Take precautions before signing a remodeling contract When planning major home renovation, there are many steps you have to take to find the right professionals, including the contractor and perhaps an architect. It's equally important to take steps to protect your legal interests - and to do so early in the process.
U.S. Housing Starts Drop to Lowest Level Since April 2009 Housing starts in the U.S. declined more than forecast in February to the slowest pace since April 2009 and building permits slumped to a record low, signs the housing market recovery is limping along as the rest of the economy improves.
Six steps to upgrading a kitchen without boosting the cost Q. I'd love to move to a new home, but the economy is preventing that. So I've decided to do some kitchen remodeling, as it seems to be the center of activity of our current home. Based on the bids I'm getting, remodeling costs seem high. What can be done to keep the total cost as low as possible...
Do-it-yourselfer Q&A Q. We have large ceramic tiles at our entry. They look fine, but when it rains they get very slippery. Is there a remedy for this? -L. Schnell
Federal Housing Administration leader David Stevens will leave post David H. Stevens plans to leave his post as head of the Federal Housing Administration by the end of April after guiding the agency through its toughest financial challenges in one of the housing market's darkest periods.
Ruined drywall? Leaking water can sometimes create a massive water blister in latex paint on a ceiling. You may mistake this for ruined drywall when, in fact, the drywall may not have to be replaced.
Many still owe taxes on forgiven home-equity debt With hundreds of thousands of homeowners having negotiated loan modifications or short sales or been foreclosed upon during the past year, the Internal Revenue Service has issued fresh guidance on how to handle canceled mortgage debt in the coming tax season.
Borrower has second thoughts about that second chance Q. I was going into foreclosure, but the bank gave me a loan modification. I agreed to the modification at the beginning, but now I see it was a mistake and think foreclosure would be better. What do I have to do - just stop paying?
