This is a Raised Ranch/Split Entry style home and features 8 total rooms, 2 full baths, 1 half bath, 3 bedrooms, 0.31 Acres, and is currently available for $545,000.

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If you are a seller or a buyer you need to know how to protect yourself from short appraisals? Here are some suggestions from Bankrate.com for buyers and sellers.

If you’re a buyer:

– Tell your lender to find an appraiser who comes from your county, or perhaps a neighboring county.

– Request that the appraiser have a residential appraiser certification and a professional designation. Examples include the Appraisal Institute’s senior residential appraiser, or SRA, or member of the Appraisal Institute, or MAI, designations.

– Meet the appraiser when he or she inspects the home and share your knowledge of recent short sales and foreclosures that might skew the comps.

“Many appraisers are just pulling up data out of MLS (Multiple Listing Service) or off the deed at the courthouse and not checking it out,” Sellers says. “Most good appraisers will appreciate the information.”

And yes, you can speak with your appraiser; the prohibition only applies to your lender.

If you’re a seller:

–·Get an appraisal before you list a home. Search for a qualified appraiser in your area on the Appraisal Institute website.

– Use the appraisal to set a realistic listing price for your home.

– Give a copy of your pre-listing appraisal to the buyer’s appraiser. The more professional appraisers will understand that you’re just trying to add more data and another perspective.

– Question a low appraisal. There’s always a chance the appraiser or a supervisor will take into account new or overlooked information.

1. Don’t Stop Talking. Money is still a taboo topic and we often don’t have a clear idea about how our partner thinks or feels when it comes to spending versus saving. Talking about your goals with your partner is a simple way to make sure you’re both on the same page when it comes to your finances.

2. Find Balance. Balance power around money. One person making all the decisions and having all the control when it comes to finances is often a recipe for disaster. Find ways for you both to be equally engaged in all money decisions.

3. Create a System. Have a clearly defined money management system that covers everything from who handles the mail to who sends out the checks. Without a well thought-out plan in place, it’s more likely that things won’t fall through the cracks.

4. Immediately Address Problems. When problems arise, address them immediately (no secrets allowed). Avoiding the issue only makes it more toxic and drives a wedge in the relationship.

5. Have Annual Checkups. Schedule an annual money checkup. Things change and just like our physical health, money management needs an annual checkup to keep it healthy and relevant. Set aside time to sit down with each other and evaluate what’s working, what needs to be fixed and address any questions or concerns that either of you may have.

Kitchen

• Clear out and wipe down the sink (5 minutes).
• No piles of dirty dishes! Move them into the dishwasher, and wipe the sink with a sponge. .
• Wipe down countertops and stove (1 minute). Clean splatters and spills with a damp cloth or sponge and an all-purpose cleanser.
• Wipe problem spots on the floor (2 minutes). You can save a full-floor mop for the weekend, but use the same cloth (once you’ve finished with the countertops) to quickly clean any spills or sticky spots, which will attract dirt and get more noticeable if left alone.
• Fold or hang dish towels (30 seconds). Even if they’re clean, a jumble of dish towels on the counter can look messy. Take a few moments to fold or hang them.

Bathroom

• Wipe out the sink (30 seconds). If you use a premoistened cloth to wipe your face, swipe the sink bowl and faucet handles with it, too. Or use a washcloth, paper towel, or a product like Windex Glass and Surface Wipes, which don’t leave streaks on chrome or mirror.
• Clean splatters off the mirror (15 seconds). Got foamy toothpaste spray on the mirror? Do a quick swipe with the same cloth you used on the sink.
• Wipe the toilet seat and rim (15 seconds). Same cloth! Just do the toilet last.
• Swoosh the toilet bowl with a brush (15 seconds). If you see a ring, give it a quick scrub.
• Squeegee the shower door (30 seconds). Wipe down glass doors to remove water droplets that can cause spotting. No squeegee? Use a dry towel.
• Spray the shower and curtain liner with a shower mist (15 seconds). A quick spray with a daily cleanser will reduce buildup of mildew and soap scum.

Bedroom

• Make your bed (2 minutes). Even a fluffy down comforter pulled up over messy sheets will look polished.
• Fold or hang clothes and put away jewelry (4 minutes). Even better: Resist the urge to toss them somewhere in the first place! Put them away as you take them off.
• Straighten out the night-table surface (30 seconds). Take last night’s water glass to the kitchen, stow your reading glasses in a drawer, and straighten books or magazines.

Living Room

• Tidy the sofa (2 minutes). It’s likely the focus of the room, so neaten it. Fluff the pillows and fold the throws.
• Pick up crumbs with a handheld vacuum (1 minute). Concentrate on surfaces in plain sight: sofa cushions, coffee table, and rugs in the middle of the room. Look for dust bunnies, too.
• Wipe tables and spot-clean cabinets where you see fingerprints (1 minute). Use a microfiber cloth or a Swiffer cloth to pick up dust. If the surfaces are streaked or sticky, use a moist cloth.
• Straighten coffee table books and magazines (2 minutes). Toss old newspapers and corral the remote controls into one place (a drawer, if possible).
• Clear major clutter (5 minutes). Stash video games, toys, and anything else you might trip over.

Sprucing up your home does not have to cost a lot of money, as you will find that there are many bargains available when it comes to finding decorative items. In fact, one way to get these bargains is by shopping online, as many reputable home decoration stores have great offers available.

The first thing to keep in mind as you begin creating that new look in your home is that you should always work towards a theme. In fact, this is one of the most important tips in how to spruce up your house, because without the right type of theme, you will find that your decorations can look very noisy to the eye.

The best way to begin sprucing up your home is by focusing on one room at a time, and as you finish that room, you can then gradually move onto the next room. By taking this approach, you will be able to focus on that theme, and you will also not feel overwhelmed in the process.

Lastly, keep in mind that it is necessary to get the input of your family, because this will ensure that everyone is happy with the overall new look of your home.

JP Morgan’s Market Insights report has outlined why people looking to buy a home have never been in a better position. Here are just three important points from the JP Morgan report.

The Price is Right

One measure the report looked at was the ratio of personal income to home prices.

“Since 1966, the median price of an existing single family home in the U.S. has varied between 150% and 251% of personal income per household. However, roughly three-quarters of the time it has been in a relatively narrow band between 185% and 230%. In September 2011, the ratio was just 153%, implying that to get back to an average price to income ratio, home prices would have to rise by about 27%.”

Mortgage Rates are Right

Mortgage interest rates are at historic lows as compared to personal income.  The report notes, “During the week of October 7, Freddie Mac reported that mortgage rates had fallen to an average annual level of 3.94%. Assuming the use of a fixed rate mortgage with 20% down, this would make the median mortgage payment on a single family existing home just 6.9% of per household personal income, compared with an average of 14.4% since 1966.”

What this means is that it is a buyers perfect storm. Buyers who buy now will likely reap a long term financial gain by buying a home at a lower than average cost and financing it for a lower than average cost. It is a win-win situation.

Home Ownership Beats Renting

The report goes on to look at the cost of renting versus owning. JP Morgan predicts that by the “third quarter of this year, we estimate that the implied median mortgage payment had fallen to just 78% of the median asking rent. In other words, at current mortgage rates, home prices would have to rise by 35% just to get back to their average relationship to rents.”

Home buying is now more affordable than it has been in decades. Home prices are at all time lows, mortgage rates are at rock bottom and income levels remain steady. Despite what you may hear on the nightly news home ownership has never been more affordable.

1. Name a personal representative or executor.

In an individual will, your parent can name a person or institution to act as personal representative, called an executor in some states, who will be responsible for making sure that the will is carried out as written and that the property is divvied up and distributed as directed. It’s also wise to name an alternate in case the first choice is unable or unwilling to act.

2. Name beneficiaries to get specific property.

Your parent’s will can specify separate gifts of property — called specific bequests — including cash, personal property, or real estate. Likely beneficiaries for such bequests are children and other relatives, but they may also include friends, business associates, charities, or other organizations.

3. Specify alternate beneficiaries.

In fashioning their wills, most people assume that the beneficiaries they name will survive to take the property they’ve specified for them. The most thoughtful wills provide for what should happen if those beneficiaries don’t survive — either by naming a backup recipient or indicating that the person’s spouse or children should take the property instead.

4. Name someone to take all remaining property.

If your parent has opted to make specific bequests of property, a will is also the place to name people or organizations to take whatever property is left over. This property is usually called a “residuary estate.”

5. Give directions on dividing personal assests.

If your parent wants assets divided among children, charities, or other beneficiaries, the will should note precisely what property is included in that pool. It should also specify whether assets are to go directly to beneficiaries or whether they’re to be sold and the value divided among the beneficiaries, either equally or according to stated percentages.

6. Give directions for allocating business assests.

Business assets are often separate from personal assets — and most business owners have very specific ideas about what should be done with them after their deaths. If your parents don’t have a written plan covering the windup of their business, encourage them to see an experienced estate planning attorney to ensure that their wishes are clearly indicated in each of their wills.

7. Specify how debts, expenses, and taxes should be paid.

The will should spell out your parent’s wishes regarding how to settle debts and final expenses, such as funeral and probate costs, as well as any estate and inheritance taxes. Usually a specific source, such as a bank account, will be tagged to cover these costs.

8. Cancel debts others owe.

A nice added touch is that people making wills can use the documents to relieve those who owed them money from the responsibility of paying that debt — along with any interest that accumulated on it — to them or their survivors.

9. Indicate special instructions for maintaining real estate.

If your parents name someone to keep their house, they should list any specific instructions for its care and upkeep in each will.

10. Provide a caretaker for pets.

Since the law considers pets to be property, the best way for your parents to assure a good home for theirs is to leave the animal to someone named in each will who has agreed to give it a good home. Many people also leave that person an amount of money to help cover the caretaking expenses.