Rose Cottage Ltd

After a long week of icky political news and unexpectedly hot weather, I could probably take a nice little Saturday nap in this Gnome Home!

Gnome Village Garden Set

Outdoor Accents make great gifts. Check this and other unique statuary, fountains, and birdbaths – Father’s Day is just around the corner!!

Happy Weekend!

Nasty weather for the US Northeast this weekend. Rain, ice, snow, and a cold blast coming in behind the precipitation. Allow extra time for driving and keep an eye on this fast-moving weather front…

++ The $25,000+ Mortgage Mistake…

In my next life, you might find me living…

++ Tiny House: Go Small on Your Own Private Island

I couldn’t have titled this next one any better…

++ Really strange real estate listings

++ Ritzy real estate broker – $5.5 million fraud

++ Gifts under $100 from Exterior-Accents.com!

++ Why Real Estate Could Soar in 2015

And quite possibly, why it shouldn’t…

++ Look inside this rustic, sun-powered home

Looks like HGTV is starting to catch up with Rose Cottage Ltd!

++ “Tiny” House Hunters

Let’s start off with real estate news this week that follows the adage “Buyer Beware.” This relates more to those trying to tell you how to make a fortune in real estate – while they’re making a fortune selling you the info – only…

++ Real-estate sales tactic skates the line

Boring, but great for resale properties…

++ Home Renovations Bounce Back With Neutral Colors

++ Orlando named one of top 5 markets for real estate investing

Someone in agreement with me on our eroding property rights…

++ Private property rights and socialism do not mix

This one will leave you speechless!

++ How a NYC Non-Profit Did a $26.5 Million Real Estate Deal Without Selling Its Building

++ Shop National Geographic’s Best Selling Gifts!

++ Your Best Real Estate Move: Flip or Hold in 2015?

I’m still waiting for a little chalet in Switzerland to drop down below $4 million…

++ Revealed: Europe’s best cities for real estate investment

Hope everyone is having a great start to 2015! Make it a safe and successful year…

++ Flip or Hold: Best Real Estate Moves for 2015

Hint: Location, location, location

++ Too much home – too many customized renovations

++ What you can get for $5.7 million in Dallas

++ Options for those seeking home loans in 2015

This author has some of the same concerns I expressed in December. And why the article linked below may not hold the good news it appears to…

++ 4 reasons buying a home in 2015 will be easier

++ Winter Savings at Duncraft!

++ Top 10 Hot Housing Markets to Watch in 2015

You can see by these articles that there is a lot of conflicting info out there which is not always helpful for potential home buyers. I am still concerned that “easier” lending standards will foster a return to unwise lending and buyers in trouble yet again. These artificially low interest rates are also great bait for those who were not in the real estate market – or maybe not even alive, in the 1980’s and early 1990’s when financing rates were in the teens…

My advice?

One – Stay away from ARMS (Adjustable Rate Mortgages.)

Two – Don’t fall for the lower payment and interest rate available on a 15-year loan. Get the 30-year instead and make additional principal payments if and when you can. This will give you some cushion against a somewhat unstable job market and you’ll be amazed at how fast you can turn a 30-year mortgage into a 20-year loan by controlling your own mortgage payments…

If you’re ready to start your holiday gift planning here are some ideas.

Most of the images found on Rose Cottage Ltd over the past 6 years can be customized and made into prints thanks to Fine Art America. I’ve tried to upload the images with the largest available pixel count for those who need a really large image – and you’ll find these also make great gifts for stocking size, last-minute treats.

These won’t appeal to everyone since not all are into nature, wildlife and lake and beach scenes, but you might find an image that allows you to make a completely customized gift for someone who is. Last count, there are around 60 to choose from…

I’ll repost this link once a week from now through mid-December – or stop by and visit Rose Cottage Ltd at Fine Art America.

++ Five Costly Homeowner’s Insurance Mistakes

++ 3 Fundamental Tips for Real Estate Investing Newbies

++ Bathroom remodeling should start at the studs

++ The 13 hottest real estate markets in America

Keep in mind that “better” doesn’t always have to mean “bigger.”

++ 4 things you need to know before trading up to a better home

If you’ve been here more than once, you know how I feel about property taxes…

++ Really rich real estate: San Francisco’s five most expensive property tax bills

Here’s one that ramps up this time of year, be warned…

++ Consumer Fraud Task Force Warns Consumers About Air Duct Cleaners’ Practices

Ridiculous title on this next one, but it’s the content that counts!

++ A not-so-sexy home-improvement project with real benefits

Happy Weekend!

Some people like shoes – I like sweaters. So this time of year is fun for me and a great time to shop for a new sweater or two for the coming colder temperatures. Here are a few great choices for men and women…and what better time since so much is on sale right now!

++ Save as much as 70% in the National Geographic Online Store

How good are the sales? If you bought one each of each of these items you’d save $340!!!

Scottish Wool Walking Sweater
$20 OFF!

Peruvian Ombre Alpaca Sweater
$70 OFF!

La Paz Alpaca Sweater
$100 OFF!

Whitby Fisherman Sweater
$50 OFF!

Norwegian Quarter-zip Wool Sweater
$100 OFF!
I actually have one of these and it is WARM!!!

Looking for something else? Shop National Geographic’s Best Selling Gifts!

This makes me sick – and it’s being done to suit private individuals to use Federal lands:

++ Wild Horse Removal

This next one is very important if you want to sell your home. Get rid of clutter and if you have to, rent a temporary storage unit to store some of your belongings. People want to see space, not clutter.

++ Five Tenets of Home Staging For DIY

And another “bad” regarding fracking. The process uses a LOT of ground water so, why are they doing it in areas of drought or potential drought? Even if your well isn’t full of fracking chemicals, it might just run dry…

++ Water allocation an issue at fracking locations across US and globally

I LOVE Naples, Florida. If I were looking at a move south, this would be my primary target. Looks like I need to save some coin first though…

++ Survey says: Naples luxury home market among tops in the U.S.

Interesting news – but not likely to impact most of us!

++ London Has Mansion-Tax Lesson for New York

These are always subject to individual interpretation as to what is “best” about a city, but I find them interesting to view. This one has a nice slideshow of potential choices if you’re contemplating a relocation.

++ The 10 best U.S. cities to live in

++ Best towns for fall colors

And a quick reminder from Cato that October is “Adopt-A-Shelter-Dog” month…

++ Startups Racing to Renovate the Home

This is a bit of a “one-off” but I thought it was good info to know…

++ How long is too long to keep food in the fridge?

++ Ark. real estate agent disappears while showing home

++ Investing In Luxury Real Estate

Now here are two headlines that show how closely you need to pay attention to the news, and what it’s really telling you:

++ U.S. New-Home Sales Surge 18% in August

Versus:

++ US existing home sales fall, investors pulling back

So if any news source makes a blanket statement about what the “real estate market” is doing, be very suspicious!

++ Norway jumps to second-biggest foreign buyer of U.S. real estate

I don’t know why it bothers me, but I am concerned about how many foreign interests are buying up huge chunks of America. Some foreign investors are buying REITs or real estate investment trusts – which means they can potentially own major stakes in many US commercial buildings, rural property, or single-family communities.

My worry comes from what I know to be true in single-family properties. Who takes the best care in and has the most pride of property ownership? One who lives in what they own. Absentee landlords? Not so much.

++ This House Was Inspired By “Star Wars”

++ 3 Trends Could Affect These Real Estate Investments

This next one tells me a lot. If you’ve lived long enough to see past interest rates in the double digits and then you see how long they’ve hovered in the 4 to 5% range, you’ll wonder at all this talk of “economic recovery.” One would think with a lending rate of interest at less than 4.5%, buyers would be hopping on properties fast and furious. But they aren’t.

++ Mortgage rates rise to 4.23%

++ Shop heirloom seeds and plants at monticelloshop.org

Okay, I do like the idea of tiny house living and how it can be accomplished, but I think the one linked below goes a bit too far – and for over $350,000 US dollars? Must be “location, location, location.”

++ ‘Smallest house in the world’ on sale for £275k in north London

++ Top 10 international places to invest in real estate

Happy weekend. First day of Fall 2014 is Tuesday!!!