As premium rise across the nation, Bankrate.com features a helpful story on ways to keep homeowner’s insurance premiums down. Some of the tips may surprise you.

Here are some highlights:

A series of small claims is expensive to process for an insurer and may result in higher premiums Don’t lie about your history of [...]

The Federal Open Market Committee adjourns from a two-day meeting today and so this is a good time to remind yourself: The Fed does not control mortgage rates.

Rather, the Fed sets the Federal Funds Rate.

And the FFR is, in turn, used to determine Prime Rate.

Prime Rate, in turn, [...]

One of the most difficult things about having your home on the market is keeping it meticulous for repeated showings.

Every residence has loads of corners and nooks that require constant attention to stay spotless.

Potential buyers don’t intend to be oblivious, but they often bring dirt, mud, coffee cups and other strange particles [...]

From the CBS News Video Web site, an interesting story for anyone who’s recently applied for credit.

Credit repositories now sell the contact information of people applying for new mortgage loans to other mortgage lenders that want to compete for the business.

Called “trigger leads”, an unsuspecting mortgage applicant can have his credit checked by [...]

June is the peak selling month for real estate.

If your home is listed and hasn’t sold in June, though, it’s not the end of the world. It’s just time to be a little bit more creative.

A good real estate agent will have loads of ideas to expand your home’s natural buyer pool. [...]

Pop Quiz:

Q. Which of the following reactions are normal for condominium owners when thinking about their building’s condo association?

Fear of the association’s ability to impose restrictions on residents of the building Confusion about the association’s purpose Denial that dues and assessments are determined by a resident “governing body” Acceptance of how the [...]

Is “news” always news, or is it masked opinion?

When doing research on mortgages, it’s important to pay attention to the objectivity of your research source.

Often, a writer will deploy key adjectives, phrases, and/or images that distort an otherwise factual story.

This cartoon from clangnuts.com is a terrific example.

It [...]

If you are planning to be a landlord for the first time, take some time to research what you’re getting into.

Don’t take the plunge until you have gathered as much information and read as many books about the subject as possible, and then until you have talked to as many people as possible.

[...]

For those that drive to work each morning and even those with extreme commutes, this is old news.

Since Memorial Day weekend when gas prices touched $3.24/gallon nationally, the cost of filling up dipped below $3.00. According to Gas Buddy, Monday’s average cost per gallon was $2.995.

Even though each gas tank feels [...]

Porches can be a fantastic addition to any house, invoking a certain “charm” or providing space for a swinging love seat.

Regardless of its function, your home’s porch’s form is often what creates your home’s first impression.

Because porches do not shed water, they can require a lot of maintenance. Wood will eventually [...]