Home prices in the second quarter rose 3.6 percent nationally after falling 4.1 percent in the first three months of 2011, according to the Standard & Poor's Case-Shiller Index released Tuesday. http://ping.fm/bVuCC

‎4 Drawbacks of Home Equity Loans, Taking out a home equity loan against the value of your property can backfire if you fail to avoid these common pitfalls in the borrowing process.
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It's a reality of our fragile economy: Many homeowners with dreams of the perfect kitchen or master bath are putting full-scale renovation on hold in favor of more limited changes. http://ping.fm/tOjWm

Let's hope for the best...but just in case...here's an article on How to Prepare for a Hurricane: http://ping.fm/ldrTt

CNN Money came out with their Top 100 Best Places to Live for 2011. Check out the list and see which Local towns made the list. http://ping.fm/fUSA0

Needing a little extra space but you’ve run out of ideas? What about that space under stairs? That little triangular area often has nothing going on behind it except raw, blank space you can put to good use. Stash stuff, display stuff, even add a powder room. Here are 8 great ways to take advantage of this overlooked under-stairs storage potential. Read more: http://ping.fm/w0gvk

Cnn Money's Top Earning Towns...Find out which local city places in the Best City's for high incomes. http://ping.fm/2OxKk

Home prices have taken such a beating and demand for rental units has increased so much that it's now cheaper to buy a two-bedroom home than to rent one in most major U.S. cities. http://ping.fm/SzSSW

In the tumultuous days following Standard & Poor's debt downgrades, rates on 30-year fixed mortgages fell to 4.32%, down from 4.39% last week and closed in on a record low of 4.17% set last November, according to Freddie Mac's Primary Mortgage Market Survey.

http://money.cnn.com/2011/08/11/real_estate/mortgage_rates_record/index.htm

There is no perfect formula for selling your home efficiently, but by following these five tips prior to listing you can increase your chances to close quickly at a higher price. http://ping.fm/jqlvy

Doing home improvement jobs yourself can be a smart way to save money, but choose the right DIY projects or you’ll end up paying dearly.

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You, yourself can inspect HVAC systems to make sure heating and air conditioning flow freely and efficiently. Some mechanical components, like the flue pipe that expels carbon monoxide, should only be checked by a professional. But you can eyeball other HVAC parts and save money on house calls and fuel bills.

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Here are 4 key need-to-knows to help you avoid getting a nasty surprise at the closing table. http://www.trulia.com/blog/tar​anelson/2011/08/4_insider_secr​ets_for_avoiding_surprises_at_​the_closing_table?ecampaign=cn​ews201108A&eurl=www.trulia.com​%2Fblog%2Ftaranelson%2F2011%2F​08%2F4_insider_secrets_for_avo​iding_surprises_at_the_closing​_table

As Congress & President Obama hammered out a debt deal over the past week, mortgage rates plunged -- hitting new lows in some instances. The 30-year fixed rate, usually the most popular choice for homebuyers, fell to 4.45% from 4.57% last week -- its lowest point since last November, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association. http://money.cnn.com/2011/08/03/real_estate/mortgage_rates_freefall/index.htm?iid=Lead

Recent Information on FHA Loans: http://ping.fm/QTS8s