By Beverly Bird
You love your pet—he’s like your child, after all—but the IRS doesn’t quite see it that way. The IRS takes the position that the money you spend on Fido or Fluffy is generally a personal expense. Your pet gives you pleasure like that latte you bought on your way to work this morning, but just like your cup of coffee isn’t tax deductible, neither is your pet.
Buddy Stark
Completing these quick and easy tasks before beginning the selling process will help reduce stress and save your clients valuable time during the home-selling process.
Clean the House
An important part of selling a home is keeping it clean in anticipation of a showing. Cleaning the home will convey that it’s been well cared for and that the house is less susceptible to any issues caused by neglect.
This article explains the four most common valuation methods used for real property transactions and how and when they are used. It’s important to note that the methods below are not necessarily mutually exclusive. Lenders, servicers, investors, and other professionals use one or more of these valuation methods, depending on circumstances and the type of transaction. Often, one valuation method is used to confirm or quality-check the results of another.
By Lynn O'Rourke Hayes
According to advocacy group Project: Time Off, more than half of American workers leave unused vacation days on their company’s boardroom table. Meanwhile, the research shows that by planning ahead, more families will actually take much-needed vacations and thus reap a multitude of personal and professional benefits.
Here are five ideas to consider:
By Barbara Pronin
While your credit score affects everything from your ability to buy a car or a home to how much interest you will pay on the loan, many people don’t know how these scores are calculated or what impacts them positively or negatively.
Are you interested in adding a little seasonal oomph to your space? Below are a handful of cozy—and inexpensive—winter updates.
Cozy blankets galore. Nothing is better than a snuggly blanket on a cool winter evening. Drape heavier blankets over sofas, chairs or reading nooks, and even fold one up by the fireplace for stretching out on the floor. Just make sure it’s safely away from the flames!
By Dana Dratch
If you can afford it, it might be simple to pay off your mortgage earlier. But should you? That’s a complicated question.
Homeowners with low mortgage rates may be better off putting extra money in a Roth IRA or 401(k), both of which might offer a higher return than paying off the mortgage.
By Kay Bell
You’ve found the perfect house. Interest rates are still low. There’s just one thing standing between you and your dream home: a down payment.
Don’t abandon your homeownership dreams just yet. Here are nine ways to come up with the cash for your new home.
Pay Off Your Credit Cards
By Cheryl Knight
Buying a house is a life-changing process that requires lots of upfront financial planning.
When looking for a home, keep certain factors in mind, including your financial situation, types of available loans, your credit score, the price of the house and your down payment so you can navigate the process smoothly.
Your Financial Situation
Analysts are expecting even higher home prices in 2018 than originally projected, according to new research.
Zillow’s 2017 Q4 Home Price Expectations Survey reveals experts are anticipating a 4.1 percent hike in the new year, up from the 3 percent they forecasted a year ago. Over 100 experts, including economists, participated in the survey.
Their reasoning? Home-building has not panned out as planned—yet.
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