Archive for December, 2007

Useful Tips on Buying a New Home

Saturday, December 15th, 2007

How Much Home Can You Afford??

Manufactured homes are often sold separately from the land on which they will be placed.  When calculating how much home you can afford, you need to factor in the cost of the land or land rental.

If you purchase land be sure to include costs to prepare it for your home: clearance and grade work, a well or septic system, electrical and water connections, driveways, porches, landscaping, and more.

If you place the home in a park, these costs may be bundled into “park packages,” which pay for improvements such as driveways and carports for lots owned by the landlord.  Don’t forget to factor in likely rent increases when budgeting this option.
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16 Tips on Renting in D.C.

Saturday, December 15th, 2007

1. How can I learn about D.C. rental law?
The District of Columbia Housing Code (DCHC) is enforced by the D.C. Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs’ Housing Regulation Administration (HRA). The HRA publishes the “Tenant’s Guide to Safe and Decent Housing,” a 30-page booklet summarizing the D.C. housing code and its partner, the Rental Housing Act of 1985, which is the city law covering rent-controlled apartments. To obtain a copy, visit the Housing Regulation Services Center in Room 700 at 614 H Street, N.W., Washington, D.C., 20001, telephone (202) 727-7395, or send the office a self-addressed, stamped envelope to receive the guide by mail.  

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Interview with Real Estate Brokers

Saturday, December 15th, 2007

So your sister just introduced you to her friend Irving, a real estate agent, and now you can’t get rid of him, right? Wrong! Choosing the right person to sell your home is one of the most important steps of selling. Therefore, choose wisely.
At a minimum, speak with 2 or 3 brokers from different agencies. Ask prospective brokers the same list of questions, in order to compare their answers. Find out what they would do to sell your house.
Above all, choose a broker that you feel comfortable with and like. This person will help you make the biggest sale of your life, so find someone you think will do a good job!
The following is a list of questions that may be helpful to ask while speaking with prospective real estate brokers.

1. How many years have you been in business?
2. For how long have you sold houses in this area?
3. How many houses did you sell in the past year?
4. What is your commission?
5. If I were to work with you, how would you market my house?
6. Will you organize meetings with potential buyers and will you coordinate them personally?
7. Can you give me names and telephone numbers of other families that have used your services?

Source: www.hud.gov

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Hello world!

Friday, December 14th, 2007

Welcome to WordPress. This is your first post. Edit or delete it, then start blogging!

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