No Place Like Home

Having a place to call your own—whether you’re going to be there for four years or forever—is an essential part of the American dream. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs offers plenty of great programs to help those who have served in the military get a home loan, but the process isn’t foolproof. First-time home buyers aren’t the only ones who make buying mistakes. Even people buying their second home, or their 10th, can be thrown off course when buying a new home and dealing with lenders.

You can avoid your own buyer’s tale of woe (or headbanging frustration) by avoiding those mistakes before you start your home search. 

With your backyard being the new summer hangout, it’s about time to spruce it up. But what if your budget is already stretched tight?

Well, if you don’t mind getting your hands a bit dirty, we’ve got just the ticket: eight oh-so-easy outdoor DIY projects that will keep you busy on these long summer days while you stay home and add some serious charm to your yard.

Read more HERE.

As we spend more time at home, the itch for a fresh, new space becomes hard to avoid. But if this doesn’t seem like the right moment to hire a professional interior designer for a full decor reboot, it doesn’t mean you’re stuck with looking at an unattractive space.

In fact, you can give your home a total makeover—without buying a darned thing.  

Read more HERE.

Half the battle of lawn and garden tasks is actually finding time to spend in your yard. But since we’re already staying put at home much of the time because of the novel coronavirus, popping out to tackle a few projects isn’t as much of a challenge.

DIY outdoor projects are a win-win for homeowners as they’re a great source of exercise and they help beautify your home.  Check out these seven outdoor projects that you can tackle after work or on the weekend. 

Curb appeal is even more important as more home buyers shop for homes from a distance and narrow the lists of which homes they want to view in-person. Realtor.com® recently consulted with Clint Robertson and Luke Caldwell of HGTV’s “Boise Boys” to learn how to increase a property’s curb appeal. HERE are some of their ideas.

With federal protections about to expire, landlords are being offered additional help as the COVID-19 pandemic continues. The Federal Housing Finance Agency said Monday that multifamily property owners currently in forbearance can request an extension of their payment suspension for three additional months. That will amount up to half a year in total.

The FHFA guidelines apply only to properties that have loans secured by the government-backed enterprises Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac.

Renters in these complexes should also, therefore, be protected from evictions as long as the forbearance lasts, Forbes.com reports. Landlords must be flexible in allowing renters to repay missed payments and cannot charge fees.