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Saturday, December 09, 2006

The Beauty of Landscaping

In architecture, landscaping refers to the science and art of modifying land areas by organizing natural, cultivated, or constructed elements according to a comprehensive, aesthetic plan. This landscaping involves the elements of topographical features like hills, valleys, rivers, and ponds or growing things like trees, shrubs, grass, and flowers as well as constructions like buildings, terraces, and fountains.

Today, landscaping is quite popular for homeowners who would want to improve their homes. The goal should be the house and the landscaping must complement with each other.

A GUIDE TO D-I-Y LANDSCAPING

Any house with landscape should complement each other. In order to achieve this harmony, you really need to consider and reconsider your options and the extent of landscaping you would want to have.

There are actually so many aspects in do-it-yourself landscaping like budget, skills, the climate of your region or place, personal design tastes, and the available resources. If you really want to beautify your home through landscaping, here are some do-it-yourself landscaping tips that can help you get by.

1. Make sure that you provide your landscaping with a year-round theme. The surefire tip in landscaping is to provide it something related to four seasons so you’ll never be outdated. A combination of a plant-selection with flowering trees or shrubs throughout, and fall foliage would do.

2. Try to layer the garden’s flower beds when planting. By layering the planting beds in rows of three that include a back row filled with tall plants, a middle row planted with the next tallest plants, and a front row containing the shortest plants. The repetition of each flower bedding will give your garden a unified look.

3. Consider the use pf evergreens for continuity. When it comes to DIY landscaping usually focuses more on trees and shrubs but this doesn’t mean that you cannot include evergreens because this will give the space more structure and the view of variety and continuity.

4. Experiment on using annuals to supplement perennial hues and colors. Perennial flowers are ideal for flower beds because they last for a long period of time. But since they bloom only in a specific period, it is best if you try incorporating annual plants with perennial ones so you can fill up the colorless spots in the flower beds when perennial flowers are not yet in bloom.

If you are quite particular about color coordination of the two kinds of blooms, try using a picture gallery so you’ll get ideas what is the right color scheme for your garden.

5. Don’t forget to assimilate hardscape into your initial and final landscape design. Aside from paying much attention to plants when landscaping, don’t forget to include hardscape features such as fences and other garden decorations.

If you want to be more specific, try including patios and decks to your garden because these will provide great transition from your indoors to your outdoors.

6. Don’t be daunted in installing water features. One of the best focal points of any excellent landscape designs is the water feature. Aside from being one of the hottest trends in landscaping today, installing a water feature will not only make your garden more visually appealing but it can only create soothing sounds great for relaxation. The most basic water feature you can install is ponds.

Taking a Virtual Tour of Anaheim California

The city of Anaheim California, located near Los Angeles, is an attractive but active metropolis. The first settlers that came in this area in 1857 were farm working families. These immigrants were from Bavaria, Germany and have thrived ever since by blending agriculture, modern industry and tourism into the economic mix. This city has a population of over 300,000 inhabitants according to the last census that was conducted in 2000.

Anaheim California is now an important industrial location for electronics and aircraft parts. This city is also involved in canning fruit. Lemons, walnuts and oranges are the main crops grown in the area. This attractive city also has a local airport, bearing the grand name of John Wayne Airport. The famous Walt Disney also chose to build his first theme park in Anaheim California in 1955. Disneyland has brought millions of tourists to the area and made Anaheim California a familiar name across the world.

The residents of this city are avid sports fans. Angel Stadium is a very impressive venue that is the home ground of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim baseball team. The Honda Center, which is an indoor arena, is host to the NHL Anaheim Ducks hockey team. Wrestling and basketball matches are also held in this venue. The center is large enough to put on concerts of many pop stars and other musical artists. Paul McCartney, Barry Manilow, Madonna and the Rolling Stones have held concerts in the Honda Center.

However, Anaheim California is also identified with a shameful period in history. The infamous Ku Klux Klan had a stranglehold in this city during the 1920’s before they were eventually swept away. Town officials and police officers during this period were among the members of this notorious organization.

The residents of this city are generally happy because Anaheim California has a successful balance between work and play. It looks forward to being a modern 21st century city, but it has not forgotten its roots and remains a center for agriculture. Anaheim California is also the birthplace of several successful people. Gwen Stefani, the late singer songwriter Jeff Buckley and the late professional wrestler Mike Lockwood are just a few of the successful celebrities that were born in this city.

Friday, December 08, 2006

Take A Peek at The Future of Oceanfront Town Homes in Florida

It is always challenging creating luxury ocean front homes and ‘The Ocean Manors’ at Ponce Inlet was no exception. Cranewoods Development of Jacksonville, Florida had to negotiate local and State planning rules which restrict the building to a height of 35 feet and preserve the site lines of neighboring residences by drawing a line between structures to the North and South of the lot - beyond which you cannot build.

The project also required coordination with “Coastal Control Line” which is imposed by the State of Florida to control design in beachfront areas. Cranewoods has considerable experience in building luxury waterfront homes and was able exceed buyer’s expectations while staying within the various regulations to create this spectacular design.

Andrew Howe, Manager of Cranewoods Development, stated, “We recognized a niche in the market for upscale oceanfront town homes, without sacrificing luxury and privacy and went about finding the perfect oceanfront location – that was Ponce Inlet, Florida.”

The design of these town homes is unlike the high-rises that dominate the Miami coastline. Each home is a minimum of 4,000 square feet with unobstructed views of the Atlantic Ocean, and lush Conservation land, which stretches to the Intra-coastal Waterway. The development is within an easy commute of Orlando for second homeowners or those wanting to make this their primary residence.

Cranewoods and development partner Scott Dmitrenko stated "the unbelievable views dictated a striking architectural style to match" so they decided on an exquisitely detailed Mediterranean architecture as the best fit for the project’s majestic site. In this case, the natural oceanfront dune system worked to the project’s advantage, by raising the development to a sufficient elevation to maximize on the location and views. To implement the project plans, the developer chose award winning HCM Construction as the builder for their considerable expertise in implementing sophisticated architectural details on oceanfront homes.

Internally, buyers will not be disappointed by the one of three vignettes they may chose from to best reflect their lifestyles and tastes. Private internal elevators, State of Florida approved impact windows, media room/guest suite, ocean deck off master bedroom, two car garages and private dune walkover come as standard. Private Jacuzzi overlooking the ocean is optional.

These magnificent waterfront homes enjoy a sophisticated locale minutes from all the activities associated with coastal living yet around the corner from nightlife, restaurants and the financial center of Orlando. Howe continued, ‘In a market where lifestyle is king, I feel confident we have hit upon a niche for our projects that has barely been tapped. Sales support this theory.”

Fast No Credit Check Loans for Emergency Repairing!

Fast No Credit Check Loans are perfect for situations when you don’t have enough time to wait till your payday and still need funds for urgent matters. Within a short period of time that adds up to a few hours, you can have all the money you need deposited into your bank account and ready to be used at your discretion.

No Credit Check Loans

These loans don’t require credit checks and that’s one of the main reasons that make them so expeditious. Long credit verifications tend to make loan approval processes hassle-full and tedious. Moreover, the fact that these loans carry no credit checks has further advantages that you may want to consider.

Due to the lack of credit checks these loans can be approved for people with bad credit, no credit and even those who have gone through a bankruptcy process in the last few years. Those who usually can’t get approved for unsecured loans can yet get approved for fast no credit check loans without any problems.

Specific Loan Amounts

These loans don’t carry high loan amounts but the exact loan amount for small and urgent repairing. For such situations these loans are perfect and the amount of money you can obtain from them is good enough for hiring professional services from various types of repairing men as well as for paying for the replacement parts.

The loan amount ranges from several hundreds to a few thousands of dollars. If you need more money you’ll have to apply for unsecured or secured personal loans but you’ll have to wait more for approval. The reason why these loans carry small amounts is that due to the lack of credit checks, the lender is already risking too much.

Fast Approval Process

The approval process is amazingly fast. After you fill the online application, you’ll only have to wait a few hours to hear back from the lender. Then within less than 24 businesses hs. you’ll have the money deposited into your bank account. As you can see the money is almost immediately available for you to use it for whatever purpose.

Thursday, December 07, 2006

Building Plastering - Mixing and Surface Preparation

To mix cement plaster, the cement, with or without 10% of lime, should be mixed thoroughly with sand until the colour is uniform. The water is then added gradually while mixing continues and until the required consistency is obtained or until it is just plastic enough to be spread and to hold to the building wall. It must be used within 45 minutes of mixing and no plaster that has begun to set should be remixed with water and used.

To mix cement-lime plaster, the cement, lime and sand may be mixed dry in the required proportions, then mixed wet with sufficient water to give the required consistency. With this method, the plaster must be used within 45 minutes of mixing and no re-tempering of partly set plaster should be attempted. More often, the lime and sand are mixed together first, to form what is known as the 'coarse stuff', this allows for further hydration of the lime before using and makes it easier to apply, more plastic and quicker setting. With this method mix 1 part of lime with 6 or 41/2 parts of sand (depending upon whether the mix is to be 1:1:6 or 1:2:9), first dry and then with sufficient water to give a stiff mix, adding the water gradually. The mortar should then be formed into a heap, covered with wet sacks and left for a week to 10 days. Then, immediately before use, the coarse stuff should be mixed with cement, using 1 part cement to 6 or 9 parts of coarse stuff, adding water if necessary to bring to a workable consistency, just right for plastering a building. After the cement is added the mortar must be used up within 45 minutes and no re-tempering of partly set mortar should be attempted.

The Baby Shower Power Guide Part 1

All classy baby showers today have some type of party favor or small baby shower gift to give attendees. When throwing a baby shower you are not obliged to give party favors to your guests but giving one is a nice gesture. It is the host or hostess’ duty to send the invitations and place orders; they also must create and prepare the guest list, check over the menu options and buy all of the party favors and decorations for the baby shower. Some decorations or party favors can be placed as a center piece at the party and later taken home by the mom-to-be as a gift. Lots of balloons, streamers, banners and colorful decorations make the party area livelier.

What gift should you bring? Gift cards come in handy when the couple needs to purchase the items they didn’t get as gifts. It also used to be practice for the grandmother to give a gift of silver to the baby. For those arranging the party, it can be a lot of fun setting up beautifully themed baby shower decorations and preparing the seating and side dishes, along with the most important part - the gift table. By making sure that the baby gift is useful, unique and can be used long after the baby has been born - a gift that will stand the test of time. Bringing a truly creative baby shower gift into the mix is a great way to show the new mother that her days of fun aren't necessarily over; they're just taking on a totally different outlook.

One creative baby shower gift that is quickly taking the west coast by storm is the "baby cake" or "diaper cake".

The most popular types of baby shower games and other details will make your Shower planning better. Baby shower games are a wonderful addition to any baby shower. What are the ages of people attending the baby shower and what types of games would they like. One of the most consistently popular games with both baby shower hosts and baby shower guests is the bingo baby shower game. One of the most important elements of planning any baby shower is finding the right baby shower games for the party.

It is important to consider the time of day you are hosting the shower, your shower theme and style, the size of your shower as well as your guest list. It could also be a “Bear Necessities” theme decorated with all sorts of bears for the shower for second baby. Or, you may choose not to have a theme at all. The theme you decide on will determine everything else about the baby shower. Baby girl shower invitations basic theme is the welcoming of baby girls into the fold of a family.

Wednesday, December 06, 2006

Cheap Homes - The Non-Traditional

Looking for a cheap home? You may want to consider the options below. Keep in mind that they may be just temporary. Years ago I used my own home as a boarding house, for example, in order to quickly pay off the mortgage. On the other hand, maybe you have no interest in living with others, or building a home. That's okay - you may still find some clues here as to how to save on your next home anyhow.

Building Your Own Home

There are several large companies that sell house kits. These come with the complete plans and materials delivered to your site. You could build it yourself, but the general idea is to be your own general contractor. You might get a nice house for 30% less this way.

Build In Stages

A friend of mine grew up in a basement as his father slowly built the house overhead through the years. Paying cash as you go to build your own home sounds like a way to save a lot of interest, certainly, but it has it's problems too. In this case, it mean no windows for years. The biggest problem now, is that regulations won't allow you to do this in most towns.

The idea has more merit if you don't take it to extremes, though. How about buying a smaller house that you can afford now, and adding on later? Be sure that it is possible according to local codes.

Buying Land To Build On

If you can't afford to buy a house where you want to live, maybe you can buy a lot on payments while you are renting or living elsewhere. If values are rising rapidly, you'll quickly gain equity in your land, which will make it easier to obtain financing to build a home in the future.

Living In Your Rental Property

Buying a duplex and living in one of the units has been popular for many decades now. Of course, the idea is that the rent from the other unit lowers your net housing cost. This isn't always the case, though. Look closely at the numbers.

Some of the duplexes around here sell for over $250,000, but get only $500 monthly rent per unit. It would be cheaper to buy a little $160,000 house for yourself. On the other hand, when we were in Michigan a few years ago, good four-plexes brought in enough income from three units to make living in the fourth almost free.

Living In An RV

This is an option many retirees are taking now. A couple years ago we met several older couples who lived in their recreational vehicles for free, by being hosts at campgrounds. Their duties were few, and included checking in new arrivals a few times a day.

Another way to live in an RV is to buy a lot and park it there. The idea here is that you can live cheaply (if you buy a used RV) until you can finance the construction of your new home. In Arizona, the Bureau of Land Management, or BLM now charges to park your RV on some public lands that were previously free. The upside is that the fee is only around $100, you can now stay for six months, and there are pump-out stations and water available. That's cheaper than property taxes!

Solar Powered and Wind Powered Underground House

Earthship Farm sits on twenty acres of New Mexico land. The land is fenced and then cross-fenced and powered by solar and wind energy. The earthship also contains AC electric around the boundary of the land. The earthship views the Jemez Mountains, Sangra de Cristos, and Cerro Negra right outside the windows. The farm is forty-five miles from Santa Fe and Los Alamos, and an hour from Taos. The house covers 2000 square feet, and includes excellent well water and recycling grey water.

Val Goldenbrook of Earthship farm has been selling and buying land successfully across the United States. Earthships are earth sheltered autonomous buildings made with rammed tire and bale straw and arranged in a horseshoe shape. Windows on the sunnier side of the earthship is what properly heats the underground home. Windows are set up to catch the maximum heat within the winter months.

Electricity is obtained form renewable energy sources such as solar cells or small windmills. The earthship is able to capture rainwater from the roof and store it, where it is reused for the kitchen and shower use. Having an earthship with windows facing south is a good idea in northern hemisphere climates. These homes heat and cool by themselves, collect their own power, harvest their own sustainable water and contain and treat their own sewage on site.

Tuesday, December 05, 2006

Why Should I Buy a Prefab Residential Metal Building Package?

Home improvement loans are the ideal option for anyone who wants to add looks and value to their home by adding some rooms, going in for fitted bathrooms and kitchens or undertaking rewiring/plumbing related activities. The ideal home improvement loan must ensure that the home improvements are in accordance with the borrower’s needs and also that it does'nt cost a borrower more than expected. The cost of a home improvement loan depends on the rate of interest that the lender charges which is again dependent on the collateral offered by the borrower.

Home improvement loan rates could also depend on the credit ratings of the borrower. If a borrower is credit challenged he/she may not enjoy competitive interest rates. However, increased demand and competition have resulted in a multitude of options for a borrower to choose from irrespective of his credit or income challenges. Online lending services have further simplified the lending process. Borrowers can now source the most competitive home improvement deals from the confines of their home or office.

When a borrower avails home improvement loans, he/she is required to pay interest only while the home improvement is in progress. The borrower then makes full monthly payments on the principle amount and interest, where monthly payments are calculated on the amount of money borrowed, interest rates and the loan term.

What can a home improvement loan be used for?

A borrower can avail a home improvement loan for various reasons including:

•Home extension

•Double glazing

•Centralized air conditioning or heating

•Fitted bathrooms and kitchens

•Fireplaces

•Swimming pools

•Rewiring or plumbing

Before availing a home improvement loan, it is advisable to seek specialist advice and get as many quotes as possible. This gives the borrower a chance to compare various deals and choose one that suits his/her needs the most. A borrower can obtain home improvement through secured and unsecured forms. Secured home improvement loan guarantees a large sum at low interest rate with comfortable repayment options. You simply need to place some property as collateral. On the other hand, an unsecured home improvement implies minimum risk for the borrower because there is no need for collateral. However, these loans come with slightly higher interest rates and strict repayment terms.

Go ahead and bring comfort home with the convenience of home improvement loans.

Beautiful Hardware Makes the Difference Between Home-Hum and Be-Dazzle

Front door hardware can be a striking first impression. However, a cheap selection could leave an impression you may not have intended. You have a beautiful home with great street appeal but get a little closer and the impression changes. After investing heart and soul into a home, a last minute decision of hardware could be disappointing. Begin your hardware selection at the beginning.

Many homebuyers leave the selection of decorative hardware to the last minute, perhaps because it is seen as a detail that can cut overall costs rather than a beautiful enhancement which can increase the beauty and value of your home easily.

For example, front door hardware can be a striking first impression. However, a cheap selection could leave an impression you may not have intended. After investing heart and soul into a home, a last minute decision of hardware could be disappointing. Begin your hardware selection at the beginning with the help of your designer or builder and you can match your home and hardware effortlessly.

By helping the homeowner understand the importance and impression that hardware adds to a home, the designer and builder can help dress out the home to perfection in an easy process from the start, coordinating quality, finish and style.

Dress your home for success with decorative hardware and live with the pride and assurance that you have brought true quality and craftsmanship into your home. Go from Home-Hum to Be-Dazzle.

After all a dream home is only a dream home if all the details are attended to. And what a delightful and enriching way to enhance your life style so that you can walk into your new home from the front door to the garden gate and find fine craftsmanship from the handle to the latch.

Monday, December 04, 2006

Home Buyers and Sellers Information

Home Buyer A buyer is a person who engages in the activity of buying or acquiring a house or a property for a consideration. The house buyer searches a house till he/she get a satisfaction in that particular. The responsibility of the buyer is to obtain a good quality house as per is desire. The buyer is required to search the house either on his own or with the help of the agent. The house buyer has too many choices to find a house.

Home Seller A seller is a person who will to sell the house to another person named buyer. The seller will engage in the activity of sale of house property to a third party. Seller usually sells his house for a consideration. The seller can sell his house either by listing in the house market or with the help of an agent. The seller has to searches or a targeted buyer. The price offered by the seller should be based on the value of the property. Too much of price on the house makes the buyer to reject the house property.

Sellers Agent A seller agent is a person who acts on behalf of the seller for sale of any property. The seller agent will act as per the listing agreement between the seller and the agent. This seller agent will act only on behalf of the seller. The Seller's agent or a subagent of that agent has some obligations to perform. The agent has some fiduciary duty which he has to handle carefully and he should have to present himself as truthful as possible while dealing with the seller. The seller has the obligation to pay the commission the agent. The Seller's agents and their sub agents will disclose to the seller the known information regarding the buyer which guides the seller to complete the transaction. Since commission for a house is always paid for by the seller, buyers are able to get assistance and information from Agents, at no cost.

Buyers Agent A Buyer agent is a person who acts on behalf of the buyer for purchase of any property. The buyer agent will find a property which is listed in the market for sale. The obligation of the broker is to help the buyers which are listed in the market. The agent acting only for a Buyer has some obligations to perform. The agent will provide information regarding the property in the market and also guide you in every aspect. They will recommend on behalf of the buyer about the terms & prices offered for sale. The buyer has no need to pay the brokerage fee for the agent. An agent will help the buyer while negotiating the transaction and get you to come to final process. The Buyer's agents and their sub agents will disclose to the buyer the known information regarding the seller which may be useful to the buyer. Since commission for a house is always paid for by the seller, buyers are able to get assistance and information from Agents, at no cost.

Agent Representing both Sellers & Buyers An agent is defined as a person who has given authority by the principal to deal with third parties, so that the principal will be legally responsible for the agent act. Buyer agent and the seller agent is a person who forms a legal relationship has principal-agent-obligee relationship. The agent finds a relationship with the buyer and the seller. An agent is a person who acts on behalf of the buyer and the seller. Most people will understand the term the agent. Both the agent and broker are one and same.

An agent will act directly or indirectly to the buyer and seller legally with an agency license. The agent will act only on direction of both buyer and seller. The agent should act with the fiduciary duty while dealing with the seller and buyer. As an agent, without the permission of the respective person an agent cannot able to disclose any information either to buyer or to the seller. The agent should be careful while listing has been takes place. The agent should have to act lawfully with regards to the terms and condition of the home sale

Home Sweet Home

The only interior of first shelters was a fire place and some fells of killed animals. Then human developed himself and his needs as well. He was not satisfied with so dull and not always reliable homes. They began constructing houses which could be good shelters for their next generations and found stones which were in huge amount around them. So the most ancient houses were made of stones. Later a man invented methods of how to extract raw materials, provide mining and burn iron.

He got then numerous materials to verify his houses and develop new designs. Through the later centuries first shelters grew in huge palaces and castles with hundreds of rooms and acres of lands surrounding them. People became dependent on their shelters, they were ready spend much time and money in order to get most luxurious and comfortable homes. From those times houses and homes had become different words, and a man was trying to make their houses as their homes. Of course, home making was becoming more and more time and money consuming.

The great efforts which people made to have great houses and comfortable and luxurious homes reflected later house owners attitudes. People began putting the home question to the primary position and invented such phrases as My Home Is My Fortress or Home Sweet Home. Attitude to homeless people became intolerable and the best attitude was a pity that such people were not linked to some place where they could be at home. Today attitudes to homeless people have changed greatly, and people with great, luxurious houses are respectful and feel happy.

Sunday, December 03, 2006

Why You Need a Home Inspection

So you are considering purchasing a home! You should be sure to follow a specific checklist to make sure you are buying a great home and to ensure the process goes smoothly. The first and most important item is to have the house inspected by a licensed and experienced organization. This is a time critical item as in most states you only have ten days to respond to the seller with a request for repairs.

Purchasing a home is one of the largest and most stressful purchases you will make in your lifetime, you want a non biased professional assessment of the condition of the home Buyers 1st Home Inspections will evaluate all the conditions of the home. During the inspection we will look at all the systems and sub systems with in the home. The structural components, the electrical systems and the plumbing systems are three major components that Buyers 1st Home Inspections will be spending a lot of time on. Other areas that will be addressed include but are not limited to (Signs of settling or foundation defects, Improper drainage, Plumbing leaks, Roof leaks, Improper wiring or other safety issues, Rotted wood in eaves and trim).

The physical condition and appearance of the property in relationship to the surrounding buildings and streets should also be noted. Once the inspection is complete you will receive a detailed report with highlight pictures in the report. This report should be completed within 24 hours Be advised that Buyers 1st Home Inspections will not make a recommendation to buy or pass on the home. They also do not estimate value; they will provide a detailed non biased report of the conditions of the home. When hiring an inspector you should check out there credentials, make sure they are licensed and bonded/insured. Buyers 1st Home Inspections is a locally owned and operated organization. We require comprehensive ongoing training and utilize state of the art technology when completing a home inspection. Ask around many realtors have good recommendations for home inspectors

Why Are There Cheap Houses

There are many reasons why there are cheap houses for sale. Knowing what these reasons are, and what they mean, can help you save thousands buying your next home. Here are six common reasons that a house will be selling for less than others.

1. The home needs work.

What does this mean to you? It may mean you need to pass on by, if you don't want to deal with getting it fixed. On the other hand, these houses are often a way to build equity fast. They scare away most buyers, so there is less competition and often a real opportunity for a low price.

Be aware, however, that a seller may think that if it needs a $10,000 in repairs it is worth just that much less than others. Don't buy it! Dealing with a fixer upper for nothing is no deal. If it needs $10,000 in repairs, it had better be worth $20,000 more when you are done.

2. The neighborhood is questionable.

Cheap houses in bad neighborhoods are common. Are they a good buy? Not if the neighborhood is still declining. That could be the worst investment in town. I caught a story in a real estate forum recently, from an investor who had to sell his Detroit rental house for a loss after twenty years of owning it (who says real estate always goes up in value).

However, if there are clear signs that the neighbor hood is improving, a cheap house there could be a great investment. By the time the improvement is noticeable, things are usually happening fast. You might see a huge jump in the home's value in a few short years.

3. The seller needs to sell fast.

We all have our deadlines. If you learn that the seller needs to move soon, or has to sell quickly for any other reasons, make a low offer. Don't ever assume you are taking advantage of someone in this situation. You might not buy the home otherwise, and the seller can always say no. It may be well worth it to him to sell for a few thousand less to get it sold now. Let him decide.

4. There are hidden problems.

If you see a cheap house, and can't find any other reasons why the price is low, there may be hidden problems. This is especially true if the seller is an investor, or seems knowledgeable about real estate. There could be foundation cracks hidden behind paneled walls, or a highway coming through the front yard in a year.

Identify the problems and, if they can be resolved, estimate the cost to see if the house is still a good deal. Keep in mind though, that if the seller was hiding anything important, there may be more surprises. Have inspection contingencies in the offer if you buy these types of homes, and get those inspections done.

5. The house is unique.

I used to live near a house that was shaped like a flying saucer. Some houses are up insanely steep driveways. Others are built halfway underground. If the unique features are in demand, these homes can sell for a premium. If they aren't they become cheap houses.

A house that is unique in ways that the general public doesn't value will be hard to sell, so it may not be a good investment. On the other hand, what if it fits your needs and you will be living there for a long time? Suppose you pay $300 less per month to buy a "unique" home, and you live there for fifteen years. You'll spend $54,000 less on payments. That might be sufficient compensation for a difficult sale, right?

6. The price is just set too low.

Would you like to find a seller who just doesn't know that his house is worth $220,000, and has priced it at $180,000? It is rare, but it happens.