At some point, the space in which you live won't fit you quite as well. When this happens, you'll need to decide between selling your home and renovating. Understanding the pros and cons of each will help to make that choice a bit easier. 

Renovation Pros and Cons

Pro: Keeping Your Space

Perhaps one of the most important reasons individuals choose to renovate a space is because they aren't interested in moving. Renovations allow you to make alterations to a space that you already own, cutting out the necessity of moving and allowing you to keep all the other things you love about your home.

Con: Cost

Unfortunately, you're going to pay for the convenience of staying in one place. Major renovations can run into the tens of thousands of…

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Preparing to sell your home is a lot of work, and you can forget about one important issue, security. Open houses are an ideal target for thieves to get a nice payday if you are not careful. Take the necessary steps to keep your home protected during your open house.

Put Away Expensive Items

Even honest people can be tempted to steal if opportunities present themselves. Remove all items that are tempting, such as jewelry, cash, and electronics. Store these items in a hidden location that is accessible only for you and your family members.

Get a Trustworthy Agent

Do lots of research before you hire a real estate agent. Not all agents are trustworthy and responsible, so rely heavily on word of mouth and internet reviews before moving forward. If…

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If you are planning on putting your home up for sale sometime soon, you might be hoping to sell it as quickly as possible. These are a few upgrades that are sure to help you achieve that goal.

1. Painting

Painting is an affordable project that makes a big difference in the look of your home. Consider going with fresh, neutral colors so that your home will appeal to more buyers.

2. Replacing Flooring

If the flooring in your home is worn out, stained or outdated, it might be time to replace it. Look into hardwood and other popular options.

3. Replacing Light Fixtures

Sometimes, all it takes to freshen up a room is to add new light fixtures. New light fixtures can also be added outdoors to give your home more curb appeal. Consider looking…

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There are several tax benefits of buying a home.

Interest

The first benefit is that all of the interest that you pay on the mortgage will be considered a deductible. This is as long as the mortgage that you have on the home is not over $750,000. The deduction is simple to do no matter if you are doing your taxes yourself or having a professional to do them. Plus, you are going to be able to include the interest that you paid as part of the closing of your home. All of this will be found on the settlement sheet.

Property taxes

The second benefit is some of the money that you have paid on your property taxes are also deductible on your taxes. At one time, you had the ability to deduct all of your taxes but now based on the new tax laws, you will…

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Buying a foreclosure can seem like a great way to get a new home without having to pay quite as much as you would for a more traditional property. Before you buy a foreclosure, though, you'll need to learn a bit more about the process. Buying a foreclosure can be a good choice, but only if you understand what doing so entails. 

How to Buy the Home

There are two methods of buying a home that's in foreclosure. The first is buying a house at auction. This is uncommon for those not in the real estate business, as it requires you to be able to buy the house immediately with money that you have on-hand and you get no chance to inspect the property beforehand.

More common is buying a Real Estate Owned property. In this case, you go through much of the…

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There are several great reasons why you should downsize your home.

Lots of Work

The first reason is that there is going to be a lot less work to do inside the home. When you have a bigger property, then you are going to have a lot of things that you will need to take care of. Some of these things are going to include your personal items, furniture, household supplies, and kitchen appliances. But a smaller home is going to take a lot less effort and time in order to maintain it. Therefore, you can focus on things that you love.

Money

The second reason is that you are going to be able to save some money. If you are going to be moving to a place where it might be a little more expensive, then it is probably a good idea to downsize. Having a…

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When you own a home, you must prepare it for the winter season. It is better to begin these home maintenance chores during the autumn before the weather gets too cold to work on a variety of projects. 

Trimming Trees and Shrubs

On a warm and dry autumn day, you should trim the shrubs and trees around your home. This can keep the branches from dangling on a home’s rooftop or beating against the side of the building during a blizzard. You will need an extension ladder and pruning shears to trim the branches. Make sure to have a friend nearby to help you with this chore, and also, collect the branches for proper disposal. 

Cleaning Gutters and Downspouts

While you have your extension ladder available, you can also clean the debris from your…

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