Buying a home has gotten tougher in recent years, and finding affordable housing is an even greater endeavor, but the struggle is worth the effort. More than just a roof over your head, homeownership with solid neighborhoods in the mix can enhance the lives of families and their children and improve their futures. Some affordable housing strategies help families move to communities with stronger school systems and more education-supported environments. While frequent moves appear to have a negative impact on educational achievement, moves to better school systems (or to communities that offer stronger support for education) may have an independent positive impact on educational achievement.

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There are many different kinds of mortgage foreclosure scams. One is called a “fractional interest transfer” and here is how that one works. When a homeowner files for bankruptcy protection, the law provides for an “automatic stay.” That means that no creditor can take any legal action (including foreclosure) against the debtor without getting Bankruptcy Court approval. This is referred to as a “lift stay.” The home owner pays a monthly fee to the “foreclosure specialist.” In return, that specialist arranges to transfer a small percentage of the homeowner’s property to a person who is already in bankruptcy. According to a Bankruptcy Foreclosure Scam Task Force out of California, often the entity in bankruptcy is fictional. And while the homeowner cannot be foreclosed upon because of the automatic stay, in the end that consumer has conveyed some or all of their home to the scam artist.

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Condominium owners need a condominium owner’s insurance policy. It protects against negligence liability, such as when somebody is injured in the owner’s condo. The policy also provides coverage for fire or other damage to your furnishings, theft, accidents and damage to the interior of your condominium. The homeowners association carries a master insurance policy on the buildings and common areas. This policy provides liability coverage and for structural loss such as due to fire, wind, water damage (but not flooding) and other coverages.

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The Justice Department told Congress it is investigating several lenders over suspicions they charged minority borrowers higher mortgage rates than comparable white borrowers. The Federal Reserve has reported that 2005 loan-price data collected under the Home Mortgage Disclosure Act found 55% of African-American borrowers and 46% of Hispanic borrowers received costly mortgages, compared with just 17% for whites. The data didn’t take into account, however, whether borrowers who received more expensive loans also had worse credit histories.

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Setting the stage to position a home for sale or staging is a smart marketing move when it’s time to move a home in just about any kind of market. Home staging is to the interior of a home what curb appeal is to the exterior — nipping and tucking, furnishing and accessorizing, buffing and polishing until the place looks like a model home, without being clinical. But it can also include curb appeal. With just the right special effects, the effort can transform a home into a house of dreams and help potential buyers visualize potential. Done wrong and a home can become more like the set of a horror movie.

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Buying and flipping foreclosed homes can be profitable. However, novices need to tread carefully. Generally, homes in the process of being foreclosured can’t be inspected homes prior to auction. A home in need of major repairs could negate a bargain purchase. Because the owners are having financial problems, the home may be encumbered with hidden liens, back taxes, judgments or utility bills to pay. State and local rules vary concerning transferring the title (deed) upon sale of the property. Understanding the process before bidding and knowing the existing homeowners’ rights is necessary for a successful investment to occur.

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With apartment rents moving up in many markets renters are likely to find themselves facing a pinch in making their monthly payments. Twenty percent said they spend more than half of their monthly income on rent. Fees, including those for pets, laundry-machine usage, and cable television or telecommunications offerings, will impact a budget. Also renters should watch out for extra expenses like fees for lost keys, an extra parking spot, garbage pickup, or payment for using amenities like a gym or pool.

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This summer, in the face of record droughts and water shortages, communities from the Gulf Coast to Sonoma Valley are imposing unprecedented restrictions, and even outright bans, on lawn watering. They’re also stepping up enforcement — raising fines, sending out patrols, staffing hotlines and even shutting off service to repeat offenders. But to the most committed grass lovers, these restrictions have become a test of ingenuity. Some are creating personal reserves by digging wells or installing rainwater tanks. Others are pumping from backyard streams or using reclaimed sewer water that must be kept away from children.

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Just listed is this beautiful Wilkes County NC Log Home and Mountain Property.

MLS Number: 50863, List Price: $359,900

Bedrooms: 3, Full Baths: 2, Half Baths: 0, Est Total SqFt: 2600, Type/Style: Log Home, Area: Area 6, Middle School: Cntrl Wlks, High School: Wlks Cntrl, Construction: Log

Foundation: Combination, Roof: Metal Roof, Floors: Carpet/Hardwood/Tile, Garage/Carport: None-Garage, None-Carport, Interior Features: Master Bedroom, Main Level, Large Master Bedroom, Walk-In Closet(s), Hardwood Floors, Fireplace(s), Great Room, Exterior Features: Double Pane Windows, Wooded Lot, 1-5 Acres, Hot Tub, Subdivision: N/A, Lot Size: 2.47, Apx SqFt: 2600 - 2800 SF, Basement: None

Contact Elizabeth Carter, 336.973.5594 or Greg Stikeleather, Broker, 704.880.5247 or email eacarter@charter.net

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