It’s hard to believe, but Spring is almost over — just two more weeks (well, to be honest, given the weather, it kind of feels like Summer is almost here). And while summer weekends are perfect for BBQ and swimming, let’s be honest, you want to get some work done around the house, too. Thankfully,…

Whether you do it yourself or contract it out isn’t going to make a whole lot of difference if you start down a road of remodeling, which is going to cost you more than it’s worth. So far this year, the average return on investment for remodeling projects is 63%. That’s right, the average project…

This blog has been looking at home improvement from a few different angles recently, but there’s one that can stand to get a little more depth: taxes. As the market continues its recovery from the 2008 crash, many people are once again in a position where their homes are net assets. The good part of…

Although the news on the mortgage front in the U.S. press has all been fairly rosy so far this year, this article from The Australian paints a slightly different picture of the U.S. market. It makes the valid point that a lot of people who took out interest-only loans before the crash are now reaching…

You may not think it’s that big of a deal — and because both downpayment requirements and interest rates tend to be lower, it can be really tempting — but lying on your mortgage application, even little white lies, is not a good idea. Most often attempted during cash-out refinance, 19% of all mortgage representations…

Following up on the recent blog post about DIY vs. DIFM, it’s important to recognize which projects are hard (definitely DIFM), and which are pretty easy (when you should really consider saving some money by DIY). Here are some handy tips from The Hamilton Spectator on three projects that may sound harder than they are:…

With interest rates near record lows, and many people sitting on loans with fixed rates over 5%, this guide by U.S. News & World Report couldn’t be more timely. Of course, refinancing only makes sense if it will actually save you money. You need to take many things into account, from how much of your…

Normally, this blog provides you with a consolidated view into all things home related. On a daily basis, there’s usually something interesting to report. But sometimes, the news itself is the news. If you google “mortgage” and click on the news tab, then in today’s top stories you’ll see that “mortgage rates slipped lower last…

For the last few months, there’s been uncertainty in the market — not enough supply, but also prices not moving in proportion to the costs. As we head into summer, it looks like that’s changing — at least for first-time buyers. And the demographic is changing too. After months of talking about how Millennials aren’t…

For the last few months, there’s been uncertainty in the market — not enough supply, but also prices not moving in proportion to the costs. As we head into summer, it looks like that’s changing — at least for first-time buyers. And the demographic is changing too. After months of talking about how Millennials aren’t…