The University of Michigan Consumer Sentiment Survey slipped to 88.4 in March, down from February’s 91.3 and its lowest level in six months.

Why should you care about the UofM survey as a homeowner? In a nutshell, you shouldn’t. But, you sort of have to.

Here’s why: Consumer confidence is considered important by [...]

As a home owner, it’s a good practice to have your home and its appliances serviced regularly.

There is no wrong way to maintain your home — you just need to do it.

The biggest advantage to routine maintenance is that problems can be identified and corrected prior to a complete breakdown.

When [...]

Every town has its own history and issues unique to its neighborhoods.

Near Bozeman, Montana this morning, one neighborhood is dealing with a tumbleweed problem that is so bad that residents are resorting to using snowplows and pitchforks to clear driveways, backyards, and streets.

This is not an every year event, of course, [...]

The pie chart at right comes from a Bankrate.com survey, sampling 1,000 adults about their current housing situation.

The question asked: What type of mortgage do you currently have?

While the 34% “Don’t Know” figure is troubling, even more frightening is the 6% “ARM” figure.

The sample size was small, but far [...]

It’s Do-It-Yourself Season for projects around the home and that makes this a fantastic time to remind everyone to be safe around your home.

Just because the “guy on TV ” makes it look simple doesn’t mean that the project is within your personal skill set.

When a ceiling is being repaired on the [...]

As a consumer, it’s very easy to be misled by newspaper headlines. Today provides a great example.

“Sales of Existing Homes Up 3.9% For The Biggest Monthly Gains In Three Years”

What was not mentioned in the headline was that total inventory rose by 5.9%, adding more supply than for which there is demand. [...]

As we move into Spring and the sun moves to higher position overhead, sun rays are not as “linear” as during the Winter. That doesn’t mean that a sunny day won’t reveal dirty windows and window treatments, however.

Whether you plan to sell your home or plan to entertain friends, visitors notice how natural light [...]

This afternoon, the Fed adjourns after a two-day meeting and it is widely expected that they will leave the Fed Funds Rate unchanged at 5.250%.

So, what is the Fed Funds Rate and why does it matter to everyday people?

The Fed Funds Rate matters to you and me because it is used [...]

A questions that buyers often ask is: “How many homes will I need to see before I find the right one?”

This is a hard question to answer because it varies from buyer to buyer.

For example, buyers that use the Internet for research usually need to see fewer homes than buyers who [...]

When real estate data comes from the National Association of REALTORS, it has an industry-insider feel to it. The data may be accurate, but it is hardly “impartial”.

So, it’s nice to see data from the Office of Federal Housing Enterprise Oversight (OFHEO) that supports on-going strength in the U.S. housing markets.