All posts by Mark K. Hicks
Household pests can cost more than pest control
Home remedies may work for some household pests, you may need a professional for others and that can cost, but pests can become even more expensive if they spend too much time visiting and damaging your home. Here’s how to evict them once and for all.
Home buyers’ interactive, online tool sorts 230 CA home buyer asssitance programs
More than 230 assistance programs in California can help home buyers overcome a top obstacle to home buying - the down payment. But finding them can be a dilemma. That's
Infographic: Go solar, save energy, increase home value, earn 200% return
The sun's rays can warm you all over - from your head to your toes and to your pocket book in between. Solar energy systems - typically solar panels
April is ‘Fair Housing Month,’ for good reason
Welcome to National Fair Housing Month. On April 11, 1968, President Lyndon Johnson signed the Civil Rights Act of 1968, an expansion of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The
Infographic: Housing is back, baby!
The housing recovery is here to stay, according to a survey of some 330,000 ActiveRain members who say 2013 will prove them right. The surveyed real estate agents said: •
Freddie Mac offers delinquent borrowers streamlined modification
Struggling homeowners are getting a big break this summer from Freddie Mac's and Fannie Mae's Streamlined Modification program. Eligible borrowers won't have to submit documentation, but can accept a
Why your neighbors hate you
Your dog's a pig, your lawn is scrub land, your driveway looks like a campground and your garage band sounds like someone is banging on all that junk
Infographic: Why sellers rule in the Golden State
Movoto looked at California's 10 largest cities (by population) to get a better idea of what caused the state's turnaround from a buyer's market to a seller's market
Infographic: How home buyers use technology
When searching for a real estate agent, make sure he or she is tech savvy. You are. The point person in your quest for your dream home should be
Looking for love in all the right places
If your journey for love is on its last legs and being on the make has been so unproductive that you're moved to leave town to hook up,
High home prices in towns producing Super Bowl teams
There's a strong correlation between high home prices and towns that produce Super Bowl teams. RealEstate.com says among the 10 National Football League (NFL) teams that have appeared in
Independent Foreclosure Review gets another do-over
Perhaps the real news would be the answer to this question: "Why won't mortgage servicers simply abide by the original Independent Foreclosure Review order, give borrowers their due
Realtor-complaints.com shuts down after realty trade associations investigate
Realtor-complaints.com is no longer offering a recently launched online service, purportedly for consumers to file reviews and complaints about real estate agents. An investigation by real estate trade association
Tips for first-time landlords
You can't or don't want to sell your existing home. You can move to another home for less than the income you could get for renting your home.
Your mortgage as a tax shelter
Your home is likely your largest investment you'll ever acquire. Knowing exactly what you're paying for it is mandatory. Unfortunately, when people map out the life of their mortgage, they
Infographic: Ten house hunting tips to help you find your dream home
When looking for a home to buy, first determine how much you can afford and budget for additional costs. Then hire a real estate agent, bring a friend along
Infographic: Owner financing pros, cons
An alternative for "unloanable" buyers to overcome the stiff underwriting rules of tight-fisted lenders is to find a cash-rich seller looking to make a deal. In an owner or
Infographic: ‘NAR Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers 2012′
Buying a home is typically the most expensive, emotionally trying and potentially rewarding purchase many will ever completed. The National Association of Realtors (NAR) 'Profile of Home Buyers and
Infographic: What do new home buyers want?
Quality construction, neighborhood safety and floor plans they can live with are the three most important features buyers want in a newly built home, according to Builder Homesite’s
Infographic: Top 4 Most Common Pricing Mistakes
• Price your home for sale too high and the price has no where to go but down. • Don't round off your listing price and it could be





























