Buying Your First Home

Finding the right first home starts with a price range and a short list of desirable neighborhoods. But there are many other factors you'll need to consider before investing in what may be your biggest asset.

Before You Start:

• Grab your current household budget so you can consider your financial situation and your ability to make mortgage payments.
• Ask family and friends if they can recommend experts, like a lawyer and an inspector, who can help with the home buying process.
• Think about your lifestyle and how it might affect your choice of home and neighborhood.
• Do a little research on current home prices in the neighborhoods you plan to target.

Buying Your First Home

Home ownership is the cornerstone of the American Dream. But before you start looking, there are a number of things you need to consider. First, you should determine what your needs are and whether owning your own home will meet those needs. Do you picture yourself mowing the lawn on Saturday, or leaving your urban condo for the beach? The best advice is to look at buying a home as a lifestyle investment, and only secondly as a financial investment.

Even if housing prices don't continue to increase at the torrid pace seen in recent years in many areas, buying a home can be a good financial investment. Making mortgage payments forces you to save, and after 15 to 30 years you will own a substantial asset that can be converted into cash to help fund retirement or a child's education. There are also tax benefits.

Like many other investments, however, real estate prices can fluctuate considerably. If you aren't ready to settle down in one spot for a few years, you probably should defer buying a home until you are. If you are ready to take the plunge, you'll need to determine how much you can spend and where you want to live.

How Much Mortgage Can You Afford?

Many mortgages today are being resold in the secondary markets. The Federal National Mortgage Association (Fannie Mae) is a government-sponsored organization that purchases mortgages from lenders and sells them to investors. Mortgages that conform to Fannie Mae's standards may carry lower interest rates or smaller down payments. To qualify, the mortgage borrower needs to meet two ratio requirements that are industry standards.

The housing expense ratio compares basic monthly housing costs to the buyer's gross (before taxes and other deductions) monthly income. Basic costs include monthly mortgage, insurance, and property taxes. Income includes any steady cash flow, including salary, self-employment income, pensions, child support, or alimony payments. For a conventional loan, your monthly housing cost should not exceed 28 percent of your monthly gross income.

The total obligations to income ratio is the percentage of all income required to service your total monthly payments. Monthly payments on student loans, installment loans, and credit card balances older than 10 months are added to basic housing costs and then divided by gross income. Your total monthly debt payments, including basic housing costs, should not exceed 36 percent.

Many home buyers choose to arrange financing before shopping for a home and most lenders will "pre-qualify" you for a certain amount. Prequalification helps you focus on homes you can afford. It also makes you a more attractive buyer and can help you negotiate a lower purchase price. Nothing is more disheartening for buyers or sellers than a deal that falls through due to a lack of financing.

In addition to qualifying for a mortgage, you will probably need a down payment. The 28 percent to 36 percent debt ratios assume a 10 percent down payment. In practice, down payment requirements vary from more than 20 percent to as low as 0 percent for some Veterans Administration (VA) loans. Down payments greater than 20 percent generally buy a better rate. Lowering the down payment increases leverage (the opportunity to make a profit using borrowed money) but also increases monthly payments.

How Much Home Can You Afford?

Bob and Janet's combined income is $50,000 a year, or $4,166 a month. Their housing expense ratio of 28 percent yields a monthly maximum of $1,166 for mortgage, insurance, and taxes ($4,166 x 0.28 = $1,166).

Their total debt ceiling of 36 percent is $1,583 (4,166 x 0.36 = $1,500). Their monthly debt payments include a $200 car payment, credit card payments of $100, and student loan payments of $200. Subtracting this total of $500 from the $1,500 permitted leaves $1,000 in monthly housing payments.

Costs of Buying a Home

Many home buyers are surprised (shocked might be a better word) to find that a down payment is not the only cash requirement. A home inspection can cost $200 or more. Closing costs may include loan origination fees, up-front "points" (prepaid interest), application fees, appraisal fee, survey, title search and title insurance, first month's homeowners insurance, recording fees and attorney's fees. In many locales, transfer taxes are assessed. Finally, adjustments for heating oil or property taxes already paid by the sellers will be included in your final costs. All this will probably add up to be between 3 percent and 8 percent of your purchase price.

Ongoing Costs

In addition to mortgage payments, there are other costs associated with home ownership. Utilities, heat, property taxes, repairs, insurance, services such as trash or snow removal, landscaping, assessments, and replacement of appliances are the major costs incurred. Make sure you understand how much you are willing and able to spend on such items.

Condominiums may not have the same costs as a house, but they do have association fees. Older homes are often less expensive to buy, but repairs may be greater than those in a newer home. When looking for a home, be sure to check the actual expenses of the previous owners, or expenses for a comparable home in the neighborhood.

Choosing a Neighborhood

Before you start looking at homes, look at neighborhoods. Schools and other services play a large part in making a neighborhood attractive. Even if you don't have children, your future buyer may. Crime rates, taxes, transportation, and town services are other things to look at. Finally, learn the local zoning laws. A new pizza shop next door might alter your property's future value. On the other hand, you may want to run a business out of your home.

Look for a neighborhood where prices are increasing. As the prices of the better homes increase, values of the lesser homes may rise as well. If you find a less expensive home in a good neighborhood, make sure you factor in the cost of repairs or upgrades that such a house may need.

Finding a Broker

If you are a first-time home buyer, you will probably want to work with a broker. Brokers know the market and can be a valuable source of information concerning the home buying process. Ask lots of questions, but remember that most brokers are working for the seller, and in the end, their primary obligation is to the seller and not to you. An alternative is a so-called buyer's broker. This individual does work for you, and therefore is paid by you. Seller's brokers are paid by the seller.

Make sure that the broker has access to the Multiple Listing Service (MLS). This service lists all the properties for sale by most major brokers across the country. Brokerage commissions average 5 percent to 7 percent and are split between the listing broker and the broker that eventually sells the home. Don't be surprised if your broker is eager to sell you their own listing since they would then earn the entire commission.

Once you've determined a price range and location, you're ready to look at individual homes. Remember that much of a home's value is derived from the values of those surrounding it. Since the average residency in a house is seven years, consider the qualities that will be attractive to future buyers as well as those attractive to you.

Although it can be difficult, try to remember that you will probably want to sell this home someday. The more research you do today, the better your decision will look in the years to come.

Managing Space

“Great rooms"of most of today’s new homes are featured with vaulted ceilings and wide expanses of floor space. Designed for a casual living/dining combination, these rooms can often be so big that they become overwhelming. Though we'd all like to have more space in our homes, the wrong kind of space can be difficult to handle. Use these 10 ideas if you have a cavernous space in your house that you'd like to be cozier.

1. Divide a large space into several smaller ones using furniture groupings. Make a conversation area in front of the fireplace with a loveseat and two comfy chairs. In another corner of the room, use the television and a long sofa for an entertainment space. A third area - maybe near a window - can include an armchair and ottoman for curling up with a good book.
2. In tandem with furniture placement, use the flooring to separate the room into distinct zones. Raise the floor in a corner lined with bookshelves to create a reading nook, or use area rugs over hardwoods to create separation between living and dining areas.
3. What works on the floor also works on the ceiling. Vary the ceiling height to create a visual spatial distinction. Or use wide, complex mouldings to bring the eye downward from a tall ceiling.
4. Darker colors on the walls make the space seem smaller. Use warm and deep tones that you love but might hesitate to use in a smaller space. You can even paint the ceiling a rich tone to bring it down visually. If you prefer wallpaper, choose one with a large pattern and deep, rich colors.
5. Furnish the room with large pieces, including tall bookcases and fully upholstered sofas and chairs covered in velvets, tapestries and other heavy fabrics. Use dark woods, and avoid glass tops on tables, which give the illusion of space.
6. If you have pairs of bookcases, position them back-to-back and use them as a room divider. Attach them together at the backs for maximum stability.
7. Avoid decorating with mirrors. If you must have a mirror in the room, hang it so it does not reflect a window or other light source. Instead, try positioning it so it faces a favorite piece of art. You'll enjoy the reflection, but it won't lend to the spaciousness of the room.
8. Install one or more window seats, which act as cozy nooks in a large space.
9. Fill the room with accessories and plants. Use potted trees to match the scale of a tall ceiling.
10. Create a division between two parts of a room by using columns or arches to create a "passageway" from one space to the other. By installing a faux "doorway" that's wide and open, you'll break the room into manageably sized parts while still maintaining the sense of space.

CREATE YOUR COMFORT ZONE

The bedroom is where you can relax, lounge and find inner peace. There’s nothing like curling up in bed with a good book, watching your favorite TV show or movie or simply catching up on your sleep.

Create your perfect comfort zone with beautiful frames, luxurious linens and plush pillows.


BED SCENE. Choosing the right bed frame will anchor the look in your room.
Selection of bed frames includes wengue or bleached-wood bed frames with unexpected detailing in the headboard or footboard, or try a little adventure with a leather bed.


Luxe Linen. Linen is the heart and soul of the bedroom and seals the whole bedroom experience. Linen selection ranges, country style floral patterns and opulent velvety designs. Explore your options with an inviting mix of prints, patterns and hues. Plump your bed up with pillows of all sizes that are not only decorative, but also comforting.


Bedside matters. Enhance the feel of your room with accent pieces like vases, lamps, photo frames that give a personal touch to your bedroom.

Steps of Greening Your House

Let us work together and make our surroundings green. It really is easy being green, especially at home. Here are simple steps to green your house while greening your wallet, your energy, and your earth.

1. Change your bulbs and recycle them.
According to GE, incandescent bulbs use heat to produce light, while a fluorescent bulb (CFL) creates light that is four-to-six times more energy efficient. When replacing your bulbs, use the chart below to compare wattages between the standard bulb and CFLs.

• Standard Bulb/CFL Bulb wattage
• 60w/13w–15w
• 75w/20w
• 100w/26w–29w

• 150w/38w–42w

Just don’t stop there, because whenever your bulbs blow, you can safely recycle them to protect the environment from unnecessary mercury contamination.

2. Compost your food and use biodegradable bags for pet waste.
Composting your food puts it back into the soil where it belongs and lessens the production of methane and leachate formulation, which forms from waste materials liquefying into an acid water solution. If you have a garden, find out how to start your own compost file by using, like for example BioBags to line my compost bin, and they even make some for pet waste, though you should not compost your pet waste. Or like some people are doing, switching to biodegradable kitty litter and poop bags in the meantime until pet waste is used as an alternate form of energy!

3. Buy green cleaning supplies or make your own.
Choose cleaning supplies that keep your nose hairs away from chemicals that will fry them. Other householders like to make their own using what is already in their cabinets or under their sink. Use other green cleaning supplies that has natural scents in your home and on your clothes.

4. Put on a sweater and turn down your heat.
In an apartment with a heating unit on the wall, Turn it on first thing in the morning for fifteen minutes to heat up your apartment, making sure to close all bedroom doors, and do the same in the evening. Then turn it off. With adequate insulation, your home can hold the heat while you grab your grandmother’s Afghan or that hand-knit sweater that makes you feel cozy inside

5. Move the three R’s in as an extra guest.
Reduce, recycle, and reuse should be your mantra for 2008. Repairing items is reusing them. Donating your old clothes to charities or thrift stores also reduces what goes into the landfill. Reusing an item is even better than recycling so that it doesn’t have to be reprocessed and then reintroduced into the chain of production. When you purchase long-term, durable goods, you reduce waste. The same goes for buying products with less packaging. According to the EPA, by 2006, curbside recycling programs served almost half of the American population and moved 82 million tons of material away from landfills.

6. Buy a laptop and let it sleep when you sleep.
Laptops use less energy than desktops and shut it down every night. If you’re the type that wakes up in the middle of the night to use your computer, then just put your computer in standby mode, which on a PC you can do by going into your Control Panel>Power Options.

7. Wash in cold and dry clothes part-time on a line.
We’re lucky to have an Energy Star washer and dryer, but I change the temperature of each wash cycle from hot/warm to cold. Save the hot water for filthy laundry, and make sure it’s a full load. The same goes for your dryer; switch it from high/medium to low and choose to line dry all of your intimate items and clothing that could use a break from fading and shrinking in the dryer.

8. Save some water.
Run the dishwasher only when it’s full. Take shorter showers instead of baths. Keep the temperature down in that shower. When you are waiting for the water to heat up, put a bucket in your shower to collect that water and use it on your houseplants. Think about installing low-flow faucets and showerheads.

9. Let your oven be your sous chef.
A clean oven is more energy efficient. Don’t preheat your oven unless your dish needs to cook for more than an hour. When cooking, use the broiler whenever possible since preheating uses more energy. Use the leftover heat from your oven for warming food and plates.

10. Cool your food so your refrigerator doesn’t have to.
See if your refrigerator has a tight fit and shuts on its own; if not, the gasket might need replacing. The best way to save energy is to turn the freezer temperature down and raise the fridge temperature.

Dust and Grease Speed Cleaning Tips

Here are some tips or strategic methods to speed cleaning dust and grease that we dealt with around every corner of our house.

· Open the shades and windows to let in the sunshine and air; then light a scented candle and let its aroma take over the house.

· Free up your kitchen counters from piles of papers and mail for the space you need for cooking, and keep table open and clear.

· Use dustpan and garbage bag to catch the bunnies in each room before they hop away.

· Take two rags and take a natural cleaner when cleaning around the house. Dust wooden surfaces with one and spray clean the kitchen counters.

· Clean every door, cabinet, and sink handle in the house, removing whatever dust and grease

· After sweeping away the dust bunnies, it’s time to degrease the oven and soak the sink. using sponges. They scrub off caked-on grease from the stove. Use another sponge for the kitchen, one for the bathroom, and another one for the toilet.

· Always require a regular touch-up of your bathroom, say once or twice a week. Sprinkle the sink and bathtub with Bon Ami, and then wash them clean with hot water.

· Fluff the pillows. Bring outside couch and bed pillows and do a little shake to take away dust and pet hair that it accumulates..

· Go through the fridge and see which vegetables are ready to go to the bin.

· A quick sweep of kitchen and wood floors will catch the rest of the dust bunnies and dirt, sprinkle in the carpet and on my rugs a mix of essential oil and baking, for quick deodorizing before the vacuuming. Sweep and mop the rooms in your house that requires some mopping like, kitchen and bathroom, and take a rag and use the natural cleaner to spray the floor, then finish up the speed-cleaning and move across the floor.

How To Vacuum: Vacuuming Your Carpet Like A Pro

I read someplace the other day about "How To Vacuum". The instructions said, "First, get your vacuum." Wow! That's probably the best advice you'll ever get! Actually, before I drag my vacuum out, there are a few other things I do first.

• Do a walk-through of your carpeted areas picking up clutter and any large pieces of debris that your vacuum cannot suck up such as leaves from shedding house plants, small toys, paper clips, anything that is obvious.
• If you have a hand carpet sweeper, give the carpet a quick "pick-me-up". You may be able to avoid having to use your heavier vacuum cleaner this time.
• Use an anti-static spray on your dust mop or dust rag and run around the baseboard where dust collects next to the carpet..
• Most vacuums will not get right up to the edge where wall meets floor, so use a good stiff broom with some elbow grease and give that area a good sweeping before you vacuum.

Vacuum Cleaning 101

Basic house cleaning rules tell you to begin on the top, at the back. That means, if you have more than a one storey home, start on the top level in the room furthest from the stairwell. Since vacuuming is the job you should do last in any room, you should already have picked up clutter and put things away, removed cobwebs, dusted and polished furniture.

In areas where you use "throw" or "scatter" rugs, pick them up and shake them out-of-doors. Then fold them neatly, place on the side of the tub or on a chair until you are ready to put them back on the floor.

Draperies and furniture should be vacuumed first.

Consider the furniture that needs moved in order to do a thorough vacuuming and move it. You'll find it appropriate to move chairs and smaller tables into a central area, and then vacuum as close to the edge of the room and up to the furniture as possible. Reach under beds, couches and dressers as far as you can.

Replace the furniture and begin vacuuming in the corner that is farthest from the door and work towards the door, using gliding, even strokes, backing to the door. As you look over the freshly vacuumed floor, you should see no footprints.

"B" Is For Bathroom

Cleaning bathrooms can be tricky, as it may be partially or fully carpeted. If they are covered wall-to-wall, start behind the toilet and work your way through the room. Close yourself inside the bathroom and get behind the door, the edges of the cabinets, bathtub and shower. Again, this is a room that benefits from going around the edges with a stiff broom as hair and powders can be hard to vacuum.

Vacuum all the bathrooms first. Start behind the toilet, vacuum the floor. Do not forget behind the door, and along the edges of the cabinets and bathtubs. Make sure you get up all the hair and dust off the floor. Watch out for any standing water on the floor!

Moving Right Along ...

Make every motion count. Never use a power head on uncarpeted floors. Never use the upright to do stairs..

After all of the rooms are vacuumed, it's time do the hallway. Begin in the area furthest from the stairs and work your way backward to the top of the stair well. (Look behind yourself often!) A canister vacuum works best on stairs because you can use the wand.

If your home is only one level, you are probably ready to put your feet up and relax. That is, unless you have carpet in your kitchen that needs vacuumed. If not, you may have throw rugs that need to be shaken well and/or laundered. If they are small enough, these benefit from being tossed into the dryer with a fabric softener tissue and an old, clean pair of tennis shoes, then tumbled with low or no heat. The fabric softener freshens the fabric and the shoes work as a beater, fluffing the nap and removing lint.

Damp mop all remaining washable, hard-surfaced floors and NOW relax!

Vacuum Cleaners and Attachments

• Your vacuum is one of the most versatile, useful home appliances you'll ever own. Here are some suggestions on how to make your cleaning chores a little easier.
• When purchasing a new vacuum, make sure it has a powerful motor. Compare to the other models, and pick the one with the highest strength. The power is in direct proportion to the amount of dirt it will remove from your carpet in one or two passes.
• Compare manufacturers and read the warranty. If possible, select one that has a local authorized dealer and repair facility.
• Take a good look at the attachments. Unless you are willing to drag all the heads, wands and hoses along, and use them every time you get the vacuum out, don't be influenced by the marketing hype. Less is best.
• Overall, speaking as a professional (we are a maid service, remember?), we have found that heavier vacuums hold up better in the long run. Our vacuums really get a workout - several times a day.

Painting ideas

Paint is a very inexpensive and easy way to spruce up the interior of any room, very quickly but you must know the condition of the wall, how to paint and the amount of paint needed.
The choice of the paints: Paint is available in thousands of colors and a variety of different textures, sheens and coats. There are so many changing choices in the trend but one must be clear what the paint will look like.
The shine determines the brightness the paint will exhibit on your walls or ceiling.
The less the shine of the paint, the minimum is the glare or the reflection.
The shine of the coat hides the small imperfection but are difficult to clean and maintain.
Paints also come in mat finish which is easier to clean and reflection is not there.
Semi gloss paint is the perfect paint for children's rooms, kitchens and bathrooms because of their durability.
The enamels are used for painting wooden surfaces.
Making the walls ready for the paint: The condition of the walls determine the amount of colour needed and the finish. Here are some points to take care of:
If the walls are never painted before, they will soak a large amount of paint if applied directly, thus a coat of primer should always be used as the base coat.
It also gives you a smoother finish.
If your walls have already been painted, use a paint scraper to remove any loose or chipped old paint.
Fill any drywall holes with spackling compound too. Clean dirt off your painting surface.
Hardware and paint stores carry stain blocking products you can spray or brush on.
How to determine the quantity of the paint needed: The right amount of paint needed requires a skill and should be purchased carefully.
To estimate your ceiling paint multiply the length of the ceiling times the width. This will give you the area.
LENGTH X WIDTH = AREANext, divide the area by 350 to determine how many gallons of paint you will need. Where did we come up with the number 350? Most gallons of paint will cover 350 square feet! To estimate the wall paint needed, add together the length of each wall then multiply the sum by the wall height.
LENGTH + WALL HEIGHT = AREAYou can even subtract 20 square feet for each door and 15 square feet for each window in the room. Divide the final figure by 350 as shown above to tell you the number of gallons to purchase.