 | Avoiding Closing Derailment
 Like a train, a transaction can get derailed at any point on the track. A closing can be hit by a clouded title, a home not appraising for value, a rapid change in interest rates, an undisclosed credit or income issue, or one of countless other unanticipated issues.
Choke points cause delays and delays cause all kinds of problems for buyers, sellers, and agents. Moving plans get thrown into disarray. Interim housing or early-possession requests become necessary. Contingency plans need to be thrown together. Nerves get jangled. The resulting situation can be a nightmare
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for everyone involved in the transaction.
Eighty percent of the problems in closing transactions fall into three basic areas. Stay on the lookout for these problems to steer your home buying or
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Moving Made Easy,
Keep It Simple
 The moving industry is complicated.
It uses a lot of lingo that most consumers don't understand: You get your estimates as "binding" or "non-binding"; movers use a "tariff" to determine rates; when the mover ships your goods, you receive a "bill of lading."
And when you go to check out your mover, you run into a mass of regulations. If you're moving within your state, your state government regulates your move; if you're moving across the country, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration does. Finding (and understanding) information about your mover on either of these agencies' Web sites can be hard, too.
It's understandable, then, that most people don't put in this kind of gumshoe work. However, there are three basic moving pitfalls that, if avoided, can help save you from a lousy experience with poor moving companies.
1. Not getting an in-home estimate.
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Home Hunting Without Fear
 As any daredevil, extreme sports addict or adrenaline junkie knows, well-grounded preparation for the specific task at hand is what takes the fear out of trying.
The sometimes risky sport of home buying is no different.
Those who've suffered the agony of defeat in what's likely the most dangerous consumer game, learned the hard way that sheer fearlessness isn't enough to become and remain a homeowner -- through good times and bad.
With the rules of the housing game changed forever, preparing to just squeak by the home buying ordeal isn't enough to achieve a decisive and lasting victory.
The idea isn't just to buy a home. The goal is to keep your own roof over your head.
Preparation is key, according to the National Association of Realtors (NAR).
From NAR, here's how to get ready to be and remain a homeowner. Create a wish list. Write down housing wants and needs. Include all the physical characteristics you want or need. Include style, size, layout and room configuration. Look at the number of bedrooms and bathrooms, and the basic amenities you must have. Include critical features such as location and services
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Can Trees Help
Sell Your Home?
 The population of the U.S. nearly doubled from 1950 to 2000 but with that growth our water demands more than tripled, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. The government predicts that there will be water shortages in 36 states by the year 2013. That's disappointing news to homeowners who love their green lawns and think that they add value to their homes. The good news is that a yard can still look attractive and yet use less water to maintain its beauty.
Local Market Conditions
Daily News and Advice
Read about the events shaping the Real Estate market today, find current interest rates, or browse the extensive library of advice and how-to articles written by some of the top experts in Real Estate. Updated each weekday.
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