Home Center
- Renters' Guide: What to Know Before You Sign a Lease '
Are you planning to move to rental housing soon, possibly for the first time? Be sure to do your homework, or you could find yourself stuck with a long lease to a dilapidated apartment or house, with a landlord who refuses to make repairs and who then keeps your security deposit when you move out. more - What to Do When Your ARM Is Due'
If you have an adjustable-rate mortgage (ARM) and your fixed-rate period is drawing to an end, your first rate adjustment is looming. It's time to devise a plan. more - RADIO: Home Sharing
Join Jolene Picard, an outreach worker at Senior Resources Agency on Aging, as she discusses how you can be paired with a home provider or home seeker. more - Exotic Mortgages Mean 'Buyer Beware'
The word exotic may seem better suited to describing a faraway locale for a 'Survivor' episode than a mortgage. But if lenders were to call these 'riskier mortgages' instead, they might not attract as many consumers. In truth, riskier is precisely what exotic mortgages are. more - VIDEO: Buying a Home
When you're ready to buy your first house, the big question is 'How much can you afford?' Join the Center for Personal Finance director of adult finance publications as she talks about getting the house you want--without breaking your budget. She explains different guidelines lenders use to determine what you can afford--along with other costs involved such as private mortgage insurance and closing costs. Look for this new video on the Resource Center's home page in July. more - Start an Energy Diet: Save Money Around Home'
The typical American family spends $1,600 a year on energy for heating, cooling, and lighting. If your electric and fuel bills are not enough incentive to slim down your energy use, consider the growing threat of global warming due to greenhouse gases produced by burning coal, oil, and gas. more - Senior Homesharing a Win-Win
Decades after saying goodbye to college roommates, some older adults are finding their way back to the idea of shared housing. more - Construction and Bridge Loans Match Special Needs
Most people get the jitters sometime during the home buying or selling process. Certain situations stir a bit of extra anxiety, such as building a new house or buying a new home while trying to sell your old one. more - Lenders, Counselors Help Homeowners Avoid Foreclosure
Joel and Lisa, newly married New Yorkers, didn't believe they had a shot at owning a home until their realtor told them about a payment-option adjustable rate mortgage product that could help them stretch their budget. more - Longevity on the Home Front: How Long Will That Furnace Last?'
You want your house to last forever, and some of it probably will. You may recognize that some parts of a house are more prone to failure than others, but which parts, and how long before they need replacement? New information from the National Association of Home Builders, Washington, D.C., Study of Life Expectancy of Home Components gives an up-to-date picture of longevity on the home front. more - Asesores, Otros Ayudan a los Propietarios de Casa a Evitar el Proceso de Ejecución Hipotecaria
Joel y Lisa, ambos de la ciudad de Nueva York y recién casados, no pensaban que tendrían la oportunidad de tener su propia casa hasta que un agente de bienes raíces les habló acerca de una opción de pago de producto hipotecario con tasa de interés ajustable que pudiera ayudarlos a estirar su presupuesto. more - Home Sweet 'Second' Home
If owning a home is the American Dream, then owning a vacation home is the American Dream, Part II. It's the sequel--for those who can afford that special getaway place. more - How to Own Property: Multiple Choices
Take a minute to check out what you know about property ownership. What would your answers be in each of these situations? more - VIDEO: Tap Your Home's Equity
Join the vice president of the center for personal finance as he talks about tapping into your largest single asset--the equity in your home. He explains what equity means and what you can use it for, as well as the difference between a home equity loan and a home equity line of credit. more - VIDEO: Mortgages: Prequalification vs. Preapproval
Find out the importance of getting preapproved and prequalified before purchasing a house. By doing so, you'll find out how much house you can afford and gain negotiating strength when you're ready to make an offer. more - Prefab Housing Becoming Pretty Fabulous
Hear 'prefabricated housing' and you can picture a tinny box that just had its wheels kicked out from under it. more - Heads or Tails: Is Flipping Houses Too Good to Be True?
If you've ever been awake in a zombie-like state in front of the tube at 3:30 a.m., you've probably seen infomercials claiming you can get rich quick with real estate. These programs are filled with promises of talking sellers out of their homes for next to nothing, buying property with no money down, and getting someone else to pay your closing costs. While it's possible that the investment methods these programs push may be the real deal, most are scams that should raise instant red flags for investors. more - Tap Your Home's Equity
Home equity loans make home improvements possible, and can help with other financial situations as well. Perhaps you want to buy a car, finance an education, launch a small business, or even borrow in case of an emergency. more - The Down-Payment Debate: Can You Afford No or Low Down Payments?
In 2005, 43% of first-time home buyers paid no money down when they bought their homes, according to the National Association of Realtors®, Washington, D.C. It's a sign of the times. more - A Long, Cold Winter? Simple Energy Projects Can Save You a Bundle
Gasoline is up. Heating oil is up, and the price of natural gas is through the roof. In the Midwest, natural gas prices are projected to rise 57%. No question: We'll be paying substantially more for heat this winter. The Energy Information Administration expects total U.S. energy spending to jump 24% over last year. more - Young Adults: Seek Your Own Space
Do you remember when you first began fantasizing about living on your own? After years in the family nest, college dorms, and overcrowded student-ghetto apartments, it's time for the next big move. Where to? Perhaps you're struggling to find an answer. Or you feel frustrated about the gap between what you want and what you can afford at this stage of your life. Here are a few pointers to help you sort out your options. more - Is a Hybrid Mortgage Right for You?
In recent years, many home buyers have combated rising interest rates by switching from fixed-rate financing to an adjustable-rate mortgage (ARM). But because payments and interest rates can rise, many home buyers feel uncomfortable about signing up for an ARM. An attractive alternative that provides the features of both a fixed-rate and adjustable-rate mortgage is the hybrid mortgage. more - How Not to Renovate Your Bedroom
We dreamed of a master suite, but the aftermath of our home renovation project has interrupted more than one good night's sleep. more - Into Reverse, with Caution: Details About Reverse Mortgages
For many years, you dutifully handed over a monthly payment to your mortgage lender. Now there's a mortgage product, aptly named, that reverses the payment process. more - CALCULATOR: Do I want a Fixed or Adjustable Rate Mortgage?
When you're confronting a mortgage decision, small rate changes can make big changes in how much house you can afford—or even if you can afford to buy a house at all. more - CALCULATOR: What Will My Monthly Mortgage Payment Be?
Because a mortgage is such a large loan, small changes in interest rate or loan term can make a big difference in your payment and how much mortgage you can afford. more
Popular Searches: Today's Hot Topics
To view the content in this section, please make sure that JavaScript is enabled and that you have the latest version of Adobe Flash Player. To install Adobe Flash Player in your browser, please click here.
Resource Rewards