One of the hardest truths a homeowner faces is just how expensive remodeling is, and how important it is to save on home remodeling. Nationally, a roof can cost $18,000, a major kitchen remodel runs at $54,000 and a bathroom remodel is $16,000, according to Remodeling Magazine. But you can save on almost any home remodeling project by [...]
Are my Social Security benefits taxable? That sounds like such a simple question, doesn’t it? The answer should be either “yes” or “no.” But I’m talking about the U.S. Income Tax Code, so of course it’s not that easy. In fact, the correct answer is both “yes” and “no.” First let me make one thing [...]
In today’s difficult post-Great Recession economy, I find that more of my clients are renting out their single-family homes. This allows them to move to a smaller place so that they can make ends meet or save money for the future more easily. Some of my clients who have second homes are also renting those [...]
The mortgage interest tax deduction is one of the big perks of homeownership. There’s a limit to how much you may deduct, though, and deducting more than your fair share could put you at risk of an audit. You may only deduct mortgage interest if the debt is secured by your main or second home, [...]
Now that prices are rising and the number of homeowners defaulting on their mortgages has slowed to a trickle, you might think it’s impossible to find a deal on a foreclosure. There’s no doubt the foreclosure picture has changed dramatically in the past two years, but there are still many discounted properties available if you [...]
If you want to gain an advantage when you’re selling your house, consider a pre-listing home inspection. Hiring a professional home inspector to walk through your house before you list it could speed up the sale. A pre-listing home inspection is paid for by the seller and points out any problems with your home. http://youtu.be/h_hgR2-OwJU [...]
You’ve just spent a good chunk of change on a fancy smartphone, and the salesperson paints you a picture of everything that could happen to your shiny new device. You could drop it on a concrete floor and shatter the screen. You could drop it in the toilet (don’t laugh—a colleague of mine just admitted [...]
If you want a “fix it and forget it” portfolio, investing in index mutual funds is a great option. An index fund is a type of mutual fund made with stocks that match the components of a market index, such as the Standard & Poor's 500 Index. Index funds diversify your portfolio because you hold [...]
When you’re shopping for a mortgage, it can be hard to decide what the best option is for you. Should you take the lower interest rate of an adjustable rate mortgage (ARM), or is it better to lock in your rate for 30 years? The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) suggests seven things to keep [...]
Gary Zimmerman, Christine Benz, Dennis Carlson and Dr. Stan Humphries join Ilyce this week to discuss money management, the economy and the future of real estate on June 15, 2014 on WSB radio. These four experts will offer their opinions on the economy as well advice on personal finance and real estate. You can stream [...]
