Whether the intent is to upgrade sale value or personal comfort, there are a number of home improvement projects that should be avoided if an imminent or future sale is possible. For one, mistimed renovations can end up costing a homeowner a lot of money. Secondly, certain remodels just don’t make sense if the homeowner plans on entering the real estate market.

Looking to decorate your child's bedroom with something fun? How about combining some favorite characters, like Spongebob Squarepants and Nemo! You can see this kid's room combines the undersea characters with wall paintings and bedding both. It's a fun way to decorate.

Staying cool in the summer can be an expensive affair, especially on days when the AC runs non-stop for relief from the heat. When compared with the cost of home heating during the winter it may not be as high but the monthly bills still add up and so does stress over how to make ends meet.

The east side of Michigan has a great reputation as a manufacturing community. Detroit has lead the way for auto makers for years and years. But did you know other communities over near Michigan's thumb have other reasons for living there?

Good news for the housing market and home buyers has recently come to light. FHA, the insurer of mortgages across the country, won't increase premiums anymore. Basically, the housing market crash of 2009 dried up the FHA reserves and it needed to fill them back up. It's kind of like a homeowners insurance company after a natural disaster like a hurricane or tornado. The companies pay out on claims, then raise rates to recover the funds. The same thing happened with FHA, and it has raised mortgage insurance premiums over the last 2 years.

How can a parent help their adult child buy a home? One way is to help with the down payment. Several mortgage loan options allow for a relative to help with cash. Some parents know this, and want to know more about helping their kids. 

Even the average college kid knows that moving to a new home or apartment is an aggravating, tedious chore, but once you have a family moving can become a truly daunting task. Obviously, there is a lot to be excited about with any move – more space in a new neighborhood, a new job or just a change of scenery. For young children, however, it can be a serious disruption.

Forbes Magazine has named Grand Rapids, Michigan as a top 10 city to find employment. This is great news for the city, the state, job seekers, businesses and the housing market. The stronger the emplyoment sector of the economy, the better of a lot of people will find themselves. Here's a look at the numbers Forbes looked at to make this decision:

Buying your first house and moving out on your own can be an exciting (and expensive) experience. In addition to the down payment — which you should consider paying at least 20 percent of the sales price or appraised value of the home — you'll need to set a lofty stack of cash aside for closing costs, which can run into hundreds or thousands of dollars.

The HomePath Renovation mortgage process can turn out to be a long and confusing process. But it doesn't have to be a terrible experience. As with any home buying journey in today's housing market, the key is to start at the beginning: mortgage pre-approval.