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What You Should Do Now If You Plan On Selling This Fall
Home sales during the fall are traditionally a bit slower than the frenzied spring and summer months. But fall can be a good time to sell because there are (usually) fewer houses on the market - meaning less competition - and buyers typically want to buy quickly before winter and the holidays set in.
Homes that are in the more sought-after areas, in good condition and priced well tend to sell very quickly for full or near full price. And this fall could signal the continuation of many sellers' markets throughout the country as interest rates slowly creep up and the fear of additional
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increases looms.
Home buying activity has also been spurred by the fear of many potential homebuyers that this may be the last time they see interest rates under the
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Buyers: Searching For Your Homeowner's Insurance
With homeowners insurance premiums soaring and an increasing number of companies tightening guidelines on just who -- or what -- they'll insure, it's especially important to start looking for insurance and learn what factors will lead to higher premiums even before you begin house hunting.
National Association of Realtors President Cathy Whatley said earlier this year that homeowners insurance premiums and the lack of available coverage have become significant barriers to homeownership. Most affected are those who have no credit history and existing homeowners who have water-related claims.
"In light of today's insurance crisis, homebuyers should not take their insurability for granted," she said. The Insurance Information Institute (III) says the average cost of homeowners insurance increased by 8 percent last year and is expected to rise another 9 percent this year. But many homeowners have seen increases ranging from 30 to 70 percent.
Catastrophes like Hurricane Andrew and the Northridge Earthquake have triggered the increases, the industry
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Pack It Up, Pack It In:
Packing For A Smooth Move
If you're one of the millions who will be moving this year, you know it can be a stressful time for the whole family. One of the things you don't want to have to worry about is your belongings remaining intact. With proper packing techniques, you can ensure your belongings stay safe.
Some 43 million U.S. residents -- 16 percent of the population -- moved to a new residence during the period from March 1999 to March 2000, the period in
which most recent U.S. Census Bureau figures are available.
"Research tells us that moving is usually one of the most stressful events in a person's life, ranked as high as the death of a loved one or divorce," said Joe Harrison, president of the American Moving and Storage Association. "But with the right kind of planning and care, you can make your move a lot less stressful."
To begin, make sure you have the following items on hand: strong packing boxes, bubble wrap for packing fragile items, tissue and ink-free packing
paper, scissors, knife for opening boxes, several broad-tip markers to label boxes, and rolls of packing tape.
Whether you're handling the move on your own, or are hiring a company to handle the actual move but are still doing your own packing, you should keep
the following in mind:
Pack one room at a time and try to keep similar items together. Mark the
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Keep Your Home
And Identity Safe
If you're gearing up for a vacation or end-of-the-summer weekend getaway, you'll want to keep not only your home safe, but your good name as well.
Most of us hear annual tips about taking measures to keep burglars at bay and keep valuables safe while we're away. But some burglars are now targeting more than just jewelry and electronics. This class of thieves wants to break into your house to steal your identity - your social security number, credit card numbers, or any other information that enables them to commit fraud or theft.
The Insurance Information Institute says the average loss to the homeowner when a burglary occurs is $1,381. And the industry pays out more than $1 billion in claims.
When it comes to identify fraud, the Federal Trade Commission says it was the No. 1 fraud complaint last year,
Daily News and Advice
Read about the events shaping the Real Estate market today, find current interest rates, or browse the extensive library of advice and how-to articles written by some of the top experts in Real Estate. Updated each weekday.
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