The essential guide for first-time homeowners Maximize your investment & enjoy your new home
Book - 2008
Saved in:
- Subjects
- Published
-
Berkeley, CA :
Nolo
2008.
- Language
- English
- Main Author
- Other Authors
- Edition
- First edition
- Item Description
- At head of title on cover: USA today.
- Physical Description
- 304 pages : illustrations ; 23 cm
- Bibliography
- Includes index.
- ISBN
- 9781413308952
- Your Homeowning Companion
- 1. It's Really Yours! What to Do First
- Getting the Word Out: You've Moved!
- At Your Fingertips: Organizing Your Records
- Now Where Did I Put...? Organizing Your Worldly Goods
- Making Sure Your Home Is Safe and Secure
- 2. First-Year Finances: Living on Spaghetti
- Eyes on the Prize: Set Your Goals
- See Whatcha Got: Your Current Financial State
- Save or Spend? Putting Your Priorities in Order
- 3. Of Mice and Maintenance: Keeping Up Your Property's Value
- Regular Maintenance, Whether You See Problems or Not
- Do You Hear Munching? Know Your Pests
- In the Garden: First, Do No Harm
- Reviewing and Renewing Your Homeowners' Insurance Policy
- 4. Greening Your Home-On a Budget
- Easy Changes Anyone Can Make
- Life Inside: Greening Your Home's Interior
- The Green Garden
- Eating Green
- Driving Green (Without a Hybrid)
- Maintaining and Upgrading Responsibly
- 5. Hey, Neighbors: Getting Acquainted and Resolving Disputes
- Meet and Greet: Introducing Yourself to Neighbors
- Drawing the Line: Knowing Where Your Property Ends
- Other Basic Property Rights: Nuisances, Fences, Trees, Noise, and Pets
- Getting Neighbor Buy-In on Your Remodel Plans
- Creating Peaceable Solutions to Neighbor Issues
- 6. Keeping Up With Your Mortgage
- It All Looks Like Fine Print! What's in Your Mortgage
- Keeping Your Mortgage Costs Down
- Troubled Times: What to Do If You Can't Pay
- 7. Is It Time to Refinance?
- Why Refinance?
- Calculating the Costs and Benefits of Refinancing
- Choosing the Right Loan
- Qualifying for Your New Loan
- Alternatives to Refinancing
- 8. Tax Breaks for Homeownership
- Are You a First-Time Itemizer?
- Tax Deductions for Homeowners
- Tax Credits for Homeowners
- In Case You Sell: Plan Ahead to Avoid Capital Gains Taxes
- Your Property Tax Bill: Keeping It Low
- 9. Sweat Equity: Home Renovation Projects That Pay Off
- How Renovations Can Increase Resale Value
- What You Can Do ... And What to Leave to the Pros
- Before You Leap: Learning More About the Project
- Scheduling Your Project
- Hiring Extra Hands
- 10. Remodeling Your Home With a Contractor's Help
- Blueprints and Rock Piles: Planning Your Remodel
- Who's Going to Help? Hiring Contractors
- Negotiating a Written Contract
- Figuring Out Where the Money Will Come From
- Living Through a Remodel
- 11. After Damage: Who Pays?
- Look What Happened! What to Do First
- Making a Homeowners' Insurance Claim
- Making a Home Warranty Claim
- How Long Has This Been Going On? Liability for Existing Defects
- Built to Last? Liability for Defects in New Homes
- Should You Sue? Deciding to Go to Court
- 12. Movin' on Up: Planning for Your Next House
- Ready to Go? Deciding When to Move
- Another Paint Job!? Your Selling and Moving Costs
- Financial Strategies for Moving Up
- Maximizing Profits on Your Home Sale
- How to Buy and Sell Simultaneously-Without Getting Stuck
- Index