| In
This Issue |
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| Monthly
Quote |
“My home is not a place, it is people.”
-Lois McMaster Bujold, American author, (1949 - ),
Barrayar
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| Tip
Of The Month |
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When
you are looking for a contractor to do any type of work on your
home, make sure the person or company you hire has the proper
credentials. Contractors should be bonded, registered with the
city or county and licensed by the state. Although these credentials
are no guarantee that you will like the work or that it will be
quality, you will at least have the reassurance that the contractor
is licensed. Additionally, if you have a serious complaint about
the contractor, it will help to know this information so you can
contact the licensing agency or the Better Business Bureau or
take the party to court.
| · |
You should also check
for proper insurance. A contractor should be insured for
property damage, worker’s compensation and personal
liability. Independent contractors may not have worker’s
compensation insurance, but they should have proof of
liability, medical and disability insurance. |
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You
can verify these credentials by calling the state, city
and county housing authorities to verify licensing and
bonding. To verify insurance coverage, you can call the
contractor’s insurer. |
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Properly screening contractors, whether your job is fixing a
toilet or finishing a basement, will go a long way toward preventing
problems before, during and after the job.
(Source: Gary Hedstrom, Peggy Hedstrom & Judy Tremore, How
to Fix Everything for Dummies, Wiley Publishing, Inc., 2005.) |
Last
Month's
National Survey
Results |
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In
Your opinion in the next 6 months will the value of your home...?
A whopping 85% of homeowners across the country expect that home
prices will continue to appreciate in the next six months
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| Quick
Links |
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Homes for Sale
Home Values
Real Estate Trends
Mortgage
Info |
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| Homes
for Sale | Home
Values | Real
Estate Trends | Mortgage
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| Volume 2,
Number 5
June, 2005 |
|
Welcome to “At Home with
HouseHunt,” HouseHunt’s Monthly Consumer
Newsletter. Here you will find useful information and tips on
selecting a contractor, choosing a gift for dad, making your yard
safe for kids and pets, deciding when to buy a house, locking
up your home, keeping your garden in bloom, and much more.
The HouseHunt Team- information
you need for all your real estate needs |
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Seasonal
Suggestion
As summer heats up and Father’s Day draws
near, grilling becomes the preferred method of cooking. In order
to live up to your grilling potential, you need to have the proper
tools. (A note for Father’s Day: If your father does not
already have these tools, you may have stumbled across a great
gift idea!) more>>
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Making
Your Yard Safe for Kids and Pets
Although your yard or garden is a great place
for kids and pets to enjoy, it can also be extremely dangerous.
Common outdoor items can be toxic to humans and animals. Being
safe, however, is easy when you know how to go about it. more>>
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Should
I Buy Now or Should I Wait?
Whether you should be buying a home now, or whether you should
be waiting is a very important question that most potential home
owners ask themselves. Here is our answer.
more>>
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Always
Lock Up
It may sound like common sense, but many people
do not routinely lock their doors. A recent Realty Times article
explores burglary statistics and looks at other ways to stay safe.
more>>
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Tips
to Keep Your Garden in Bloom
Do you get frustrated year after year when
your garden wilts after only a week or two of color? A recent
Realty Times article discusses ways you can keep your garden in
bloom. more>>
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Ask
Your Realtor the Important Questions
With the key home selling months still here,
we give you the low-down on how to select the right realtor for
you.
more>>
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Homeowners
Expect That Home Prices
Will Continue To Go Up
ONLY SEVEN PERCENT EXPECT PRICES TO
GO DOWN; EIGHT PERCENT DON’T KNOW A
whopping 85% of homeowners across the country expect that home
prices will continue to appreciate in the next six months, according
to a new e-mail survey conducted by HouseHunt, Inc., a consumer-oriented
Internet firm that provides free information to thousands of homeowners,
home buyers and home sellers. more>>
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Nation’s
10 Most Livable & Most Affordable Metro Areas
MEDIAN PRICES RANGE FROM $130,100
TO $194,400 FOR EXISTING HOMES The 10 most livable and
most affordable metro areas in the United States have a number
of other favorable characteristics in common, according to a new
“Current Market Conditions” survey conducted by HouseHunt,
Inc., a consumer-oriented Internet firm that provides free information
to thousands of homeowners, home buyers and home sellers across
the nation. For example: more>>
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