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If you take my Temple REI course .... 
Register
Temple University's Center City Campus,
at 1500 Market Street, Philadelphia,
across 15th Street from City Hall.
Look for class presentations, including
videoclips and audio clips,
at www.alheavens.blogspot.com by
clicking this : 
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| Maximize Your Investment Through Successful Home Renovation |
REI 045 (Sept. 19 - Oct. 17, 5:30-8:30 p.m.)
About this course: No matter how “perfect” a house may look, the typical buyer will begin planning changes even before the ink is dry on the agreement of sale. The bare minimum the buyer wants from the real estate agent is some assurance that he or she is not is spending lots of money simply for the chance to make a huge mistake.
What’s more, the buyer wants to know what is possible and what isn’t. If an agent doesn’t know the answer, or says something that proves inaccurate, it may mean trouble down the road. On the other hand, if the buyer isn’t realistic, he or she may end up with a long-term financial drain that will never begin to return even a percentage of the money spent.
In five consecutive three-hour sessions, this course will offer some ideas of how to be smarter about home renovation, whether the house is worth spending money on, how to deal with contractors and suppliers, how to negotiate a contract, the permit process, financing, and common problems and solutions. Homeowners will learn when to do it themselves and when not to, and what projects bring the best returns on their investment.
Final exam: 25 questions, multiple choice.
Textbooks/ Readings list:
The only book required for purchase is What No One Ever Tells You About Renovating Your Home, which should be purchased from the Temple Bookstore before the first class. I recommend that you begin reading the first section before that class.
Chapters from other books will be provided as handouts, although you are encouraged to purchase them for future reference:
Goldstein, Carolyn M. Do It Yourself: Home Improvement in 20th Century America (National Building Museum, Washington)
Johnson, Dean Hometime Kitchens How-To (Hometime Press, $9.95)
Lank Edith and Dana Amoruso: The Homebuyers’ Kit (Dearborn Trade, $15.95)
Orme, Alan Dan: Reviving Your House: 500 Inexpensive and Simple Solutions to Basic Home Maintenance Issues (Storey Books, $14.95)
Susanka, Sarah: Not So Big Solutions for Your Home (Taunton Press, $22.95)
Vandervort, Don: Home Magazine How Your House Works (Ballantine, $14.40)
Remodeler magazine: 2006 Cost vs. value report (handout supplied)
American Homeowners Foundation: Home improvement contract (handout supplied)
Case studies: Inquirer articles 1990-2005 (handout supplied) |
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