Resources for the Home Shopper

There are so many online tools and resources for today’s home shopper, there is no reason to be surprised or unprepared during your search.  The more information you have the better you are able to make a good decision for your family and negotiate your position when necessary.   Here are some of our recommendations on home buyer resources.

Mortgage Calculator

Home Affordability Calculator 

Check Your Credit Score

School Ratings

Compare Home Insurers

National Association of Home Builders

Understanding Homeowners Insurance

 

Understanding Homeowners Insurance

Purchasing homeowners insurance is a necessary part of buying a new home.  While it may seem tedious, this insurance protects your largest financial investment – your new home.

Insurance costs vary on the location of the home, age of the home, type of coverage needed and deductibles.

Go online to read about potential insurers and their customer service ratings. Typically insurance is purchased and then forgotten about so it’s helpful to see what customers with claims think about how their issues were handled.

It may help you save money to have your auto and homeowners insurance covered by the same company.

Your possessions such as clothing, electronics, and furniture are covered but if you have a special item that may exceed the included coverage make sure to mention that as a concern. It may require an addition to the standard policy.

A higher deductible will result in lower premiums. Go as high as you can since typically claims are filed only every 8-10 years.  Make sure you have the savings to cover that deductible should the worst happen.

Be sure to ask what the policy covers and what it doesn’t cover. Get all estimates in writing so you can price shop other companies while comparing apples to apples in coverage.

http://parkridgebuilders.com/

Tax Information for Homeowners

One of the many benefits of owning a home is the extra savings at tax time.  Yes owning a home is a great benefit when it comes to filing your taxes each year.  Whether you do your taxes on your own or use the services of a professional, make sure you take advantage of these tax savings opportunities.

Main tax benefits include being able to deduct interest payments and property tax payments.  Homeowners may also exclude, to a limit, capital gains made on the sale of a home that previous year.  Points paid toward your mortgage to get a better overall interest rate may also be deductible.

Certain environmentally friendly updates made to your home may also be eligible for a tax credit.

As the tax law continually changes and updates it is important to stay on top of what homeowner deductions or credits you may be eligible for.

http://parkridgebuilders.com/

#parkridgebuilders #homeownership 

Inside Chores for Cold Winter Days

When you're looking at the outside temperature and thinking today makes a great day to stay inside, we have some productive activities for you!

Of course resting on the couch and watching your favorite shows is a classic winter past time, you can take advantage of the colder temps to stay inside and get some much needed work done!

1. Cleaning the Oven
Cleaning the oven take some time and is the perfect activity for when you're going to be around the house for a few hours. Most ovens come with a self-clean button that does the work for you. If your oven is really greasy and grimy it make require some pre-cleaning on your part using either oven cleaner or a mix of vinegar and baking soda.

2.  Clean the Floors
Since you are spending more time indoors, it's time to ramp up your typical cleaning schedule. Sweep and mop the floors to keep any mud or dirt from tracking around the house. Vacuum regularly to keep dirt from being ground into the carpet fibers.

3.  Inspect the Pantry
Winter is a good time to reorganize the pantry and make it more efficient for the new year. While you're organizing check the dates to make sure no products are expired.  Pull out little used ingredients and do an online search for recipes that you may not have tried before.

4.  Mattress Care
Flip your mattress if you can or if you have a pillow top rotate it 180 degrees to prevent impressions or dents from forming. To freshen your mattress, sprinkle it with baking soda and then vacuum up.

5. Inspect and Clean Your Windows
Let more natural light in during the dark winter with clean, sparkling windows. Don't forget to clean around the frames which can gather dust and dirt.  Letting in a little more natural light can really cheer up a dreary winter day!

Take Advantage of Winter Days

When you're looking at the outside temperature and thinking today makes a great day to stay inside, we have some productive activities for you!

Of course resting on the couch and watching your favorite shows is a classic winter past time, you can take advantage of the colder temps to stay inside and get some much needed work done!

1. Cleaning the Oven
Cleaning the oven take some time and is the perfect activity for when you're going to be around the house for a few hours. Most ovens come with a self-clean button that does the work for you. If your oven is really greasy and grimy it make require some pre-cleaning on your part using either oven cleaner or a mix of vinegar and baking soda.

2.  Clean the Floors
Since you are spending more time indoors, it's time to ramp up your typical cleaning schedule. Sweep and mop the floors to keep any mud or dirt from tracking around the house. Vacuum regularly to keep dirt from being ground into the carpet fibers.

3.  Inspect the Pantry
Winter is a good time to reorganize the pantry and make it more efficient for the new year. While you're organizing check the dates to make sure no products are expired.  Pull out little used ingredients and do an online search for recipes that you may not have tried before.

4.  Mattress Care
Flip your mattress if you can or if you have a pillow top rotate it 180 degrees to prevent impressions or dents from forming. To freshen your mattress, sprinkle it with baking soda and then vacuum up.

5. Inspect and Clean Your Windows
Let more natural light in during the dark winter with clean, sparkling windows. Don't forget to clean around the frames which can gather dust and dirt.  Letting in a little more natural light can really cheer up a dreary winter day!