Author: Ben
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Interest Rates
Mortgage interest rates hit 5% for the first ime in a decade After falling to historic lows last year, mortgage rates are rising sharply. On April 5, they hit their highest point in more than a decade with the average interest rate for a 30 year fixed rate mortgage topping 5%, up from 3% just…
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Vacation Home
Should you Buy a Vacation Home Before a Starter Home? At the height of the pandemic, a millennial packed up his family of four in Brooklyn and sought refuge in upstate New York. Buying property was no small investment. Cities were largely shut down. Rural prices seemed attractive. Housing in Brooklyn was out of sight.…
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Home Pricing
Future of Home Price Appreciation and What It Means to YOU Many consumers are wondering what will happen with home values over the next few years. Some are concerned that the recent run-up in home prices will lead to a situation similar to the housing crash 15 years ago. However, experts say the market is…
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Tax Rules
3 Tax Rules you need to Know if you Purchased a House Last Year! Buying a house is a big investment Buying a house can come with lots of hidden expenses. Maybe repairs you didn’t expect, higher utility costs and homeowner or neighborhood association fees. You can save some money on your taxes by taking…
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Hire a Pro
10 Home Improvement Projects to leave to the Pros Spring is an ideal time to get started on your home project-to-do list. But, some projects can be too overwhelming to do on your own. Many homeowners find it more time and cost effective to hire a pro. Necessary tools, cleaning supplies and rental equipment may…
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Spring Gardens
Welcome to Spring Botanical Gardens to Explore in the area Celebrate the arrival of spring by viewing birds, bees, flowers and butterflies. Nothing says spring quite like the bright colors of blooming flowers, the buzzing of honeybees and fluttering of birds and butterflies. Kick off the season in the fields, greenhouses, aviaries and butterfly houses…
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House Structure
How to tell if a house has “Good Bones” What the term means and how to know if a home has them. Not so recently built homes are often described as having “good bones.” This means a strong structure and high level of quality and craftsmanship. Of course, you can’t see beneath the paint and…
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Curb Appeal
Curb appeal is critical Flowers and shrubs are great, butt the accessories you buy for the yard tell a story. They create a vision that prospective buyers fall in love with. Buyers will imagine themselves entertaining friends on summer nights underneath the the bistro lights, or curled up with a drink and a blanket around…
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Moving
Top tips for a stress-free move Moving into a new house or apartment can seem like a daunting task. You’ve probably accumulated a lot of stuff over the years. The idea of packing everything up can be anough to overwhelm anyone. But if you follow these top moving tips, you can make your next move…