Real Estate Bargains: Common Myths

So you’re looking for a home and you want a real bargain? You’re not interested in a fair price, or even a good price, you’re talking about a real steal, right? Join the crowd – there are a lot buyers out there just like you. Unfortunately, bargain hunters have a number of misconceptions about the current real estate market. Today we’re going to examine a few of the surprisingly common myths. Myth #1: You can

Remodeling Cost versus Value

The November 2009 issue of Remodeling Magazine included the 22nd edition of their annual report about the financial impact of various home improvement projects. They look at both midrange and upscale projects, and hit on all the major renovations, calculating the percentage of the cost that could be recovered in a sale. Data is broken down by region and even by major cities within a region. I was excited to discover that Hartford is one

Cost vs. Value in Real Estate

So you just renovated your kitchen to the tune of $80,000. It’s beautiful. Custom cabinetry, stone counter tops, radiant heat flooring, lots of recessed lighting, top of the line appliances. The value of your house just increased by $80,000, right? Unfortunately, in most cases, no- your house is not worth $80,000 more, but just a portion of that expense. More often than not in real estate cost does not equal value. This can be a