Fort Lauderdale Blog

Top 2014 Home Improvement Trends: Smart Homes and Home Automation

(BPT) - From smartphones to smart cars, technology is transforming virtually every aspect of our busy lives. Technologies not only make life easier while on the go, but new options are quickly simplifying life at home as well. Home automation is proving to be a top home improvement trend, making the Jetsons' futuristic lifestyle more realistic than ever before.

Easy-to-Update Items to Make Your New Home Yours

(BPT) - This year more than 5.4 million homes were sold by the end of August, according to the National Association of REALTORS®. Are you one of these millions of new homeowners? If so, you've most likely felt the urge to settle in immediately. However, before making any major renovations, it's a good idea to live in a new home a while to see how the space is meeting your needs. Here are a few swift swaps that will have a big impact in making that new house feel like home sweet home.

Legal How-To: Collecting Money Owed to You

By Aditi Mukherji, JD

Have you ever loaned out money to a friend or loved one and they just never quite got around to paying you back? It's certainly an awkward situation, but there are ways to "mean business" and possibly get your money back.

5 Tips for Improving Financial Fitness in 2014

By  Barbara Pronin

New Year’s resolutions are nothing new, and, according to the credit reporting firm Transunion, nearly 40 percent of Americans say they will make at least one big financial change in their life next year.