House and Home

Not too long ago, unhappy with our rapidly deteriorating carpet my husband announced that he was thinking that maybe we should move to a larger home. His desire for a larger home also stemmed from the fact that we were running out of room to store his growing collection of action figures. I’m not overly … Read moreWhy We Choose to Live in a Smaller Home

Mortgage interest rates are at historic lows as a result of one of the worst global recessions in modern times. The housing market remains sluggish, which has driven down the price of homes making them very affordable. Now may be one of the best opportunities to purchase a home, provided you can get approved for … Read moreHow Much House Can You Afford to Buy?

As cool weather approaches, all but the most avid gardeners begin thinking about putting our gardens to bed for the winter. If you’ve grown weary of gardening, it’s tempting to just let your garden die and forget about it until spring planting season. However, if you’re interested in getting the most out of your garden … Read more5 Fall Tasks to Get the Most Out of Your Garden Next Year

The Federal Reserve just announced an open-ended quantitative easing program that will pump $40 billion a month into the economy in the attempt to stimulate growth. The move is designed to keep borrowed money cheap, and some believe that this will have the effect of keeping mortgage rates low in the coming months. If you … Read moreIs It Time to Start Thinking of Buying a House?

Buying your first home can be a confusing process, and one of the most confusing aspects is financing the home. If you’re not financially savvy some of the terminology used in the mortgage industry can make your head spin. When my husband and I took our our mortgage, one of the things we needed to … Read moreWhich is Better: Points or No Points on Your Mortgage?

One of the decisions you have to make when you buy a home is often whether you want a more “standard” 30 year mortgage, or if you want a 15 year mortgage. What you decide, as with all things personal finance, depends almost entirely on your own situation, and where you stand with regard to … Read more30 Year Mortgage vs. 15 Year Mortgage: Pros and Cons

Even with the current problems in the real estate market, there are still homeowners who have a decent amount of equity in their homes. These homeowners are likely to have been in their homes for a long while. As a result, there is significant equity to be tapped. If you are in retirement, or if … Read moreCan You Live Off Your Home Equity?

Summer is a great time for working on the house, since the weather is nice and the days are longer. We moved into our house four years ago, and it needed a LOT of work. Over the last four years we have learned a lot about how to tackle simple home improvement projects. Even though … Read more6 Simple Home Improvement Projects You Can Do On Your Own

I’m a dreamer with a big imagination and a disdain for high utility costs. Over the past several years I’ve kept a lot of green or environmental design websites bookmarked. I visit them regularly, check on new projects or offerings, and overall spend a lot of time thinking “Wow, that’s really cool!” I would love … Read moreIs It Worth It to Build a Green Home?