To give the home a more “homey” fall charm, Hartnett has spiced cider and freshly baked cookies during showings and open houses. 

--Tidy up the yard. Rake up large piles…

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Will the Presidential Election Affect Real Estate?

The next president of the United States -- whether Democratic incumbent Barack Obama or Republican challenger Mitt Romney -- could have a big influence over the recovery taking shape in the real estate market, according to political pundits.

“The next president, whoever it turns out to be, is going to have a couple of big housing issues to address,” Barry Zigas, director of housing policy at the Consumer Federation of America, told The Washington Post. For example, “What is the government’s role in housing finance, and will consumers have access to mortgages at affordable rates?”

Neither candidate so far has outlined a specific proposal for the housing market or mortgage lending.…

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Understand which mortgage loan is best for you so your budget is not stretched too thin.


It's easier to settle happily into your new home if you're confident you can afford it. That requires that you understand your mortgage financing options and choose the loan that best suits your income and ability to tolerate risk.

The basics of mortgage financing

The most important features of your mortgage loan are its term and interest rate. Mortgages typically come in 15-, 20-, 30- or 40-year lengths. The longer the term, the lower your monthly payment. However, the tradeoff for a lower payment is that the longer the life of your loan, the more interest you'll pay.

Mortgage interest rates generally come in two flavors: fixed and…

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By knowing how much mortgage you can handle,
you can ensure that home ownership will fit in your budget.

Homeownership should make you feel safe and secure, and that includes financially. Be sure you can afford your home by calculating how much of a mortgage you can safely fit into your budget.

Instead of just taking out the biggest mortgage a lender qualifies you to borrow, consider how much you want to pay each month for housing based on your financial and personal goals.

Think ahead to major life events and consider how those might influence your budget. Do you want to return to school for an advanced degree? Will a new child add day care to your monthly expenses? Does a relative plan to eventually live with you and contribute to…

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