http://www.jeanmwright.com Wed, 28 Dec 2011 08:00:30 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en Get Rid of Clutter  Depersonalize  Clean, Clean, Clean  Update Old and Deteriorating Spaces  Define Spaces  Fill Empty Rooms  Lighten Up Spaces  Open up Indoor Walkways  Clean out Closets and leave them one-third empty  Curb and hallway appeal really count  Be model-ready http://www.jeanmwright.com/stage-your-home-to-portray-a-lifestyle-that-prospective-buyers-can-relate-and-aspire-to/ Start with your closet.  Everyone has too many clothes.  Make a commitment to refuse to get more stuff.  It will take a while to reduce your belongings and it’s going to take a few months of refusing to get new things before you change your habits.  Most people around you will not ... http://www.jeanmwright.com/tips-to-downsize-your-lifestyle/ What is Real Estate Investing? A tangible, cash-generating asset and appreciates in value.  Real estate investment has proven to be a powerful method of accumulating wealth over time and investors are getting a return on their investment in three ways, cash flow, return on taxes and appreciation.  What are the benefits? The main ... http://www.jeanmwright.com/tips-to-keep-in-mind-if-you%e2%80%99re-thinking-about-becoming-a-real-estate-investor/ The U.S. Treasury has releases its regular monthly report card on the Home Affordable Modification Program (HAMP).  This time is an assessment of how the 10 larges HAMP servicers are performing.  Substantial Improvement was given to Bank of America, Ocwen Loan Servicing, Wells Fargo and JP Morgan Chase.  Of those four, ... http://www.jeanmwright.com/us-treasury-puts-performance-of-10-larges-hamp-servicers-on-display/ A recent survey conducted by FindLaw.com a legal information website found that 60% of Americans believe that it is “never OK” for homeowners to simply stop making payments on their mortgages.  34% say it’s OK for homeowners to walk away from mortgages, but only if they aren’t able to make ... http://www.jeanmwright.com/most-american%e2%80%99s-opposed-to-homeowners-walking-away-from-mortgages/ When to Prune?  Knowing the right time is crucial, pruning at the wrong time may not damage plants but it can sacrifice that year’s flowers or fruit.  Late spring/Early Summer Prune spring-flowering shrubs and trees which flower before July 1 immediately after the flowers fade.  Midsummer Several deciduous trees produce a heavy sap flow ... http://www.jeanmwright.com/pruning-basics/  1)      Obtain a Home Inspection – The house may look great on the surface but might have hidden problems which could require expensive repairs.  On the other hand, a fixer may look bad but could have excellent bones that can be repaired at a reasonable cost.  Even if the listing ... http://www.jeanmwright.com/thinking-about-buying-a-foreclosure-things-to-think-about/ One bright spot in the dismal real estate market is the rental market.  Demand is up and rents are rising.  That’s partly because those foreclosures have turned more than 4 million former homeowners into rents, but also because many other prospective homeowners, worried about losing their jobs or housing prices ... http://www.jeanmwright.com/cashing-in-on-rental-property/ Nationwide, the US housing market remains deep in the doldrums and economists expect prices to fall another 5% to 10% in many places.  When the rebound arrives, desirable zip codes will see price jumps first.  Real estate is always local.   Here are a few things to start watching in your neighborhood:  How fast ... http://www.jeanmwright.com/when-will-home-prices-begin-to-increase/ Foreclosure filing rose in August, as more homeowners fell behind on their mortgage payments.   Filing were up 7% compared to July, but were still 33% lower than a year ago.  According to Realty Tract’s report, 228,098 homes in the US received some kind of foreclosure filing in August.  Foreclosure auctions and bank ... http://www.jeanmwright.com/august-foreclosure-statistics/