Friday, August 26, 2011
* Atlantic International Partnership Headlines: Altlantic International Partnership Headlines: 3 w...
* Atlantic International Partnership Headlines: Altlantic International Partnership Headlines: 3 w...: (Money Magazine) — 1. Negotiate on repairs and upkeep Price trend: Contractors, still facing a slumping real estate market, will strike a...
Altlantic International Partnership Headlines: 3 ways to save on home costs
(Money Magazine) — 1. Negotiate on repairs and upkeep
Price trend: Contractors, still facing a slumping real estate market, will strike a deal to get your business. In a May survey by consumer review website Angie’s List, 81% of contractors say they’d negotiate labor costs; more than a quarter say they’d drop prices by more than 10%. Service providers like house cleaners and landscapers are cutting rates, too.
How to save: Get multiple price quotes. You’ll have the most bargaining power if you can be flexible about the timing of your project. If a builder won’t drop his price, see whether he’ll upgrade you to higher-end fixtures, says Steve Gonzalez, author of “Before You Hire a Contractor: A Construction Guidebook for Consumers.”
2. Trim the cost of borrowing
Price trend:: The average rate on a 30-year mortgage was 4.7% in May, down from 5.1% in February; it’s expected to hit 5.8% next year, says the Mortgage Bankers Association. Some borrowers will pay more even sooner when jumbo loan limits expire this fall.
How to save: The recent rate dip has opened up another refinancing window. To save on closing costs, request a good-faith estimate before you apply. You can negotiate any fees the lender charges. You’ll have the most wiggle room on adjustable-rate and jumbo mortgages.
Altlantic International Partnership Headlines: Catalonia’s President Aims to Lead in Taming Spain’s Deficit
BARCELONA — The powerful leader of Spain’s Catalonia region is vowing to do his share to cut the country’s towering budget deficit, no matter the political cost, but is also calling on the central government in Madrid to push ahead with major unfinished economic reforms.
Cutting the budget deficits of Spain’s regions is one part of the country’s challenge, along with narrowing the central government’s deficit and recapitalizing parts of its banking system, as it seeks to convince financial markets of its creditworthiness.
Saturday, August 13, 2011
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