Things to Keep in Mind Before You Buy a House

Things to Keep in Mind Before You Buy a House

I am sure one dream of everyone during their lifetime would surely be to buy their own nest which they can finally call their own and settle down. However, a house cannot just be bought overnight. There is some research and homework to be done before actually buying a house.

There are many options available to the buyer when he decides to purchase a property he has to first make up his mind if he is looking to buy an independent house or an apartment. Depending on the type of property he is looking to buy, he can take the next step and decide on the location. The buyer can decide the best location for him to buy the property depending on his needs. As, if he is a nature lover then it would be ideal for him go in for a property in a serene locale rather than on a busy road. Once he decides on the location, he has to fix his budget and buy house only within his budget to save time and money. Location and price decided one also has to take into account the future value of the property as any property should only be bought with the aim that its value will appreciate only in future.

Buying your own house involves huge investment, so the buyer needs to make sure he can afford the finances on his own. Otherwise, he can take a bank loan according to his financial ability. He also should make sure that the documents of the house are straight and clear. It is advisable to take the help of a legal expert in this matter to make sure all the intricate details of the property documents are properly analyzed.

One major point the buyer has to keep in mind to buy house will be that they should not be deceived by the tag low prices on advertisements. Low price may seem good to the eyes but only when the buyer goes closer to analyze the property will he realize the huge hidden prices attached in the form of repairs or deviations.

If the buyer does not want to go through all these procedures and head aches involved he can just assign the job to a house broker who will take care of the entire dealings from scratch and help the individual buy his dream house.

So keep these things in mind before you venture out to buy your own home sweet home.

6 Tips For Timing a Real Estate Purchase

Your Home - 6 Tips For Timing a Real Estate Purchase

6 tips for timing a real estate purchase

How fence-sitters can get a jump on the competition

By Dian Hymer
Inman News™

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In mid-June, interest rates on home loans were lower than they were a year ago. However, this failed to ignite the housing market. Many buyers and homeowners would like to make a move, but some find it impossible to make a decision. They are commonly referred to as fence-sitters, poised to make a move when the time seems right.

The housing market is unlikely to turn around soon, but this doesn't mean that now is not a good time to buy or sell. It depends on your personal situation and market conditions in the area where you plan to buy or sell.

Become an expert on your local market. Knowing a good deal when you see it or what price to ask if you decide to sell depends on having a good understanding of how much properties are selling for in your neighborhood.

While you're trying to decide what to do, line up a team that can help you accomplish your goal when you decide to move ahead. You can do this by researching online, attending open houses in the area and asking a real estate agent to keep you on top of market fluctuations.

Your decision to buy should be based on your personal financial situation, not on the national or global economy. For example, if you bought during the bubble market and are now getting divorced, you'll probably sell for less than you paid.

But, if the house is too expensive for one to support, it may be cheaper in the long run to cut your losses and sell now. No one knows how long the housing downturn will last. Prices could move lower before rebounding. This is not an ordinary recession.

HOUSE-HUNTING TIP: Don't get caught up following the herd. Just because most people in your area aren't buying or are having difficulty selling doesn't mean that you shouldn't make a move. Just make sure if you're a buyer that you have job security, a relatively healthy economy in your local area and a plan to stay put for at least 10 years.

The housing market will be volatile going forward. Good economic news will help fence-sitters make the decision to get serious about moving. Bad news of any sort can cause the market to stall. To take advantage of the upticks in the market, you need to be prepared in advance.

Find a good local real estate agent to work with who understands your needs, and wait to buy or sell until the time is right for you. It could take you a year or so to make the final decision. Some agents don't have the patience to stick it out.

Select an agent who will educate you about the market and the idiosyncrasies of the home-sale business in your area. Ask to be kept informed about sales in the area. Many agents are set up to do this electronically, which is an easy way to keep you informed without taking up a lot of the agent's time.

One of the most difficult aspects of the current home-sale business is financing the transaction. Find a loan agent or mortgage broker who is a real professional, has been in the business for years and who understands what current underwriters will require from you to process your loan.

Assemble all the financial documents you'll need for loan approval even before you start looking. Ask your agent or broker to have your loan package previewed by an underwriter so that you know beforehand if there are any problems.

THE CLOSING: Remedy these in advance so that they don't cause last-minute delays in closing.

Dian Hymer, a real estate broker with more than 30 years' experience, is a nationally syndicated real estate columnist and author of "House Hunting: The Take-Along Workbook for Home Buyers" and "Starting Out, The Complete Home Buyer's Guide."

40 Revolutionary iPad Apps for Homeowners

40 Revolutionary iPad Apps for Homeowners

40 Revolutionary iPad Apps for Homeowners

Posted by admin on Jul 7, 2011

Buying and owning a home can be an amazing experience, and a great investment to boot, but that doesn't mean homeownership is always a walk in the park. From buying a new home to making your current one look fantastic, homeownership can be a lot of hard work. Luckily for modern day homeowners, there are technologies — including the increasingly popular iPad — that can help make things a little easier and ensure home improvements don't wreck havoc on your personal finances. iPad owners will find a wealth of techie tools out there to help them do everything, from choosing a paint color to landscape their yards and just about everything in between. Here, we've highlighted some of the best iPad apps for homeowners, whether they're looking for help, advice and or perhaps just a little inspiration to make their houses into homes. Buying and Selling Install these applications on your iPad to get a little help finding your dream home or selling the home you already own (or both).

1. Zillow: With Zillow, you can find homes in any neighborhood based on factors like number of bedrooms, bathrooms and price. You can also get estimates of what your home and those in your area might be worth– a helpful tool when thinking about selling.
2. Trulia: Trulia has thousands of home listings, making it easy to find real estate in your desired area and check out pictures online.
3. LoopNet: Another real estate search tool, this application is perfect for the homeowner looking to upgrade, downsize or just make room for an expanding family.
4. Coldwell Banker: If you want to go with a trusted real estate broker, you can try this app showcasing homes listed with Coldwell Banker.
5. Home Value Pro: Want to know how much your home is worth? How about the one you're thinking about buying? This application will give you accurate and reliable estimates of home values across the U.S.
6. Mortgage Calculator: Figure out how much your monthly payment would be on a new home using this handy tool.
7. Realtor.com: If you still haven't found the home you've been dreaming of, take a look at this real estate app for a great selection of listings.

Home Control and Automation For decades, people have been imagining a home where everything is controlled by a computer. These days, that dream is a reality for some homeowners, and these apps help to control every aspect of a home, from the lights to the entertainment system.

8. Control4: This application turns your iPad into the ultimate touch screen remote, allowing you to control you TV, lights, sound system and home security from one easy place.
9. Vantage EMEA Home Control: Whether you want to set the mood or turn your living room into a movie theater, this application can help. It lets users adjust everything from the temperature of a room to the volume of the stereo.
10. Lutron RadioRA2: Control lights, shades, temperature and appliances with the touch of a digital button using this iPad app and accordant Lutron setup.
11. Splashtop Remote: This application allows users to see their desktop computer screen from anywhere, using an iPad, iPhone or other mobile device.

Interior Design and Decor Making your home look amazing doesn't have to be a chore. Use these apps to choose paint colors, get inspired by high end design, find great furniture and even choose a wood color for flooring.

12. Craigsphone: Originally designed for the iPhone, this application also works well on the iPad, allowing homeowners to score discount furniture, a great new house or even a new stove – all from one centralized place.
13. Ben Color Capture: Benjamin Moore paint has created this application that lets users take a picture of just about anything and find the closest matching paint out there.
14. Houzz Interior Design Ideas: Need some inspiration for your interior design project? With over 100,000 photos on hand, this mobile database is sure to provide something that catches your fancy.
15. Dream Home HD: Get some ideas on how to integrate the latest interior design trends into your home with this amazing photo-rich application.
16. Palettes: If you're trying to develop a color scheme for a room, this can be an invaluable tool, letting you pull together colors to see how they work before investing in any decor.
17. Sherwin Williams Color Snap: Take a snapshot of your favorite color and easily find a coordinating or matching paint from Sherwin Williams' line when you use this application.
18. Paint Tester: Instead of getting stuck with walls painted in a color that just doesn't work, use this app to try out the color ahead of time, no paint involved.
19. Trends: This application will help you to keep up with the latest in design trends. While some may be a bit high-end, it can provide inspiration for your budget version of the same look.
20. I.D. Wood: Want to know what kind of wood your floors or dining chairs are? In this, you'll find a reference guide that can help you ID any kind of wood or to choose a color and grain that you love for future projects.
21. MySurface: DuPont makes it easy to find the color that's perfect for your home, whether inside or out, kitchen or bath, with this application.

Home Improvement Even if your home is already pretty nice, chances are good that there's something you'd like to change or improve on it. These apps can help, assisting you in managing costs, buying supplies, and laying out a design.

22. Sum+It Project Cost Calculator: Renovations don't come cheap, but you can help reduce the shock of it by using this tool to do a little calculating of costs before you begin the job.
23. Home Design It Yourself: Create a room and arrange furniture and other elements in it without lifting more than a finger with the help of this great application.
24. Photo Measures: With this tool, you can easily measure any part of your home simply by taking a photograph of it with your iPad.
25. Kraft My Style: If you're thinking of installing new cabinets, this application from KraftMaid can help you get an idea of what would look good in your space.
26. My BTU: Whether you're thinking of getting new radiators or are just curious about your home's energy usage, this application will help you determine the BTUs you need to heat a room.
27. Renovation Budget Tracker: It can be easy to go over budget when doing renovations, but with this tracking application it can be a lot easier to stay on track, with charts and information that break it all down.
28. Home 3D: Don't tear down a wall until you've used this excellent home modeling software that will let you see how your home will look when it's finished.
29. HGTVtoGo: Get home decor ideas, help with home improvement and more from this popular cable station's application.
30. Remodelista: You don't have to look far for remodeling inspiration when you install this interior design and DIY application that is full of amazing ideas.
31. Home Improvement Glossary: If you're not familiar with the home improvement jargon, then get yourself this application. It contains hundreds of words you can look up and define.

Tools and Calculators These handy apps will make doing math a cinch for homeowners, leaving more time for the important stuff.

32. Ruler 2: Home improvements often require a boatload of measurements. If you don't have a ruler handy, start out with this digital one instead.
33. Home Sizer: Whether you're designing a new home or remodeling your existing one or just want to know the size of your bedroom, this tool can help.
34. Task This: Home renovation and decoration can require a lot of errands and supplies. Keep track of everything using this handy tool for homeowners.
35. DIY Calculator: Whether you're adding paint, wallpaper, tile or another product to a room, this calculator will help you determine just how much you need.
36. DIY Toolbox: This handy app has just about every kind of calculator you'd need for home renovation projects, from converting units to figuring how much of a certain supply you need.

Outdoors Ensure your home has some great curb appeal by using these landscaping apps to add plants and improve your garden.

37. iScape: If your yard is a boring expanse of grass (or dirt), then turn it into something special with the help of this application that lets you lay out landscaping digitally, helping to ensure your plantings will look great when you put them in.
38. Gardening Toolkit: From gardening photos to help knowing what plants would grow best where you live, this application will help turn you into a master gardener.
39. Landscaper's Companion: This application is the ultimate reference guide for information about trees, shrubs, flowers, herbs and all kinds of plants.
40. Planimeter: Want to know how big your yard is? This tool is an awesome way to easily find out without pesky tape measures.

How to Make Small Spaces Appear Bigger

How to Make Small Spaces Appear Bigger

Whether you live in a small studio or a pocket-sized home, making do with your lack of square footage can be a challenge.

There are a few little design tips, however, that can make any space — especially a small one — seem bigger.

Paint

Painting a room is an affordable and easy way to make your room feel different. It’s also the simplest way to fake a big room. Rather than painting in dark tones, keep your walls light in whites, light yellows, blues or greens. Although it may seem counter-intuitive, keeping the walls and ceiling monochromatic can make a space seem bigger. If you want some sort of contrast between the ceiling and walls, paint the walls one shade darker.

Matching walls and ceilings make this Portland condo appear larger

Furniture

Contrary to what you may think, small furniture in a small space is not always the way to go. A grouping of a small chairs and a tiny sofa can make a room seem cluttered. Instead, choose one larger piece as the focal point and restrain from adding too many other pieces. If you are dealing with a small kitchen or dining area, look for a table with leaves or folding sides that can expand for more guests while staying small for the day to day. Once you have your furniture, don’t push everything against the wall. Place one piece at a diagonal, which leads the eye along the longer line. Bonus? Added storage space behind the furniture.

An angled couch tricks the eye into seeing more space in this Fort Worth home

Mirror, Mirror

While mirrors were the choice decor in the 1970s, hanging a mirror can still make a room look larger since it reflects light and gives the appearance of another window. Rather than using a bunch of small mirrors, use a large mirror as your focal point on the largest well or above the fireplace.

This Columbus, OH home has a mirror to reflect light back into a small space

Let There be Light

Dark rooms tend to look smaller. If you have windows, make the most of them with window treatments that won’t block the light or the view. Add additional lighting with floor lamps or table lamps. If you’re really crunched for space, track and recessed lighting can brighten up the place without taking away from precious square footage.

Do as these Falls Church homeowners did and add track lighting to brighten a small room

Less is More

Clear out the knick-knacks and books. Choose your extra decorations sparingly. Or, if you want to have a collection of something on display, arrange it by color.

Basic decor keeps this New Orleans condo looking spacious

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