Posts
Monday, July 26, 2010
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
Ten Reasons You Should Consider Buying A Home Sooner Than Later!
If you're like most first-time home buyers, you've probably listened to friends', family's and coworkers' advice, many of whom are encouraging you to buy a home. However, you may still wonder if buying a home is the right thing to do. Relax. Having reservations is normal. The more you know about why you should buy a home, the less scary the entire process will appear to you. Here are some reasons you should consider buying a home sooner than later.
Favorable Interest Rates
One of the greatest and most obvious reasons to consider buying a home is the interest rates. Interest rates today, are some of the lowest rates that we have seen in years. It is possible that they will go even lower. You may think that getting a home loan in order to take advantage of these rates is impossible. Although credit standards and loan approval may be higher than before, obtaining a loan is well within the reach of homebuyers with a good credit rating and a steady income that can support the monthly mortgage payments.
Tax Benefits
The second best reason to buy a home is the tax savings. For most workers buying a home may not only allow them to deduct the mortgage interests, it also gives them the ability to itemize their deductions, which they may not have been able to do previously. Once you have lived in your home for two years, you are able to exclude an amount of profit from your capital gains. In addition, you are able to take advantage of this exclusion every two years, even if you decided to sell the home after you have lived there for at least two years.
Appreciation
Unlike cars, houses appreciate over time. Therefore, your house will more than likely be worth more in a few years than you paid for it. Some people take full advantage of the appreciation factor and sell their homes for a profit.
Plenty to Choose From
However, another great reason to buy a house now is the selection. Unfortunately, due to rising foreclosure, there are numerous houses on the market in every state. Regardless of your tastes or preferences, you should be able to find just what you are looking for.
Acquire Equity
Houses are also good sources for future credit and or financing. Homeowners are able to turn the equity that they have in their home into a loan or line of credit through refinancing. This benefit has proven to be important, in a down economy or in situations where medical bills are unmanageable, home repairs or improvements are needed, or kids need funds for college.
Personal Reasons
However, it may be a larger factor for some more than others there are personal and family related reasons for buying a home. The family reasons are usually the most obvious and typically include the need for additional space due to a growing family or relocation for a job or business opportunity. Yet, personal reasons are not always considered. For many, the desire to be able to customize a living space without asking for permission is strong and often a great motivator for young adults to buy their first home. Others grow tired of the noise, neighbors, and cramped quarters of apartments and/or dorm life.
Owning your Home
One of the more traditional reasons for buying a home is that you are purchasing property that you can actually own rather than paying for the use of someone else's property. As we start to get older, the desire to have a place to settle down and retire in becomes more pressing. If you buy a home, you own property that you can not only retire into; but also, pass on to your children.
Asset Ownership
The idea of owning property that can be passed down is the reason many people work and save, which leads us to the next reason to buy a home. There is a pride and peace of mind that comes with owning a house. This is the ability to see why you go to work day in and day out, work two or jobs, or work two or more shifts. This sense of accomplishment cannot be duplicated when renting.
Becoming Part of a Community
If you are searching for a strong sense of community, than you need to consider buying a home. When you own a home in a good neighborhood, you take the time to meet and get to know your neighbors. In addition, you are more likely to become involved in neighborhood activities and community programs.
Flexibility
If you have entertained the idea of starting your own home based business, you may find that it is much easier to convert an extra room in your home into a home office than it is in a rental or apartment setting. You may be able to have a designated entrance for clients, as well as space for a small waiting area. However, depending on the type of business you are considering more elaborate modifications may be required. For example, you may need to bring a restroom up to ADA standard or install an additional sink.
Favorable Interest Rates
One of the greatest and most obvious reasons to consider buying a home is the interest rates. Interest rates today, are some of the lowest rates that we have seen in years. It is possible that they will go even lower. You may think that getting a home loan in order to take advantage of these rates is impossible. Although credit standards and loan approval may be higher than before, obtaining a loan is well within the reach of homebuyers with a good credit rating and a steady income that can support the monthly mortgage payments.
Tax Benefits
The second best reason to buy a home is the tax savings. For most workers buying a home may not only allow them to deduct the mortgage interests, it also gives them the ability to itemize their deductions, which they may not have been able to do previously. Once you have lived in your home for two years, you are able to exclude an amount of profit from your capital gains. In addition, you are able to take advantage of this exclusion every two years, even if you decided to sell the home after you have lived there for at least two years.
Appreciation
Unlike cars, houses appreciate over time. Therefore, your house will more than likely be worth more in a few years than you paid for it. Some people take full advantage of the appreciation factor and sell their homes for a profit.
Plenty to Choose From
However, another great reason to buy a house now is the selection. Unfortunately, due to rising foreclosure, there are numerous houses on the market in every state. Regardless of your tastes or preferences, you should be able to find just what you are looking for.
Acquire Equity
Houses are also good sources for future credit and or financing. Homeowners are able to turn the equity that they have in their home into a loan or line of credit through refinancing. This benefit has proven to be important, in a down economy or in situations where medical bills are unmanageable, home repairs or improvements are needed, or kids need funds for college.
Personal Reasons
However, it may be a larger factor for some more than others there are personal and family related reasons for buying a home. The family reasons are usually the most obvious and typically include the need for additional space due to a growing family or relocation for a job or business opportunity. Yet, personal reasons are not always considered. For many, the desire to be able to customize a living space without asking for permission is strong and often a great motivator for young adults to buy their first home. Others grow tired of the noise, neighbors, and cramped quarters of apartments and/or dorm life.
Owning your Home
One of the more traditional reasons for buying a home is that you are purchasing property that you can actually own rather than paying for the use of someone else's property. As we start to get older, the desire to have a place to settle down and retire in becomes more pressing. If you buy a home, you own property that you can not only retire into; but also, pass on to your children.
Asset Ownership
The idea of owning property that can be passed down is the reason many people work and save, which leads us to the next reason to buy a home. There is a pride and peace of mind that comes with owning a house. This is the ability to see why you go to work day in and day out, work two or jobs, or work two or more shifts. This sense of accomplishment cannot be duplicated when renting.
Becoming Part of a Community
If you are searching for a strong sense of community, than you need to consider buying a home. When you own a home in a good neighborhood, you take the time to meet and get to know your neighbors. In addition, you are more likely to become involved in neighborhood activities and community programs.
Flexibility
If you have entertained the idea of starting your own home based business, you may find that it is much easier to convert an extra room in your home into a home office than it is in a rental or apartment setting. You may be able to have a designated entrance for clients, as well as space for a small waiting area. However, depending on the type of business you are considering more elaborate modifications may be required. For example, you may need to bring a restroom up to ADA standard or install an additional sink.
Friday, July 16, 2010
Get in the Groove: Use These Tips For a Smooth Move
For many families, moving can be a very stressful event. Besides coming to terms with your new life in a new home, you and your family will also need to think about moving day. Too often, families get caught up in various activities before moving day and fail to make the proper preparations. If you and your family are preparing to move, try to stay calm and organized throughout the process. For a few extra pointers on how to make your moving day a success, consider the simple advice outlined here.
Make a detailed checklist
It can be difficult to keep track of all the tasks associated with moving. Hence, you should try to organize your days leading up to and beyond moving day. If you have a reminder of what needs to be done and where you need to be, you are more likely to have a smooth moving day.
Prepare for day 1
Prior to packing all of your boxes, you may want to assemble one box of necessities for the whole family. As most families finish unpacking their trucks late in the evening, there is often little desire to open several boxes to find pillows and toothbrushes. To prevent a stressful first night in your new home, try to place anything your family might need in the first 24 hours in a separate box, mark it clearly and keep it accessible during moving. Also, if you have any valuable or irreplaceable items – such as jewelry and personal keepsakes – you should try to wrap the items well and keep them with you while moving.
To help with your checklist, you should try to include all of the following items in your Day 1 box:
• Personal toiletries
• Soap
• Toilet paper
• Snacks and drinks
• Flashlight
• Screwdriver
• Pliers
• Set of plastic plates and cutlery
• Paper towels or tissue
Pack manageable boxes
Unless you have lots of large, lightweight items – such as down comforters and blankets – you shouldn’t need too many oversized boxes. Oversized moving materials often force homeowners into packing boxes that are too heavy and unmanageable. Instead, try to find plenty of midsized boxes and distribute weight evenly. Furthermore, if you are moving yourself, make sure you have all the necessary materials on hand before packing, including bubble wrap or packing peanuts for fragile items.
Label every box
When packing your boxes, try not to place items for different rooms in the same box. After sealing up each box, simply mark which room the items belong in. When you arrive at your new home, you will be able to take each box to its rightful place and each family member can spend time organizing their own space.
De-clutter as you go
As you prepare to move out of your home, try to organize your belongings and set aside unwanted items. After unpacking in your new home, you will be happy having more space and fewer items to arrange. Before moving out, you can hold a yard sale or make a charitable donation to get rid of your unwanted belongings.
Get the family involved
If you have children, help them get excited about moving. With something to look forward to – like the chance to decorate a new bedroom – children often get more involved in the moving process. Also, you may want to ask your friends and family for help on moving day. Even if no one is able to move furniture with you, a family member could watch your pet for the day or take care of errands.
Though moving day can be a very overwhelming time for families, proper organization can make help turn that stress into excitement. If you follow your timeline leading up to moving day, you and your family will have no problem approaching the big move with confidence!
Make a detailed checklist
It can be difficult to keep track of all the tasks associated with moving. Hence, you should try to organize your days leading up to and beyond moving day. If you have a reminder of what needs to be done and where you need to be, you are more likely to have a smooth moving day.
Prepare for day 1
Prior to packing all of your boxes, you may want to assemble one box of necessities for the whole family. As most families finish unpacking their trucks late in the evening, there is often little desire to open several boxes to find pillows and toothbrushes. To prevent a stressful first night in your new home, try to place anything your family might need in the first 24 hours in a separate box, mark it clearly and keep it accessible during moving. Also, if you have any valuable or irreplaceable items – such as jewelry and personal keepsakes – you should try to wrap the items well and keep them with you while moving.
To help with your checklist, you should try to include all of the following items in your Day 1 box:
• Personal toiletries
• Soap
• Toilet paper
• Snacks and drinks
• Flashlight
• Screwdriver
• Pliers
• Set of plastic plates and cutlery
• Paper towels or tissue
Pack manageable boxes
Unless you have lots of large, lightweight items – such as down comforters and blankets – you shouldn’t need too many oversized boxes. Oversized moving materials often force homeowners into packing boxes that are too heavy and unmanageable. Instead, try to find plenty of midsized boxes and distribute weight evenly. Furthermore, if you are moving yourself, make sure you have all the necessary materials on hand before packing, including bubble wrap or packing peanuts for fragile items.
Label every box
When packing your boxes, try not to place items for different rooms in the same box. After sealing up each box, simply mark which room the items belong in. When you arrive at your new home, you will be able to take each box to its rightful place and each family member can spend time organizing their own space.
De-clutter as you go
As you prepare to move out of your home, try to organize your belongings and set aside unwanted items. After unpacking in your new home, you will be happy having more space and fewer items to arrange. Before moving out, you can hold a yard sale or make a charitable donation to get rid of your unwanted belongings.
Get the family involved
If you have children, help them get excited about moving. With something to look forward to – like the chance to decorate a new bedroom – children often get more involved in the moving process. Also, you may want to ask your friends and family for help on moving day. Even if no one is able to move furniture with you, a family member could watch your pet for the day or take care of errands.
Though moving day can be a very overwhelming time for families, proper organization can make help turn that stress into excitement. If you follow your timeline leading up to moving day, you and your family will have no problem approaching the big move with confidence!
Thursday, July 15, 2010
Tips for Finding the Right Home for Your Family
When beginning the process of finding a new home, it is often difficult to know where to begin. Before researching the market or analyzing housing options, home buyers may want to start by prioritizing their family’s needs, determining what are “need-to-haves” and what are “nice-to-haves.” Below are some factors you may want to consider when trying to find the right home for your family.
When you begin searching for the right home for your family, you may first want to determine what would be the best location. One of the best ways to find a home location that suits your family is to assess your needs and determine how much your family can compromise. For instance, do you have small children or pets that require a large backyard to play in? Or would you be equally happy taking your kids and dog to the local park? Do you need quiet surroundings, like a dead-end street, or do you prefer the hustle and bustle of metropolitan areas? These are the types of general assessments which may help you determine an ideal location for your family.
Though it may be easy to determine what type of environment your family wants to reside in, you will want to spend more time analyzing the details of the neighborhoods you are considering. As you try to determine which neighborhoods are best for your family, you may want to take into account such factors as the quality of nearby schools and the proximity to shopping or your workplace. After seeing what different neighborhoods have to offer, compare the pros and cons of each area you are considering to determine the best location for your family.
After you have a chance to look at a few homes and research various neighborhoods, try to visualize the best home for your family. Though you have probably already thought about how many bedrooms and bathrooms your family needs, consider keeping a list of desired amenities – both essential and those that you could live without – as you continue the home buying process. You may also want to consider what type of home construction your family needs, from a standard single-family home to a condominium or even a multi-family home. Upon viewing particular homes, you may realize that your family needs a certain amount of storage space or more overall square footage than you realized. Add and subtract from this list as you look at more homes, always keeping track of where your family can compromise.
For instance, if you find a home that meets all of your family’s needs but has a smaller than desired garage, you could still be faced with an opportunity that is too good to pass up. Furthermore, you might find the perfect home in a neighborhood you never thought to consider, or in a specific type of construction that was initially ruled out of your search. Quite simply, try not to limit your family’s options too much and remain open-minded throughout the home buying process. You might even find a great home with special features you never thought your family could afford – like a pool, a spa or an extra fireplace.
When trying to find the best home for your family, try to stay organized and keep your priorities straight. As you look at different homes, try to consider how each property fits your family’s needs. After finding some homes that meet your family’s needs, you may then want to focus on each home’s desirable extras to help narrow down your search. By making such lists and assessing your family’s needs throughout the home buying process, you might be surprised how quickly you uncover the home of your dreams.
When you begin searching for the right home for your family, you may first want to determine what would be the best location. One of the best ways to find a home location that suits your family is to assess your needs and determine how much your family can compromise. For instance, do you have small children or pets that require a large backyard to play in? Or would you be equally happy taking your kids and dog to the local park? Do you need quiet surroundings, like a dead-end street, or do you prefer the hustle and bustle of metropolitan areas? These are the types of general assessments which may help you determine an ideal location for your family.
Though it may be easy to determine what type of environment your family wants to reside in, you will want to spend more time analyzing the details of the neighborhoods you are considering. As you try to determine which neighborhoods are best for your family, you may want to take into account such factors as the quality of nearby schools and the proximity to shopping or your workplace. After seeing what different neighborhoods have to offer, compare the pros and cons of each area you are considering to determine the best location for your family.
After you have a chance to look at a few homes and research various neighborhoods, try to visualize the best home for your family. Though you have probably already thought about how many bedrooms and bathrooms your family needs, consider keeping a list of desired amenities – both essential and those that you could live without – as you continue the home buying process. You may also want to consider what type of home construction your family needs, from a standard single-family home to a condominium or even a multi-family home. Upon viewing particular homes, you may realize that your family needs a certain amount of storage space or more overall square footage than you realized. Add and subtract from this list as you look at more homes, always keeping track of where your family can compromise.
For instance, if you find a home that meets all of your family’s needs but has a smaller than desired garage, you could still be faced with an opportunity that is too good to pass up. Furthermore, you might find the perfect home in a neighborhood you never thought to consider, or in a specific type of construction that was initially ruled out of your search. Quite simply, try not to limit your family’s options too much and remain open-minded throughout the home buying process. You might even find a great home with special features you never thought your family could afford – like a pool, a spa or an extra fireplace.
When trying to find the best home for your family, try to stay organized and keep your priorities straight. As you look at different homes, try to consider how each property fits your family’s needs. After finding some homes that meet your family’s needs, you may then want to focus on each home’s desirable extras to help narrow down your search. By making such lists and assessing your family’s needs throughout the home buying process, you might be surprised how quickly you uncover the home of your dreams.
Friday, July 2, 2010
What Makes a Craftsman Style Home?
Arts and Crafts, or Craftsman, houses have many of these features:
•Wood, stone, or stucco siding
•Low-pitched roof
•Wide eaves with triangular brackets
•Exposed roof rafters
•Porch with thick square or round columns
•Stone porch supports
•Exterior chimney made with stone
•Open floor plans; few hallways
•Numerous windows
•Some windows with stained or leaded glass
•Beamed ceilings
•Dark wood wainscoting and moldings
•Built-in cabinets, shelves, and seating
Arts and Crafts History:
During the 1880s, John Ruskin, William Morris, Philip Webb, and other English designers and thinkers launched the Arts and Crafts Movement, which celebrated handicrafts and encouraged the use of simple forms and natural materials. In the United States, two California brothers, Charles Sumner Greene and Henry Mather Green, began to design houses that combined Arts and Crafts ideas with a fascination for the simple wooden architecture of China and Japan.
The name "Craftsman" comes from the title of a popular magazine published by the famous furniture designer, Gustav Stickley, between 1901 and 1916. A true Craftsman house is one that is built according to plans published in Stickley's magazine. But other magazines, pattern books, and mail order house catalogs began to publish plans for houses with Craftsman-like details. Soon the word "Craftsman" came to mean any house that expressed Arts and Crafts ideals, most especially the simple, economical, and extremely popular Bungalow.
Check out some new Craftsman Style Homes from Jeff Lindsey Communities, and custom upgrade options at http://www.jefflindseycommunities.com/
Happy House Hunting!
~Blalock & Associates
http://www.jimblalockandassociates.com/
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