Buying/Selling in/around Nashville, TN
Here is an extremely useful guide to all those things that worry you about buying a home. It’s called a “first time homebuyers guide,” but it really applies to any buyer — whether you’re buying your first or your fifth house. Check it out!
Courtesy of Home Depot (we love Home Depot).
Whether you just got a puppy, have newly mobile children or built a pool, there are a multitude of reasons for wanting to keep people and animals in your yard, while preventing other from entering.
Picking the perfect fence can be difficult, so below we’ve outlined the main fencing materials to choose from and characteristics to consider about each.
Wood
Wood seems to be the most common material used in yards across the country — especially when wanting privacy. Depending on the type of wood you purchase, you’ll probably want to stain the planks to protect them from rot and ultra-violet light. Be prepared to retreat and maintain your wooden fence about every four years.
Chain Link
This economical option does its job well as a security fence. It’ll keep pets in and people out. And with the new black or green plastic coating chain link comes in, it almost blends into any background.
Chain link fences shouldn’t require any maintenance for at least 10 years, and they usually come with warranties for at least that long.
Wrought Iron
If you’re in the market for an ornate fence that you can see through and provides high security, then wrought iron should be your pick. These fences are actually made from steel and aluminum and need virtually no upkeep. Don’t expect to see any issues for at least 20 years.
Vinyl
You like the look of wood, but you hate the upkeep. Well, if you’re willing to spend the extra dough, usually four to five times the cost of wood, then you can have a man-made product that looks like the real thing.
Faux-wood fencing is usually seen in white, but can come in a variety of colors and even look almost identical to actual wooden planks. The best part is — no maintenance required!
Whatever your reason for building a fence, such as privacy, security, safety or to add curb appeal, you’ll have hundreds of options to choose amongst. Be sure you carefully consider each of the main fencing materials above, along with their look and maintenance requirements before you make the investment.
Families often wonder whether they would be better off renting or buying, especially in their younger days when they may not have saved up very much for a down payment.
Trulia has introduced an excellent new widget that allows you to enter personalized information (including sale price of home, typical rental rate paid, your tax rate, your interest rate, etc). This widget will show you in no uncertain terms whether you will be better off renting or buying.
Try it out — you may be surprised! You can find it at http://www.trulia.com/rent_vs_buy/
And if it turns out that you can purchase a home for an amount close to what you would be paying out in rent, then give us a call. We will be pleased to help you find the right house for you, and we’ll even sign you up for a little spending money at Lowe’s. Prediction: Lowe’s and Home Depot will become your favorite places to shop once you become a homeowner!
Here’s a sad reality. According to RIS Media, a prominent resource for all matters real estate, the number of divorces is increasing due to home values rising. The thinking goes like this: over the past four or five years, home prices bottomed out, and the resulting lack of equity in a home meant that many couples stayed married simply because of financial constraints. Now that home prices have climbed, some couples who have been staying together for financial reasons have reached a “happier” place. Now their house is worth much more, and they can sell it now for a reasonable profit. That means the net income derived from selling a home gives them the opportunity to finally go their separate ways.
Sad, isn’t it? Higher home prices = more divorces. It’s also sad that so many personal choices come down to plain dollars and cents. Here’s hoping you are happy, no matter what your marital situation is… Let us know if we can help you in any way. #divorce