Category Archives: Homeowner Tips

How to Calculate Mortgage Payments

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How to Calculate Mortgage Payments

It is important to calculate your mortgage payments to understand exactly what you owe and how your loan is being paid down. The easiest and least time consuming is to use a Mortgage Calculator. Ask your Realtor if they have one available or check out the option below.

You can use the mortgage calculator to help determine how much you can afford and to even see the the effects of adding extra payments and how it will effect the payoff date! This is a convenient tool to help you pay off your loans.

Just click on the link here and enter in your mortgage amount, the term or length of your loan, the interest rate, and the date your mortgage starts.

The calculator then shows you what your monthly payments would be.

To determine what it would look like to add extra payments a month, a year, or even as a one time extra payment you can add them in the next section.

By calculating the one time payments on top of your regular calculated monthly payment you will be able to see how your pay-off date can change.

Check out the mortgage calculator to find out what you can afford and to help you determine if making extra payments can change your payoff date!

4 Home Updates That May Hurt You When Selling

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4 Home Updates That May Hurt You When Selling  – Updating your home is something that everyone wants to do, but thinking that they will make a positive return on their investment isn’t always accurate. Customized updates might be the best thing for you and your vision, however, they might not be the most practical option. Here are four home updates that will ultimately hurt you when you explore the options of selling your home.

 

Personalization

Personalizing your home might seem like the right idea for you; however, it won’t provide you with a positive ROI. It has the possibility of inhibiting the potential buyer from picturing themselves in your home, and therefore not purchasing it in the long run. To avoid an over personalization of your home, give it non-permanent personalized touches like furniture and accent colors.

 

Home Office Renovation

Many homeowners dish out a lot of cash to create their very own home office. Unfortunately for them, that isn’t necessarily an important feature that potential home buyers are looking for. To avoid this costly mistake, make updates to your home office that won’t necessarily be permanent. You want to give the person who buys your home the option of converting the room into a bedroom, or recreational room of their choice.

 

Additions

Additions to your home, like a sun room or additional garage, might end up hurting you in the long run. The extra space has the potential to hook the potential buyer into being a homeowner; however, they will not want to foot the bill of your expensive renovation and expansion.

 

Luxury Upgrades

Any type of luxury upgrade to your existing home sounds like it would be a benefit and provide a positive turn on your investment, right? No, not every luxury upgrade is beneficial. Unless you have a very high-end home, making upgrades like marble floors and custom bathrooms, will likely not pay off in the long run.

 

Customized updates to your home might be the best thing for you at the time, however, it might not be the best option for you to get the best return on your investment. To learn more about home updates that will hurt you when you sell your home, visit here.

 

Tips for Spring Buying

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Tips for Spring Buying – Warmer weather means the return of more than just the sun and the flowers-it’s also the high season for the real estate market. It’s a great season to buy a home, since the weather is good for moving and for home improvement projects. However, since spring is the busiest time to purchase a new home that means that there is a great deal of competition among prospective home buyers. It’s important to be prepared for purchase before you begin your search for a new home. Below are a few tips to get ready for the buying process. Happy buying!

  • Set your budget. Your first step should be to decide how much you can afford to spend on a new home. Besides your asking price, also take closing costs, montly mortgage payments, a down payment, moving and other expenses into consideration. The Mortgage Bankers Association recommends that buyers spend no more than 2.5 times their income on a home. Total housing payments should not exceed 28 percent of your gross income, and total debt payments should be less than 36 percent.
  • Make a list of must-haves. What does your new home absolutely need to have? What features are negotiable and what are not? Research these now to save time when you’re searching.
  • Find a good real estate agent. A real estate agent can often give you valuable information that may not be available to you otherwise and help you find a home with all of your requirements within your budget. Ask friends and family for recommendations, or check online.
  • Get your mortgage pre-approved. Discuss your options for a mortgage with several lenders and choose the rate and terms that are right for you. This way you’ll be able to act quickly once you find a home that you love.

Keep these tips and mind and when spring hits you’ll be ready to find your new home!

5 Romantic Restaurants in Columbus

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5 Romantic Restaurants in Columbus, Ohio

Valentine’s Day is upon us, and that means it’s time to plan how you’re going to spend the most romantic day of the year. If you’re looking to have a delicious meal in the Columbus area, there are some amazing restaurants to choose from – but where do you start? No matter what kind of cuisine you’re craving on Valentine’s Day, there’s something in Columbus to suit your taste.

Below are ten of our top picks for a romantic Valentine’s Day dinner. Bon appétit!

  1. Mitchell’s Ocean Club: With delicious signature drinks, warm environment and amazing steakhouse cuisine, this Cameron Mitchell restaurant is perfect for steak and seafood lovers. Be sure to make reservations beforehand!
  2. Akai Hana: Are you craving sushi for your romantic night out? This restaurant in Upper Arlington is just the ticket with authentic Japanese sushi, a fun and exciting atmosphere and excellent service. Be sure to try the scallop roll or the Dragon roll!
  3. Hubbard Grille: Located in the popular Short North arts district, this American-style bistro serves modern takes on your favorites in a low-key, social setting. Perfect for a more casual Valentine’s Day dining experience!
  4. Cooper’s Hawk Winery: Pair your delicious, romantic dinner with a glass (or bottle) of wine from this fantastic winery! Ask your server for a great wine pairing for your meal, and prepare to end with dessert!
  5. The Melting Pot: Fondue for two? Yum! Share a pot along with some drinks, then have some chocolate fondue for dessert. What a unique Valentine’s dinner!

Where is your favorite place to have a romantic evening out? Share it with us in a comment below!

Pros and Cons of FSBO

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Pros and Cons of FSBO – Once you’ve deciding to sell your home, some choose to work with a real estate professional and some choose to sell “For Sale By Owner” or FSBO. Ultimately, you don’t have to sell your home using a real estate professional but there are definitely pros and cons of selling your home FSBO. Here are a few to help you decide the right path for you…

Pros of Selling a Home FSBO:

  • Save Money – You won’t have to pay 2 real estate agents. Instead you will only be in charge of paying the agent of the buyer unless you work with the buyer directly.
  • You Are In Control – You can control how your home is staged, marketed, when you show the home, etc.
  • It’s Your Home – You know the home better than anyone. You can point out the amenities and items in the home like no one else.

Cons of Selling a Home FSBO:

  • No Help – Without an agent, you are in charge of marketing, pricing, showing, staging, negotiating, finding a buyer, doing the paperwork, etc.
  • Pricing – This is a touchy subject. Too high and you lose interest. Too low and you lose money. Real estate pros know the strategy and how to negotiate the best price for you and your home.
  • Less Visibility – This is what real estate pros do. They have a marketing strategy for your home to get you the most exposure and to target the right buyers. Without the right marketing you have less visibility.
  • Contracts – Real estate pros tell you what you need, what it means and handle the leg work for you. When you sell a home FSBO, you can get that info from a title company or an attorney but you will still most likely pay a fee for that information.

There are pros and cons to every situation. It won’t hurt to interview a real estate professional to get your questions answered and to see which route is best for you. It’s important that when you want to hire a real estate agent that it’s the right one. We recommend you interview a few to find the right one for you.

 

How Do Interest Rates Affect my Ability to Buy a Home?

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How Do Interest Rates Affect my Ability to Buy a Home? Many factors can affect your ability to buy a new home, it just depends on each individual home buyer and situation. Interest rates can have an immense effect on any given person’s ability to buy a home, and home loan interest rates have been increasing recently. Here are some ways you might be affected by interest rates, and some ways you can act on it.

Home loan interest rates have been rising in the recent past, and this can affect the home loan you can qualify for. You might not be able to take out as significant of a loan if the interest rates are higher than you expected. This, in turn, can affect the type of home you can afford.

The higher cost of money, or interest rates, leaves you with several options when you’re searching for your new home. If you’re a homebuyer, you can alter your search terms, and look for houses that will be less expensive and more affordable for you in this situation. If you’re a home seller, you might consider lowering the cost of your home, or the buyer will have to pay higher monthly payments. If the buyer cannot make higher monthly payments, they ultimately will not be able to afford this particular home.

Due to these rising interest rates, more buyers are being forced out of the market because they cannot afford the cost. What does this mean for sellers in this market? Well, they won’t be able to sell their homes at this cost. With little competition, you will either need to take your home off the market, or sell your home at a significantly lower value.

If you are serious about buying a home, there will be no stopping you. Interest rates affect everyone and each situation is different; however, there is often a solution if you work with your real estate professional, who has knowledge of the area and market..

To learn more about how interest rates affect your ability to buy a new home, visit here.

Ice Dams: What They Are and How to Avoid Them

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Ice Dams: What They Are and How to Avoid Them – Colder temperatures means less lawn care, but the cold and snowy weather can lead to several serious problems for your home. These issues can be troublesome and costly while adding stress to your life. One such problem is ice damming, which if left untreated can damage your roof, gutters, paint, drywall and structure extensively and even lead to mold. In this post, we’ll discuss what ice dams are, how they form and offer several tips to help you avoid them.

What are ice dams?

Ice dams occur when melting snow runs off your roof and refreezes at the edge, causing water to become trapped on your roof and creating a larger ice dam. They form most often after a large snowfall because the snow acts as an insulator. The heat from your home makes your roof warmer than the freezing point and the snow begins to melt, then refreezes in the cold winter air.

How can I prevent ice dams?

The best way to prevent ice dams during the winter is to reduce or get rid of any sources of heat in the attic of your home and ventilate the attic space of the roof. The goal is to make the roof of your house the same temperature as the eaves, so water won’t freeze at the end of your roof. There are several things you can do to properly ventilate the area under your roof and prevent heat from escaping:

  • Cap the attic hatch or whole-house fan with weatherstripped caps made from foil-faced foam board held together with aluminum tape.
  • Make sure all exhaust goes to the outside, preventing heat from warming the roof.
  • Add more insulation on the attic floor.
  • Seal and insulate your ducts.

If you’d like to learn more about how to prevent ice dams, this article from This Old House offers good advice.

Keep these tips in mind and you’ll be able to prevent ice damming, keeping your home in top shape this winter.

Do you have tips for winterizing your home? Leave them in a comment below and we could feature them in a future blog post.

6 Ways to Prepare Your Home For The Cold Weather

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6 Ways to Prepare Your Home For The Cold Weather – We just experienced our round of snow for the year and many homeowners are preparing for the cold weather. Preparing your home for the change in season can be very helpful to you in the long run, and even keep your home looking and feeling like new. Here are six ways to prepare your home for the cold weather this year.

Use Plastic on Your Windows

Covering your windows with plastic might sound crazy to some, but it will help to cut down on your energy bill this season. Some homes are draftier than others, but keeping the warm air in and the cold air out will always be helpful.

Clean The Gutters

Whether you’re home is near trees or not, be sure to clean out your gutters before the weather becomes too cold to do so. Natural things accumulate in your gutters throughout the year, so cleaning them before snow starts falling can help to prevent ice dams and other potential damage.

Boost Lighting

Winter tends to be a dark and dreary time, so boost the lighting in your home for days like that. It will keep you more energized and ready for each day.

Reverse Your Ceiling Fan

Reversing your ceiling fan will help it do the opposite of what it does in the summer times, it will help to keep the warm air circulating throughout the room. This works particularly well in rooms with very high ceilings, but has the same effect all over.

Inventory Your Supplies

Nothing is worse than not having a snow shovel or a brush for your car when you’re trying to get out of the driveway. Make sure you have the things you need before the weather becomes bad and it’s too late.

Prepare For A Storm

The weather is a unpredictable thing, so make sure you are prepared for any scenario. If there is a winter storm and the power goes out, how will you keep warm or prepare food? Being prepared for a situation like that will keep you more calm in the long run.

To learn more about how to prepare your home for the cold weather, visit here.

Holiday Decorating Trends 2014

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Holiday Decorating Trends 2014 – Holiday décor trends change from year to year. Each year your holiday decorations can provide an exciting change to your home décor. Thanksgiving and Christmas can be the most exciting holidays to decorate for! Decorating for Thanksgiving and Christmas can bring an element of serenity and tranquility that only come during this time of year.

Below we have provided you with some exciting holiday decorating ideas…

Textures: Holiday trends for 2014 involve lots of different textures. Through DIY projects and premade decorates, textures create a visual interest in the room. For holidays this year, you can apply texture by using things like faux fur, burlap and wood for your homemade decorations.

Vintage: Vintage decorates are the new hit look this year! Vintage has repeated itself in 2014. Take your old decorates and re-purpose them into contemporary decorations for the holidays. You can take your old and make them new for decorating themes for 2014.

Tranquil: Any pastel colors, light green, pale blue or soft red are a trendy and modern way to add tranquility to your home during the holidays. Less is the best way to make your home have a serene and tranquil feel.

Shimmer and Shine: Two of the most common holiday trends you see in homes are shining and shimmery decorations. This is including, lots of gold and silver in your décor. It’s okay to keep the traditional gold and silver decorations. Just think BIG this year, buy oversized gold bows, ribbons and ornaments for the tree.

What is your favorite holiday decorates? Let me us know!

5 Ways to Make a Small Living Room Look Bigger

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No one wants a cluttered home or to feel like they have a small living space, right? Especially if you are house hunting, you want more space for your money. If you have a small room in your home or want to make your rooms appear bigger than they are, here are 5 tips for you…

 

Floor To Ceiling Curtains

To make the ceilings appear to be taller, hang your curtains higher than the windows. By putting rod higher than the window itself, you give the illusion that the windows and ceiling are bigger and higher than they really are.

 

No Bulky Furniture

When furniture is too big for the space or there is too much furniture in the room, the room can appear smaller than it really is. Declutter and stick with appropriately sized furniture to keep the room spacious, light and bright.

 

Neutral and Light Colors

With a smaller room, it’s important to stick with light, neutral colors. If you put dark colors and accents in a small room it can close the space making it appear smaller that it really is. Let the light in and the space open up with the right color sceme.

 

Oversized Mirrors

A newer trend, this trick can make the room appear bigger than it really is by using the reflection of the light, neutral colors and the room itself. Strategically place the mirror on a wall that reflects the incoming light and also provides the proper illusion.

 

The Right Coffee Table

Whether it’s a coffee or end table, choose furniture that can also double as a storage space. Whether it has drawers or opens up to store extra pillows, blankets or even your TV accessories, choose your furniture wisely. In a small space this can dramatically declutter a room.