Publishing on a 2-month lag, the Federal Home Finance Agency said home prices fell by 1.6 percent nationally in December. And that’s an average, of course. Some regions performed well in December as compared to November, others didn’t.

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Sometimes, headlines for housing can be misleading and this week gave us a terrific example. On Wednesday, the Commerce Department released its Housing Starts data for January 2010. The data showed starts at a 6-month high. The real story is something different.

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Consumer Sentiment has been on the rise since last February and it’s something to which home buyers should pay attention. The affordability of your next home may hinge on consumer confidence.

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For as much as the foreclosure filing statistics can be astounding — over 300,000 homes were served last month alone — the prevalence of foreclosures depends on where you live.

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A “Short Sale” is when a home seller sells his home for a lesser amount than what is owed on his mortgage, and the mortgage lender agrees to accept the lesser amount in lieu of a full payoff.

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Most New Year’s resolutions have some kind of health angle – work out more, eat right and so on- so why not give your home the same kind of revamp? Resolve to keep your home healthier this year with this seasonal checklist.
Winter
- Drain and insulate outdoor pipes to prevent freezing.
- Check for damaged sidewalk, driveway [...]

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In a statement issued Wednesday, the Federal Housing Authority outlined policy changes to its mortgage assistance program. The shift is meant to both reduce the government group’s portfolio risk while strengthening its overall financials. For consumers, the changes mean higher costs.

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If your home has several small rooms sch as bedrooms and bathrooms, it can be a challenge to create the illusion of spaciousness. Mary Carol Garrity, writing for Scripps Howard News Service, has developed this sure-fire list of tricks that you can use to help your little rooms live large:
1. Use fewer pieces of furniture. [...]

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There’s a lot of talk on CNBC and elsewhere about what’s coming in 2010. Before you take those predictions to the bank, just remember that analysts do a much better job interpreting data from the past than projecting it into the future.

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Many homeowners are interested in boosting the energy efficiency of their homes and one factor that is important is it’s hot water usage. Currently, the most popular energy-efficient option for water heating is a tankless water heater, also known as an on-demand system. Unlike a traditional tank that heats a reservoir of water 24 hours [...]

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