Oklahoma well-wishers leave special messages for single mom Updated: Fri, Jan 20, 2012 | Leave a comment Visitors to the annual Oklahoma City Home and Garden Show can write messages to a family that will receive a Habitat for Humanity house. Read More

At Home: Virtual therapy for home improvers Published: Mon, Sep 26, 2011 | Leave a comment At Home by Marni Jameson: Hometalk.com is a new online site where members can ask questions, rant or rave about their home improvement projects. Read More

Drought causes foundation headaches in Oklahoma Published: Sun, Sep 25, 2011 | Leave a comment The exceptional drought across Oklahoma has wreaked havoc on the state's clay-rich soil, which causes problems with concrete slab building foundations. The expensive repairs can put a big dent in a homeowner's finances. Read More

Renovators find discards are in demand Published: Sat, Apr 2, 2011 | Leave a comment A growing number of homeowners, architects and builders are trying to reuse or recycle construction materials whenever possible. Read More

Great Expectations Updated: Wed, Jan 13, 2010 | Leave a comment If you do not own a home, you might as well buy one because you’re already contributing to a mortgage – your landlord’s. That’s one case for homeownership Seattle-based broker Carolyn Warren makes on her Web site, mortgage-helper.com. But though it’s easy to understand the benefits of owning your own... Read More

2009-2010 Federal Housing Tax Credit Fact Sheet Updated: Wed, Jan 13, 2010 | Leave a comment Who is Eligible First-time homebuyers, who are defined by the law as buyers who have not owned a principal residence during the three-year period prior to the purchase, may be eligible for a tax credit of 10 percent of the purchase price, up to a maximum of $8,000. Repeat buyers – existing homeowners who... Read More

How to Choose the Right Agent Updated: Thu, Jan 14, 2010 | Leave a comment With the government’s extension of the first-time homebuyer credit through April 30, 2010, even the most die-hard renters are feeling the urge to become the master of their own domicile. But before they can join the ranks of an estimated 1.4 million first-time homebuyers who took advantage of the credit’s first... Read More

Home Insurance Guide for First-Time Buyers Updated: Wed, Jan 13, 2010 | Leave a comment The topic of insurance can be daunting even for the most seasoned homebuyer. But don’t wait until it’s time to sign for your home to think about it – the more research you do in advance, the more comfortable you will feel the day you move in. Consider the following choices below before buying to avoid the... Read More

Surviving the Chaos of Closing Updated: Wed, Jan 13, 2010 | Leave a comment If you ask Bruce Hahn for tips on how to survive the chaos of closing a home purchase, one thing the president of the American Homeowners Foundation in Arlington, Va., will tell you to is to “take Valium, lots of Valium.” All kidding aside, the anxiety many buyers feel at closing time is no joke, with... Read More

Ask Our Buyer Updated: Wed, Jan 13, 2010 | Leave a comment Q: I’m a first-time buyer. I’ve heard that I can use the $8,000 first-time buyer credit in place of cash for a down payment. I’ve also heard that I can’t. Which is it? A: Both. On May 29, 2009, HUD came out with a revised “mortgage letter” regarding the tax credit that made two main points:... Read More

How to Spend $8,000 Updated: Thu, Jan 14, 2010 | Leave a comment So, you’ve closed on a home and that federal first-time homebuyer’s tax credit should be coming your way soon. Now what? Well, first of all, realize it might take several weeks for the tax credit form to get processed. Even then, some homeowners will only see the credit as savings on their taxes, so don’t... Read More

Smart Tips for First-Time Buyers Updated: Thu, Jan 14, 2010 | Leave a comment Worried about making missteps on the way to your first home? Learn the common mistakes first-time buyers make – and how to avoid them Buying a house is an investment every individual and family wants to make. But buyers should realize that their first home may not be the home they’re going to live in... Read More

From Huh? To Home: A First-Time Buyer's Battle Plan Updated: Thu, Jan 14, 2010 | Leave a comment With tax credits, low interest rates and falling home prices, the number of first-time homebuyers has increased to approximately 47 percent, up by more than 10 percent since 2006, according to the National Association of Realtors. But even with these incentives, the process of buying a home for the first time can... Read More

Meet the Players Updated: Wed, Jan 13, 2010 | Leave a comment Here’s the lineup of people you need to know to hit a home-run real estate deal Sure, you’ll be the one unpacking the boxes, grilling on the patio and hanging portraits on the walls, but buying a home is a team effort. Here are the key player’s you’ll be working with throughout the process: The... Read More

Face to Face with the Loan Officer Updated: Thu, Jan 14, 2010 | Leave a comment Despite improvement in the economy, the lending environment is still tough. Winning over cautious lenders requires creating a concrete case for a mortgage Have you ever checked off every item on your to-do list Friday, so you can relax all weekend? It’s smart to apply the same strategy to homebuying.... Read More