Ilyce

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.

Seller disclosure laws have developed to assist buyers in their home buying quest and to keep seller's honest. Seller disclosure laws require a seller to disclose to the buyers all know material defects in the home. A seller is not required to disclose everything about a home, just material problems known to the seller. If you are buying a home in foreclosure, your seller -- the bank -- may not give you any disclosure and it will be up to you to make sure you perform a good home inspection to protect yourself. Seller disclosure laws do not replace a home inspection and a good home inspector. The best real estate advice you can get is to read the seller disclosure form carefully and perform a thorough home inspection of the home.

The possibility of a $15,000 buyer tax credit for all home buyers, the $8,000 first time home buyer tax credit, how the health care battle in Washington will affect Realtors, where option ARM failures, foreclosures, and unemployment are heading, and the future of the housing market were topics that RE/MAX CEO Dave Liniger discussed at a press conference at the RE/MAX annual meeting in Chicago. The main topics of his speech focused on the national and local real estate markets, foreclosures and short sales, and his forecast for the next 18 to 24 months of real estate values. The Q&A session with reporters will be posted in a separate podcast. Listen here to Ilyce Glink's one-on-one interview with Liniger on his experience in real estate and the future of the housing market

The future of the housing market doesn't look too grim, according to RE/MAX CEO Dave Liniger. He sat down with Ilyce Glink after a press conference to answer a few questions on his experience with RE/MAX, what he thinks will happen with the recession, his thoughts on foreclosures and the $8,000 first-time home buyer tax credit, how agents are handling the current market, and the future of the housing market. Listen to the podcast here and read the transcript below.

Homeowners show optimism in the future of housing market, even if the statistics don't show the same, according to the latest Homeowner Confidence Survey from Zillow. Sixty percent of all homeowners believe their own home lost value over the past 12 months, in reality 83 percent of U.S. homes declined in value. Eighty-one percent of homeowners believe their own homes’ values will not decline over the next six months. Homeowners in the South are the least realistic about their own homes‘ values, while homeowners in the West are the most realistic.

Job search, job hunting advice, job interview tips and networking advice from Ilyce Glink. In this web chat Ilyce answers questions and gives advice for the job search during this difficult economy. Lots of people are job hunting, how can you make yourself stand out with your resume and at the interview? Ilyce shares tips on how to reinvent yourself to be more successful in your job search.

Today on the Ilyce Glink Show, Ilyce talked about the Federal Reserve's assessment of the U.S. economy and how it compares to the rest of the world. She gave more updates on mortgage servicer Taylor Bean and Whitaker shutting down, including how Colonial BancGroup followed in its footsteps. Consumer sentiment also fell, and Ilyce talks about how opposites attract with how spouses deal with their finances. Ilyce took questions like from the caller wanting to know how your credit score affects your job search, and is it possible to save money when you are still struggling to pay your bills? Ilyce gives advice on how to look at our personal finances and learn how to save, even when times are tough. Listen to the podcast here and visit the blog for show notes and links for more information. Ilyce Glink Show listeners can buy tickets for the "How to Profit From Foreclosure" event this fall in Atlanta at a special 2 for 1 price by using special discount code "glink" (no quotes). Visit the event page for more details

Ilyce Glink show update: Taylor Bean and Whitaker update; FDIC closed down Colonial BancGroup; Consumer sentiment was down; CCCS of Greater Atlanta; HOW TO PROFIT FROM FORECLOSURE - Last weekend for 2 for 1 off the Early Bird Special pricing. Sign up now to save the most! FREE BOOKS and EBOOK special price.

Credit card debt is still high even as some claim the recession might be over. The recession has affected credit card debt, unemployment, consumer sales and foreclosures, but now one of those is bouncing back. Based on a report from Credit Karma, consumer credit card debt has decreased in the month of July. Decreased consumer credit card debt is a positive sign for the recession, and it is tied to consumer sales, unemployment and foreclosures.

The $8000 first time home buyer tax credit is quite a bit of money. But you must meet all the guidelines and restrictions. Some of the restrictions may seem unfail To qualify for the $8,000 first time home buyer tax credit, it must be your primary residence and you must fall under a certain income limit and the purchase of the home can't be from a relative. You can claim the $8000 first time home buyer tax credit if you make up to $75,000 for individuals, $150,000 filing jointly. The tax credit begins to phase out after that, and is eliminated at $95,000 ($170,000 for joint filing) of income. If you buy the home from a relative, you won't qualify for the $8000 first time home buyer tax credit.