Negotiating with Your Lender

You're behind on your mortgage, and you want to save your house. It's time to talk turkey with your lender. But what do you say and who do you say it to?

In this short (1:32) video, Money Talks correspondent Stacy Johnson offers some tips.

Leave any comments you have about this video, or any other tips on things you think should be considered when negotiating with your lender.  Use the comment link below to give us your feedback.

Selling Your Home: Presentation is Everything

In today's more challenging real estate market, selling your home becomes even more of a challenge.  With more and more homes on the market, how you present your home is key.

Uncluttered homes; spacious, clean and organized; bright and open is the desired look these days. Homebuyers are looking for a home to grow into not grow out of. So it is imperative that one make good use of the space they have in their home to prove to potential buyers that they can feel comfortable in your home, regardless of the square footage.

First, give a thorough inspection to the interior and exterior of your home, carefully going over every detail. If necessary, enlist the aid of a professional home inspector who can help you inspect your home, looking for any necessary repairs and maintenance issues. It is vital that you clear up any of these problems regarding the safety of your home before you even consider putting your home on the market for sale.

Presenting your home in a manner that will make buyers imagine living in your home is a step in the right direction to a quicker and more profitable sale.

If you want to know more about what you need to do to make your home more presentable to buyers, give us a call or drop us an email.  We'll be happy to help in any way we can.

Homeless: Not the American Dream

The mortgage crisis continues to loom large, and many thousands of people in the U.S. have lost their homes and are now joining the homeless.  This special report from the BBC takes a look at how some people, once proud homeowners, are now having to spend their lives.  (Video runs 1:33)

Have a comment about this video?  Your email will never be published on our site, so go ahead and tell us how you feel about this.  Can you imagine yourself having to live like this?  It's not beyond the realm of possibility for any of us one day.  Your comments are welcomed.

Remodeling Your Home: Five Questions to Ask First

If you're planning to tackle a remodeling project this Spring, make sure you know exactly how big a renovation you can afford and whether it justifies the time you intend to spend in your revamped home.

There are 5 big questions you should ask yourself before you even break out the legal pad and scratch out your plans:

1 - How long do I plan to stay in my house after the renovations? The longer you plan to live there, the more creative you can be. But if you're planning on selling the house in the next five years, keep potential buyers in mind with your choices. In the latter case, for instance, go with neutral colors in the kitchen and bathroom, and consider maple cabinets. Some people hate oak, others hate cherry, but the majority can live with maple.

2 - Am I doing just cosmetic fixes or am I ready for an all-out overhaul? It's OK to make small changes one at a time, but think long-term about the next step. For example, if you're buying a new sink, buy one with enough holes on the deck for the faucet, sprayer and soap dispenser you might want to add on later. And if you know you're going to buy new cabinets later, don't replace the countertop with expensive granite now. The chances of reusing it are very slim — either it breaks when you try to remove it, or it doesn't match the footprint of the new cabinets.

3 - Am I prepared for the home upheaval? Be realistic about how long your project might take. Renovations can go on for months, so you need to be prepared to make do without that bathroom, kitchen or bedroom. When checking references before you hire your contractor, be sure to ask if the company finished the work on time. You'd be surprised how quickly a week can turn into a month. And if you're bunking up with your in-laws during renovation, that month can seem like a year.

4 - Are the renovations keeping with the style of my home? Any big changes you make to a home inside should reflect what future buyers will expect from the outside. If you live in a Victorian house, don't make it too contemporary. People who see a historical exterior will expect a historical interior, so stay true to the details. The same goes for a contemporary or modern home, where future buyers may not expect old-fashioned details like antique crown molding.

5 - Are my Do-It-Yourself choices reasonable? You may consider yourself handy, but many do-it-yourself jobs demand your time more than anything else. If you have a full-time job, are you capable of taking on a second one? Some makeovers that are not technically difficult can take longer than you think. For that reason, if you start any job yourself, try to sample it before committing to the whole thing. For example, while refinishing cabinets with a new stain isn't rocket science, sanding down each one can take forever.

Going Green: Doesn't Have to Be Expensive

Everybody wants to save the planet… and most of us also want to save some money for ourselves. Is it possible to do both at the same time?

In this short (1:39) video, Money Talks correspondent Stacy Johnson shows some ways you can go green AND save money while you're doing it.

Be honest, how many of the ways to save in this video do you overlook each day?  We'd love to get your feedback.  Just use the comment link below.