The Louisville Metro Planning Commission recently reviewed and approved plans for a $45 million South Pointe Commons shopping center project, and the plans now require the approval of the Louisville Metro Council. The project expects to break ground on Bardstown Road just south of the Snyder Freeway in Fern Creek shortly after it receives approval from the Metro Council. It could be a bright spot in an...

Indiana's Securities Commissioner has ordered a Louisville-based home mortgage broker and another broker based in Las Vegas to stop doing business in Indiana. A complaint filed with the Indiana Securities Commission cites Louisville-based Home Ownership Possibilities for Everyone LLC as one of the companies operating illegally without a license in Indiana. The state cited the mortgage broker for trying to...

While homebuilders across the country are reeling from their worst sales month since 1981, sales of new Louisville homes remain strong according to members of the Greater Louisville Association of Realtors. Nationally, new home sales fell 33 percent in May to their lowest level since 1961, when the recording of sales of newly built homes started. Louisville realtors say that sales of new Louisville homes...

Since the federal government began tracking new home sales in 1963, there has never been a month like May 2010. With the federal tax credit program expiring, expectations were already low, but actual sales of new homes across the country established a record low. Homebuilders report that they sold newly-constructed homes at an annual rate of 300,000 in May, 32.7 percent below the previous month's rate of...

If you've been looking for a reason to retire that aging avocado green fridge, here's your best chance. On April 22, the state of Kentucky will begin giving away up to $4 million in rebates to people who replace old home appliances with new U.S. certified Energy Star appliances bought in Kentucky. These rebates range from $40 for single-room air conditioners to $400 for air-source or geothermal heat pumps...

Like car repairs, toothaches and many other things in life, the more you ignore a small problem with your Louisville home, the bigger and more expensive it will eventually become. In order to keep your Louisville house in great condition and protect your investment, there is some routine maintenance you can do each spring and summer to stay on top of things. To that end, here are some easy and inexpensive...

Springtime is here, and that means that tornado season is underway in Kentucky and other states in the region. Although there isn't much that people can do to prevent a tornado from hitting their area, there are steps that homeowners can take to minimize damage to their Louisville houses if one is nearby. Here are some things that you can do to limit tornado damage to your home: If you've been thinking...

The Federal Housing Authority, which insures mortgage losses for lenders if borrowers don't make their payments, is reevaluating its policies to shore up its financial position as a rising number of mortgage defaults have depleted its operating funds. While the FHA tightens lending requirements, private mortgage insurance companies are beginning to enter the market again after running for cover when...

The Obama administration's efforts to help homeowners remain in their homes through a government loan modification program have taken a body blow with recent news about the success, or lack thereof, of the program. The Treasury Department and the Housing and Urban Development Department reported that despite having achieved loan modifications through the federal program, the number of homeowners who...

The current recession has inspired many homeowners to reevaluate wants versus needs, and researchers are finding that this reappraisal of values also applies to what they really want in a home. A recent study of over 22,000 people who bought a home in the last year provides invaluable insight into homebuyers' current mindset and on which things they are willing to spend extra money. This study is of...