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Remodel? Move? Buy Another?

Before you think of moving think of improving. Adding on. Adding out, Adding up.

Moving has become very expensive, and getting financing or a loan has become tougher. As part of the sale and purchase of homes there are a lot of fees ( home inspections, escrow fees, extermination fees, closing cost) that may turn out to be a loss of investment.

Some of the following issues can be pro or con, and may be a little bit of both in degrees.

MY HOME LOCAL

1 Neighbors, Changes

2 Neighborhood (factories, markets, malls, bookstores, traffic, foot traffic, businesses, employment, noise, pollution, weather, fog, Fiber optics, restaurants etc.)

3 Schools

4 Home Owners Associations , Planned Unit Developments. Common Area Fees, Having to Get "Permission"

5 Covenants Conditions and Restrictions "CC&Rs"

6 Community, Lasik, Hospitals , Doctors, Dentist, Health Care, Water sources, Waste treatment, Phones, Sewers, Cable, Satellite,

7 Living close to amusement parks and ball parks. Concert parks, Movie houses Convention centers, Entertainment, City Centers

8 Topography, (mountains, rolling hills, views, rivers, lakes, streams, beaches, snow, drivability)

A good way to find out about a neighborhood is to start in the yellow pages, and look thru the advertisements.You may want to stay overnight for a few days in a motel or hotel. If you are thinking of moving out of town check with travel agents and auto clubs like Triple A "AAA" they can give you a lot of information about towns and communities.

There are no right or wrong answers, it is likes and dislikes. Some times there are preferable trade offs. If you like views, ball games, concerts, and watching fireworks you might be very happy living on a hill over looking a ball park stadium. You may be trading it in for traffic and a lack of quiet. If you like country living you may be trading it away for being central to the city. Schools are a big issue, there are usually "good" private schools in most communities, but schools cost money. It may be a better choice to live in a neighborhood that has good public schools and invest your money into your home and not a private school.

MY LAND LOCAL

Everyone should own a house and land. Owning a house and real estate ("REAL" Estates) is one of the best ways to acquire, maintain, and pass on wealth. If you are growing your wealth, buying another property may be the next best step. Also sometimes moving may be the only choice and be a priceless decision or a priced less decision.

MY MOVING COMPANY LOCAL

Word of advice, do not over build, or over add for your neighborhood unless you just want to. Think of your house as a financial investment. Times can, will and do change. So will the economy, your life, family, friends and neighbors. Keep in mind the that one day you may need to sell your home, and get the highest return on investment.

MY AMERICA LOCAL

Just thinking about where to start with a home renovation can be overwhelming. Between deciding what to renovate, finding financing, interviewing contractors, it's hard to know where to begin. First, relax and take a deep breath. Then take a close look at what you want - and need - from your home renovation. Here's what to consider:

Home Inpection

Your Goals
Why do you want to remodel? Has your family outgrown your current floor plan? Have you always wanted a gourmet kitchen? Do you plan to sell soon and want to get the most resale value possible? Establish what your overall goal is with the remodel.
Your Needs
Determine what you need to do to your home to meet your goal. Now is the time to prioritize projects - a new plumbing and heating and electrical system may be more important than replacing your home's flooring.
Your Budget
Write down everything that you dream about doing for your home renovation. Then, make another list of all the things that must be renovated or updated. Consider how much more a month you could put toward a home improvement loan or how much money you have saved for the project. Pick up the phone and call architects and contractors to get an estimate of how much your renovation will cost. Compare the cost estimate with your preliminary budget, and decide what you can reasonably afford to do. Plan to pad your budget 20% or so to account for unexpected cost overruns.
Your Timeframe
Does your home renovation need to be completed by a certain time or event? Are you planning to move out of town or are you having a baby and need the extra room? Renovations can take longer than expected, so only plan to tackle what can be accomplished within your timeframe.
Your Skills
Can any projects on your list become do-it-yourself projects? Do you have the skills - much less the time - to tackle such a project? Most people think they can easily retile a bathroom, install new hardwood flooring or build a new room addition only to find these projects still remain half-finished years later. Be realistic about what you can and cannot accomplish.

Links and Resources:

1. Before you choose a contractor we recommend that you go to our choosing a contractor page.

2. Once you have the answers to the above questions, you're ready to dive into the details. You'll need to securefinancing, locate an experienced contractor and then be prepared to enjoy your beautiful, newly renovated home.

3. You can pick topics from the menu bar at the top of the page.

Here is a partial list of topics relating to Construction, Remodeling and how to Remodel.

SERVICE TRADES, KITCHENS, KITCHENS DIRECT, PANTRIES, LAUNDRIES, BATHROOMS, SHOWER ENCLOSURES, COUNTER TOPS, ADDITIONS,STUDIOS, LOFTS, WINDOWS, GLASS, BLOCK GLASS, SCREENS, SHUTTERS, MIRRORS, VINYL, WOODEN, WINDOW TREATMENTS, INTERIOR, EXTERIOR, DOORS, PROTECTION, SECURITY DOORS, SKYLIGHTS, ROOFING, VENTS, VENTILATION, GUTTERS, SIDING, CEMENT FIBER OR VINYL, PLUMBING, RE-PIPING, REPIPING, REPIPE, RE-PIPE, SOLAR, SOLAR WATER HEATING, WATER TREATMENT, WATER FILTERS,TANKLESS, WATER HEATERS, AIR CONDITIONING, AIR CONDITIONER, AIR FILTERS, HOME COMFORT SYSTEM, AIR FILTRATION, HEATING, COOLING, INSULATION, ENERGY STAR, ELECTRICAL, SERVICE PANELS, CEILING FANS, ENERGY, SOLAR ENERGY, SECURITY SYSTEMS, FLOORING, PAINTING, STAINING, TEXTURE COATING, STUCCO, CLOSETS, CARPENTRY,WOOD WORK, CABINETS, TILE, MARBLE, GARAGES, SHEDS, STORAGE, DECKS, PATIOS, SUN ROOMS, ENCLOSURES, WALKWAYS, DRIVEWAYS, PAVING, STONE, CONCRETE, ASPHALT, POOLS, LANDSCAPING, FENCING, WALLS, IRON, FOUNDATIONS, BOLTING, EARTH QUAKE RETRO-FITTING, REPAIRS, REPLACEMENT, REMODEL, CONSTRUCTION, HOME OFFICE, LANDINGS, FINANCE, RENOVATION, DESIGN, ARCHITECTS, GENERAL CONTRACTORS, FREE, FREE ESTIMATES, ESTIMATES, FEES, PLANNING, PERMITS, INSPECTIONS, HOME INSPECTIONS, SUB-CONTRACTORS, BUILD, DESIGNER, PROJECT MANAGERS, ORGANIZATION, FLOW, CLEANING, TIME, SCHEDULES, CUSTOM DESIGN, DESIGN/BUILD, DIRECT KITCHENS, CONSTRUCTION, DIRECT, ETC..............