Andy Asbury

Changes to the Good Faith Estimate Help Home Buyers Anticipate Closing Costs

When home buyers are looking to buy that perfect home that they've chosen for their family, they usually need to speak to a lender about arranging for a mortgage. As of January 1st of this year, however, the government has changed the rules on what kin... Read >

Eight Reasons to Sell Your Home During the Holidays

Every time the holidays roll around, the age-old question arises in the minds of people considering putting their home on the market. Should I sell now or wait until after all the rush is over? Selling your home during the holidays can be a good time for ... Read >

Saving Money for Your First Home

For many people, buying their first home is only a dream. They simply can't come up with the money for a down payment. But if they really looked at how they spend their discretionary income, there may be several areas where they could adjust or cut back a... Read >

Livin' and Lovin' Loft Lifestyle

Does the thought of buying a one- or two-bedroom apartment with plain, egg shell-white walls and L-shape layout bore you to tears? Does your lifestyle include plenty of action, or at least living in the near vicinity of the action? Then a loft may be jus... Read >

Never Say Die: The Eccentric Architecture of Arakawa + Gins

Architecture has, and continues to be, constructed with the goal of marrying form and function in a purposeful and aesthetic way. Perhaps it's time for loftier goals.

Arakawa and Gins are two artists and architects that have worked together for over 45... Read >

Will Senate Spit or Swallow the Cramdown Bill?

Struggling homeowners who've been considering filing Chapter 13 bankruptcy may soon receive good news. A new piece of legislation referred to formally as the "Helping Families Save Their Home Act," or more commonly as the "cram down bill," is on its way t... Read >

Needing Some House Therapy? Call in a Remodeling Coach

If you're thinking about doing some renovations or redecorating in your home, you may be feeling overwhelmed by the prospect of having to decide which changes to make, and then find a reputable contractor to do the work. Have no fear, as there is a new br... Read >

The Nitty Gritty of Starting a Compost

Composting has been around for many years as an easy way to add nutrients to a garden, but the activity is also a great way to reduce the amount of waste that ends up in our landfills. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency reports that as much as 24% o... Read >

House or Condo? Deciding what to invest in.

Making your first home purchase is a serious business. It is probably the most expensive thing you will ever own and even if a mortgage is a common thing nowadays, it still doesn't hide the fact that you will likely owe a lot of money to the lender. ... Read >

Charitable Realtors: Ideas to Improve Karma and Help Those in Need

For many of us in the real estate industry, this past year has been a difficult one, with stagnating housing markets and economic ups and downs. You've likely had to overcome many challenges this year, and are feeling grateful for having either survived o... Read >

Attention Realtors: Time to Spice up Your Open Houses!

Every weekend, buyers head to a slew of open houses, but rarely do they ever make an offer on the properties they see at these events. To enhance the success of the open houses you host, you need to make your properties more memorable in the minds of visi... Read >

Extraordinary Gifts for the New Homeowner

If you've already read part one of this article, "Unique Gift Ideas for the New Homeowner - The Sensible Sort," you'll have seen some very out of the ordinary gift ideas. All are perfectly practical, yet different enough to elicit a happy and surprised re... Read >

Unique Gift Ideas for the New Homeowner - The Sensible Sort

If someone on your Christmas list has just purchased a new home and you're trying to come up with gift ideas that will provoke a 'wow' response, this article will hopefully give you a few suggestions to pique your interest. These items are unusual, practi... Read >

Tips for Decorating your New Loft

Lofts were once an inexpensive housing alternative for artists who couldn't afford to have both a work studio and a separate living space. As a popular residence for artists, these converted warehouses gained a reputation for being stylish and hip�"a ca... Read >

The 'Walk Away' Phenomenon

As troubles in the housing market continue, homeowners owe much more on their mortgages than their houses are worth. Being upside down means that homeowners have stopped accruing any equity and that they're essentially sinking their funds into a mo... Read >