by kramoltz@hotmail.com | Apr 17, 2017 | Home Ownership
Did you know that plywood is not all the same? To pick the right sheet of plywood for your job, check how it is graded before you buy. Plywood sheets are designated by a pair of letters, which are the grades of each face, with the first being the exposed-face. If...
by kramoltz@hotmail.com | Mar 7, 2017 | Home Buying, Home Ownership, Mortgages + Lending
Fannie Mae announced HomeStyle Energy mortgage program last year, to help borrowers finance energy and water upgrades to make their home more energy efficient when buying or refinancing a home. The loan makes buyer-owners eligible to receive up to 15% of the...
by kramoltz@hotmail.com | Feb 27, 2017 | Arizona and Its Amenities, Home Ownership
Like higher costs, fees and taxes? If not, come to Arizona. Arizona doesn’t impose costs on snowbirds upon sale of a home the way Florida does. Full time Florida resident property tax bills can’t rise more than 3% annually, while snowbird taxes can go up to 10%. Plus...
by kramoltz@hotmail.com | Feb 10, 2017 | Home Buying, Home Ownership
In Five Home Trends, I detailed likely buyer housing wants. Here are 5 more: 1. Wellness systems. Healthful features like lighting systems that utilize sunshine (such as clerestory windows and skylights), swimming pools without chlorine, and vegetable gardens. 2....
by kramoltz@hotmail.com | Jan 26, 2017 | Home Ownership, Preparing a Home for Sale
WD-40 was invented for use on metal parts to displace water and repel water (its full name is water displacement formula number 40). Besides using it for that, it can be very handy around the house. Here are 8 things you can use it for: 1. Gives floors that...
by kramoltz@hotmail.com | Jan 19, 2017 | Home Buying, Home Ownership, Selling Your Home
A study conducted by appraisers between 2010 and 2013 in six states (Arizona wasn’t one of them) found that solar homes with a typically-sized system sold, on average, for around $14,000 more. With our lower than average energy costs, metro Phoenix area solar owners...
