Novus Home Quest

You should always have a home inspected before you buy it. Sometimes you will need specialists to examine red flags the initial inspection raises. Here is a comprehensive list of things that should be checked.

When to Call A Home Inspection Specialist Having a home inspection is an integral part of buying a house. When should you bring in specialists for closer scrutiny of a home’s different systems?

Considering a move abroad? Here are some smart tips that can help save you time and money.

I’m Moving Abroad. What Do I Need to Know? Moving abroad raises the stakes on the usual questions about relocation. Should we rent first or jump in and buy? Keep reading for tips and advice.

Could home sharing help you or a loved one? Learn more about this practice and share this article with someone who could benefit.

Are You a Candidate for Home Sharing? Once you graduated from college and got a place of your own, you probably assumed your spouse would be the last roommate you’d ever have. Recently, however, adults who would otherwise be on their own have begun sharing living spaces for a variety of reasons. Could home sharing work for you?

How long until you can move in to the house of your dreams? The answer depends in part on whether you buy an existing home, purchase tract housing or build a custom home. Sort out the choices with these criteria.

How Long Until I Can Move In to a New Home? When shopping for a home, you have three options: choose an existing house, buy a tract home or build a custom property to your exact specifications. One of the ways these options differ is in how long the purchase process takes and time until move in.

If aging parents may be moving in, there are several issues that should be discussed and crucial things to consider before creating your new in-law suite.

Multigenerational Households: Crucial Considerations Multigenerational living presents certain issues so before you add that in-law suite, take a look at the important factors you need to consider.

Home shoppers are increasingly looking for green building features. Learn how the National Association of REALTORS® is training agents to meet that demand.

Green Building Well-Recognized Throughout Industry Green building is now the name of the game in both new construction and the retrofitting of existing homes. Here's what's happening in the industry.

Being a landlord is one thing, but do you also want to be the property manager? Try on these hats for size.

Should You Manage Your Rental Or Leave It to the Pros? Being a landlord is hard work, especially if you’re overseeing day-to-day management of the rental properties. Here’s what you need to consider before diving in to DIY property management or choosing to hire a pro.

Agents and sellers prefer to deal with would-be buyers who have the means to purchase the home they want. Having a mortgage pre approval proves you’ve got the financial ability to make a deal. Here’s what you’ll need to get that all-important letter from a lender.

What to Provide for Mortgage Pre Approval Having a mortgage pre approval letter from a lender will save time for you, your agent and the seller. Here is what you will need to get a pre approval?

When selling or donating an old computer, don’t forget to safeguard your personal information. Here’s what you can do to protect yourself from information theft.

Guard Your Personal Info When Disposing of a Computer When you buy a computer, you may plan to sell, donate or recycle your old one. Before you let go of your computer, make sure to remove your personal data.

During the blazing summer or frigid winter, what are the best temperatures to keep your house comfortable without shocking energy bills? This guide can help provide cool counsel on comfort and cost.

Balancing Comfort and Cost at the Thermostat Summer’s merciless heat and winter’s icy temperatures make it hard to set your thermostat. Here’s how to keep both your home and your wallet comfy.

Wishing you a safe and healthy Easter this year.

Why should you hire a real estate agent when buying a home? Here are some major advantages.

7 Benefits of Working With a Real Estate Agent Working with a real estate agent when buying a home will save you both time and money. Here are seven advantages to having an agent's expert guidance.

Family photos are a popular choice for home decor. Here are some tips to create a gallery like a pro.

7 Easy Ways to Turn Family Photos into Art Family photos are often used to adorn walls, turning memories into artwork. Follow these 7 tips to help transform your photos into beautiful home accents.

Checking your home’s Zestimate may pleasantly surprise you or spark frustration. How reliable is Zillow’s automated home valuation algorithm? Learn how it works here.

How Accurate is a Zestimate? The real estate website Zillow offers an online home valuation known as a Zestimate. What factors affect a Zestimate? Can you rely on one?

Don’t let your credit score surprise you, especially if you’re in the market to buy a home. Here’s what you need to know about that all-important number.

How to Score (and Keep) Good Credit When shopping for a mortgage, one number, in particular, plays a major role -- a good credit score. Here’s what you need to know about improving your credit score.

In a hotly competitive market, a thoughtful offer letter might make the difference in closing the deal. Here’s how to compose it with just the right touch.

How a Home Offer Letter Might Seal the Deal What steps can you take to land the home of your dreams in a competitive sellers market? A strong home offer letter might do the trick. Here’s how.

Is buying a mattress online a good choice, or will you toss and turn with regret? You’ll rest easy with this short guide to buying a mattress with a few clicks.

Mattresses by Mail - A Good Buy? Brick-and-mortar mattress stores rival car dealers when it comes to television ads loudly promoting hot sale prices. Now consumers can skip the hype and purchase mattresses online. Is this a smart way to buy, or will you end up losing sleep over it?

Congratulations! A big corporation is moving its headquarters to your city. What does it mean for your decision to buy or sell a home?

A New Headquarters in Town: Help or Hindrance to Home Ownership? Large corporations frequently relocate their headquarters to new cities. How will that affect you as a home buyer or seller?

Bring color to your porch or patio with container gardens. But how to choose the right type of pot? Read on to find out.

How to Find the Right Outdoor Plant Container Outdoor plant container gardens are a smart way to add seasonal color to a home’s porches, decks and patios. Here’s a quick tutorial.

Buying a house with resale value in mind? Here are the features to look for in a home to help make it easier to sell down the road.

Consider Home Buying with Resale in Mind Savvy shoppers think ahead to what a property offers future buyers with resale in mind. Be careful not to narrow your resale options when buying a home.

Storage is always a challenge, especially in a tiny linen closet. Here are seven tips for a clutter-free space.

Organizing Your Linen Closet: A How-to Guide A little organization and a fair amount of purging can turn even a modest linen closet into a functional space for a family. Here are a few tips.

There’s nothing like a fresh coat of paint to give your home a new look when you are ready to sell. Check out these tips and tricks for DIYers.

Study Up on the ABCs of Painting Before you pick up that paintbrush or roller, do yourself a favor and study up on the types of paint, the materials you’ll need to do a good job and the techniques required to make your painted surfaces look like you hired a pro. Types of paint. Paint falls into two basic types: water-based and [....

Ticks are more than a mere nuisance - they can carry dangerous diseases. Keep them out of your landscape and off of you and your pets with these safe preventative steps.

Protecting Yourself From Ticks The Natural Way Ticks can take some of the fun out of spring and summer outdoor living. Here’s how you can keep them away without the risks of commercial pesticides.

Don’t have the cash to make a down payment on a house? Find out if you qualify for a special down payment assistance program.

Down Payment Assistance Programs When thinking of buying a house, a first question is often How much do I need for a down payment? That’s where down payment assistance programs come in.

Do you dream of a spa-like shower in your home? Check out these options.

The Pressure’s On For a Better Shower If showering in your home is less than spa-like and more akin to torture, it’s time to take a look under the shower head. Here are a few tips. Inspect the system. It’s entirely possible the screen under the shower head may be clogged. If so, unscrew and clean with a vinegar and water solution. [...

If you’re selling your home and feeling out of control in the clutter department, maybe it’s time to call a professional. Here’s how they can help.

When It’s Time to Hire a Professional Organizer There are certified professional organizers who can expertly help you manage your home, your office, your life, and your calendar.

Ever wonder about the ins and outs of an outdoor vegetable and herb garden? Here’s everything you need to know.

Creating an Outdoor Vegetable and Herb Garden Growing your own vegetables and herb garden isn’t as hard as you think. Where do you start? Here are the basics to a successful backyard kitchen garden.

Important steps to ease mortgage lending standards mean homeownership has become available to more people. Here’s how you can qualify for the American dream.

It’s Getting Easier to Obtain a Mortgage The housing crash of 2008 led to a tightening of mortgage lending standards. Now rules are loosening again. What can you expect when applying for a loan to buy a house?

Wishing you a safe & healthy St. Patrick's Day with your family.

You’ve probably seen “coming soon” signs in the yards of homes about to go on the market. But is this actually a good strategy for selling your home? Learn the Pros and Cons in this article.

Is “Coming Soon” the Right Home Sales Strategy for You? The “coming soon” sign in the yard of a home about to be put up for sale, has become popular. Does this practice benefit the seller?