Real Estate

08

Dec

Real Estate

How To Age Gracefully In The Comfort Of Your Own Home

There are many people who would rather age in the comfort of their own homes than in a large nursing home somewhere. As people get older, they are more susceptible to slips, trips, and falls. Their joints do not work as well as they used to, they might have a difficult time balancing, and their eyesight may start to fade. If you want to age comfortably in your home, there are a few upgrades you should consider making to your house. The Bathroom The bathroom is one of the most dangerous rooms in the house because the floor can get…

06

Dec

By lizlaurenb

Real Estate

How Large Of A Down Payment Do You Truly Need?

If you are interested in purchasing a home, how much money should you put down? This is a difficult question that all potential homeowners need to answer, as it will dictate the size and location of the house you can afford. There are a number of factors to consider, so what do you need to know? Generally, Putting More Down Is Better There is a solid chance that a home loan is going to be the largest loan you will ever take out in your life. Therefore, there is some risk involved, and you must make sure you can pay…

02

Dec

By lizlaurenb

Real Estate

Escrow And Your Mortgage: The Most Important Points To Know

There are many complicated terms thrown around regarding your mortgage, and one of them is an escrow account. You will probably hear that your lender will collect some additional money every month for escrow payments. If you take a look at your mortgage statement, you will see your interest, your principal, and your escrow. What does this mean, and why do you have to pay additional money that isn't going toward the balance of your loan? The Definition Of An Escrow Account An escrow account is an extra account that your lender opens on your behalf to make sure certain…

01

Dec

By lizlaurenb

Real Estate

The Right (And Wrong) Reasons To Buy A House

There are many people who dream of owning a home, but you need to purchase your home for the right reasons. Simply purchasing a house because other people are doing so is not a strong reason to make such an expensive purchase. What are some of the reasons why you should purchase a house? What are some examples of bad reasons to buy a home? The Right Reasons To Buy A Home There are several strong reasons why you should consider purchasing property. If you have children, you may want them to attend a specific school. Therefore, you might be…

30

Nov

By lizlaurenb

Real Estate

How Can You Increase The Safety And Functionality Of Your Home?

What do you need to do if you want to improve the safety and functionality of your home? You may not think that your home has a lot of safety hazards, but you might be surprised at how many people get hurt at home every year. Particularly if you have older people in your home, or if you have people in your house with disabilities, you need to pay close attention to your safety and functionality. What are a few tips you should keep in mind? Target The Lights In Your Home If you have an older home, it may…

22

Nov

By lizlaurenb

Mortgage

The Top Ways To Keep Pests And Infestations Out of Your Home

There are a lot of pests that may try to make their way into your home, and they can cause significant health and safety issues in addition to detracting from your property values. It can be very difficult to remove infestations once they have infiltrated your home, so it is always better to prevent them from happening. What are a few tips you should keep in mind? Seal The Doors And Windows One of the easiest ways for pests to get into your home is to crawl through open doors and windows. Therefore, you should start by sealing your doors…

18

Nov

By lizlaurenb

Home Buyer Tips

Taking Out a Mortgage for the First Time? Learn Why a Condo Might Be a Great First Home

Are you starting to tire of paying your monthly rent to someone and never building any equity? Renting forever can be a significant pain, especially as you're contributing to someone else's financial well-being. The good news is that there are affordable real estate options out there for those investing in their first home. Below we will share a few excellent reasons why an apartment or condo might be the best choice for a first-time home buyer. A Manageable Monthly Payment In most markets across the country, condos and apartments are available at a significantly lower cost than a full-sized house.…

17

Nov

By lizlaurenb

Financial Reports

NAHB: Home Builders Concerned Over Housing Market Conditions

The National Association of Home Builders' Housing Market Index for November showed builders’ growing concerns over U.S. housing market conditions. November’s index reading dropped five points to 33 as compared to October’s reading of 38 and the November 2021 reading of 83. November’s home builder index reading was the lowest reading since June 2012 except during the pandemic. Readings over 50 indicate that most home builders were positive about housing market conditions. All three index readings that contribute to the HMI reading were also lower. Builder confidence in current housing market conditions fell six points to an index reading of…

16

Nov

By lizlaurenb

Real Estate

The Top Reasons To Pay Off Your Mortgage Before You Retire

As you get closer to your retirement age, you should try to discharge as much of your debt as possible. Unfortunately, many people close to the age of retirement still have a significant mortgage balance they need to pay off. What are some of the top reasons why you should pay off your mortgage before you retire? Your Portfolio Might Not Generate As Much Interest You may have a very low rate on your mortgage, which means that your money is better served in the stock market; however, as you approach the age of retirement, your portfolio might not generate…

08

Nov

By lizlaurenb

Real Estate

Amortization: What You Need To Know About How Your Loan Is Paid Off

If you own a home, you will see a lot of information about your payment schedule. It specifies exactly what payments you have to make, when you have to make them, and how much of each payment will go toward your principal and interest. This is called an amortization schedule, and it is typically designed in such a way that your last payment pays off your loan down to the penny. How does this impact the life of your loan? Most Of Your First Few Payments Go Toward The Interest During the first few years, the majority of each payment…