Warranty in layman terms can be explained as a guarantee which is issued to any person on purchase of products or for services rendered, which promises to repair or reduce the cost of repairs. Normally certain repairs and services for any product which are covered under warranty are free of cost, or may be carried out at reduced prices.

The same concept is applicable for home owners who can avail such warranties. Normally brand new homes will include warranties on new appliances and systems, terms which are stipulated in the contract. Now this should not be confused with homeowner’s insurance which is a different thing altogether. Insurance by default is taken for the protection of your house which does not cover the appliances inside. Warranties are taken up separately for the appliances, electrical systems in the house amongst many others.

Home warranties will have different coverage as compared to your insurance. You will have to check with the company who is providing you the warranty, which are the appliances and various systems that are covered under warranty. There are a number of plans to choose from, and an even bigger number of companies to choose plans from, so you will have to be very careful and must do a thorough research.

Basic plans will cover most generic appliances and electrical systems, but there are a number of terms and conditions that apply when you go to make a claim on that warranty of yours. But more importantly you should know what is exclusively not covered.

The big question that comes to our minds now is whether taking up a home warranty plan is worth the cost? For example, if an appliance is not working properly or needs servicing, you will have to contact and hire a technician from outside if you don’t have warranty. The fees charged for services and the visit of course by the technician will be substantial since replacement parts might be hard to find for that particular appliance or for a number of reasons. However, warranties take this into account and ensure that the basic services and repairs included in the plan you have opted subsidize the costs involved or even eliminate them for that matter.

You can compare warranty plans online, or can talk to an expert from the company to know more about the range of plans and find out which is more suited for your purpose.

Timeshare is a unique concept that lets vacationers own a fraction of a property anywhere in the world instead of buying or renting the entire property. You simply pay for the duration of the vacation while exploring your favorite destinations. With timeshare, you can own multiple properties in some of the most exotic vacation destinations around the world. It is the most economical way to own a vacation home. You get to enjoy the entire home for the allotted time, but you pay only for a fraction of it ownership and simply share the available space with the co-owners for the rest of the year.

Here are a few things you must know to make the most out of your timeshare purchase.

Types of timeshare
Fractional ownership is the cheapest and easiest way to enjoy accommodation rights to a vacation property without having to outrightly buy it. But you can also check out timeshare resale offers that let you own the entire property for a lower retail value than the market price. Alternatively, you can own the place for a fixed week each year (like for Christmas or Thanksgiving) or opt for floating week ownerships during a season (say summer or winter). A biennial ownership lets you use the property every alternate year if you’re not a frequent traveler. However, these ownerships don’t generate any income and are merely a cost-effective way to partially own a place.

Charges and fees
The cost of the property is not the only expense, as you will also have to pay for the maintenance and bear the fees and services chargeable for the duration of the ownership. These costs can easily sum up to a couple of hundred dollars and may cut into your vacation budget, so assess the total cost of ownership of the property. Note that these costs vary depending on the type of timeshare, size of the unit, and the location, among other factors.

Point-based ownerships
Popular vacation destinations and resorts also offer a points-based system to let you own a timeshare property if you’re not keen on owning a unit. You can always convert these points to book a suitable unit for a specific period. Plus, you can choose to use all your points at once or split them up and use them to vacation at different destinations at different times of the year.

Renting an apartment can be quite a tedious and challenging task, not to mention very expensive. Apartments in cities can be rented out, only if you are willing to shell out the big bucks for comfort, convenience and for living in style.

But if you are not to fussy about how the apartment is or can make do without some of the modern amenities that we take granted for, renting an apartment may not be that expensive. Old buildings and flats for that matter may not look much but are cheaper to rent and manage too. Hang on to the bare necessities and try looking for alternatives, so that you can save big on furnishing the place as well. Buying good second hand furniture, renting out furniture online and even buying some from the flea market will help you save some big bucks.

Even old buildings come with some perks like having a gym in the basement, laundry rooms and more. Make the most of these facilities so that you can save unwanted spending outside. You would have rented a washing machine or opted for expensive laundry service outside otherwise. Making use of the perks which many buildings have to offer will help you cut back on those expenses.

If you are willing to commute, taking up a place in the suburbs will definitely help with the rent. City spaces are prime hot property since there is no more space available to expand, which in turn affects the cost. Suburbs are far away from these prime locations, which makes them a cheaper alternative.
Granted, the social life you will have in a city will be different from that of in the suburbs, so if you are the type of person who likes to mingle a lot and have an active social life, moving away from the city is not advisable. But it is an alternative for people who are happy with a couple of host parties and potluck dinners in maybe a month or so and mostly stay in to enjoy a warm cup of tea and read a book.

There are good times to look for a place and then there are times when everyone is out there, apartment hunting. People tend to relocate in the beginning, normally the months from January to march are the most active months which in turn affects market rates. When the demand goes up, price goes up.
It is advisable to start looking for apartments during the quitter months, after everybody has settled in. If you think waiting it out might make you miss that gorgeous park facing apartment with a view of the sunset, worry not. It is advisable to wait for the right moment, since even the flats which would have been expensive during the peak demand months may also be available within your budget.

Some of the most common terms that you come across when searching for apartments are – Section 8 housing, low-income apartments, affordable housing, etc. While we have heard of these terms frequently, there is more to the meaning of affordable housing. Moreover, one has to meet some qualification parameters to get a low-income apartment. The primary term that one has to be aware of on their low-income housing search is AMI or Area Median Income. It is a measurement that determines the amount of rent that you can afford for an apartment. It is based on the location you live in and other local parameters. The HUD sends out an annual AMI determination report for each region in all counties. Once the median income is determined, all households that earn below 80% of the listed amount are considered as low-income households. Those families with less than 50% of that amount fall under the very low-income category, and those earning less than 30% fall under the extremely low-income category.

Out of your whole income, your rent amount should not be more than 30% of it. Let’s say the average income is around $80,000 in your area, and you make only $35000 annually; in such a case, you would qualify for low-income apartment rental schemes that will help you and ensure that your rental costs are covered within 30% of your income. However, there are more qualification parameters that one needs to consider. The income cannot be too low or too high above the line. Only people whose income is within the stated parameters will qualify for these schemes.

One common fear for those who seek out low-income apartments is to how these affordable housing structures look like and what condition are they in. Every developer receives perks in the form of low-income housing tax credits that can help them save on their taxes by setting aside a small percentage of housing units exclusively for low-income families. The developers are required to ensure that the rent stays within the affordable limit at all times, failing which they will lose their tax credits. Some exclusive public housing structures only have low-income apartments for rent. A simple way to hunt down these types of houses is to inquire with the management offices of the different housing developers in your area. They are sure to provide you with the required help.

When someone tells you that they are downsizing and moving into a tiny apartment, the first thought that comes to your mind is what might be the reason? It doesn’t necessarily have to be a bad one, but a rather surprising move on someone’s part.

Normally, people would think of moving or relocating to a bigger house and apartment. But there are a number of benefits of moving into a tiny house, if you have a minimalistic living style and are not too worried or fussed about the size of the room, type of flooring, carpeting and others.

Tiny houses come in a number of shapes and sizes for that matter, they can be mobile homes or trailer homes which can be just hooked to the back of your van and towed. Tiny house can be prefabricated or prefab living spaces which are cheap and can be assembled in a very short span of time. Put a tiny house on wheels and you can tour the country.

Here are some of the benefits of living in a tiny house.

For a cheap, yet comfortable minimalistic living, tiny houses and mobile homes are the trending rage. Relocating for a new job or project elsewhere, worry not! Just hook up your tiny house to the back of the trailer and drive down to start another exciting adventure.

There are a number of customizable design options available with tiny houses, you can design and modify it any way you want. Plus, the cost and time needed to build a tiny house is very less compared to what you might end up spending, even for a small apartment in a city.

Tiny houses are easy to clean and maintain, since the total surface area is no more than a couple of hundred square feet or even less. Even with a number of customizable options, tiny houses are easy to maintain since there is only so much customization you can do at once.

Rig up a couple of solar panels and say goodbye to heavy electric bills. Not only are tiny houses ecofriendly, they will help you cut back on what you might generally spend for utilities and other necessities in a regular sized apartment.

The more modern versions of tiny houses are the expensive variants of your standard RV’s or recreational vehicles which are nothing but homes on the go. They are a bit on the higher range when it comes to price, but also provide the requisite comforts for the price tag.

The real estate market has rapidly evolved in the past few decades, especially due to the soaring costs of land. As a result, both old and new properties are equally expensive! So, first-time homebuyers often find it challenging to choose between new and old properties. Both entail their own set of pros and cons. Let’s take a quick look at them!

Pros and cons of new real estate properties
A new home tends to involve minimal maintenance costs, essentially because it is recently constructed. Therefore, it will ideally last for the next 10 to 20 years depending on the wear-and-tear that occurs. New residential properties are also developed with modern amenities, such as built-in dishwashers, refrigerators, or media rooms. Likewise, the buyers can be more secure about their investment as they are handed a builder’s warranty.

Some new structures even happen to incorporate solar panels to make living spaces more energy-efficient. Moreover, if they are not custom-made, they might be relatively affordable than older homes. Since code regulations alter all the time, most new homes are built to conform to the safety protocols. This means homeowners don’t have to spend additional money on making adjustments to their property.

Contrarily, new properties lack individuality. Most homes, especially apartments, might have the same structure, leaving limited room for customization. Similarly, the vegetation in the lawn or the backyard can take years to grow, rendering the outdoors a less appealing look.

Typically, new residency projects are located in neighborhoods that might be pretty far away from the commercial parts of the city. So long commutes can be a cause of concern for people who work on the other side of the town.

Pros and cons of older real estate property
Some older homes have endured gruesome conditions and have still managed to stand tall and proud for decades, even centuries. Additionally, a few of these properties were created by craftsman using Colonial, Greek, or Victorian architectural style, lending them an old world charm and uniqueness. Old homes also happen to accommodate bigger yards, as back in the day, land prices were much cheaper.

A well-settled neighborhood and mature vegetation consisting of canopying trees and boulevards are again some of the added rewards of buying older homes. As such homes were built a long time ago when land was abundant and population minimal, these are closer to cities, implying an easier access to stores, restaurants, and other local establishments.

Older homes have numerous benefits to their name; however, they are also infamous for including high maintenance. Their vulnerability to structural problems related to vents, plumbing, wiring, or sloping floors can be extremely inconvenient for buyers who are looking for ready-to-move-in properties. Furthermore, added expenditures like home system upgrades, kitchen remodeling, or other repairs can turn out to be financially debilitating. Finally, their architectural splendor and close proximity to commercial settings demand a significantly higher price.

Tag – homes

Looking for an apartment doesn’t have to be a hassle. Senior apartment rentals can especially come in handy since you don’t have to worry about shoveling snow, doing hectic tasks, and overloading yourself with tons of work. Old age needs to be carefree and relaxed, and it starts with what matters most – the location.

The location, climate, culture, and lifestyle of the environment seniors live in can impact their health. Plus it needs to be affordable too otherwise renting an apartment won’t make sense and frankly speaking, your seniors don’t want to wound up burning a hole in their pocket.

Here are five awesome places to get senior apartment rentals in the world.

Pittsburgh
Seniors aged 65 and older get free rides on the T-Bus and on the Monongahela Incline. That’s a pretty convenient aspect of senior apartment rentals in Pittsburgh. Its medical university is famous for geriatrics and if your young ones live with seniors and are interested in the field of medicine, then that’s something to consider. Besides this, seniors get free transportation for the most part and the median rental cost for senior apartments is on an average $608 a month.

Mass, Springfield
If you’re looking for cost-effective transportation and low median senior apartment rentals, Mass in Springfield can be a great place to live. Seniors aged 60 and above are eligible for low-cost van services and the bus tickets are sold at half-priced fares for seniors. The median rental amount for senior apartments in Mass,is only a $608 a month.

Tucson, Arizona
Known as the desert city of Arizona and surrounded by five mountain ranges, Tucson in Arizona is famous for their art galleries and serene environment. If your senior wants a quiet place to live in, Arizona can be a spot to go for senior apartment rentals. Additionally, Arizona is famous for hosting various food festivals, events, and colorful fairs every year. You’ll never get bored staying there and the pompous celebratory spirit is something to consider. The slight downside is that it’s a little pricier than other places and the median rental wage is $716 a month.

Providence, Rhode Island
If you’re looking for a scenic place for senior apartment rentals, then the Rhode Island in Providence is the right way to go. The place is famous for its two amazing rivers – the New Bedford and the Fall River, and the housing is affordable too which is priced at a median wage of $644 per month. There are several tourist attraction spots and the Miriam And Newport hospitals are famous in the geriatrics department nationally. Additionally, the Rhode Island Transit Authority offers half-price fares for transportation services for seniors.

Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville is the home of Vanderbilt University and is famous for its music culture. There’s never a dull moment there and retirees can pay a median rent of $701 a month for senior apartments there. The Music City there is another attraction spot and the city booms with culture and affordable senior rental options.

Townhomes are emerging as the preferred choice, when it comes to renting property. These are in many ways better than your regular residential homes. In fact townhouse and townhomes as they call it are more in demand than properties like family for the following reasons.

Design and architecture: Compared to other residential properties, townhome apartments are designed with a couple of floors which give it that elegant and enhanced look which even family homes cannot pull off. Townhomes feature at least two floors, perfect setup for a big family with children as well who can play upstairs while their parents can have a nice quite dinner with a few guests.

Opportunity to run your business from home: Townhome will give you all the space ever needed to work from home, without breaking that delicate work life balance. This will of course depend on whether you can procure zoning permits to convert part of your residence into a work space, but it is quite manageable. Living areas and work areas can be divided according to the layout of the townhouse, to suit your needs.

Garden and backyard: What apartments and condos cannot offer, even single family homes for that matter, townhomes offer a great backyard which you can convert into your own personal garden of your children to play and for you to have a nice cup of tea with your beloved on a lovely Saturday evening, preparing yourself for the best day to some next. Garden spaces give you the opportunity to host a couple of barbeques and cookouts to know more about your neighbors and get introduced to all the members of the community.

Basement: The biggest problem with regular apartments is once you get too comfortable, chance are you might start hoarding a lot of stuff over the years. But then there will be no space to store everything which you may or may not need. Townhomes solve this problem by offering basement storage where everything can be moved. Creative people who are in the business can make the most of the storage space available at their disposal to be converted into a semiprofessional studio, art studio and for more purposes.

Privacy: Privacy is very hard to come by and very costly to afford for that matter, apartments and condos will always lack privacy, be it for a family or you living all on your own. Townhomes offer that privacy, for the best price ultimately.