By the time it becomes obvious that a tree in your yard is dying, it may be too late to save it. In order to avoid a costly, time-consuming removal project, it’s helpful to monitor your trees for signs that they’re embarking on a death spiral. [More]
homeowners
Stuff To Consider Before Building An Addition Onto Your Home
By 2.24.12
Some homeowners are convinced that they need more space, and glance through their walls with visions of new rooms dancing in their heads. The trigger-happy subset of these folks jumps into these projects with abandon, certain that the addition will “pay for itself” by upping the value of the home. But in a housing market like this, such assumptions can be faulty. [More]
Protect Your Home From Water Leaks With A Sensor
By 2.17.12
Unless you’re in the habit of strolling through your basement hourly, you probably wouldn’t be able to catch a water leak until it’s already significantly damaged your flooring. A way to stay on top of any problems is to install a water sensor. [More]
The Letter That Got My Homeowner's Insurance Company To Pay Up
By 8.17.11
Reader S finally got his homeowner’s insurance company to pay up for the rebuilding of the glass railings around his condo, thanks to a well-crafted and scary letter he wrote them. Here is his story, and his ass-kicking letter. [More]
Contractor Tears Siding Off Wrong House
By 7.27.11
An Iowa homeowner was surprised when he looked at his house and half the siding on it was gone, leaving an exposed underbelly of bare white plastic. No other nearby houses were affected. Had a highly localized tornado swept through and targeted just the side of his house? Nope. A local contractor got the address wrong and taken the siding off the wrong abode. The timing was pretty poor, too, as the homeowner had just put it up for sale. And because of insurance bureaucracy, it may be a while before the siding goes back up. [More]
Man Seals Self Inside Foreclosed Home
By 5.4.10
Now we finally understand the secrets of the pharoahs: a bunch of angry people in Stony Ridge, Ohio have sealed up a home with the homeowner inside, with his permission, leaving only a golf ball-sized hole in the front door. The man, Keith Sadler, says he fell behind last year after paying on his mortgage for 12 years, and that his bank promised to work with him but instead proceeded with foreclosure. [More]
Collectors May Come After Homeowners For Money Years After They Default
By 3.15.10
Those who default on their mortgages may not be off the hook for money they owe, the Sacramento Bee reports. Banks that own bad mortgages can sell the debt, and the sellers can sic collections agents after the former homeowners, sometimes years later. [More]
Is The Guy Who Bulldozed His Home A Folk Hero?
By 2.26.10
Terry Hoskins, the guy in Ohio who bulldozed his home earlier this month to prevent it from being taken back and auctioned off by his bank, is now the subject of a song. Someone else made t-shirts and caps–they feature a bright yellow bulldozer and the words, “Take ‘Er Down”–that are being sold to raise money for him. WLWT says Hoskins didn’t break any laws by dozing the home, but as he puts it, “I still have a mortgage of ($160,000). I still (have) to pay that.” [More]
Man Bulldozes Home After Foreclosure
By 2.18.10
A man in Ohio grew so angry at his bank for refusing to work with him to keep his home that he bulldozed it. He told WLWT News, “As far as what the bank is going to get, I plan on giving them back what was on this hill exactly (as) it was. I brought it out of the ground and I plan on putting it back in the ground.” [More]
When To Buy A Home And How To Avoid Screwing It Up
By 11.2.09
Are you hitting that stage in life where you’re thinking of becoming a homeowner? Morningstar has published two home buying articles that together offer some good, concise advice to the prospective buyer, especially if you’re a first-timer.
Homeowners With Good Credit Are More Likely To Strategically Default
By 9.25.09
Here’s an interesting discovery about mortgage defaults from the LA Times:
Beware Scammers Installing City-Mandated "Whole House Water Systems"
By 8.25.09
A city in Florida has just warned its residents of a weird scam: someone’s been hanging pink notices on doors around town that say, “Due to the water quality in this area, we will be installing whole-house water treatment systems.” You’re supposed to fill out the back of the notice and leave it out for further contact. Remember, don’t let anyone remodel your home on behalf of the city. It probably goes without saying, but still.
Save On Cooling Costs By Installing A White Roof
By 7.30.09
The New York Times says a white roof on your house “can cost as little as 15 percent more than its dark counterpart” yet “reduce air-conditioning costs by 20 percent or more in hot, sunny weather.” This is because, scientifically speaking, the color white hates the stupid sun and won’t have anything to do with it.
WSJ Asks, "Is Your Home A Good Investment?"
By 5.26.09
Brett Arends at The Wall Street Journal has compared Case-Shiller house price data to annual inflation rates, and speculates that owning a home may not be a very good investment. “You can often do better on long-term inflation protected government bonds,” he writes.
Beware Of The "Model Home" Ploy From Window Salesmen
By 4.30.09
Thomas says his wife was approached by a belligerent salesman the other day regarding the windows on their home. He tried to get her to agree to an instant estimate and promised a huge discount for being a “model home” for the window upgrades, but when she refused to make an instant decision, Thomas says he “snatched the card out of her hand” and “yelled at her.”
The Bailout Bill Helps Renters Keep Their Homes
By 10.11.08
Great news for renters facing eviction due to foreclosure: any mortgage owner seeking assistance under Congress’ mammoth bailout bill is required to let paying renters stay in their homes.
Chicago Sheriff Halts Foreclosure Evictions, Won't Toss Innocent Renters
By 10.9.08
Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart said he understood he was flouting the law in refusing to have deputies carry out the rising number of eviction requests, but mortgage holders must be accountable.
Is Your HELOC In Danger Of Being Frozen?
By 4.22.08
If you have an open home equity line of credit you were counting on for renovations or other projects, you might want to read CNN Money’s article about how lenders are freezing them around the country. The main triggers for HELOC freezing are credit score changes and a rapid drop in home value in your area. The freeze may also be a computer-determined action, so if your HELOC suddenly goes away and you don’t think it was justified, it may be worth checking your FICO score and then contacting the lender to reopen the line or renegotiate it.
