This is a true accounting of what happened today. I picked up my mail and in it was a letter from a recovery agent from West End NJ ..He stated in his letter that there are Governement funds owed since 2004 in the amount of $1,367.93 to my husband and myself and he would get the forms needed and fill them out all for the FEE of 7 Percent which totalled $95.75. Like anyone else I thought this was some sort of scam because why would we be owed Government Funds from 2004?

Well after thinking about it I realized we had refinanced our house out of an FHA loan in 2004 so I decided to do some reseach and here is what I found: YOU DO NOT HAVE TO PAY ANYONE TO OBTAIN YOUR REFUND FOR YOU. YOU DO NOT HAVE TO PAY ANYONE TO FIND OUT IF YOU ARE DUE A REFUND! You simply go to this website http://www.hud.gov/offices/hsg/comp/refunds/ and search for your name. Be careful to type your Last Name first or just your last name for better results. If your name is on the list it will show up with your Case ID Number. You then can call the Phone Number listed on the website which is (support center at 1-800-697-6967)… and HUD will mail you the Forms you need to fill out for your Government refund.

AGAIN YOU DO NOT NEED TO PAY FOR THIS SERVICE AND IF YOU LOOK ON THE WEBSITE THERE IS A (BEWARE OF TRACERS) alert to inform you that you can do this all for FREE)

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The EPA has many interesting guides available online for consumers.  I have included this link to the RADON GUIDE for home buyers and sellers. Radon is a radioactive gas that is known to cause cancer. You cannot see it, smell it or taste it. If radon levels are above what is considered safe there are ways to fix the problem. This guide also gives a few interesting facts on radon and possible health effects associated with exposure to radon.

1. Tax breaks. The U.S. Tax Code lets you deduct the interest you pay on your mortgage, property taxes you pay, and some of the costs involved in buying your home.

2. Gains. Between 1998 and 2002, national home prices increased at an average of 5.4 percent annually. And while there’s no guarantee of appreciation, a 2001 study by the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS^Ò found that a typical homeowner has approximately $50,000 of unrealized gain in a home.

3. Equity. Money paid for rent is money that you’ll never see again, but mortgage payments let you build equity ownership interest in your home.

4. Savings. Building equity in your home is a ready-made savings plan. And when you sell, you can generally take up to $250,000 ($500,000 for a married couple) as gain without owing any federal income tax.

5. Predictability. Unlike rent, your mortgage payments don’t go up over the years so your housing costs may actually decline as you own the home longer. However, keep in mind that property taxes and insurance costs will rise.

6. Freedom. The home is yours. You can decorate any way you want and be able to benefit from your investment for as long as you own the home.

7. Stability. Remaining in one neighborhood for several years gives you a chance to participate in community activities, lets you and your family establish lasting friendships, and offers your children the benefit of educational continuity.

A townhouse is a style of construction, whereas condominium and co-op are types of ownership. A townhouse is basically a building or unit that shares a common wall with the building or unit next door. The walls are usually straight and entry is usually from the ground floor. Townhouses usually have two or more stories. A townhouse can be a style of condominium. A condo is where you own the actual structure of the building jointly with the other members of the association, along with common areas such as swimming pools, tennis courts or other common areas. Individually, you own the airspace and interior of the structure, but not the building itself. You and the other members of the association own the structure together. A co-op is where you own shares of a corporation or organization that owns the larger structure, and ownership of those shares gives you the right to occupy a specific unit or apartment.

If your computer or Internet seem to be running slow there are some very basic steps you can take to speed things up a bit. Be sure to clear your cookies, history and cashe at least once a week. Simply go to the Internet, go to Tools, go to Internet Options, select the General Tab, In the center of this box you will see a button that reads “Delete Cookies” this will clear your cookies. Next to that button you will see “Delete Files” a smaller box will pop up asking if you would like to delete offline files also. I always delete both. Finally you will want to Delete History, this button is near the bottom of the box. After finishing close the Interent.

I then move on to my Windows Start button then to Accessories and then to System Tools and finally to Disk Cleanup. I run disk cleanup on Drive C. Most of what is found are temporary interent files. I delete them and a self extracting shreddar comes up that will remove every trace of these files from my computer. I then reboot my computer and restart my interent. If your internet is still running slow, you may want to try using a program such as ad-aware which will remove adware files and speed things a good amount. I use this program once a month. After completing be sure to activate your pop-up blocker and virus software.

Recently some friends of mine had started remodeling their charming 2 story colonial. A new 6 ft. grand entrance that leads into the kitchen was created, nothing remained of the old 36 inch doorway excepts scraps of sheetrock and sawed off 2×4’s. Unfortunately my friend never checked before starting construction and actually cut thru a bearing wall. A bearing wall helps support the weight of the floors and roof above it. The construction of your home will determine which walls are bearing but normally all exterior walls are and many interiors walls can be. The easiest way to tell is to climb up into the attic. If the ceiling joists or rafters are running parallel to the wall you want to remove, it is normally a non-load-bearing wall. If the joists or rafters are perpendicular to the wall, you can be fairly sure the wall is load bearing. If you are uncertain which walls are bearing consult a building professional prior to any modifications. When a bearing wall is removed it can be disastrous if not fully supported prior to the removal. If just a part of a bearing wall is removed the joist will begin to sag as the weight bears down and a collapse is not beyond the realm of possibility. Apparently the fix for this varies depending on the severity. In some cases jacks are used to reposition the joist to level. Furthermore, precautions must be taken to lesson the risk of damage to the surrounding walls, floors and ceilings. Remodeling can be rewarding experience for the do-it-yourselfer if step one involves
precautions and planning. Always consult a professional if you are unsure before starting any project.

For the past three months the average selling price of a staged home was 19% above the listing price while the unstaged home was only 15%. The 4% difference more than paid the staging cost. Here are the ten secrets fo selling from Marelen Wharmby, a successful home stager:

Freshen up the home by painting walls a light, neutral color, such as antique white. Lighter colors appeal to a wider range of buyers and make each room look larger.

Take a close look at the floor coverings in each room. If you have hardwood floors under the carpet, you will always make money by removing it, even if the floor is not in perfect condition.

Allow as much light as possible to enter the room. Open up or remove all draperies, blinds, shades or other window coverings.

Removing the clutter of everyday life - all utilitarian items, stacks of paperworks, toiletries, kitchen utensils, electronic equipment and television sets.

Remove furniture from each room that does not go with the decor, such as items that stand out too much and items that are worn or of an unappealing color.

Place the remaining room furnishings in a way that makes best use of the character of the space. A room should be balanced so that people do not focus on one particular piece of furniture.

Now that you’ve removed the clutter from your home, adding some nice but inexpensive accessories will greatly elevate the perceived value of the home.

Clean, clean, clean. Every crevasse within the home should be spotless and gleaming. Even your normal weekly cleaning can not come close to the quality of clean you need.

You can’t over spend on fresh plants and orchids, elaborate floral arrangements and landscape plants. All these provide a strong addition to the ambience you want to create.

Go on vacation! The houses that sell for much higher prices are homes that do not have the slightly disheveled look which comes with showering in the morning and cooking dinner in the evening. Being gone also will lower your level of stress and make the house easier to sell. Think of it this way: Your vacation will actually make you money.

I just read an article from my insurance company and wanted to share some good ideas with anyone considering a vacation. If you are leaving your home unattended and are unable to have a friend or family member stop by, there are a few safety ideas that will help. Arrange to have your mail and newspapers held or picked up. Remove all jewelry, cash and valuables from your home to a safe-deposit box. ** LOWER the sound on your telephone and answering machine.** Set lights, a radio and or TV on automatic timers to give the illusion someone is home.
Leave window treatments in their normal position. Turn off water supply to your washing machine so the hoses will not burst. Lock all doors and windows including sliding glass doors and side garage entrance. If you have a security system make sure it is activated. Have a safe, relaxing vacation and when you come home share some photo’s with us! 

Q: Whose obligation is it to disclose pertinent information about a property?

A: Obligations to disclose information about a property vary from state to state.
Under the strictest laws, the seller and the seller?s broker, if there is one, are required to disclose all facts materially affecting the value or desirability of the property which are known or accessible only to him.
Items sellers often disclose include: homeowners association dues; whether or not work done on the house meets local building codes and permits requirements; the presence of any neighborhood nuisances or noises which a prospective buyer might not notice, such as a dog that barks every night or poor TV reception; any death within three years on the property and any restrictions on the use of the property, such as zoning ordinances or association rules.
It is wise to check your state’s disclosure rules prior to a home purchase.
Article from www.callmehome.com