Wheeler's Real World Blog

Commercial and public building permits logged in the three South Mississippi counties for the week ending Nov. 24, listed by owner. BILOXI City of Biloxi Public Schools, 1424 Father Ryan, $53,000, Michel School Courtyard, Muza Hebert Construction LLC. Memorial Hospital, 2771 Pass Road, $106,000, ...

Q:  How do you choose between buying and renting? A:  Home ownership offers tax benefits as well as the freedom to make decisions about your home. An advantage of renting is not worrying about maintenance and other financial obligations associated with owning property. There also are a number of...

As part of the loan application process, virtually all lenders will want to see a copy of your credit report. The report will list all your long-term debts (credit cards, mortgage payments, automobile and student loans, etc), as well as your payment history. If you don't have a copy of your credi...

Saving funds for a down payment should be part of an overall program to get your finances in order prior to shopping for a home. This includes rounding up financial records, examining your spending habits, and setting a budget you can live with. Remember, too, that the down payment is not the onl...

One of the greatest financial aspects of buying a home is the ability to leverage your money. Simply put, leverage allows you to use a small down payment and financing to purchase a larger investment. For example, if you bought a $125,000 home with 10 percent down, you leveraged the $12,500 down ...

Understanding how much you can afford is one of the most important rules of home buying. Depending on your individual situation, your budget can affect everything from the neighborhoods where you look, to the size of the house, and even what type of financing you choose. Bear in mind, however, th...

The one question that I am asked the most often is "What is the market like in your area?" I think that building permits are one of the best indicators of an area's growth. As you can see the MS Gulf Coast is not as bad off as some might lead you to believe. The following isformation is the comme...