Chitownproperty

The federal tax credit for home buyers is running out. The Treasury Department says the program has been a success, helping 1.8 million people buy homes, but many experts say the program wasn’t cost effective. The New York Times estimates that for every new buyer who was lured into the market by the credit, there were three more to received it who would have purchased a home without it anyway. To take advantage of the benefit, buyers must be under contract by April 30, and close by July 30, 2010.

CNNMoney has a list of the six biggest mistakes homebuyers make, including:

1. Not knowing your credit score
2. Buying a car before buying a house
3. Skimping on home inspection
4. Not using a lawyer
5. Not writing contingencies into a contract
6. Not budgeting for insurance

The nice thing about working with us is that we will walk you through the entire buying process to avoid these mistakes, but this list is good advice for those just thinking about buying a home.

Sure, you’ve probably gotten lazy and wrapped a few presents in newspaper, but would you put it on your walls too? Newsworthy wallpaper isn’t really the same as pasting the funnies on your dining room walls. It’s real wallpaper made from strips of recycled newsprint woven together. The texture and serendipitous placement of words could make for an interesting conversation starter in your home.