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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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4 Reasons to Look for a Townhome That's Not Subject to a Homeowners Association
When you are looking to buy a townhome, the last thing that may be on your mind is whether the house is in an area that's governed by a homeowners association. After all, you probably are looking at things like how many bedrooms a townhome has or how close it is to the best schools in the area. A homeowners association, or HOA, is designed to protect the property values of the homes it governs.

Ask for These Physical Documents When You List Your House for Sale
Listing your home for sale can feel like a bit of an uncertain time, especially if you haven't previously gone through this process. You'll feel much more confident by hiring not only an experienced listing agent but one who will also provide you with a series of physical documents before your house officially goes on the market. By having access to these documents, you'll be able to regularly read up on the process of selling so that you feel properly informed from the time the house hits the market to when the paperwork is signed on your sale.

Buying A Condo: What To Know
Buying a condominium unit can seem like a great choice over a single family home for a number of reasons. The units are typically cheaper than a house, so you can free up other money for personal pursuits. You will no longer be responsible for raking leaves or mowing grass, and you don't have to worry about maintenance and repairs on the appliances and structures inside your unit. However, you need to be aware of some things before you buy a condo so that you are comfortable and happy with your new home.

How to Help an Aging Parent Solve Their Housing Problems from a Distance
Watching a parent decline and become unable to continue living in the family home alone due to age-related health issues is heartbreaking for any child, but when you are forced to watch this happen from a distance of hundreds or thousands of miles, it is even more troublesome. If you must live in another area, yet feel the need to assist your aging parent or parents with their housing situation, the following tips can help you find the best possible solution for all parties.

Look Into These Travel-Related Issues Before You Buy a Home
When you have your focus narrowed to a home or other piece of real estate that you wish to buy, it's important to think beyond just that residence's amenities. You should also spend some time learning about travel-related issues in the area. This is especially important if you're moving to a new part of the city or a new city altogether and don't have a grasp on the local travel situation.

2 Features To Look For That Can Save You Money In A New Home
One of the concerns that you should have when looking for a new home is what features to look for that can save you a bit of money, which only makes sense when you consider that you will probably be in your new home for years to come. Listed below are two features to look for in a new home that can save you money in the long run. Solar Panels

Things To Know About Upgrading Your Home Lock To A Fingerprint Scanning Lock
Many people are interested in taking their home protection to the next level in this digital age and choosing to invest in locks that operate through fingerprint scanning. This allows you to get into your home without the need for keys, which will decrease the chances of someone being able to get into your home without your knowledge. It is important to make sure that you have the lock installed by a professional, though.

Emergency Property Maintenance Calls: How To Limit Them This Holiday Season
With Thanksgiving and Christmas right around the corner, it is incredibly important that you take into consideration just how this holiday season – and future holiday seasons – may affect the numbers of emergency property maintenance calls that come in. More often than not, renters call in for repairs on their appliances. Because appliances are used in excess over the holidays, there is a good chance that these calls are going to spike during the cold weather and holiday season.

Answering A Few Commonly Asked Questions About Home Selling
The act of selling a home can be a major process for anyone to undertake. Due to the complexity and the money involved with these transactions, it can be common for first-time home sellers to be fairly unsure of what they should expect during this process. To help you be a better-prepared home seller, you should make sure to understand the following few answers to commonly asked questions from first-time homebuyers.

Protecting Your Garage And Home From A Break-In
Every homeowner cares about the safety and security of their home, but they oftentimes overlook the importance of making sure their garage is also secure. Garage doors are one of the easiest points of entry for criminals. Here are some helpful tips for you to consider when it comes to safeguarding your garage. Don't Advertise What's In Your Garage Drive around any neighborhood, especially on a nice day, and you will see countless garage doors wide open.