Owning Is More Affordable than Renting in the Majority of the CountryIf you were thinking about buying a home this year, but already pressed pause on your plans due to rising home prices and increasing mortgage rates, there's something you should consider. According to the latest report from ATTOM Data, owning a home is more affordable than renting in the majority of the country. The 2022 Rental Affordability Report says:. . . Owning a median-priced home is more affordable than the average rent on a three-bedroom property in 666, or58 percent, of the 1,154 U.S. counties analyzed for the report. That means major home ownership expenses consume a smaller portion of average local wages than renting.Other experts in the industry offer additional perspectives on renting today. In the latest ... 02/10/2022

Shining a Light on LED UpgradesIn these, the darkest days of the year, there’s nothing more important than adequate lighting. Unfortunately, firing up those incandescent bulbs costs money, and the more hours they run, the more they cost. Although change can be hard, today’s LED bulbs are better than ever, mimicking traditional bulbs in almost every way but with significant benefits to homeowners who make the switch.LEDs Are Much Safer in Homes Incandescent bulbs get hot. Sometimes they get very hot, especially when in enclosures like ceiling can fixtures. There are endless stories about recessed lighting catching fire because the wrong wattage bulb was put in by a homeowner in an attempt to brighten their space a little. That 100-watt incandescent bulb generates significantly more heat ... 01/09/2022

Radiators have been around for a long time and are a staple of many heating systems, especially in older homes. They often provide heat throughout the winter at a lower energy cost than some other heating options, since true to their name they allow heat to passively radiate into the surrounding air. Unfortunately, some older radiator systems can require a lot of maintenance to keep in service year after year and may not be the best at providing even heat in your home.Because of this, some homeowners will consider getting rid of radiator systems even if they’re still in mostly good repair. If you’ve got one of these heating systems in your home, you might even have considered it yourself. Let’s look at the topic and see whether it’s a good idea to get rid of your system, or if you shoul... 12/19/2021

There are many non-financial benefits of buying your own home. However, todays headlines seem to be focusing primarily on the financial aspects of homeownership specifically affordability. Many articles are making the claim that its not affordable to buy a home in todays market, but that isn't the case.Todays buyers are spending approximately 20% of their income on their monthly mortgage payments. According to The Essential Guide to Creating a Homebuying Budget from Freddie Mac, the 20% of income that purchasers are currently paying is well within the 28% guideline suggested:Most lenders agree that you should spend no more than 28% of your gross monthly income on a mortgage payment (including principal, interest, taxes and insurance).So why is there so much talk about challenges regardi... 08/31/2021