Homeowners undertake home improvements to either improve their home’s resale value, or their own enjoyment of their house. The best home improvements are those that deliver on both objectives. Americans will spend nearly $141 billion on remodeling in the first half of 2011, according to Harvard’s Joint Center for Housing Studies. If you are among the many homeowners opting to renovate rather than move, you may be wondering what renovations are likely to give you the best balance of enhanced resale value (return on investment) and immediate enjoyment. One of the most popular rooms to renovate …

No crystal ball can tell the future of interest rates in the United States, specifically home mortgage interest rates. Some experts make compelling arguments that interest rates are on the cusp of rocketing upward; others believe they will remain historically low for the foreseeable future. “Predicting the direction of interest rates from one day to the next is an impossible task. There are too many variables in the world today that have an impact on how Wall Street traders view the marketplace," said Jim McKenna, of Atlantic Home Loans Inc. "From the sovereign debt crisis in Europe, to the …

One of the most desirable neighborhoods in Chatham Township—the Rolling Hills community of single-family homes—enjoyed a top sales statistic based on the township’s record of home sales during 2010. A seven-bedroom colonial on Dale Drive in Rolling Hills sold for $2,710,000 last year, making it the highest-priced home sold in Chatham Township. The statistics took into account a total of 152 homes sold in the township, and it’s interesting to note that the median sales price for all of Chatham Township was $770,000. This speaks to the desirability of living in Rolling Hills. Buyers will …