While I’ve seen some ridiculous appraisals, the rules are pretty straight forward so the results are fairly predictable. After purchasing 15 homes plus multiple refinances, it was time to refinance my new home in Florida. What I didn’t expect was a bad appraisal. After my rebuttal (my first) accomplished nothing, I knew it was really … Read More
Saving Money & Enjoying Life More
For most people, home ownership is your largest purchase. Saving money looks at the total cost of home ownership. We cover everything from buying a house to monthly operating expenses that include your mortgage, insurance, taxes, utilities, cleaning services, home repair and preventive home maintenance.
We help you make smart decisions by shifting home repair costs to home improvements so you can create your dream lifestyle. Our homeowner tips look at when and how to buy things from refrigerators to furniture. With the right planning and budgeting, we know you'll become a whiz at making smart homeowner decisions.
By understanding homeowner expenses, you'll protect your investment and build homeowner equity to achieve financial independence.
Saving Money Categories
- Bills, Budget & Saving $$
- Buying a House
- DIY Home Tips
- Mortgages & More
- Moving
- Repair & Maintain
- Selling Your Home
- Smart Homes, Smart Homeowners
Are there other homeowner money topics you'd like to learn about. We'd love your ideas ...
Mortgage Closing Paperwork Can Be Overwhelming
Today I’m wrapping up refinancing for my Florida house. I’ve done lots of closings in person, a few mail closings and today is my first online closing. You can laugh but I’m actually excited. As I review and sign-off on each document, it’s the perfect time to document the title and purpose. This will help … Read More
Can’t Pay Your Mortgage? Forbearance Might Help
What happens when you can’t pay your mortgage? If you have a federally backed mortgages, a new federal law, the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, gives you the right to request a forbearance for up to 180 days (plus an extension for up to another 180 days). If you don’t have a … Read More
What is a Builder Design Center?
Builders are experts in building houses and developing communities. They don’t have as much expertise in selecting cabinet styles and colors, flooring and more. That’s why many builders have a design center staffed with interior decorators to help home buyers select options to customize their houses to fit their personality and budget. Builder design centers … Read More
Getting More House for Less Money
Many new home buyers are tempted to buy more house than they can afford. Don’t! You’ll be better off financially if you pick a strategy that gives you more house for less money. That’s the approach I took when my production builder wanted to charge two to three times the retail cost of upgrades I … Read More
Flood Insurance Nightmare
When a large company like Nationstar Mortgage LLC (dba Mr. Cooper) sends you a letter telling you flood insurance is required for your house, you likely assume they’re telling you the truth. Unfortunately they might not be telling the truth and by sharing my personal flood insurance nightmare, you might save a lot of money!
Water Mitigation Done Wrong!
Water mitigation is the process of preventing or reversing damage caused by water in a building. When my house flooded, the insurance company sent out their preferred water mitigation company. Sadly they failed to follow the standard steps used to dry out a house quickly, resulting in mold! Here’s what my house looked like when … Read More
How to Track Homeowner Expenses
When you buy a house you focus on the mortgage, property taxes and homeowner insurance. These costs won’t tell you the true cost of home ownership. Imagine how you would handle a $500 water bill or an electric bill exceeding $700. It’s time to track homeowner expenses starting now! The problem is looking at individual … Read More
Do You Really Need Flood Insurance?
Most of us learn about floods on the news. Some homeowners learn the hard way when their home and/or neighborhood experiences a flood due to a hurricane, river or similar natural disaster. This isn’t when you want to learn that your homeowner insurance policy doesn’t cover flooding. Now is the time to see if you … Read More
Electrical Building Code Changes Coming
Building codes are used to improve the safety of of our homes (read: Short History of Building Codes). The latest electrical building code, the 2020 edition of the National Electrical Code (NEC), was recently published by the National Fire Protection Association. Builders, remodelers and licensed electricians are responsible for staying up to date on changes … Read More
