Although many people have never even heard of Mortgage Fraud before, it is an issue everyone should be aware of, if you own a home or thinking of buying a home. With Mortgage Fraud growing along with the real estate market, it is important to be aware of who you are dealing with in your […]
How Accurate is Zillow?
Have you ever checked out the satellite photos and market value estimates of homes in your neighborhood on Zillow.com – the Internet real estate site that offers “free, instant valuations and data for 67 million-plus homes”? Zillow was launched with major media fanfare in February, backed with a reported $57 million in venture capital. It […]
How Correctly Using Insulation helps you save energy and money
Electricity bills, oil bills, gas bills — all homeowners pay for one or more of these utilities, and wish they paid less. Often many of us do not really know how to control or reduce our utility bills. We resign ourselves to high bills because we think that is the price we have to […]
Broken Sound Country Club Community Tour
Broken Sound Country Club Boca Raton, Florida Community Features Broken Sound Country Club is nestled in the heart of Boca Raton and with its 27 distinctive villages offers its residents an extensive selection of luxury Mediterranean-style homes and fabulous resort amenities. There are over 1,600 homes set amid 1,000 acres of award-winning landscaping, including 300 […]
Fall Maintenance Checklist: Finding Air Leaks in Your Home
You can save 10% or more on your energy bill by reducing the air leaks in your home. Here’s how you can find them: Test your home for air leaks. On a windy day, hold a lit incense stick next to the common sources of air leaks shown below. If the smoke travels horizontally, you […]
Fall Maintenance Checklist: Caulking and Weatherstripping
Warmed or air-conditioned air mixes with outside air through gaps in your home’s thermal envelope — exterior walls, windows, doors, the roof, and floors. Such air leaks can waste large amounts of energy. Most experts agree that caulking and weatherstripping any gaps will pay for itself within one year in energy savings. Caulking and weather […]
How to Prevent Wood Floors from ‘Cupping’
Excess moisture eats away at homeowner finances. “cupping” of your newly installed floorboards is likely the result of excessive moisture. One possible source of the problem might be that the wood flooring was not allowed to stabilize before it was installed. If the wood contained excessive moisture at installation, natural warps and cups appear as […]
Citizens to Drop Most Investment Properties
The state-run insurance pool is getting ready to move second homes, vacation homes and most investment properties off its books. An insurance bill passed in May requires Citizens Property Insurance to stop offering windstorm coverage to non-homestead properties after March 1, 2007. The aim of the law is to reduce risk and slow the growth […]
Home Buyers: Don’t Repair Defects Without First Calling Inspector
When I bought my home, I made the mistake of not being present for the home inspection. Instead, I trusted that the inspector did a good job and that everything was OK. After moving in, I began finding things the inspector had missed. Worst of all was moisture and rotted wood at the base of […]
Property Owners Get Tax Relief
WEST PALM BEACH, Florida – Palm Beach County commissioners voted unanimously in September to drop the county’s tax rate by less than a percent. It’s the second time in two months they have agreed to lower the rate. The commission agreed to cut $3 million in unallocated money from the county’s spending plan, resulting in […]
