Tuesday, November 25, 2008

Rent Apartment or Buy Mobile Home and Resell?

First, I think you’re getting too exotic by thinking about saving money by purchasing a mobile home and reselling it, recouping some of the equity and thus paying out less in rent. It’s certainly a very interesting decision and analysis but ultimately I think your assumptions are going to be your undoing on this one.
If all your assumptions go through, that you can purchase the mobile home and resell it at the stated prices, it sounds like your plan will work. Your assumptions, however, are very difficult to support and I am clearly not qualified to give you an advice on that. All I know is that there is a social stigma associated with mobile homes and I have no experience selling one, either first hand or anecdotally. What I do know is that you’ll have to put that mobile home somewhere and generally mobile home parks charge some sort of land usage fee that you didn’t figure into your calculation. You also have closing costs and selling costs that you haven’t factored into your equation which may make the decision less financially attractive. Then again, your extra low price of $80k may have accounted for all of this in its fudge factor, who knows.
All that being said, I go back to the beginning where I said this is probably making it too complicated and potentially putting yourself in a bad spot, especially if you experience difficulty selling it and have on your hands a depreciating asset that you can’t sell. Would I do this? Probably not. I don’t like committing myself to debt larger than my fist unless it’s a pretty sure thing and I don’t think your trade off necessarily is. It’s definitely an interesting question though.

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Wednesday, November 19, 2008

Short on Space

Short on Space, Tall on FunctionFeel squeezed by your space? A lot of us do. But there are ways to feel as if you're living larger than you actually are with a few tips that won't make the walls seem as if they're closing in on you.According to the American Furniture Manufacturers Association, 87 percent of Americans who describe their home as small to medium in size try to use every square inch to maximum efficiency. Rather than making their space look bigger, people want a cozy, intimate feel and prefer to use their space wisely and get the most out of it."One of the great things about small rooms is that they help us think creatively about the way we live," said Jackie Hirschhaut, vice president of the High Point, N.C.-based trade association. "Furniture is a true complement to a small abode—it helps you maximize your space by providing function, comfort and style."AFMA suggests the following tips for ways to increase square footage without building on an addition:
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Thursday, November 13, 2008

Things to Know Before Selecting an Apartment

With so many people wanting to live in the city, it is difficult to find an apartment, especially in big cities like New York City. Apartment prices are rising. Even if one finds an apartment it is better to not move in a hurry. It is useful to consider a few key things before selecting an apartment.
Things You Should Know:
These are the things you should know before selecting an apartment.
· Know How Much You can AffordThis is where your apartment search begins. You must know your monthly rental budget. Once you determine how much you can afford in monthly rent, then you can narrow your apartment search significantly. How much are you willing to spend for an apartment you will be comfortable with? This decision is depended on the income and your household expenditures. In cities where the cost of living is higher, a larger portion of your monthly income will go to rent. If this is a problem, you may need to look at other living options like living a little further out in the city suburbs where apartment rent is usually less expensive. You could also consider sharing the apartment with someone else.
· Know the Neighborhood After you have determined how much money you can spend on an apartment, you need to decide what areas of the city you are willing to live in. Always be sure about things like
- Is the locality affordable?- How far are the basic public amenities?- Is the neighborhood safe?- What is the history of the neighborhood?- Who lives in the neighborhood?- What are the nearby schools like?- How close is the public transportation to get to work and other places?
· Know Your Rights & Responsibilities Once you have successfully found a suitable apartment, make sure you know your rights and responsibilities as a tenant. Your rights are best protected if you have a written lease. Be aware of oral leases because you may be subject to restrictions that you are not aware of. In face, never agree to a word-of-mouth lease agreement. Always insist on signing a written lease, even if you are renting from a friend. You should be familiar with basic tenant rights, remedies, obligations and laws protecting the tenants. You can be entitled to interest on rent security deposit and entitled to withhold rent if repairs are not made in your apartment in a timely manner.
The above information will surely help you to select a suitable apartment even if it takes some time to find one.

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Friday, November 7, 2008

College Students Renting an Apartment

If you've decided the dorm isn't for you, then renting an apartment will be one of your alternatives. After you have chosen an area to live in and found an apartment you want, being careful when negotiating and signing your lease can help you reduce the cost of renting and potentially eliminate some of the issues you are likely to face as a tenant. Here are some guidelines that can help.Try to get a reduction in the monthly rentIn most cases, not only are you eager to move in, the landlord is anxious to start collecting rent. Ask the landlord if there is some way to get a slight reduction - 2% to 5% isn't unreasonable. If you are a good prospect for leasing, the landlord may be willing to make a slight concession just to get the apartment rented. If the landlord says no, you haven't lost anything.
Examine the terms of the lease carefullyLook for items that you may find hard to live with. Are there restrictions on pets, types of furniture allowed (water beds, etc) or any other items? Can you have roommates? What are the payment terms? Is the penalty for late payment severe? Does the landlord have the right to enter your apartment without your permission? If the landlord's expenses rise (property taxes, maintenance, etc.), can your rent be raised? Even though the lease document may be a couple of pages long, you should read it carefully.
List all your roommates and have them sign the leaseWhile some landlords won't accept multiple names on the lease, it makes sense to ask. If all your roommates sign the lease, all share any liabilities. It will also protect you if one roommate moves out before the end of the lease.
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Tuesday, November 4, 2008

How To Conduct A Home Inventory

How To Conduct A Home Inventory
*Quick Quiz*
Name the brand and model of the television(s) in your house or apartment. How much did your computer cost, and where did you purchase it? What is the serial number on your camera? Could you answer those questions without looking? Now imagine how difficult it would be to come up with this information for ALL of your belongings while dealing with the stress of a fire, burglary, or natural disaster. In such a case, you may spend countless hours trying to remember everything only to realize what you forgot after your claim has been processed. You might not even be able to produce the required proof for the claim to be accepted.

How can a home inventory help?
In the unfortunate event of a major loss, your insurance company will need a lot of information to process your claim. If you’ve already created a home inventory, this process will be much easier and should be completed faster. Otherwise, you might not be able to account for everything, and if you’re unable to provide the required information, you may receive less than full compensation for your loss.
Also, depending on your situation and the tax laws where you live, this information may also be required for a tax credit.
And finally, if you file a police report for stolen items, having the model number and serial number will improve your odds for recovering the stolen propertyFor apartments in New Jersey go to Raritan Crossing. They are pet friendly apartments and New Brunswick NJ apartments. Rentals near Metropark and apartments in Middlesex county. For apartments in central NJ this is the place for you with Apartments in Middlesex County NJ. Raritan Crossing has apartments near metropark, apartments near Rutgers and apartments near Robert Wood Johnson