Renters are more likely to experience a burglary than homeowners, according to data from the Bureau of Justice Statistics. Apartment buildings with two to four units are the most at risk of theft.“This is probably because plenty of people come and go from apartment complexes daily, while homes only have a few family members who enter or leave,” according to ADT, a security firm, which recently analyzed data on burglary risks across the countr
Mortgage giant Freddie Mac has announced a new program allowing some home buyers to skip a traditional appraisal, which could lower the fees the buyers pay and speed up the closing process. Freddie’s Automated Collateral Evaluation (or ACE) will determine a property’s collateral risk by culling data from multiple listing services, public records, and historical home values, and then assess whether a buyer needs a traditional appraisal or an a
Developers are turning to wood framing as a more affordable building material, but officials are warning of some dangers after reports of several wood-frame buildings catching fire across the country.Wood framing is increasingly being used in apartment construction and is largely considered safe once construction is completed. But wood framing can be vulnerable to fires before the interior wallboard and other safety features—like sprinklers and
Antitheft software is saving stolen smartphones everywhere. In San Francisco, phone-related robberies have dropped by 50 percent from 2013 to 2016 since the passage of the Smartphone Theft Prevention Act. This legislation makes it mandatory for manufacturers like Google and Apple to install theft-deterring software into their products. This includes activation locks and remote device erasure software.Ensure the built-in capabilities of your iPh
It’s been a year since Baton Rouge, La., experienced catastrophic flooding due to heavy rains. According to the Federal Emergency Management Agency, 83,000 homes damaged by the flooding were eligible for disaster assistance, with each household receiving an average of $13,100 to make repairs and $3,800 to replace essential household items.Some residents are still recovering, says John Dickson, president of flood insurance provider NFS Edge. He
Buyers will find it easier to get a home loan using these tipsThe real estate business is booming, and with a scarce supply of starter homes on the market, competition between buyers is fierce. To get loans quickly, potential homebuyers need to keep an eye on their finances and credit.Below, you will find nine general tips that will help ease the process of acquiring a home loan by improving credit scores.1. Always pay on timeNo lender likes
If an interior designer walked through the front doors of your listing, what would their first impression be?Give the house an interior designer spot test before opening it up to buyers. Realtor.com® offers a few tips from behind a designer’s lenses in a recent article :Traffic flow“The first thing I notice is whether or not the furniture placement promotes good flow of traffic,” says Lorelie Brown, a Showhomes franchisee in Charl
Get to know your neighborhoods -- and the types of houses you find in them -- inside and outKey Takeaways Factors to consider when pricing a home are: historic sales price, quality of the neighborhood, the market, nearby features and the size, appeal, age and condition of the home.Trying to price a home accurately, whether you’re preparing to sell a house or you’re ready to make an offer on one, is challenging. Even if you’ve had experien
Home shoppers can get hung up on cosmetic issues of a home, even though often times the problems are relatively inexpensive to fix.Buyers can easily get distracted by flaws or minor repairs, like the carpet or dated light fixtures. They may even let a sale fall apart because of it.Realtor.com® recently featured several potential home features that may jeopardize a deal, but really shouldn’t.Ugly kitchen cabinetsSure, the average kitchen remode
a mad dash when sellers are working to get their home on the market or even to just clean up ahead of a showing. But some common cleanup tools can actually do more damage than many people realize. HouseLogic identified a few common products that can create big problems, so you can be the expert your clients need and help them protect their investments. Bleach is a common cure-all, but this caustic chemical can eat through the sealant on stone s
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