Karen Simms' Blog

"If it isn't broke, don't fix it" is certainly popular advice, but if you've ever had a serious plumbing leak, you certainly wished you had taken care of the problem earlier. Washing machines, like all appliances, are supposed to work and when they don't, it's time to have them fixed or replaced....

Low inventory is a relative term depending on how you're comparing it.  Would the comparison be to total number of homes on the market last year, homes in a certain price range or homes in a certain area?  In some situations, it's a combination of all of those things. In any given market, invento...

We're constantly bombarded by lenders to refinance our mortgage under a variety of programs. The volume of offers can almost make you numb to the rational consideration. There are common rules of thumbs that homeowners and agents use such as not refinancing more often than every two years or ther...

BANK OWNED HOMES IN GILBERT, AZ. See all the bank owned homes in Gilbert, Az.  If you are looking for 3 bedroom Gilbert homes or 4 bedroom Gilbert homes you will find them here at affordable prices. Some of these Gilbert bank owned homes are near San Tan Village, the Riparian Preserve, Big Leagu...

Are Lending Standards Loosening? Posted: 27 Feb 2013 04:00 AM PST   Celia Chen, an economist for Moody’s Analytics, recently reported on her projections regarding mortgage standards throughout 2013. “The housing recovery began in earnest in 2012, despite constraints placed by a still-tight mortga...

We're constantly bombarded by lenders to refinance our mortgage under a variety of programs. The volume of offers can almost make you numb to the rational consideration.   There are common rules of thumbs that homeowners and agents use such as not refinancing more often than every two years or th...

Single-family homes used for rental property have distinct advantages over other types of investments. An investor can borrow 75-80% at fixed interest rates on appreciating assets with definite tax advantages and reasonable control. The financing alone is attractive compared to some investments t...

The last thing you want to do while you're on a trip is to worry about someone burglarizing your home. Use this checklist to add some peace of mind to your travel plans. Ask a trusted friend - to pick up your mail and newspaper and keep the yard free of trash and advertisements. Stop your mail bu...

How much evidence is needed to make a decision to get out of the rent race and become a homeowner? Compare your rent with a mortgage payment on a similar size property. If you want a larger home than your current one, use the rent that property would require instead of what you're currently payin...

The 3.5% down payment on FHA loans could be more expensive for buyers than expected. Beginning April 1, 2013, the mortgage insurance premium will go up by .1% to 1.35% which may not even be noticeable to most would-be homeowners. The staggering increase will occur on 6/3/2013 when FHA's policy on...