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buying your first home - what you should know

If you are considering buying your first home, there are a lot of things that you may have failed to consider. Having gone through the first time home buying process just a year ago, I have learned quite a bit about buying, maintaining and protecting my own home. On this blog, you will find tips for buying the home that you can afford, lists of things that you may not have accounted for in your budget and advice for protecting the big investment that you will spend the next several years paying for and living in. Hopefully what I have included will help you.

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real-estate

FAQs About Housing Discrimination
The Fair Housing Act, or FHA, is designed to prevent discrimination against people from various backgrounds. As a landlord, it is your responsibility to follow the law. Here is what you need to know to avoid violating housing discrimination laws.  Who Is Protected? The FHA is designed to protect tenants from discrimination based on their race, color, sex, disability, national origin, or religion. You also cannot discriminate against anyone based on his or her familial status.

3 Tips For Investing In Property For The First Time
Buying a property in which you plan to live is complicated enough, and investing in a property that you plan to rent out can seem even more challenging. That said, it's far from impossible, and it can provide lucrative returns in both the short and long term. If you've never invested in property before, you probably have a lot of questions about what to look for, so start by reading the three tips below on what you need to keep in mind before putting down money.

Own Rental Property? 4 Reasons You Should Let A Property Management Company Handle The Details
If this is your first rental property, you might not realize the work that goes into managing the details. There's more to it than just finding tenants and collecting the rent check. Property management is time-consuming, to say the least. Before you decide to handle the management by yourself, you should consider getting professional help. Here are four reasons why a property management company may be your best option. They'll Set the Rent Rates for You

Top Things To Do Before Shopping For A New Home
If you want a new home, you will want to make sure that you are fully prepared for the process of obtaining a new property. To help you with that, you will want to take a few moments of your time to review the following points. Double Check Your Credit Reports Even if believe that you have good credit because you have been paying all of your bills on time, there could still be some problems on your credit reports that could prevent you from getting the home of your dreams.

Want To Sell Your Home Faster? 4 Tips To Help Make It Happen
You may not have a lot of time to wait for your home to sell, such as if you have already found a new home or you are moving across the country. Fortunately, there are some things you can do to sell your home quicker. Follow the tips below, and you will be signing papers before you know it. Show Off Storage Many people look at how much storage a home has when they consider buying.

3 Internet Sources To Help You Find A Safe Neighborhood To Live In When Moving To An Unfamiliar City After You Graduate From Col
The college graduation season will soon be here and thousands of excited graduates will leave the safe confines of college living and move to unfamiliar cities to accept entry-level jobs in their chosen profession. One of the problems many face is being able to afford a nice apartment in a safe neighborhood on the entry-level pay they will be earning. Here are 3 Internet sources you can use to help you determine where the safe neighborhoods are in the city you'll be moving to start your new life and career after college.

A Few Tips For Tenants When Renting From A Property Leasing Company
Some renters prefer to rent directly from the homeowner, feeling a property leasing company will be to cold and detached if there is a problem. This can be a disadvantage in some ways. A homeowner may have an emotional attachment to the home and expect you to live in it the same way they did. They may also be harder to contact and slower when it comes to making any necessary repairs, especially if the repairs are going to be very expensive.

Can You Still Benefit From A Vacation Home Even If You Don't Use It Often?
There's no arguing that owning a vacation home is a pretty sweet deal, with benefits ranging from the occasional weekend getaway at the beach to fun outings with family and friends. However, vacationing is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to reaping the benefits of a vacation home. There are a bevy of financial, logistical, and familial benefits that stem from owning a vacation home. Here are four such benefits and what they can do for just about every aspect of your life.

Buying A Condominium? Two Points To Consider Before Closing The Deal
When you're in the market for a new dwelling place, condominiums are a great choice.  Since the exterior portions of the structure are owned by an association, you typically won't have to worry about cutting grass or manicuring shrubbery.  This is especially beneficial if you're a busy professional, or have a growing family that takes up much of your time.  However, there are a few differences between condos and single family homes, so there are important pieces of information that you need to obtain before you make your purchase.

What Is A Customized Mortgage?
Getting a mortgage for your home can be a pretty complicated experience, since there are so many different terms and options that you need to think about. Is an adjustable-rate mortgage better than a fixed-rate mortgage? What is a jumbo mortgage and how will your options change if you are a veteran? However, there is one option that has recently become pretty popular for its versatility, and that is the customized mortgage.