Archive By Section - HOME SCENE
Rate on 30-year mortgage loans rises to 3.56 percent
WASHINGTON (AP) - The average U.S. rate on the 30-year fixed mortgage rose this week but remained near historic lows. Low mortgage rates have helped support the slowly recovering housing market.
High-tech homes make everyday living simpler, even more secure
If you find yourself wondering how you ever got along before your smartphone, laptop and GPS, you're not alone. Technology is so much a part of how we go about our days that we often take it for granted. However, in many cases, houses haven't caught up to the same technological standards as the gadgets people carry with them 24/7. But that's all about to change, as new ideas begin to revolutionize the way we view our homes.
‘Gifted’ loan down payments come back to haunt FHA
Uncle Sam's failure to practice tough love is creating more foreclosures.
Remodeling: How to go from a far-off dream to 'DIY'
Year after year, no matter the state of the housing market, kitchen remodeling remains a good idea. The project perennially tops lists of value-for-your-money home improvements and almost every buyer will be attracted to a kitchen that's updated and move-in ready. Even if you're planning on staying in your home for a while, few things can reinvigorate your home like a brand new kitchen.
California home prices and sales up in January
SAN DIEGO (AP) - The number of homes sold in California rose 2.7 percent last month from a year earlier and the median price soared as the housing market showed continuing signs of recovery, the reporting firm DataQuick said Thursday.
Late-payment rate on US mortgages hits four-year low
LOS ANGELES (AP) - Homeowners who took on mortgages well after the housing bubble burst are doing a better job in keeping up with payments, a trend that has helped push the national rate of late payments on home loans to the lowest level in four years.
4 must-knows about mortgage payoff
DEAR BENNY: I will be soon paying off (in its entirety) the mortgage on my home. For your information, I have been current on my payments throughout the 10-year term. The mortgage company is a credit union, and I intend to continue residing in my home.
Expanding outdoor living spacecan increase value of your home
Even during a challenging economy, the outdoor living trend remains popular as homeowners seek to add lasting value and functional living space under the sky and stars. Whether it's a do-it-yourself patio or a professionally installed outdoor kitchen, the beauty, usefulness, value and ease of maintenance in outdoor living space is limitless.
Don't grant lenders unlimited access to tax records
DEAR BENNY: I understand that when homebuyers sign closing documents, they are routinely required to sign a blanket form allowing the lender to access IRS records with no time limit. The form says not to sign it unless dates are specified on the form, but lenders routinely insist they be signed without any specification as to which years of IRS records are covered.
Home prices rose during 2012 by most in 6.5 years
WASHINGTON (AP) - U.S. home prices jumped by the most in 6 ½ years in December, spurred by a low supply of available homes and rising demand.
Thinking about being a landlord?
NEW YORK (AP) ‑ Low mortgage rates have made buying a home more affordable and turned rentals into an attractive option for investors.
Preparing your credit profile
Winter can seem like an eternity. Yet when it comes to your credit profile, house-hunting and the spring real estate season is just around the corner.
Green home improvement improve home value
What your home is worth to you is one thing; what it's worth to someone else may be totally different. If you want to boost the value of your home for yourself and in the eyes of others, one of the best ways to do that in today's real estate market is to make green home improvements.
WELL-BUILT DECKS
As temperatures increase, your thoughts may wander to spending time outside sharing conversation, drinks and meals with friends and family.
Fewer homes repossessed by banks in 2012
LOS ANGELES (AP) - Lenders took possession of fewer U.S. homes in 2012 than a year earlier, as the pace of new homes entering the path to foreclosure slowed and banks increasingly opted to allow troubled borrowers to sell their homes for less than what they owed on their mortgage.
Articles by Section - HOME SCENE
Ellen Paradiso’s 4-season garden is a quiet and peaceful hide-away
Ellen Paradiso's blueberries were bought during a clearance sale at Park Greenhouse nursery in Ripon.
Buying tips to keep in mind as housing market warms
Ready to buy your first home, or move up to a larger home for your expanding family?
Reserve home mortgage can be good option for many seniors
Do you know that if you are 62 years or older you may be able to buy a house or a condominium using a reverse mortgage? A reverse mortgage allows you to get money from a lender, but you do not have to pay it back (or make any monthly payments) until you sell or die.
Homebuilder confidence rises in May from April
NEW YORK (AP) - Confidence among U.S. homebuilders rebounded this month, reflecting improved sales trends during the spring home-selling season and the strongest outlook for sales over the next six months in more than six years.
Rate on 30-year mortgage fixed loans rises to 3.51 pct.
WASHINGTON (AP) - Average U.S. rates on fixed mortgages rose this week but stayed near their historic lows. Cheaper mortgages have helped the economy by spurring more home-buying and refinancing.
Housing starts fell during April
WASHINGTON (AP) - U.S. builders broke ground on fewer homes in April, one month after topping the 1 million mark for the first time since 2008. But most of the decline was in apartment construction, which tends to vary sharply from month to month.
What are pros & cons of buying rental property?
Hello Real Estate Boys: My wife Bambie, and yes she is a dear, recently lost her parents to an accident and we are in the middle of closing out the estate with one of Turlock's wonderful attorneys. I suppose at this point I should say Bambie was an only child and will inherit her parents' entire estate. While the estate is not huge it will give us a very nice sum of cash soon. The ...
Four new-home trends that can work for your remodel
Builders are back in business, and new-home construction is up in areas across the country. So is remodeling, as plenty of Americans choose to stay put and upgrade their current homes rather than tackle the challenge of buying and moving into something new.
Give your home a fresh look with color
A fresh coat of paint can give any room an instant lift, making it a great solution for converting a space from drab to fab.
Manteca Garden Tour features 6 gardens
Six residential gardens in Manteca will be showcased in the 2013 Manteca Garden Tour which will be held on Saturday, May 11, the day before Mother's Day. The date makes this event a perfect Mother's Day gift for mothers, grandmothers, and sisters who either have green thumbs, have a penchant for gardening, or are simply interested in enjoying a visual feast of lush and colorful private Edens. The tour is the club's only fund-raiser during ...
Sell your home faster with cost-effective staging tips
Appearances count, especially when you're trying to sell a home. Even though the housing industry experts predict this spring will be a seller's market, it's important to grab every advantage when you're trying to sell your home. Staging - decorating a house to appeal to the broadest possible range of buyers - can make the difference between a quick sale or a long, painful linger on the market.
Fewer California homes heading for foreclosure
SAN DIEGO (AP) - The number of California homes entering the foreclosure process plunged to a more-than-seven-year low this year thanks to rising home prices, an improving economy and new laws designed to protect homeowners, a research firm reported Tuesday.
Manteca condo prices increase slightly, still 75% off market peak
It was the hottest buy in town.
New-homes sales rise 1.5 percent in March to 417K
WASHINGTON (AP) - U.S. sales of new homes rose in March to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 417,000. The increase added to evidence of a sustained housing recovery at the start of the spring buying season.
Add low-cost living space with outdoor room
Adding living space to your home can be an expensive prospect. However, creating an outdoor room is a budget-friendly option that gives you more square footage, as well as additional opportunities to enjoy the season. As an extension of the home, outdoor rooms with decks or pergolas can be personalized to truly bring indoor comforts outside for relaxation and entertaining.
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