Home Repair Content Index - Page 1

Home repair can be the remodel to give you the house of your dreams, or it can be all those pesky weekend tasks that never seem to end. Check out our articles, blog posts, videos and radio shows for helpful advice to keep your home in pristine condition.

Winterize Your Home And Get a Tax Credit. The IRS has advised taxpayers that the Expanded Recovery Act Tax Credit will help homeowners winterize their homes so they can save energy and save money at the same time. But the IRS cautions homeowners to check the tax credit certification before they buy winterizing tools.

Home equity line of Credit is now more difficult to get. The credit crisis has caused lenders to become more cautious and in some cases withdraw from the second home loan mortgage market, including home equity lines of credit or any type of home equity credit line. Why? Lenders have been burned with these home equity lines of credit, or any type of second home loan or home equity line of credit. Now lenders are pulling back and getting out of the equity line of credit market.

A debt management plan can help someone whose credit history and credit score have likely already suffered either because their debt-to-credit limits are out of whack or because they have started to pay some of their bills late. As personal finance advice goes, a debt management program can help you improve your credit history and credit score by helping to encourage you to pay their bills on time and in full. However, some debt management programs are really scams and they will take your money instead of helping you pay your bills. Look for a reputable credit counseling service provider.

Seller disclosure is required in most states, meaning a seller has to reveal any defects or problems with the house to a buyer. However, the seller disclosure laws and requirements vary greatly from state to state. If a buyer discovers problems with the home that they think were not revealed through seller disclosure, they should evaluate the money, time and effort it will take to fix the problem. Often it's a simple fix to the house, but the seller disclosure lawsuit can leave you with a lot of legal fees.

Home improvements on a budget are on a rise. With the housing crisis and the downward pressure on home prices, more people may opt to stay put and renovate their homes. But these home renovations and repairs will be smaller and give home owners more bang for the buck. Closet organizers are one way to improve a home and make a home more livable. The home improvement doesn't have to cost too much. The home repair needs to suit your needs and a closet organizer can unclutter a space you use daily and make your life easier. It doesn't have to cost too much. It can be on a budget and you might be able to do it yourself. Best of all, if you are planning to sell your home in the near future, a small home improvement project and a well organized closet with a well installed closet organizer can help your home look better and sell faster in this real estate market.

The FHA 203k rehab loan (or 203(k)) Program offers government-backed loans to rehab and refinance a borrower's property. According to the Office of the Comptroller of Currency, this is an important program that can help stabilize the nation's struggling neighborhoods. Learn more about the FHA 203k loan and other types of rehab loans available below.

Archerfish is a new technology in home video surveillance equipment that sends you alerts anywhere you get internet. The new technology allows you to set up surveillance cameras in a variety of locations, specify the types of events you think are noteworthy and receive updates anywhere from email to your cell phone or PDA. This surveillance system uses the latest technology to monitor your home through surveillance cameras and mobile updates.

Today's Ilyce Glink Show on WSB covers: Information on the minimum wage increase (and who to call to find out whether you qualify), FREE BOOK GIVEAWAY, Ilyce Glink Fan Club on Facebook sign up (FREE EBOOK AVAILABLE), Buy 3 Get 1 Free Ebook Deal, stock market surge, cash for clunkers scams to avoid, $8,000 federal tax credit, Georgia State Tax Credit, and the DeKalb Down Payment Assistance Programs.

Today on the Ilyce Glink Show, Ilyce talked about the minimum wage increase (and who to call to find out whether you qualify), the stock market surge, cash for clunkers scams to avoid, $8,000 federal tax credit, Georgia State Tax Credit, and the DeKalb Down Payment Assistance Programs. She also took questions from callers like Tom who is upside down on his mortgage and needs to put a lot of money into his house to make it liveable. Ilyce says he may be able to try a short sale, but if he has any assets, his lender may be able to claim his assets to make up for what he owes on the house. Ilyce suggested talking to a lawyer or tax advisor to plan the best course. Another caller said that she's been able to hire contractors and get home repairs done for very low prices, since so many contractors are looking for work right now. For a caller who is struggling to get back on his feet after 2 years of unemployment and $25,000 in debt, Ilyce recommends meeting with the CCCS of Greater Atlanta for a budgeting and counseling session. Listen to answers to these questions and more on the podcast and go to [Ilyce's blog for more show notes and helpful links.](http://www.thinkglink.com/blog/2009/07/26/today-on-the-ilyce-glink-show-july-26-2009)

If you own a property and use a quit claim deed and later record that quit claim deed transfering title to someone while you're alive, how does that affect the terms of your will after you're dead? Does using and recording a quit claim deed before you die nullify the terms of your will? A reader finds herself in the situation where her elderly mother used a quit claim deed to deed her house to another daughter and grandchild.