There are more than 650 of them in the United States—and there’s one in the state where you live. Together, they hold more than $35 billion in combined assets. Each year, they give more than $2.6 billion, collectively, in local grants. The most curious fact: You may have no idea they exist. They’re community foundations, [...]

• How much can I afford?
Get pre-approved for a mortgage. This involves getting your credit report and FICO scores and investigating the type of mortgage that’s best for you. Shop around for the best rates and programs.
• What kind of home do I want (the ‘wish list’)? What kind of home do I need?
Make a [...]

America is on sale. And while the “Land of the Free” is certainly far from free, the cost of buying a piece of America today couldn’t be more attractive. Nowhere is that statement arguably truer than Florida.
Of course, nobody needs to be told it’s a fantastic time to buy property in Florida, a highly desirable Sun [...]

When buyers have the upper hand due to a large inventory of homes on the market, it’s essential that sellers prepare properly. Taking the time to craft a smart sales plan that involves a little extra effort can yield healthy financial returns, even in a less-than-stellar market.
Here are some ways to maximize your home’s profit potential:
Price It [...]

Perhaps you’ve been considering a second home purchase but hate to make a huge investment for what may amount to only a few weeks of usage per year. You might want to consider fractional ownership.
When Steve Dering, founding partner of DCP International, initiated the concept of fractional ownership communities more than a decade ago, he was inspired by [...]

Many of the best communities in the Southeast are featured within the pages of Ideal Living magazine. A picture may speak a thousand words, but nothing can compare to actually visiting a community and experiencing the lifestyle you’ve dreamed about.
This year, the Live South Real Estate Show, sponsored by Ideal Living magazine, is taking a [...]

NEW YORK (Reuters) — Demand for mortgages to buy homes and refinance loans bounced from seven-month lows last week, with average 30-year borrowing rates unchanged, the Mortgage Bankers Association said on Wednesday.
The industry group’s total loan applications index rose a seasonally adjusted 10.9% to 493.1 in the week ended July 3, after slumping the prior [...]

Source: msnbc.com news services. See original article here: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/31521098/ns/business-stocks_and_economy
PARIS – A severe U.S. recession will bottom out this year, but any recovery will be weak due to anemic markets and shrunken consumer wealth, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development said on Wednesday.
“In this environment, a considerable degree of economic slack, especially in the labor [...]

The AARC is an organization that focuses on the building and development of communities for the purpose of future retirement and active adults. The dual focus of the conference this year is to feature ways to succeed in what we expect will continue to be a turbulent market in 2010 and how to be a [...]

Ideal Living magazine has partnered with some of the top real estate agents in the country to bring you updates on what’s happening with the real estate market on a local level, as well as providing advice for selling your home in the current market.
Susan Albright of The Riverside Realty Group in Fairfield, CT, reports [...]

One of Ideal Living magazine’s adages is “Where you live affects how you live,” and that has never been truer than it is right now. Perhaps it is a good time for each of us to sit back and assess where we are, where we are headed and where we want to be.
There’s no single [...]

In Wilmington, NC, where Ideal Living’s publisher, RPI Media, is based, you’ll find the Community Foundation of Southeastern North Carolina (CFSENC), a 21-year-old organization that has served five counties in the area since 1987. To date, CFSENC’s aggregate grants have exceeded $9,000,000, and the organization has expanded its reach each year… so it came as no surprise that when RPI Media’s CEO, Michael Hackeling, wanted to provide multiple nonprofit organizations within his local community with increased marketing power, he turned to CFSENC to spearhead the pilot project.

With gas prices still on the rise, the housing market in a state of flux, and the word “recession” on the tip of pundits’ tongues, isn’t it nice to finally get some news that’s good for your pocketbook? North Carolina residents, take heart. Until December 31, 2010, you’re eligible for a Personal Renewable Energy Tax Credit that can yield as much as $10,500.

WALLACE, N.C. – Not able to pull off a corporate outing this coming year in Las Vegas, Orlando or Hawaii? Working on a tighter budget in these tough economic times but still want to offer clients, customers or employees a special golfing treat or get an early start on a 2009 booking? Tired of poor [...]

A big stupid promise. That’s what got Jock Brandis into saving the world—though from his corner office in a bright blue warehouse near downtown Wilmington, NC, he’ll insist that saving the world had nothing to do with it—that it was all for adventure’s sake.