Oct 21, 2013
As you search for a home, you may have come across the term easement in a listing and wondered what it means. An easement is a legal arrangement by the owner of the property and a non-owner to use the property in some fashion. You may see this term used in listings where a home is located near a public recreational area. For example, the property may come with a walking easement to the nearby lake.
If there are any existing easements between the current seller and a neighbor, the seller’s attorney or the seller’s agent needs to advise the buyer. It’s important to know if easements exist and how they affect the purchase or usage of the home being bought. Easements often allow the use of a pathway between adjacent properties or a pathway to reach a common play area, yard or even a fish pond.
The most common easement is called the right of way, allowing people to pass through. Easement of support refers to excavations of property. Delivery people and meter readers all have the right to step on your property by easement of right of way. Less common are easements of light and air and rights regarding artificial waterways. Easements can be hotly contested, especially where rights to oceanfront property or conservation land are in dispute.
Easements are mostly created by a binding written document. As a rule, courts base the allowance to have an easement on intention of the original parties in each situation. Courts prefer written easements and also consider account customs, habits and practices for the property.
A real estate attorney working for a home buyer can investigate any current easements connected to the property. The attorney will explain the ramifications to the buyers. Because easements are a property law issue, they are usually straightforward. An easement can be canceled in writing, by expiration date, in estoppel and even by death. For further clarification about your specific situation, consult with a real estate attorney on what easements mean to your home purchase.
Realtor.com 2013
Oct 21, 2013
Property values have come roaring back. Many can now refinance their loans by virtue of having additional home equity. And increased property values can also put homeowners in a better financial position to sell their home without entering short sale territory. But the fact remains: Everyone wants to attain maximum value for their real estate and home repairs can help. So what’s the best barometer of a home’s true worth? Simple: the amount a ready, willing and able buyer is willing to pay at any given point in time. Unfortunately, appraisal estimates can be skewed, especially when not all the home repairs and improvements are taken into consideration. This is why you should weigh all home improvement decisions carefully before you commit.
When You’re Refinancing
Unlike in years past, the weight of an appraisal to determine the home value for the purposes of refinancing a mortgage is based upon the facts (which are primarily based on other homes that have sold) and what the property description is.
Improvements that may help a refinance valuation:
- Additional bedroom or bathroom
- Addition to the lot size
- Addition to the garage
- Improvement that expands the “use” of the home
When it comes to improvements such as landscaping, painting, any home improvement more “cosmetic” in nature, realize that the primary benefit is for the enjoyment of the property, not for trying to influence value.
When Selling
A home buyer is going to take into consideration all of the facts associated with the property, location, lot size, square footage, bedrooms and bathrooms, as well as additional cosmetic improvements that have been done that add to the look and feel of the home.
Improvements that may help a sale price:
- New paint job
- Freshly maintained landscaping
- Remodeled and/or upgraded interior
- Deck and/or patio addition
- Additional bedroom or bathroom
- Addition to the lot size
- Addition to the garage
What’s the Biggest Bang for Your Buck?
These include the high-ticket items that increase square footage. An additional bedroom or an additional bathroom increases the square footage, which in turn allows an appraiser to make higher adjustments when determining valuation against other comparable homes around the subject property.
Refinancing
Let’s say you have funds ready for possibly improving your home for long-term enjoyment. Instead of using the funds to make home improvements in an attempt to enjoy your home more, you might actually see a greater benefit if you used that money toward a refinance. Over time, the money you save from refinancing could then be put toward those home improvements down the road.
Selling in the Near Future
Typically, you won’t get a dollar-for-dollar recapture on the home improvement cost, even when selling. Because the weight is given to improvements that expand the use of the house (i.e. bedroom, bathrooms, etc.), it’s more common to expect 20 cents on the dollar, or maybe 30 cents on the dollar, depending on the improvement in such a scenario. Because the market is the strongest indicator of price, the market will dictate sales price followed by additional improvements and subsequent marketing of the home.
Realtor.com 2013
Sep 11, 2013
Talk to 10 different people about homeowners associations (HOAs), and you’ll likely get 10 different opinions. Some people love living in a development with an HOA, while others find it too restrictive. Depending on your lifestyle and needs, it can be a great experience or one that feels too intrusive. Today about one in five Americans live in a house with home-owner or condo fees.
HOAs began in the mid-19th century but didn’t really gain in popularity until the early 1960s, as an outgrowth of the postwar housing boom and the growth of the middle class. Typically, an HOA is incorporated by the developer during the development and sales process, and gradually control and ownership are transferred to the home purchasers upon completion of the project. The original owner/developer quits membership in the association and has nothing more to do with it. Anyone purchasing a home in an existing housing development with an HOA must become a member. There is no other option. The overall purpose of the HOA is to represent the residents. Depending on how active these associations are, they can be quite effective in providing forums for common home-owner representation and needs.
HOAs Are Like Small Towns
A homeowners association governs the development like a small town. The HOA’s powers include imposing fines, organizing activities and providing certain services. It can also levy assessments and force home owners to pay them. Many HOAs have yearly dues, and a homeowners association can legally impose monetary fines to enforce its decisions. The groups usually appoint a board of directors, which may then elect an association president and other officers. Meetings are typically monthly but can be quarterly, depending on the size of the group.
If the HOA is larger, it will likely be broken down into committees. Committees are also appointed for various activities: maintenance, membership dues and neighborhood representation. An accounting committee or, in smaller HOAs, an individual is assigned to present the annual budget and monitor expenses and funds collected. During the foreclosure crisis, some HOAs began to lose revenue as people living in homes facing foreclosure stopped paying their fees.
HOAs Can Promote Neighborhood Harmony and Uniformity
HOAs offer many benefits to the home owner. According to the bylaws of the association, it can collectively represent the group for whatever purposes assigned. For example, to maintain a certain degree of conformity, the association can stipulate which changes are permitted for the exterior of the buildings. Sometimes the HOA can determine acceptable noise levels. If there are common areas, such as gardens and pools, the members can appoint an internal management committee or elect to bring in an outside maintenance company. On snowy days, a snow-removal company may need to be called in, and this service will be paid for out of the association’s funds. For condos or groups with shared structures or parking lots, fees can go to upkeep.
HOAs Can Be Restrictive and a Financial Drain
If you want to change the color of your house or even add a new tree, you may run afoul of your local organization. Also, if your HOA decides to undertake a major capital improvement project and the governing group approves it, you may be left with no choice but to pay your share. If you fail to pay your dues or you go against the HOA rules, you could be assessed fees and late charges. If you disagree with some of the rules, it can be very hard to get them changed.
Overall, most people see an HOA as a positive. According to the Foundation for Community Association Research (FCAR), 70 percent of residents in common-interest communities say they are satisfied with their community-association experience. The FCAR’s research also found that 76 percent believe their own community-association rules “protect and enhance” property values.
Realtor.com
Jun 14, 2013
Buttermilk-and-Honey Chicken Kabobs
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup hot sauce
- 1/4 cup tomato paste
- 3 tablespoons honey
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1/2 small sweet onion, grated
- 6 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tablespoon cracked black pepper
- 2 1/4 teaspoons salt, divided
- 3 pounds skinned and boned chicken thighs, trimmed and cut into 2-inch chunks
- 10 (6-inch) wooden or metal skewers
- Vegetable cooking spray
- Grilled lemon halves
- Toasted Pecan Pesto (See Preparation Below)
Preparation
- Whisk together first 3 ingredients in a large bowl until smooth; whisk in buttermilk, next 3 ingredients, and 2 tsp. salt until blended.
- Place buttermilk mixture and chicken in a large zip-top plastic freezer bag; seal and chill 3 hours.
- Meanwhile, soak wooden skewers in water 30 minutes. (Omit if using metal skewers.)
- Coat cold cooking grate of grill with cooking spray, and place on grill. Preheat grill to 350° to 400° (medium-high) heat. Remove chicken from marinade, discarding marinade. Thread chicken onto skewers, leaving a 1/8-inch space between pieces; sprinkle with remaining 1/4 tsp. salt.
- Grill kabobs, covered with grill lid, 6 to 8 minutes on each side or until chicken is done.
- Serve with lemon halves and Toasted Pecan Pesto.
Toasted Pecan Pesto
- 2 1/2 cups loosely packed fresh basil leaves
- 2/3 cup olive oil
- 1/2 cup chopped toasted pecans
- 1/2 cup loosely packed fresh mint leaves
- 2 garlic cloves, sliced
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper
Preparation
- Process all ingredients in a food processor until smooth, stopping to scrape down sides as needed. Cover and chill 1 to 8 hours before serving.
Southern Living Magazine-June 2013
Jun 13, 2013
Buying a home can be a very emotional experience, even when it appears to going smoothly. When something goes wrong, it can be stressful. Your agent will likely prepare you for the possibility that a pending sale won’t go through, but when it happens to you, it can be heartbreaking. Help prepare yourself by learning a few reasons that pending sales fall apart.
1. You change your mind. Cold feet or, as it’s often dubbed, “buyer’s remorse,” happens surprisingly often: fear of commitment, fear of being overextended, fear that the house is not “the one.” Sometimes instincts are correct, but often people let the natural anxiety of home buying wrap around the home itself. The best way to prevent this is to prepare yourself before the process starts. Be practical about your needs, and be honest about whether a house meets them. Don’t allow yourself to be pressured into a home that doesn’t feel right. Limit your discussions about the house to your agent, family and close friends. More input and advice, even the most well-intentioned, can cause confusion.
2. You are unable to obtain financing. Sometimes a mortgage loan falls apart. That’s why it’s important to be prequalified for loans, to avoid last-minute heartbreak. The rejection by a mortgage lender can be based on a poor credit score or negative items on a credit report. A buyer in need of a loan can correct errors on a credit report, but this generally takes a bit of time. Buyers need to be wary about taking out large loans for cars, furniture or appliances, as well as making major purchases on credit cards. These actions could compromise your loan if the lender runs a supplemental credit check. A buyer can also offer to make a larger down payment, thus reducing the mortgage balance. If you are careful during the loan process, then you should be well on your way to financing your new house.
3. The home failed inspection. Hiring a professionally licensed home inspector can aid in detecting plumbing and electrical issues, roofing and drainage problems, or faulty heating systems. Repairs can often be negotiated into a contract so that either the buyer receives a credit or the seller agrees to make the necessary repair before the closing. Sometimes, however, your inspector can turn up something that is too large to repair, such as a structural issue.
4. You haven’t sold the home you already own yet. If you haven’t sold your house yet, and if your contract with the home owner is contingent upon selling, you may not be able to go through with the purchase. Most people cannot afford to pay two mortgages at the same time. Some buyers are able to take out a bridge loan, a form of short-term financing, to bridge the gap. New home buyers who have not yet put their old house on the market can save money with a home-equity line of credit. In this type of financial agreement, a lender extends a loan for a certain period, during which the collateral is the borrower’s equity in their own house. These two solutions can help you avoid the prospect of losing out on the home you want.
5. Your appraisal comes in too low. The lender will generally loan up to the appraised value of the home, so if the appraisal comes in lower than the potential mortgage, the buyer cannot purchase. At this point it’s time to negotiate. Either the seller needs to reduce the price to the appraisal value or the buyer must come up with the difference in cash.
All of these scenarios demonstrate why it’s important to maintain close contact with your agent throughout the process. The agent has weathered many sales and has probably saved more than a few from disaster. It’s much easier to go through this exciting and emotional life transition with a knowledgeable real estate professional at your side.
Realtor.com
Jun 13, 2013
As you look around your home, you’re probably wishing you had some extra time on your hands to make a few renovations or to handle a few extra redecorating projects. But, you already have the time – it’s called the weekend! In that short 48-hour time span, there’s a lot of work you can get done. Even if you pick one task per weekend, that’s four decorating projects completed a month!
Don’t think it can be done? Well just check out these nine simple weekend decorating projects that can each be started Friday evening and wrapped up before you go to bed Sunday night.
1. Organize and Beautify Your Bookcases
If you have a lot of books, videos and collectibles clambering for space on your bookcases, taking a Saturday afternoon to remove, sort and organize everything will instantly make the room look cleaner and tidier. Sometimes successful redecorating isn’t about changing the way things are but more about cleaning up and organizing what you already have. This is also a good time to de-clutter your bookcase. Tossing out old magazines or storing books you no longer want in the garage can go a long way towards making the most of your bookcase’s capacity.
2. Tile the Kitchen’s Backsplash
If you really want to give your kitchen an updated look but you can’t afford a complete renovation, install ceramic tile to the backsplash for an instant update. It may take some time to get up and running, but once you find your swing, you’ll discover this job moves along at a smooth pace. Both weekend days will be required for this job, and you might have to extend the finishing touches over to next weekend, but you’ll be able to get the bulk of the heavy lifting done in one weekend.
3. Transform the Fireplace
The fireplace is the focus of the room during the cold, winter months but what do you do with it for the other eight months out of the year? Once winter’s chill has left, clean out the fireplace and decorate the hearth with a variety of low-maintenance plants and add a touch of vibrancy to the room. Succulents work nicely because they don’t require a lot of watering or sunlight. Use tiered plant pot holders for a truly beautiful look that will also cover up the unsightly cinder stains on the inside of the fireplace. Or, for a complete re-do, you can even consider painting the fireplace!
4. Install Some Molding
Crown molding makes a room feel and look larger than it really is, and it’s not really that difficult to install, especially when you use specially-made corner pieces that eliminate the need for cutting perfect mitered edges. In fact, once you get the hang of it, you might be able to install it in all of your rooms before the weekend is over. While you’re at it, you can also install chair railing or update your baseboards with a newer, more modern style.
5. Unify Your Picture Frames
Odds are the picture frames that adorn your walls have been purchased over a long period of time, so no two probably look alike. But, if you take them all down and paint the frames all the same color, they will suddenly look as if they all belong together. In addition, this will help give your room the color accent it’s been missing.
6. Update the Kitchen Cabinet Hardware
Forget about the old brushed nickel cabinet knobs. Today, hardware stores have a ton of different varieties to choose from. Pick a style that best reflects your home and replace the knobs in your kitchen for a quick and easy kitchen makeover.
7. Makeover Your Lamp Shades
Adding some fabric, beads or ribbons to your lamp shades will turn them from drab to fab. Choose a color scheme that compliments the room and your friends won’t stop asking you, “Where did you purchase those beautiful lamp shades and how much did they cost?”
8. Redecorate the Bedroom
All you need to redecorate your bedroom is some fresh paint, some new curtains and a new comforter and voila – you have a freshly redecorated bedroom. The bulk of your time will be spent re-painting the bedroom and that won’t take that long at all, so go ahead and start planning your bedroom’s new look.
9. Add Some Fresh Flooring
If you have hard surface floors, add some color and style to the room by incorporating a few area rugs and/or carpet runners. This is an especially good idea come winter time as the carpet will help keep your feet off the cold floor and help insulate the room.
Realtor.com
Page 13 of 18« First«...5...1112131415...»Last »
