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5 Home Improvements that Pay Off—and 5 that Don’t

Favorable economic conditions have long triggered investment in home improvements—more money, more upgrades—and progress on the housing front is set to spur the next wave of homeowner spending on both necessary and discretionary projects. How should homeowners invest their remodeling dollars this year?  By and large, homeowners can expect to reap the highest returns on projects that […]
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Friends Who Join Forces See Homeowner Dreams Come True

(TNS)—A group of longtime Seattle pals is going from renting together to buying houses together, like a real-life sequel to the television sitcom “Friends.” James Sutter, 31; his wife, Margo Arnold, 34; and another couple recently bought a new three-bedroom, three-story house in the city’s Columbia City neighborhood for $705,000. They chose the home partly […]
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7 Important Home Renovation Tips You Might’ve Missed

New year, new you, right? Sure! If you’re like most people, the new year is chock-full of health- and wellness-related resolutions—but why stop there? Your home could use some improvements in the new year too. If a major home improvement is on your list of resolutions, it pays to have your plans established before you […]
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What You Need to Know about Lead Poisoning

(TNS)—The recent news about high lead levels in the Flint, Mich., water supply has raised concerns about lead poisoning in general. Mayo Clinic experts say young children are at the greatest risk of health problems related to lead exposure, including serious brain and kidney damage. Lead poisoning happens when the metal builds up in the […]
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How Can You Fend Off the Flu at Work?

(TNS)—No matter what grandma might have warned, simple exposure to frosty winter air won’t lead to getting the flu. But going to the office might. Doctors suspect the workplace ranks among the biggest culprits in spreading the virus. Nausea and other symptoms force Americans to take nearly 111 million sick days a year, contributing to […]
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A Foolproof Home Organizer Checklist

If your New Year’s resolutions include keeping a tidier, more organized household, home and garden experts provide a home organization checklist designed to help keep you on target. Engage the family by assigning daily and weekly chores to everyone who is at least five years old. Post your checklist where everyone can read it, and […]
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Pros, Cons and Cost of Space Heater Options

(TNS)—Central heating systems are designed to maintain a warm and comfortable temperature in your home — even when the weather outside is exceptionally cold and frigid. However, extreme snow storms and dramatically cold weather can prevent your primary heating system from effectively warming up your house and can cause cold air to infiltrate various areas […]
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Learning the Basics of Reverse Mortgages

(TNS)—Reverse mortgages have become the cash-strapped homeowner’s financial planning tool of choice. The first Federal Housing Administration-insured reverse mortgage was introduced in 1989. Such loans enable seniors age 62 and older to access a portion of their home equity without having to move. The bank makes payments to the borrower throughout his or her lifetime […]
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Real Estate Q&A: When the Home Doesn’t Appraise

(TNS)—Q: After a long search, we finally found a home. We outbid the other interested parties and are under contract to close later this month. But our lender just told us that the house did not appraise for the purchase price. What can we do? A: When you take out a mortgage, your lender will […]
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New Breed of House Hunter Commands Pet Perks, Parks and More

Pets have found their way into the hearts—and homes—of over 125 million households across the country. Now, more so than ever before, pets are warranting consideration beyond that of their owners. On the house hunt, pets are playing a foremost role in the homebuying and renting decisions their owners make. “I can easily say 80 percent […]