Loan Modifications: What You Need to Know" alt="Loan Modifications: What You Need to Know" />

Last year was difficult for Adline Peck and her husband. Peck, who lives in Inkster, Mich. was battling medical issues, and her husband had been laid off from work. Though they struggled to make their monthly mortgage payments, they continued to try their best, even if it meant sending in payments a week or two late. ... Continue Reading »

Home Appraisals: Show Your Home's Best Side" alt="Home Appraisals: Show Your Home's Best Side" />

When Martin Erle, a certified athletic trainer who lives in Glen Mills, Pa., was preparing for a home appraisal, he knew there were factors he couldn't control, such as the location of the neighborhood and the value of other houses on his block. But Erle could control what the appraiser saw when he walked up to the front ... Continue Reading »

Place Named 'Awesometown' -- Awesome?" alt="Place Named 'Awesometown' -- Awesome?" />

If you were to round up a group of silly adolescents, give them all the candy and soda they could ever desire and asked them to come up with a list of names for a utopian community, "Awesometown" would probably be near the top of that list. Newland Hall, a community planner in north Los Angeles County, didn't need the ... Continue Reading »

Home Security: Systems With Cutting-Edge Protection" alt="Home Security: Systems With Cutting-Edge Protection" />

As a 33-year-old single woman living near a not-so-safe area in Massachusetts, Heidi said she felt the need for some kind of home security system to protect herself and her belongings. So she did her homework. "I did research online, in magazines, and asked neighbors and family about what security systems they have," she ... Continue Reading »

Home Appraisals for Sellers" alt="Home Appraisals for Sellers" />

When Chris M. decided to list his home in upstate New York and move closer to Manhattan to ease his wife's commute to her new job, he ran into a major hurdle: "There was no consensus among the agents we spoke with about what our house was worth," he said. The solution? Hire a local appraiser to handle the job of evaluating ... Continue Reading »