By Lisa Kaplan Gordon (realtor.com)When you buy an old house worn down by time and climate, it’s a no-brainer to hire a home inspector to check what shape it’s in—before you commit to your purchase. But should you hire a home inspector for a new house, even if it hasn’t been finished yet?As odd as it may seem, the answer is yes. Here’s why new houses should get inspected, too, and the best way to...
House for families
In the months leading up to the end of your rental lease, some important decisions about your living situation need to be made. Sure, you need to find a new place. But moving from one apartment to the next is not as simple as finding a new place, packing up your stuff, and driving away without ever looking back. Truthfully, you can do that, but don’t expect to get a penny of your security deposit back,...
The home appraisal process is just a formality when buying real estate, right? You’ve found the house you love and put in a good offer, and it was accepted! It’s time to break out the Dom Pérignon White Gold? Sorry, not yet.If you’ve applied for a mortgage, your home-to-be still has to undergo a comprehensive appraisal of its worth—and an unfavorable home appraisal can kill a real estate deal....
By: Jamie Wiebe (realtor.com)Feb 7, 2022Need to know how to estimate property taxes? You’ve come to the right place! Most people know that homeownership requires coughing up copious amounts of money. There’s your mortgage, of course, but the costs hardly end there. You will also have to pay property tax.If you already own a home, you can look at how your tax is calculated on the most current property...
With the advent of the lunar new year comes a shift in energy in the Chinese Zodiac. 2022 is renewing its energy by welcoming in the Year of the Water Tiger, according to Pure Wow. The new energy of the water tiger brings with it yang — or masculine — energies, symbolizing ambition, generosity, justice, adventure, enthusiasm, competitiveness, big changes, and risk-taking. In advance of the change,...
On Feb. 1, we will usher in the Chinese New Year, the Year of the Thundering Water Tiger. Families will gather around the table on the eve (Jan. 31) to celebrate. I asked Patrick Fernandez of Yin and Yang Shop of Harmony to share his insights and expectations for 2022. Patrick, whom I met in February 2019, combines classical feng shui concepts and traditions with a strong background in business, finance...
Known as Chinese New Year, Seollal, and Tết, the Lunar New Year is one of the most important holidays in East and Southeast Asian countries. This year the Lunar New Year will be celebrated on February 1. In the Chinese Zodiac, this upcoming year is the Year of the Tiger. In contrast to last year’s Year of the Ox—which was considered to be more humble, heavy with responsibility, and reliable–this...
Chinese New Year, also known as the Lunar New Year or the Spring Festival, is the most important among the traditional Chinese festivals. The origin of the Chinese New Year Festival can be traced back to about 3,500 years ago. Chinese New Year has evolved over a long period of time and its customs have undergone a long development process. A Legend of the Origin of Chinese New Year: Nian Like all...
There are many legends and stories about the Chinese New Year. We would like to share with you the three most popular ones. 1. The Legend of Why New Year Is Celebrated Chinese New Year’s Day is called Guo Nian (过年) in Chinese, which can mean ‘celebrate (a new) year’ or ‘overcome Nian’. The character 年 (Nián) could mean a ‘year’ or ‘the monster Nian’. In ancient times, there was...
By Ilyce Glink and Samuel J. Tamkin (washingtonpost.com) January 24, 2022 Covid-19, as we’ve pointed out in previous columns, is a trend accelerator. When it comes to buying a home, covid-19 has been the best of times (lowest mortgage rates in history during 2020 and part of 2021) and worst of times (home prices are skyrocketing). As we ended 2021, the United States was short between 5.5 million and...