Does a home-improvement hobby sound exciting?
Some homeowners like nothing better than to pull out the tools, buckets, and plaster to paint the bedroom purple or re-tile the bathroom. But such projects can eat up every weekend, even if you’re just overseeing contractors. And those are the optional improvements — every house needs basic fix-ups and ongoing maintenance. Calling the landlord can start to sound pretty good. Ask your home-owning friends with similar interests how maintaining their houses fits their lifestyles. You might want to choose a lower maintenance option, like a condo, where your monthly association fees will relieve you of maintenance duties. Are your finances organized? If you never balance your checkbook, occasionally forget the credit card bill, or hand a tax preparer an overstuffed shoebox in April, it’s time to get organized. First, to get a mortgage with good terms, you’ll need a clean credit history — order your free credit report at www.annualcreditreport.com, and resolve any errors. Second, you’ll ne
