The Federal Bureau of Investigation reports that 2.1 million burglaries were committed in 2004. Not all of these situations involved forced entry; many were the result of unlocked doors and windows. Once you close that loophole, though, how can you determine if one house is more vulnerable than another? Well, a residence surrounded by a 15-foot electric fence and patrolled by guard dogs might be a giveaway, but here are [...]

A $200,000 home costs more than a $185,000 home, right? Well, yes and no. Assuming the same type of financing for both homes, the $200,000 home does cost more initially. But many factors contribute to the overall long-term cost of a house. Additionally, if you own an all-electric or hybrid car, home charging is the most convenient and economical option for charging. Discover all you need to get going in this [...]

Save on homeowners insurance Here are seven ways to cut the cost of your home insurance from helpinsure.com, a Texas consumer-friendly Internet site: 1. Shop around – and do it early! Check with several different home insurance companies to get rate quotes. (An independent insurance agent can provide rate quotes from a variety of companies.) And definitely do it well before your policy expires, just in case you run into any snags along [...]

Three elements are crucial to the purchase of a home—the down payment, closing costs, and qualifying for a mortgage. Here is a quick rundown of what you should know: Down payment Typically, conventional lenders will require a 20% down payment, although you may be able to find loans with down payments of as little as 5% (perhaps less in some cases). With down payments less than 20%, you likely will have to [...]

How do you decide which lender is best for you? There is a lot more to the mortgage process than getting a good rate. High costs in fees and poor service can come as very unhappy surprises. Here’s a list of suggested questions you might ask a lender: How large is your company, and how long has it been in business? Are you a licensed mortgage broker or loan officer in Texas? Is your company [...]