Heather Paul's Blog

Applications for home mortgages jumped to the highest level in three months last week, buoyed by improvements in the job market, an industry group said on Wednesday. The Mortgage Bankers Association said its seasonally adjusted index of mortgage application activity, which includes both refinanc...

Is our long national foreclosure nightmare ending? The number of foreclosure notices filed in February dropped 14% compared with a month earlier and 27% compared with a year earlier, according to RealtyTrac. That was the biggest year-over-year decline the company has ever recorded. But the impro...

  When your house no longer suits you, you can move or remodel. Find out which big change is the right investment of your housing dollars.   Deciding whether you should move or remodel? The most important things you need to consider are the four things you can't change: your home's value compared...

Don't let pet odors derail your home sale. Having pet odors inside your home can turn off potential home buyers and keep your home from selling. Ask your real estate agent for an honest opinion about whether your home has a pet smell. If your agent holds her nose, here's how to get rid of the sm...

  Repair wood floors and scratches that make rooms look worn out. We'll show you easy ways to put the luster back into your floors.   Dogs chase kids, pans drop, chairs scrape, and soon you must repair wood floors and erase scratches that make a mess of your red oak or Brazilian cherry (http://ww...

  Your credit score affects how much you'll pay for a mortgage or refinance-or even if you can get one at all. Master the six ways to manage home-related spending to keep your credit score braggingly high.   How you manage your home ownership finances affects your credit score--and your ability ...

Working to get your home ship-shape for showings will increase its value and shorten your sales time. Many buyers today want move-in-ready homes and will quickly eliminate an otherwise great home by focusing on a few visible flaws. Unless your home shines, you may endure showing after showing an...

Here's how to clean up your credit so you get the least-expensive home loan possible. Getting the loan that suits your situation at the best possible price and terms makes home buying easier and more affordable. Here are seven ways to boost your credit score so you can do just that. 1. Know your...

  Many people believe a 30-Year Fixed Rate Mortgage is the Best Home Loan to Get When Buying a Home, here is a little more details about finding the right home loan for you. MYTH:  A 30-year mortgage with a fixed interest rate is always the most desirable option when buying a home. REALITY: Follo...

Buying a Home is now the "In Thing" Again! Home buyer confidence is back...More Americans signed contracts to buy homes in February, but sales were uneven across the country and not enough to signal a rebound in the housing market. I wanted to share some of the latest statistics with you all.  T...