Homeowners really love the "do it yourself" route. In fact, 83 percent of homeowners in 2009 were eager to try their hand at their own home improvements, according to an Angie's List survey. While many small home improvement projects are simply made to be done yourself -- interior painting and faucet replacement come to mind -- there are others that test your skills, knowledge and patience.

These rookie mistakes can lead to serious frustration for homeowners, and at worst, serious injury. Here are the most common mistakes and how to avoid them:

Getting in way too deep
It's just a small project, right? How difficult can it really be? Besides, the YouTube video made it look easy! But soon that weekend job has turned into a month-long nightmare, and…

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Rental repairs are as much a part of property management as tenant screening and landlord forms. Whether a property is old or new, repairs are going to be needed, and the requests will never come at a convenient time. Preparing for the inevitable will make it feel more like a business transaction, and less like being a victim. Here are some tips that can take some of the stress out of those unwanted repair calls:

Expect, Accept, and Budget for Rental Repairs

You can’t maintain a rental property without periodic repairs and maintenance costs. The stress comes from the unexpected, both in timing and costs. Focus on those predicable items, accept that some will be unpredictable, and develop your plan of attack: Look at a property’s previous repair…

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The first secret is to make a reasonable offer. Many of us feel that the banks and asset managers are willing to take a dramatically lower price than the asking price. This is not the case. We can lose a good deal on a foreclosure by trying to make it a great deal.

In order to know what we are willing to offer on a foreclosure home we need to cover the second secret. That secret is to be prepared with the supporting data in advance of making an offer. By checking the recent sales we can often see what the home should sell for under normal circumstances.

By knowing what other similar homes have sold for recently we are more likely to have a better idea on what to offer in order to make a wise but rapid decision on what to offer rather than a knee…

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Whether you’re a homeowner or Realtor® selling a home, it makes no difference – everyone wants a house that looks great from the curb. Curb appeal comes together when all the elements of a home’s facade are in good shape and working together. Driveways that are cracked or pitted with potholes, dingy front doors and shabby, scuffed mailboxes can all significantly detract from a home’s overall curb appeal.

Here is a handful of projects – many of them quick fixes – that can greatly enhance a home’s appearance for a quick sell.

Repair or resurface your driveway
For many homes, the driveway is one of the largest visual elements of the home’s overall curb appeal, ranking right up there with siding, the roof and the lawn. Concrete can crack and crumble,…

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To protect possibly the most important investment you’ll ever make-the investment of your home.

A Lender goes to great lengths to minimize the risk of lending you money you need to buy a home. First, your finances, past and present are checked to ensure your ability to re-pay. Then, your lender goes a step further. He or she makes sure that the quality of the title to the property your are about to buy and which you will pledge as security for the loan is satisfactory. The lender does this by obtaining a lender’s policy of title insurance (often referred to as the ALTA policy).

The lender’s policy doesn’t protect you.

The lender’s policy protects the lender against loss due to unknown title defects at the time of the sale and in the future. But…

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