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Each year, flooding causes more than eight billion dollars in damages to homes in the United States. Despite that, many affected homeowners go on to sell their houses so that they can relocate. When your home has damage from a tropical storm, heavy rains, or rising water from a hurricane, here are ways to help your home retain its value.

The crucial first 48 hours

Do your best to minimize the damage. If you know flooding is possible, use sandbags around the foundation, board up windows, fill in crevices around vents and pipes with expandable waterproof insulation. After damage occurs, in the first two days, it is essential that you go through this checklist as quickly and thoroughly as you can.

• Protect…

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Buying a home can be one of the best decisions you’ll ever make. However, deciding if you should rent or buy your next home can be a very difficult decision. But once you understand the benefits of owning a home, you can have confidence as you move through the home-buying process.

You Can Save Tons

Buying a home is usually a good investment. That’s because home values continue to rise, while rent prices are also reaching higher levels. So whether you plan on living in a home full-time or you decide to make it a rental property, buying a home can be a smart financial decision. This is even more true if you keep the home for a long period of time. If you look at the data, home prices have skyrocketed…

From the moment you decide to build a new home, you are going to be inundated with decisions to make. Most of these decisions are large and can be overwhelming at times, but it's important not to lose sight of the small details that will transform your house into a home.

These are some of the most commonly overlooked details during the residential construction process: 

The Size of Your Furniture

If you intend to bring your existing furniture into your new construction home, you will want to consider the size and specifications of every piece during the planning and design process. Even if a room's dimensions are off by a couple of inches, you may not be able to situate your furniture as you like.

…

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Giving your space a much-needed makeover doesn't have to take a lot of time or money. Whether you want to recreate the space for a party, prepare for a sale, or simply make an old room look new, here's a solution for you. Use these tips to completely transform your room in just a day.

Update the Paint

Real estate agents often say that nothing makes potential buyers drunk quicker than a fresh coat of paint. It's intoxicating the way new paint provides an instant makeover to any space. Not only does it scream newness, it also keeps your walls protected from moisture and can improve the air quality of your home. So, if you want to redo a room or an entire house, grab the paint brush and get busy.

Focus on…

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Potatoes go well with almost any main course you serve for dinner, which makes them one of the most common side dish ingredients. If you’re looking for something different to make instead of the usual mashed potatoes or baked potatoes, consider these easy side dish recipes.

Roasted Potatoes with Garlic

The garlic in this recipe adds a tasty kick to regular roasted potatoes that goes well with chicken, steak and many other main courses. To make this side dish recipe, you’ll need the following ingredients:

• 2 lbs potatoes
• 2 tbsp olive oil or canola oil
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 2 tbsp minced garlic
• 3/4 tsp black pepper
• 2 tbsp chopped parsley

Before preparing your ingredients, preheat your…

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Whether you’re renting or buying, transitioning into a new home can be a big step. From the moving costs to the costs associated with deposits, first and last months’ rent, and more, the whole process can be stressful and expensive. But before these worries pop into your mind, you may also be dealing with a tough decision: whether to buy or rent your next home. This can be an extremely hard decision to make and there are many factors that go into it. But by taking the time to think about your needs and understand the implications involved with either decision, you should have confidence as you make this next step in your life. In this post, we’ll discuss some key factors that you should think about as you’re…

Although you might already own a house, now may prove to be a good time to pursue a second residence. For example, if you have always wanted to own a home in the mountains, you can purchase a second residence to make your dream come true. On the other hand, if you want to own a vacation residence on or near the beach, you could enter the housing market to find a beachfront house that suits you perfectly.

Like any home search, finding a second house that matches your expectations may be difficult. Fortunately, there are lots of things you can do to streamline your quest to find a second home, such as:

1. Evaluate Your Finances

Your finances will play a significant role in your ability to purchase any house, at any time. As you get set to pursue a…

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Interest rates rise in correlation to inflation and other economic activity. When that happens, it can increase housing costs. But the question is, should it prompt you to buy sooner than you’re ready?

The Right Time Is Now

In real estate, the right time is always now for someone. Is it the right time for you? There’s more to determine than interest rates. 

Here’s how to break it down:

• Rising interest rates: as interest rises, even a quarter of a point increase can add more than $10,000 to a two hundred-thousand-dollar mortgage. If you can lock in the lower rate, you’ll save nearly thirty dollars each month over the life of the loan.
• Rising housing prices: In addition to the increase in…

If you plan to sell a luxury home in Jacksonville, Tampa Bay or any other Florida city or town, you should examine your residence closely. That way, you can identify any potential problem areas and address them before you list your Sunshine State luxury house.

Now, let's take a look at three tips to help you evaluate your Florida luxury residence prior to adding it to the local housing market.

1. Conduct a Home Inspection

Although an inspection generally is performed after a seller accepts a buyer's offer to purchase a house, it may be beneficial to conduct this evaluation prior to listing a Florida luxury home. Because if you work with an expert property inspector, you can gain deep insights into the overall condition of your Sunshine State…

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The equity in your home plays a major role in how much profit you'll make off the sale, but it's not always simple to determine just how much of the home you own (even if you haven't refinanced). Here are a few tips to understand equity and how you can use it to your advantage.  

What Is Home Equity?

The simplest definition is that home equity is the difference between the market value and your current loan amount. When calculating, you should also take into account related financing (e.g., home improvement loans, second mortgages, etc.). If you owe more on the home than you owe, you have negative home equity.

Of course, the number you generate is just an estimate. Just because your market value is listed at…