Archive By Section - HOME SCENE
HOME IMRPOVEMENT Four steps to a more beautiful bathroom
The bathroom is one of the most frequented areas in your home, making your choice of bathroom decor pretty important. Don't forget about this key area when considering your next home improvement project. With a few tips, you can take your bathroom from so-so to spectacular in no time at all.
Soul-lifting home improvements that are good for your wallet, too
No matter how value conscious a homeowner may be, few people ever make a home improvement simply to increase their house's resale value. People also undertake home improvements to enhance their enjoyment of their home - or to fix a problem, which, in its own way, is good for the soul, too.
Be proactive when canceling PMI
DEAR BENNY: We purchased our home a year ago for $153,000 and put $16,000 cash down. PMI was required. I want to end the PMI as soon as possible and understand that the home equity must reach a certain point (the agent said after two years we could try to get it canceled). Isn't there a law that if we are current with our payments we can opt out of PMI? ...
The higher they went, the harder a home price fell
The highest sale price ever recorded in Manteca for a production home was $720,000.
California gets larger share of mortgage deal
SACRAMENTO (AP) - California should receive at least $20.6 billion from a settlement with the nation's major mortgage lenders, the largest share of any state and about $2 billion more than expected when the agreement to assist homeowners was announced last year, according to a report released Thursday.
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.
Articles by Section - HOME SCENE
Create an outdoor space that ‘wows’, functions as living space
Whether you own a cozy cottage or mega mansion, as a homeowner, you likely embrace the outdoor living trend. But when you look at your deck or patio, does it leave something to be desired? By taking a do-it-yourself (DIY) approach, you can affordably create outdoor spaces that enhance the style and functionality of your home, plus add to the overall value of the property.
Single-family homes are in a number of cases no longer that
Think American Dream and images of owning a single-family home pop up.
California home prices jump 26 percent in May
SAN DIEGO (AP) - California home prices surged to their highest level in more than five years last month as demand outpaced a thin supply of properties, a research firm reported Thursday.
Rate on fixed 30-year mortgage rises to 3.98%
WASHINGTON (AP) - Fixed U.S. mortgage rates rose for the sixth straight week, putting the average rate on the 30-year loan just shy of 4 percent.
Making your home stand out in hot real estate market
The residential housing market is heating up, but before you post that for-sale sign, consider making upgrades that add style and value to your home. With many buyers seeking wood floors, kitchen upgrades and other add-ons, it's important for homeowners to highlight these features so their property stands out from the competition in today's market.
Fence & survey differ: So what do you do?
Q: We enjoy reading your column and would appreciate your comments on the following situation. You helped us with excellent advice in the past so we decided to seek your opinion on the following issue.
Top remodel trends for the modern home
Thanks to foreclosures and short sales, home buyers are snatching up great houses at reduced prices and remodeling to create stylish modern homes. Lucky for those buyers, many of today's top trends are relatively easy to recreate, and will add re-sale value to their homes.
Birdfeeder basics: Bring on back yard birds with the right feeders
When you dine, do you prefer clean and attractive tableware? Does ambiance enhance your enjoyment of your food? Birds feel the same way about their dining habits - the type and cleanliness of your bird feeders directly affects the number and species of birds that will visit your backyard this season.
Race affects homebuying, renting
WASHINGTON (AP) -Minority renters and homebuyers deployed to test for housing discrimination did not run into the blatant discrimination of four decades ago, but were told about and shown fewer homes than their white counterparts with similar backgrounds, according to the results of a major federal housing study released Tuesday.
Buyers & sellers beware: It’s a jungle out there
The Real Estate Boys: Boy, I don't know how you guys do it but you seem to be ahead of the game. Many weeks ago you wrote about funds for buying foreclosed homes in bulk from the large banks and a few weeks later I read about it in Time. You both seem to have the pulse of the market - or at least you talk a good game! So, what's coming up for us amateurs to watch out for when buying or selling? I enjoy your fun articles. Keep it up.
RealtyTrac: Home repossessions rose during May
LOS ANGELES (AP) - Lenders stepped up action last month against homeowners who had fallen behind on their mortgage payments, taking possession of more homes and initiating the foreclosure countdown clock on many others.
Today’s flippers aren’t the same as those who drove prices up
Flippers - the whipping boys for many who believed they played a big role in pumping up the housing bubble - are being criticized again.
Signed contracts to purchase homes at highest level in 3 years
WASHINGTON (AP) - The number of Americans who signed contracts to buy homes ticked up in April to the highest level in three years. The increase points to growth in home sales in the coming months.
30-year fixed mortgage rate increases to 3.81%
WASHINGTON (AP) - Average U.S. rates on fixed mortgages jumped this week to their highest levels in a year, signaling slightly higher costs for homebuyers. But rates still remain low by historical standards.
Sections:
- NEWS |
- SPORTS |
- BUSINESS |
- OBITUARIES |
- OPINION |
- HOME SCENE |
- 209 |
- MULTIMEDIA |
- FEATURED EDITIONS |
- MOVIES |
- REGIONAL NEWS
Services:
Submit News:
Online:
Contents of this site are © 2013 Manteca Bulletin - All Rights Reserved Privacy policy and Terms of service | Contact Us
