Home Sweet Grove
Subscribe and receive email notifications of new blog posts.
RSS Feed
18
First-Time Buyers: Do You Know The 5 Cs Of Credit?
Buying a house comes with a lot of considerations for anyone and especially first-time home buyers looking to get into the housing market. Usually, home buyers put a lot of thought into how they can afford a home but often forget about building creditworthiness or ensuring that they are a worthwhile risk for a lender.
If you're a first-time buyer, do you know the 5 Cs of credit?
- Capacity
From a lender's perspective, capacity is a borrower's ability to repay a loan and comes down to largely your income versus expenditures or other debt obligations. Some lenders may take your current income and project it decades into the future to see how your income will change over the time you have your loan.
Capacity also deals with your cash flow which can raise a big red flag if you spend unnecessarily or have considerable d...
14
Home Improvements Sellers Wish They Never Made
When selling your home, it's wise to do some small, targeted home improvement projects. A touch of something new here and there can do a lot for the way potential buyers see a home, so minor investments of a few hundred dollars each may add thousands to your asking price. Many of the best projects don't even take long to complete.
And then there are the "other" projects.
Selling your home can be a hectic time. If you let the stress get out of control — say, by not having a trusted real estate agent on your side — it can really influence your decision-making. That might explain why so many sellers are attracted to costly and unsuccessful renovation projects. The idea that "bigger is better" can seem much more attractive when you're on a tight deadline and handling everything on your own. Most of the...
2
10 Skills Every New Homeowner Should Have
Homeownership is an investment in your future. As with all investments, your home requires constant vigilance and a little maintenance along the way to protect its value. When you buy a home, the following are ten skills you should master as soon as you sign on the dotted line.
- Gutter Clean-Out
You should clean your home's gutters of leaves and debris twice a year. A leaf blower, hose, and broom handle can make this job a little bit easier. Cleaning the gutters help protect your roof and siding from water infiltration. It also helps ensure proper drainage away from the foundation. - Adjusting the Water Temperature
Learning how to set the thermostat on your water heater can generate significant energy savings. Most homeowners find that 120 degrees are suffic...
24
9 Ways To Save Money When You're Moving
When you listed your home for sale, you knew someday you'd have to move. Unfortunately, the process can be stressful and time-consuming. It can also be surprisingly expensive. If you're moving, you can't eliminate expenses altogether, but these nine tips should help you save some cash.
- Get organized
At least a month before your scheduled move, create a moving to-do list and mark off each task as you go. Organizing your move will help you plan each step. You can avoid last-minute overspending on unanticipated purchases. - Get rid of the pounds
Professional movers charge by the pound, and the more stuff you have, the bigger the DIY rental truck. Do a ruthless decluttering to get rid of junk you won't use. Have a moving sale to make money on your decluttering efforts or donate unwanted items where you can get a tax de...
18
Does Your Home Halve Mold?
It is easy for mold to make itself at home in the deep, dark corners of your home. A little bit of humidity and a warm room is all mold needs to thrive. It is easy to spot in kitchens and bathrooms where it is easily detected. However, mold often lurks within darkened basements, hides deep within the ductwork, and finds sanctuary behind furnaces and water heaters where it is difficult to detect. Mold exists in almost every home, and it is not always visible. Knowing how to discover it and remove it correctly is crucial for protecting your family's health and the physical structure of your home.
Inspecting Your Home
Start your inspection by looking for black or green specks on the walls, floors, and ceilings. You should also look for bubbling paint. This is a common indication that moisture has penetrated the surface and is collecting in the wood or drywall...
|
 |
