5 Things To Do NOW If You Want to Buy A Home In 2012

(Courtesy of Trulia & Tara-Nicholle Nelson)


At this point in December, it can start to feel like the New Year – along with all our hopes, dreams, wishes and expectations for it – are barreling down on us. Personally, I’m a rabidResolution-setter, and I have a pretty strong track record of making New Year’s changes actually happen – and stick.  But what I know after years of using the New Year as a great excuse to set and meet some goals is that it’s very, very helpful to get a head start, ramping-up to new habits, behaviors and target goals achievements starting in December.

If you’re one of the millions who has an eye on 2012 as the year in which you’ll buy a home (first or not), here are five things you can do now to put yourself on the right path:

1.    Check your credit. Take my word for it: there is no bad surprise worse than a bad credit surprise. Okay, maybe there is one thing worse – a credit surprise you receive while you’re in the midst of trying to buy a home! 

Recent studies have revealed that a record high number of real estate transactions are falling out of escrow, and that credit “issues” are a leading cause of these dead deals. Your best chance at catching and correcting score-lowering errors and other derogatory items before they destroy your personal American Dream is to start checking and correcting while you still have time on your side.

2.    Do your research.  The more rapidly the real estate market changes, the more it behooves smart buyers to study up before they jump in.  And now’s the time – you can start doing online and in-person research into topics ranging from: 

·    Target states, cities and neighborhoods. Whether you’re relocating or simply trying to narrow down the local districts to focus on during your 2012 house hunt, December is a great time to start your online research into decision-driving factors like tax rates, school districts, neighborhood character and even prices in various areas. Resident ratings and reviews sites like Trulia and NabeWise can help you make the neighborhood-lifestyle match. 

Once you narrow things down and start speaking to local agents, ask them to brief you on the local market dynamics, including how long homes typically stay on the market and whether they generally go for more or less than the asking price, so you can be smart about how you search. (And yes, Virginia, there are areas where homes sell for more than asking, even as we speak!)

·    Real estate and mortgage pros. If you don’t already have your pros picked out, now is the time to get on the horn or drop an email or Facebook message to your circle of contacts, asking them for a referral to a broker or agent they love.  Follow up by: checking whether these pros are active in answering questions on Trulia Voices, searching for their name and seeing what sort of feedback on them you can cull from the web, then giving them a ring and launching a conversation about whether you and they might be a good partnership.

·    Short sales and REOs. Distressed property sales are not for the unwary. If you want to target upside down or foreclosed homes, or are planning to house hunt in an area where many of the listings are described as short sales or foreclosures, get educated about what you can expect from a distressed property purchase transaction before you get your heart set on a short sale.

·    What you get for the money. Online house hunting is a powerful tool – especially when it’s cold and wet! But there comes a point in your house hunt where you’ve got to just get out into the actual physical homes you’re seeing online in order to get a strong, accurate sense of what home features, aesthetics and location characteristics correlate with what price points.

·    Mortgage musts. You can read a bunch of articles about mortgages and get yourself pretty far down the path toward qualifying for a home loan, but you can only get a personalized action plan for a smooth road ‘home’ by talking with a local mortgage broker and having them assess your basic financials.  They might say you need to move funds around, pay a bill down or off or produce some sort of documentation from your employer.  And the time to start all that is now.

3.    Fluff up your cash cushion. So, you’ve saved up your 3.5 percent down payment. Perhaps you saved a little extra for closing costs.  Or maybe you’re even one of those uber-aggressive 20-percent-down-ers.  No matter how much you’ve saved, you’ll find that you could use more once you activate your home buying action plan. Mark my words – after closing, you’ll crave extra cash to do some repairs, upgrade a couple of things, buy appliances or even just to hold onto in order to minimize your anxiety about depleting your savings!  

So, if homebuying is on your personal 2012 action plan, don’t go hog wild on holiday gifts. Instead, wait until next year and give yourself the gift of a home.

4.    Shed some stuff.  Sell it. Donate it. Give it to relatives who’ve always coveted it.  Just get rid of it. If you do it before year’s end, you can kill three birds with one stone: (a) getting some cold hard cash to go toward your savings, (b) getting some tax receipts so you can deduct the value of your donations in January, (c) minimizing money spent on holiday gifts for loved ones and these two bonus birds – clearing the mental clutter that physical clutter creates and prepping for your move in advance.

5.    Sit very, very still.  Sometimes, the best way to further our goals is to stop tripping ourselves up.  In that vein, commit right now to refrain from making any major financial moves until you buy your home.  Don’t quit your job to start that personal chef business (yet), don’t pull a bunch of cash out of your savings account (without getting clearance form your mortgage pro first), and don’t start buying cars and boats on credit – even if you do love the idea of putting the red bow on the car you give your wife, like in the commercials. 

I assure you, the bow you’ll be able to put on that house or condo will be much bigger, redder and more tax-advantaged!

(Courtesy of Inman News & Lowe's)

10 ways to winterize your home

Don't forget about exterior grading, indoor air quality

By Paul Bianchina
Inman News™

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November 18, 2011

Fall is in the air already, which means that another chilly winter can't be too far behind. So before the cold weather arrives, here's your annual checklist of things to do to get your home ready for the change of season.
Inside your home
Check smoke detectors: Don't neglect that smoke detector any longer! Take some time right now to check the operation of detectors, and to change the batteries. If you have an older house with a limited number of smoke detectors, install additional ones at each sleeping room, and make sure there is one centrally located on each level of the home as well.
Install a carbon monoxide detector: As houses get closed up for winter, the chances of carbon monoxide poisoning from malfunctioning gas appliances increases substantially. If you have a furnace, fireplace, water heater, or other appliance that's fueled by propane or natural gas, or if you have an attached garage, install a carbon monoxide detector. They're available inexpensively from many home centers and other retailers, and offer easy, plug-in installation.
Service your heating system: Perform a complete system check of your furnace annually, either by yourself or by a trained furnace technician. Check for worn belts, lubrication needs or other servicing that might be required; refer to your owner's manual for specific suggestions, and follow any manufacturer safety instructions for shutting the power and fuel to the furnace before servicing. Check the condition of duct joints and insulation, and of course, change the filter.
Upgrade your thermostat: An older thermostat that's a couple of degrees off can result in a lot of wasted energy, and so can forgetting to set the thermostat down at night. You can take care of both of those problems with an upgrade to a programmable thermostat. Programmable thermostats are digital and typically very accurate, and they allow for easy, set-and-forget programming of temperatures for different times of the day, including energy-saving nighttime and workday setbacks.
Outside your home
Trim trees: Trees that are overhanging your home can be a real hazard. They can deposit debris on your roof, scrape against shingles during wind storms, and, worst of all, snap off with potentially devastating results. Have a professional tree trimming service inspect the condition of overhanging tree limbs, and safely cut them back as needed.
Check the gutters: Clear the gutters of leaf and pine needle debris, and check that the opening between the gutter and the downspout is unobstructed. Look for loose joints or other structural problems with the system, and repair them as needed using pop rivets. Use a gutter sealant to seal any connections where leaks may be occurring.
Break out the caulk: A few hours and few tubes of caulking can make a big difference in both your heating bills and your comfort levels this winter. Caulk around windows, doors, pipes, exterior electrical outlets, and any other exterior penetrations where cold air might enter. Use a good grade of acrylic latex caulk, either in a paintable white or, if you don't want to paint, use clear.
Drain sprinkler systems: In colder areas, now is the time to be thinking about having your sprinkler and irrigation systems blown out. You can rent a compressor and do this yourself, or contact a landscape or irrigation system installer and have them handle this for you. This is also the time to shut off outdoor faucets and install freeze-proof faucet covers as needed.
Adjust exterior grade: Fall is also a great time to look at the grade around your home, and make sure that everything slopes away from your foundation to avoid costly problems with ground water. Add, remove or adjust soil grades as necessary for good drainage.
Change light timers: If you have exterior lights that are controlled by timers, including low-voltage ones, check the timer settings. Change the "on" times to an earlier hour to reflect the earlier winter darkness, so that you always have adequate outside light available.
Remodeling and repair questions? Email Paul at paulbianchina@inman.com. All product reviews are based on the author's actual testing of free review samples provided by the manufacturers.

Moving Your Pet

(courtesy of Relocating in KC Magazine)

Your new home wouldn't be the same without your family pet, yet he or she might not be the same without some special attention during the stress of moving. Here's what you can do.

Pets - like people - react to change much the same way humans do, and in some ways, a pet's needs are not terribly different from those of their owners.

- Maintain your pet's routine as much as possible. Feed, exercise and play with it at the same times as usual.

- Consider keeping your pet at a friend's home while you're packing and moving so it doesn't become upset.

- Minimize digestive upsets with special foods. Pheromones might also calm stressed pets. Use dog- and cat-appeasing pheromones in an outlet for two weeks before and after your move.

- Don't use sedatives, especially on planes, but Dramamine can help them combat motion sickness.

- Prepare your animal for flight a month before by getting it used to its carrier. Make it a familiar, comfortable place by keeping treats or a favorite blanket or toy inside.

- Keep your pet under your plane seat if it meets weight requirements, or you can choose to stow it in the cargo compartment, which is air-conditioned and pressurized. You must have a health certificate from your vet to transport an animal this way.

- Put your pet in an insulated carrier to minimize large temperature shirts, especially during plane travel.

- Check to see if your airline provides a personal hand-carrying service. Be sure to leave instructions and include the last time your pet ate and drank or had a bathroom break.

- If you're driving to your new location with your pet, make sure it has access to water and be prepared to stop regularly. Never leave your animal in a car in hot weather, but if you must, purchase grills to put up in place of windows so air can move through the car.

- Before leaving town, get your pet one last check-up, including vaccinations, medications and records.

- Drive to the nearest 24-hour emergency vet clinic immediately after your move so you are prepared should a situation arise.

30-Year Mortgage Rates Hit Record Low

Mortgage rates posted mixed results this week, but the benchmark conforming 30-year fixed mortgage rate fell to a record low of 4.41 percent, according to Bankrate.com’s weekly national survey. The average 30-year fixed mortgage has an average of 0.43 discount and origination points. The previous record low of 4.42 percent was set in October and November of 2010.

The average 15-year fixed mortgage increased to 3.63 percent while the larger jumbo 30-year fixed rate bounced to 4.94 percent. Adjustable rate mortgages were mostly lower, with the average five-year ARM dropping to 3.12 percent and the 7-year ARM sinking to 3.27 percent. Both are record lows.

Prevailing economic concerns have kept mortgage rates at historically low levels. The average 30-year fixed mortgage rate has been below five percent in all but 11 weeks during the past year, and never as low as this week. A widely anticipated speech by Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke and a full slate of economic data in the next 10 days will steer perceptions about the economy as well as the direction of mortgage rates.

The last time mortgage rates were above six percent was Nov. 2008. At the time, the average 30-year fixed rate was 6.33 percent, meaning a $200,000 loan would have carried a monthly payment of $1,241.86. With the average rate now 4.41 percent, the monthly payment for the same size loan would be $1,002.70, a difference of $239 per month for anyone refinancing now.

Survey Results
• 30-year fixed: 4.41% — down from 4.45% last week (avg. points: 0.43)
• 15-year fixed: 3.63% — up from 3.58% last week (avg. points: 0.32)
• 5/1 ARM: 3.12% — down from 3.15% last week (avg. points: 0.36)

Bankrate’s national weekly mortgage survey is conducted each Wednesday from data provided by the top 10 banks and thrifts in the top 10 markets.

For a full analysis of this week’s move in mortgage rates, go to http://www.bankrate.com.

Remodeling? Don't Forget the Permit

by Melissa Dittmann Tracey -- Realtor Magazine

When home owners take on a remodeling project, they’re often far more focused on choosing glistening fixtures for a new bathroom or debating the type of granite to use on a kitchen countertop than, say, navigating the intricacies of the building permit process. That could be a huge mistake, however, and it may not even come to light until the house is put up for sale. Ignoring local approval requirements not only poses safety and legal problems but also can potentially derail an otherwise smooth sale.

Home owners using licensed contractors for remodeling work typically don’t have to get involved with permitting. Most licensed contractors will handle the cumbersome process for them—filling out the paperwork with the municipality, collecting fees, and being present for the required inspections, says Michael Hydeck, president of the National Association of the Remodeling Industry. But when home owners tackle do-it-yourself projects or use unlicensed contractors, they risk problems later.

The permit process varies widely from city to city and state to state). But the purpose of the document is the same everywhere: It offers ­assurance by a municipal building department that the work being done meets all safety codes.

Ask Sellers Before You List

Home owners may be asked about permits in the process of selling a home. At closing, they may have to disclose any remodeling work they did and verify permits. A home inspector evaluating a property for a buyer may want to know whether a permit was obtained. Furthermore, the buyer’s appraiser may want to see permit records to check the legality of any home renovations.

“If no permits are found and it’s obvious the home has been renovated, the bank will likely refuse to make the loan,” according to the American Bar Association’s book Legal Guide to Home Renovation(Random House Reference, 2006). If the permitless work isn’t discovered until after closing, the home’s value could even be subject to a lawsuit, such as in cases when an addition added extra square footage to the home’s value but the construction wasn’t done legally with a permit.

That’s why contractors and legal experts say real estate practitioners are well advised to ask sellers before they take on a listing for a renovated home: “Did you get a permit for that?”

Remodeling contractor John Price in Merced, Calif., has been called in to help home owners after permit problems have been uncovered. He once worked with a home owner who installed siding by himself, but added it too far down along the wall of the house, so it rubbed up against dirt and picked up moisture. Eventually the poor installation led to mold growing in the drywall throughout the inside of the house.

Some home owners, however, are tempted to sidestep the permit process not wanting to pay the fees (municipalities generally charge a minimum issuing fee—such as $25—as well as an additional fee—sometimes 1 percent—of total construction costs), or they might not want to risk delaying a project or a sale by waiting for city inspections (obtaining permits can take anywhere from a day to six weeks or more).

“People have strong incentives to cheat, and some of that lays squarely on the feet of policymakers who have sometimes created a system that is time-consuming and frustrating,” Price says.

But caught without a permit during resale, home owners may face big consequences. They may have to pay fines (possibly up to quadruple the original permit cost) or may have to tear the project down and redo it.

Virtually No Job Is Too Small

Home owners making any changes to the structures of a home will likely need a permit—and you may need more than one, Price says.

While kitchen and bathroom remodels and housing additions are obvious permit candidates, people may not realize they might also need one for such projects as installing a window, adding a new light switch, or replacing a shower. “There are not too many jobs you don’t need a permit for,” Hydeck adds. “It’s better to be safe than sorry.”

How To Home Stage Like a Pro

(courtesy of American Home Shield)

How to Home Stage Like a Pro

Household clutter, outdated décor and unpleasant odors are just a few homebuyer turnoffs. When home staging is done right, it reduces a home’s flaws and maximize its features. Read on for expert tips to make your clients’ homes buyer-friendly and primed to sell.

Declutter. There’s a reason this is the most important rule of home staging: It makes the rooms look bigger, creates a sense of calm and order, and helps potential buyers envision the home filled with their own belongings. Banishing clutter means getting rid of both the big things (awkward pieces of furniture) and small things (clothes, toys).

Remember, viewers will be opening every door and touring your entire house, so don’t just move the clutter into the garage or a spare bedroom. If your clients can’t part with these items but don’t have the extra space for them, they could rent a storage unit short term.

Fill an empty house. Of course, a vacant house can be a disadvantage too. Many national furniture rental companies, such as Cort and Rent-A-Center, offer several rental options that range from furnishing an entire home to just a room. Homeowners might be reluctant to take on another monthly payment, but if it means their house will move quicker, they might reconsider. An added plus is that most companies don’t require contracts. Most also deliver and set up the furniture.

Think small. Staging a home doesn’t have to be an expensive project. Small changes go a long way. Have clients consider these easy upgrades to give rooms a refreshed look:

• Switch out old lampshades with modern ones
• Get rid of dark drapes and install simple wood blinds—they’ll let in more light
• Add a fresh coat of paint in a neutral color
• Replace old or dated light fixtures, light switch plates, and outlet covers
• Buy new decorative pillow covers—or sew them yourself
• Hang new artwork
• Buy new ceiling fans—or spray paint the housing and/or replace the blades of the current ones

And don’t forget the little repairs. Running toilets, pipe leaks and door squeaks should be fixed before buyers see the home. Chipped or smudged paint should be touched up.

Clean thoroughly. The details matter. Dust the blinds and furniture; clean the counters, sinks and windows; sweep and mop the floors; remove ceiling fan cobwebs. When every inch of the house is spotless, buyers will take notice. If your clients don’t have the time or energy to embark on a complete house cleaning, they can hire a professional cleaning service, such as Merry Maids.*

Don’t overthink it. You don’t have to be particularly creative to add special touches to a room. Put out large bowls of colorful fruit like oranges, apples and bananas. Arrange hardcover books on coffee tables and cookbooks on the kitchen counter. Fill baskets with decorative towels, scented soaps and moisturizers, and place them in the bathrooms.

Take a tip from the pros and keep decorative objects restricted to groups of one, three, or five. The idea is that items arranged in odd numbers are more pleasing and memorable than pairings of even numbers. Within each grouping, create a hierarchy of different heights, textures or shapes. HGTV.com’s accessories section has photo galleries of art, lamps, pillows and other items to help with decorating ideas and information.

Be scent-conscious. Your clients might love the smell of sandalwood or vanilla, but don’t assume potential buyers have the same preferences. The house should smell fresh—not like air freshener. The key is not to add aroma, but to get rid of offensive or stale odors.

How do you do this? Tackle the source(s). This may mean cleaning out the fridge, taking out the trash, doing the laundry, cleaning the garbage disposal, or changing the kitty litter. Opening windows and vents can help. If the basement smells musty, run a dehumidifier—just make sure to remove it before the showing, since a dehumidifier in the basement can signal water damage to some buyers. Dry-cleaning kits like Dryel can get rid of laundry odors. At $9.95, Citrus Magic Solid Air Freshener is an inexpensive yet effective method for eliminating food and general household smells.

Call a professional. Your client may prefer to have a professional handle home staging. A directory of Accredited Staging Professionals® can be found at StagedHomes.com. Friends and colleagues might also have recommendations based on home stagers they’ve worked with.

*Merry Maids, like American Home Shield, is a ServiceMaster brand.

Helping Project UpLift

As you start to clean out your closet and move clothes around for the new seasons, please take a minute to pull & save any items that you aren't wearing but that could be beneficial to someone else. Please see the letter below from Re/Max State Line agent Paula White. She will be collecting items for Project UpLift for the homeless of Kansas City.

We all appreciate your help!

Agents and office staff,

This year I am getting my notice out a little earlier in the year, since I know most of you will be doing some fall cleaning of closets.

Please remember the homeless and bring any casual clothing, shoes, boots, (especially tennis shoes), toiletry items, dog & cat food,

toilet paper, blankets, (no pillows) , used candles, books (novels), rain gear, underwear, plastic tarps, tents, playing cards, matches and canned foods.

I will be collecting for this big drive through the end of the year. You can drop items off to the office or my house whichever works for you.

Thank you so much for your past contributions.

Paula C. White

Remax State Line

10200 State Line Rd.

Leawood, Ks 66206

816 809 3601 cell

www.paulacwhite.com

5 Questions to Ask Yourself Before Buying a Home

This is a great article by Tara-Nicholle Nelson a broker in San Francisco, CA

5 Questions to Ask Yourself Before Buying a Home

In most parts of the country, the housing market is good (or great!) for buyers right

now - interest rates are bizarrely low, lots of inventory means lots to choose from, and the cost of renting has increased in a lot of markets. But just because the market’s good doesn’t mean it’s the right time for everyone to buy. The decision whether to buy a home is a very personal one; you need to carefully examine your own situation to determine whether it’s right for you.

So, what are the questions you need to answer in deciding whether you’re ready to buy? Here are some of the big ones:

1. Do I have enough money for a down payment?
And how much, exactly, is “enough?” Today’s minimum down payment requirements range from 3.5 percent on an FHA loan to 10 or even 20 percent for conventional loans. That means coming up with anywhere from $7,000 to $40,000 on a typical $200,000 house. While there are still programs that can give you a down payment assist (see last week’s post, 5 Insider Secrets for Coming Up With Cash for Down Payment), much of the heavy lifting here will need to come from you - in the form of saving up your hard earned cash. And keep in mind there are also closing costs you’ll probably have to pay in cash, which can run as high as 3-4% of your total purchase price.

Talk with a real estate pro and a mortgage broker in your areas to start wrapping your head around how much “cash to close” (i.e., down payment + closing costs) will run, approximately, on a local property that would meet your needs. Can your savings cover this? If not, where will you get the money - what’s your plan for coming up with it? Putting down as much as you can a) makes you more attractive to lenders, so you might qualify you for better loan terms and b) gives you additional purchasing power, either decreasing your monthly mortgage payment or increasing your purchase price limit for a home.

2. Can I handle the not-so-glamorous aspects of homeownership?
If you can’t even fathom the prospect of having a home maintenance crisis without having a landlord to call to fix it, you might want to reconsider homeownership - or at the very least, buy a lower maintenance condo or townhome in great condition, and make sure you get a home warranty! As a home owner, after all, you essentially are your own landlord. Pipe bursts in the middle of the night? Guess who’ll be up fixing it or calling (and paying) the plumber? (Hint: you.)

There are also some less-than-glamorous bills you’ll have to deal with in your new role as a homeowner that you never laid eyes on as a renter: property taxes and hazard insurance, to name two. When you go from renter to owner, you also need to account for the cost of appliances and maintaining the property’s roof, windows, and landscaping, among other things.

3. How long do I intend to stay in the house?
If you think you might move out of the area next year, then you really shouldn’t be thinking about buying a house (unless of course, you want to play landlord and rent it out after you leave - a prospect which requires its own risk/rewards analysis). For your home purchase to pencil out as a good deal, financially, you’ll shouldn’t buy unless you’re comfortable staying in the house at least 5-7 years - even longer, if you’re buying a home in a foreclosure hot spot or an area with a sluggish job market.. This gives you some time to build up equity and make up for the costs of buying, selling and moving.

4. Are my job and finances stable?
Maybe you just went through a major career change and are in the process of working your way back up from the top. Or maybe you work in a field that has been hit really hard by layoffs and cutbacks. The worst case scenario is to find yourself in a spot with mortgage payment you have no way to make, when you could have avoided that by seeing the writing on the wall. If you feel like there’s a real chance you could lose your job or income tomorrow, you may want to hold off on buying a house - that has the added bonus of giving you the geographic freedom to move, if needed, to get a new job.

Is there really such a thing as 100 percent job security in today’s economy? Probably not. But the best practice is to be confident that your finances could handle a temporary loss of income and still make your mortgage payments, before you buy. One way to do this is to have enough money in the bank to cover 4-6 months’ worth of living expenses, calculating them to include your mortgage payment - before you deem yourself ready to buy. That way, even if you lose your job with no warning at all, you’ll at least have a reasonable window of time to find a new one without digging yourself into a hole - or worse, losing your home altogether.

5. What are my real reasons for buying?
Buying a home is a long-term commitment that will have massive impacts on your lifestyle, your family and your finances. In other words, don’t do it unless you’re really sure you want to and are ready for the lifestyle change - don’t let someone else talk you into it. Worthy reasons renters with homeowning readiness give for their decision to buy include some or all of the following:

• You want to build equity instead of paying a landlord. Fact is, if you get a fixed rate mortgage and make the payments for the full term of the loan, you'll eventually pay it off. That's not possible when you're renting.
• You want a place to call your own, where you can paint a wall purple, add a pottery spinning studio or build your dogs an obstacle course (oops - that's my reason for homeownership!), because it's your prerogative.
• You want the tax advantages of homeownership.
• You want a stable place you and your family can live for as long as you'd like.

Ask yourself these questions, and be honest with your answers. If you really want to buy, but your answers to these questions today don’t weigh in that direction, it doesn’t mean you’ll never own a home. It’s usually just a matter of strategically timing your purchase out a year or two when your savings, your career and your lifestyle are in alignment with the implications of ownership - consider working closely with a real estate broker and a mortgage professional to get an action plan in place and start working that plan.

10 Easy Upgrades to Add Style & Value to Your Home

(Courtesy of American Home Shield)

10 Easy Upgrades to Add Style & Value to Your Home

Sometimes, it’s the little things that make the biggest difference in the value and appeal of your home. Whether you’re trying to sell your home of just spruce up the place, here are 10 easy ways to get started.

1. Update hardware on cabinets and drawers
2. Replace towels and rugs in the bathroom(s)
3. Add overhead lighting or wall sconces to brighten rooms
4. Declutter small spaces and closets with DIY storage kits
5. Wash or power wash the exterior of your home (especially windows)
6. Add area rugs to throw in a hint of color
7. Hang a mirror in small rooms to give the illusion of more space
8. A fresh coat of paint on walls and trim brighten any room
9. Try a fresh new color on your front door for character
10. Mow and mulch your lawn even in the cooler months

Make a plan. Set a budget. Get started!

Kitchen Remodeling on a Budget: Tips & Ideas

(Courtesy of American Home Shield)

Kitchen Remodeling on a Budget: Tips & Ideas

The kitchen is one of the most popular rooms in a home, so why not make yours really stand out? Whether you’re selling or simply want to upgrade, here are some simple tips and ideas to get you started without breaking the bank:

1. Plan ahead and find patterns, colors and textures that you like from magazines, home improvement stores and the Internet.
2. Set a budget! Know what upgrades will give you the most value for your money and do your best to stick with your budget.
3. Make a plan and do one thing at a time, especially if you’re going to do it yourself.

So where should you start?

Cabinets
Repaint or stain your cabinet doors and add new hardware. This is one of the easiest and least expensive upgrades you can do that makes a big difference. If you need advice on what works best with the cabinets you have, take a door into your local home improvement store and ask for professional advice.

Kitchen Counter Tops
Counter tops can be expensive if you’re going for granite, but that’s not your only option. You can opt for concrete or granite overlay. Do your research to find what suits your budget and style best.

Kitchen Floors
Your choices are endless when it comes to updating your kitchen floors. From peel-and-stick tile to laminate wood flooring and travertine, the sky is the limit— but be mindful of your budget! Bring home samples of the flooring based on your style and budget before you make a final decision. Many real estate professionals agree that a kitchen remodel splurge should be saved for the countertops and not the floors, so keep this in mind when deciding. You want to make sure you get great value from any upgrades you do.

Saving Money on Kitchen Appliances
If your appliances are in good working order and match in color and style, save your budget for more beneficial upgrades. If your appliances look really dated or don’t match the new look of your kitchen, you may want to consider finding some great scratch and dent deals.

Did you know that appliances can be painted? A professional paint job can turn your white appliances into fresh, new-looking ones. You can also buy appliance-safe paint at your home improvement store and do it yourself.

Kitchen Lightening
Installing modern lighting is amazingly simple if your kitchen is already wired for overhead lighting. A new chandelier can make a big difference, and you can find options for less than $150! To make an even bigger impact, be sure to install a dimmer switch. You’ll be surprised what a difference a little “mood switch” can make.

The options are endless for remodeling your kitchen on a budget. The hardest part is deciding which upgrades will make the biggest difference on the smallest budget. Just be sure to do your research and to set realistic goals. And last, but not least, enjoy the project by making it your own.

Down the Drain: Garbage Disposal Dos & Don'ts

(Courtesy of American Home Shield)

Down the Drain: Garbage Disposal Dos & Don'ts

If your kitchen has a garbage disposal, you know how easy it makes mealtime clean up. But what you may not realize is that your disposal comes with some pretty important rules. Here are some of the most vital:

Do:
• Insert food slowly. Stuffing it all into your disposal at once can cause clogs and shorten the life of your system.
• Grind hard materials. Many people think food like chicken bones or small fruit pits are a no-no, but they can actually help clean the walls of the disposal.
• Use cold water for at least 20 seconds. This will solidify grease so that it can be ground up. Also, make sure that all food particles are washed completely down the drain.
• Keep it clean. One good way to eliminate drain smells is by grinding citrus fruit peels. You can also add a few drops of dish soap and let the disposal run for a few minutes.

Don't:
• Use hot water. This will make grease liquefy and build up, which can clog the drain.
• Grind fibrous or expandable foods. The former, like celery stalks and onionskins, can tangle up the disposal. The latter, like pasta and rice, can clog it.
• Turn off the motor too quickly. You'll want to make sure all food particles are completely ground. Once done, continue to run the water for at least 15 seconds to flush out particles.
• Wash coffee grounds down the drain. While they won't harm the disposal itself, they can clog pipes and drains.
• Forget to use it. Lack of use can cause rusting and corrosion, which can lead to premature system replacement.

How to Find the Best Mortgage Interest Rates

We may not be in Colorado, but I have found that The Mortgage Experts in Denver, Colorado post amazing blogs posts on the Mortgage Industry. Many times their posts are universal to all markets. They started letting Realtors submit questions for them to answer. I think the follow is a great question (and of course answer!):

Ed's question is: "What is the best web site to look at for real-time interest rates?"

Here's the answer: There really is no good site for real-time loan rates, and here's why. Rates are posted on thousands of web sites. However, there are many adjustments to the rates that are never shown to the public. These adjustments are known as "loan level pricing adjustments" and they can affect the interest rate tremendously - sometimes by as much as a few percentage points.

Here are some examples of the things that affect rates:

• Rate lock period
• Occupancy type (primary residence, second home, or investment property)
• Amount of the loan
• The borrower's credit scores
• Amount of the down payment
• Property type (single family residence, townhouse, or condo)
• Subordinate financing (is there a second loan?)

Unless a lender asks a borrower for all of this information (and much more), they can't possibly provide an accurate quote. The web sites that list rates (real-time or not), are either lead-generating web sites that sell the borrower's contact information to multiple lenders, or bait and switch sites intended to get the borrower to call. All the large lenders, and many smaller lenders, employ these tactics to get customers.

The very best way to get an accurate rate quote is to use lenders who tell you that they cannot possibly give you an accurate rate quote without gathering the information listed above and more.


Getting a loan approved is easy - if you know what to do. The Mortgage Experts know what to do!!!

Make sure you check out our web site:
www.mtgsupportservices.com

Reduce Taxable Gain with Home Improvements

A great tip from Your Home Inspection Team

Skinniest House in the World

Check Out the Skinniest House in the World

by Suzanne Labarre
Tuesday, July 26, 2011

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There are skinny houses. And then there is Jakub Szczęsny's Keret House, which could make Calista Flockhart look like a fatty. At its most generous, the proposed place, in Warsaw, Poland, will clock in at 4 feet wide. At its narrowest, it'll be just 28 inches wide -- thinner than the average doorway. And we complain about our sardine can in New York...

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The house (officially an "art installation," because it doesn't meet Polish building code) is slated to fill a crack between a pair of buildings in Warsaw's Wola district. When construction's finished in December, it'll be the thinnest house in Warsaw and possibly the whole world. We did aquick Google search and couldn't find anything leaner.

Szczęsny designed the house to be a work space and home for Israeli writer Etgar Keret. It'll also be a "studio for invited guests -- young creators and intellectualists from all over the world." If, that is, they're willing to drop half their body weight to fit inside.

ArchDaily.com

Kidding, kidding. In all seriousness, though, the house is a pretty remarkable feat of architecture. If everything goes according to plan, Szczęsny will manage to squeeze in designated rooms for sleeping, eating, and working. The place will have off-grid plumbing inspired by boat sewage technology and electricity lifted from a neighbor. To save space, the entry stairs will fold up at the press of a button and become part of the first floor.

Aesthetically, the Keret House isn't gonna win any beauty contests. It's been compared to everything from a pregnancy test to a sanitary napkin. (Our vote is for "pregnancy test.") Our biggest concern, though, is that it's hardly got any windows. How's it going to "produce creative work conditions," as ArchDaily reports, and "become a significant platform for world intellectual exchange," if it feels like a sensory deprivation chamber? Won't Keret go insane? But maybe that's the point. It's not like he'd be the first artist to benefit from going crazy.

ArchDaily.com