Homes and Apartments
Five Money Tips: Shopping for a Mortgage
8-21-2011
Shopping for a mortgage can be daunting, even for homeowners who have been through the process before. Christy Raines, a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ offers five tips for mortgage shopping. By being prepared, doing your homework, and asking questions, you can find a suitable mortgage for your circumstances.
(Read more...)List of Kitchen Essentials: How to Stock Your First Kitchen
5-11-2010
If you open a cookbook or watch a cooking show, you’ll see dozen of cooking utensils and pots and pans. Do you really need all of those fancy supplies? You don’t! It’s easy to make a delicious, healthy meal with a few simple kitchen essentials. Read on for What College Forgot’s list of essential kitchen supplies and tips on how to stock your first kitchen.
(Read more...)Questions to Ask a Landlord
3-31-2010
You’ve found an apartment that you like. But before you sign a lease, make sure you ask the landlord a few questions that you may not think about when looking at the actual unit. Is there a possibility of a month-to-month lease after the initial lease period of six or twelve months expires? Which utilities does the renter pay, and what are the rates? Is there a separate storage unit that’s included in the rent? And more...
(Read more...)Guidelines for Buying Renters or Homeowners Insurance
1-30-2010
Sally moved into a newly-renovated apartment in Manhattan. She felt like a queen. It was her first home – without roommates. She painted, purchased new furniture, and set up the place of her dreams. And then, disaster struck! Sally’s radiator leaked while she was out of town. Her apartment flooded, destroying all of her new furniture, jewelry, clothing, and electronic equipment. The building owner covered structural damages, but Sally was out of luck for her personal possessions. Learn how to protect yourself from unforeseen disasters like this one.
(Read more...)Rent vs. Own: How to Decide Whether to Rent or Buy a Home
1-10-2010
The benefits of buying a home seem almost endless. No upstairs or downstairs neighbors, you get your own yard, there are no restrictions on pets, and you can remodel without having to get permission. There are also many financial and emotional benefits when you buy a condo or house. Home ownership provides multiple tax incentives and the ability to make money on your investment. While home ownership has plenty of appeal, it’s also one of the most difficult financial decisions facing young people. Consider these five questions when deciding whether to rent or buy.
(Read more...)First-Time Home Buyer Tax Credit – What Do You Think?
10-22-2009
Recent home buyers and current home hunters know all about the first-time home buyer’s credit. Individuals making less than $75,000 or married couples making less than $150,000 in adjusted gross income currently qualify for the full $8,000 tax credit with the purchase of a first home. You can claim part of the credit if your individual income is less than $90,000 or your joint income is less than $170,000. This program is set to expire on December 1, 2009 so you hunters out there are hopefully closing on a home soon.
(Read more...)Reduce Your Rent
10-13-2009
Are you about to re-sign a lease or look for a new apartment? If so, you might want to dust off your negotiating skills and ask for a reduction in the rent you’re currently paying. Reuters reports that apartment vacancy has reached a 23-year high, and it’s expected to get worse through the second quarter of 2010. Average rents have fallen each quarter this year, which is bad news for landlords and good news for you. Check out the following table for a summary of average rent payments in several major markets. These rental statistics from RentBits.com are average rental rates calculated from thousands of one, two, and three bedroom apartment listings.
(Read more...)5 Key Steps for First-Time Home Buyers
9-27-2009
You’ve religiously dined on frozen meals for months. You’ve been stashing away your extra cash instead of spending it on baseball tickets, a pedicure, or a night out on the town. You’ve even been riding the bus to work. Now that you’ve saved enough money for a down payment, you’re finally ready to make the biggest purchase most individuals ever make – buying your first home. If the sheer amount of information available to first time home owners makes you feel doomed to rent forever, don’t panic! There’s hope, even for a rookie. This article contains five tips for first time home buyers can help alleviate your pre-purchase jitters.
(Read more...)How to Rent an Apartment – 4 Steps for New Renters
7-18-2009
You finally have your degree or new job offer in hand, but the apartment hunt looms in the distance. Renting is a good option for young people who aren’t ready to buy a home, but it also comes with a lot of responsibility and potential headaches. This article covers the following four steps to make finding that first apartment a little easier for the new renter: what to do before you rent, how to find an apartment, how to read and negotiate your first apartment lease, and how to protect your security deposit, rental history, and credit score.
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