Lisa Longest's Blog

In the day, when you used the phrase "starter home", you would think of a little home or an entry level home, that might need a little TLC, and was affordable for a first-time home buyer. Then, once they get their foot in the door of purchasing a home, they could, through the years upgrade to lar...

Okay, so you're not a homeowner. You have been renting for several years and now the landlord tells you that he/she is going through foreclosure, but for right now he is going to agree to a short sale of the property. (A short sale is an agreement with the bank to allow you to sell your house for...

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Okay, everyone knows we have quite a few condo's and townhouses in Stevensville and surrounding areas. So, I'm getting this question asked often: I am looking to remodel my condo for resale. What is the best for resale value? Hardwood/Laminate, carpet, a little of both? In my personal and profess...

To get right to it...in today's market, expensive pre-sale renovations, for the most part, are not worth it! According to the National Association of REALTORS, the numbers bear this out: "In general, a home remodel will cost quite a bit more than you'll get back when you sell; remodels done in 20...

You know that there are many foreclosures on the market, but you may not know or understand some practical rules that could save you money if you are interested in buying one. I'm going to list just 5 tips you may want to consider: 1. Work with an agent who has access to foreclosure information. ...

Is now a good time to sell my house or should I wait until house prices go up again? I hear this question often. But this is the answer you should hear from an agent that you pose this question to: Home selling potential always comes down to the nuances of local markets, specific zip code and eve...

As tax time approaches, the more prepared you are to file, the better. So I'm giving you 6 facts the IRS wants you to know about dependents and exemptions that will help you file your 2010 tax return. Exemptions reduce your taxable income: There are two types of exemptions: personal exemptions an...

Next year, housing prices will likely drop 5-10% nationally-finally hitting bottom, according to Altos research, a real estate data company. That doesn't mean that we're instantly going to bounce out of that trough. Expect local price instability. Early 2011 will bring the usual seasonal bounce i...