Tag: News

Top defects to look for when buying an older home

Q: Buying a house worries me. I don’t know what I should be looking out for! I know that the older the house, the more likely it is that the wiring, plumbing and roof might be out of date, and the paint could even have lead in it if it’s old enough. I have been …

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CAPITAL SPENDING IN U.S. NEARS 2008 LEVEL

Bloomberg reported that capital spending at U.S. companies is at the highest level since 2008 as upgrades to plants, property and equipment show some executives embracing the likelihood that the economy will avert recession. Expenditures rose 24% to $43.3 billion in the third quarter for 140 non-financial companies in the Standard & Poor’s 500 that …

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PNC CHRISTMAS PRICE INDEX ON TRACK WITH ECONOMIC INDICATORS

A sluggish economy coupled with weak demand has kept the 2011 PNC Christmas Price Index (PNC CPI) to a moderate gain of 3.5% in the whimsical economic analysis by PNC Wealth Management based on the gifts in the holiday classic, “The Twelve Days of Christmas.” According to the 28th annual survey, the price tag for …

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SELF-EMPLOYED BUYERS: The Best Way To Get A Mortgage!

Self-employed borrowers present one of the most challenging areas of mortgage underwriting. Qualifying self-employed people often requires time, energy, and patience. A fair and honest qualification requires a special set of skills. Most mortgage companies underwrite their loans based on guidelines established by the Federal National Mortgage Association (Fannie Mae), the Federal Housing Administration (FHA), …

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Real Estate Investing 101

An Overview of Real Estate Investing Basics for Beginners When you invest in real estate, your goal is to put money to work today and make it grow so you have more money in the future. You have to make enough profit, or “return”, to cover the risk you take, taxes you pay, and the …

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Research Is important for Home Buying

If you are in the market to buy a home in the next few months, make sure you do preliminary research to determine exactly what your needs and wants are.  Use the internet, tour the community and speak to neighbors within the prospective neighborhood.  Need help figuring it all out? Call me, I can help. …

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Things school doesn’t teach you about money

Robert Kiyosaki is perhaps still best known as the author of the “Rich Dad, Poor Dad” series of books, which almost 15 years ago began indoctrinating the world on his then-unconventional wealth-building strategies. The books emphasize the use of leverage (debt) to build real estate investment portfolios and businesses, and largely eschew stock market investments, …

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BUYERS: The Seven Steps After The Contract Is Signed!

You’ve signed the contract and are looking forward to moving into your new home, but there are a few steps that cannot be overlooked. By following these easy steps, you will ensure yourself a smooth move into your new home. 1. First, get the home inspected. Arrange a time to return to the property for …

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Should You Consider Listing Your Home During the Holidays?

As the holidays approach, I’m always asked the same questions: Should we keep our property on the real estate market or take it off? Do we list now, wait until after the first of the year, or hold off until spring? In the past, conventional wisdom said you shouldn’t try to sell a home during the holidays. …

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9 ways to keep lid on energy bills

Air leaks can infiltrate surprising places No one likes wasting money, especially in these tough economic times. So it certainly makes sense — dollars and cents — to make a small investment of time and supplies to close up those heat-wasting air leaks around your home. It’ll pay back big dividends in reduced energy bills …

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31 Pennsylvania Nonprofits Reap More Than $160,000 in Education Grants From Verizon

Landline Customers’ Donations Through Verizon’s ‘Check Into Literacy’ Program Support Education Across the Keystone State PR Newswire PHILADELPHIA, Nov. 9, 2011 PHILADELPHIA, Nov. 9, 2011 /PRNewswire/ — Thanks to the generosity of Verizon Pennsylvania landline customers who participated in the company’s Check Into Literacy program, 31 nonprofit organizations across Pennsylvania will share more than $160,000 …

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Predictions from NAR for 2012

Monday, November 14, 2011— This week the Miami Association of Realtors, in coordination with the National Association of Realtors (NAR), hosted the annual International Real Estate Congress in Miami, which was attended by hundreds of real estate professionals from far away as Russia, Brazil, Mexico, France, Spain and China. Over the course of this 2-day …

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