10 Tricks for Hosting an SHARE THIS Email This Pin This Tweet This TOPICBuy & Sell, Sell, Sell a Home: Step-by-Step Print article Few words get home buyers more excited than these two: open house. An open house is their opportunity to give your house a whirl. To wiggle the light switches. To admire the crown molding. To, y’know, awkwardly ask to use the bathroom. (Which, by the way, savvy buyers will totally do — because they’ll want to test how the water pressure holds up when they … Continue reading...

Mark Your Calendars for the Sedgwick County Fair The Sedgwick County Fair is always lots of fun. The 2018 county fair opens Wednesday, July 18 at the Sedgwick County Fairgrounds in Cheney, Kansas, and continues through Saturday, July 21. Admission is free and parking is free too! The Sedgwick County Fair is a nice example of an old-fashioned county fair. Its “just-right” size means that you can enjoy the animals, the quilts, live music, and other exhibits with the kids. I highly recommend it … Continue reading...

Why You Have 49 Different FICO ScoresBY ANN CARRNS AUGUST 27, 2012 11:30 AMAugust 27, 2012 11:30 am 55 Click to Enlarge As a consumer, you hear a lot about the importance of maintaining a good credit score. Most often, that means your FICO score — the score developed by the company of the same name to help lenders evaluate the creditworthiness of a potential borrower. But it probably makes more sense to talk about your credit scores, plural. That’s because other outfits produce credit scores, … Continue reading...

Wichita 4th of July: Red, White, and Boom Celebrate the 4th of July with Wichita’s biggest Independence Day party, Red White & BOOM. The party will be on Wednesday, July 4, in downtown Wichita, from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. Check out ALL of the 4th of July fireworks and Independence Day celebrations in the Wichita area Activities will take place on the Hyatt Lawn, the Lewis Street Bridge, and Water Street. There’s going to be so much going on, including a big fireworks show! Food trucks will … Continue reading...

Buying Myths, Down Payments, First Time Home Buyers, For Buyers You DO NOT Need 20% Down To Buy Your Home NOW! The Aspiring Home Buyers Profile from the National Association of Realtors (NAR) found that the American public is still somewhat confused about what is required to qualify for a home mortgage loan in today’s housing market. The results of the survey show that the main reason why non-homeowners do not own their own homes is because they believe that they cannot afford them. This … Continue reading...

Waiting Will Cost More An economist responded when asked how interest rates would change: “They may fall some and then, rise and after that, they’ll fluctuate.” Just because interest rates have been low for ten years doesn’t mean they are supposed to be low. The Federal Reserve has raised interest rates twice this year and are expected to go up twice more plus three times next year. Mortgage rates have risen from 3.95% to 4.62% since the first of January. Increased rates directly affect … Continue reading...

Patios Can Appeal To Buyers WRITTEN BY REALTY TIMES STAFF POSTED ON TUESDAY, 12 JUNE 2018 20:26 https://realtytimes.com/consumeradvice/sellersadvice/item/1017927-20180613-patios-can-appeal-to-buyers Depending on where you live, a patio might not be the kind of thing you think about during the cold, and maybe snowy, winter months. But a patio is what many people enjoy on a sunny warm afternoon. It just feels good to sit outside and sip some iced tea or lemonade. That's the picture your … Continue reading...

Flag Protocol The American flag is obviously a symbol of our country but it has come to remind us of every man and woman who has fought for the freedom that we enjoy. The emotions that are stirred by images of our flag can run from happiness to sadness to trust and everything in between. Most of us learned American flag etiquette or the Flag Code when we were young but occasionally, it is a good idea to review the guidelines so that the flag is treated with the respect it deserves. The … Continue reading...

Rent VS Buy As an example, let’s look again at that $200,000 home. Unlike your rental unit, your home usually appreciates over time. Instead of assuming average growth, we assume a slightly slower 4.0% rate of growth.* At this pace, in the third year of ownership, your home has appreciated to a modest $216,320. After ten years, your $200,000 home will be worth $284,862. Not only do you earn a rate of return on your original purchase price, you also get a return on any subsequent appreciation. … Continue reading...

What Not To Do When You Are Moving Whether moving across town or across the country, packing up and moving can be stressful, costly and full of surprises. From shady movers and inaccurate price quotes, to overpacking or not allowing enough time to get the move set up, every step of a move has the potential for mistakes that can make a move a nightmare. These tips will help anyone preparing for a move, whether they currently live in a house, an apartment, a dorm, with friends or with mom and … Continue reading...