Society’s awareness of better health isn’t just in changing your diet and lifestyle, but now is also in the way you live in your home.  Health-conscious methods are expanding into the home-building industry, particularly in the custom homes.  Healthier home improvements can be broken into four categories: air, water, odor/fumes and lighting.

You may not put much thought into the cause of certain breathing and respiratory deficiencies, but it’s important to  stop and evaluate the air you’re breathing within your home.  Pollutants are two to five times more concentrated indoors as opposed to outdoors, and consumers should seriously consider improving their air quality within the home.  Solutions are buying more-advanced allergy filters that will control  the particles and pollutants flowing freely into our air or to control the humidity with a dehumidification device.  Ventilation fans are equally important as they remove stale, humid air from the home and replace with fresh, clean air.  Thinking of updating your home with fresh paint, new cabinets or floors? Look into using low Volatile Organic Compound (VOC) materials that emit less gasses into the air we breathe every single day.

Haven’t really considered how much the water quality in your home affects you?  In order to purify your drinking water by removing particulate matter and harmful minerals, you should invest in a carbon fiber and reverse-osmosis purifying unit.  Do you have particularly hard water in your home?  Did you know that hard water is damaging to your skin tone and texture?  They make a water softener for your entire house that will remove calcium, magnesium and the like, while also prolonging the life of your appliances and plumbing fixtures. 

You may be thinking, how does lighting really affect my health?  For one, when using high-wattage light bulbs in your home, it increases the amount of heat produced which then can lead to dry skin.  Replace your old light bulbs with soft light-emitting, compact florescent light (CFL) or LED light bulbs and fixtures in order to maintain a healthier environment.  If you’re thinking of remodeling, go ahead and add a  skylight to allow some of the natural light in.  A bright and cheery living environment significantly improves your quality of life!

Take a moment and reflect on all the possible toxic sources in your home and look into removing those from your home and replacing them with a healthier option! 

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1. Less is more!  Nearly 25% of food prepared for Thanksgiving is wasted.  Just because it’s tradition to have the turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, rolls, green bean casserole, ham, cranberry sauce and don’t forget those pies, doesn’t mean you’re required to have a jam-packed menu.  If there is something your family typically doesn’t eat much of, either scale back the portion or just cut it out all together and save yourself some money!

2.  If you do scale back your meal, some people may still get their usual heaping mound of stuffing but not eat it all.  Changing to a smaller dinner plate will help with portion control and allow those who want seconds to get it, but those who are stuffed aren’t wasting food.

3.  Buy seasonal and local produce from a local farmers market.  Sometimes the prices of organic produce can be through the roof, however only buy organic where it’s necessary.  It’s important to remove the risk of eating pesticides off of apples, celery, grapes, lettuce, pears, potatoes and spinach, however you can save money and buy a more conventionally-grown asparagus, cabbage, corn, eggplant, peas and onions. 

4. No time and limited money to spend on decorating for the festive feast?  Take a walk out your door and find a few fall leaves, pinecones, twigs and maybe even a gourd or two and pair that with a simple candle and BAM!! You don’t have to spend money on decorations, you don’t have to worry about how to store them all year long, and more importantly, all these items are biodegradable.

5. If your Thanksgiving holiday extends beyond your immediate family, it’s okay to suggest a potluck meal.  This saves you time, stress and money and also gives the added benefit of learning new recipes from others!

6.  Break out the china! Too many families use disposable dishes and utensils, which fill up landfills and take forever to finally break down into the soil.  Don’t be scared to use real dishes for fear of something breaking, or heaven for bid, having to do dishes!  When packing up your leftovers, opt for a reusable tupperware or recycled glass jars, rather than using disposable plastic wrap.  Save money and save our Earth!

7. Sick of eating turkey sandwiches 3 days after Thanksgiving?  Plan in advance and find different recipes for leftover turkey so that you’re not throwing anything out.  You can plan up to a week worth of creative meals using leftovers alone!

8.  Is it a chilly Thanksgiving Day?  Thinking of turning the thermostat up a notch?  Don’t forget that you’ll have a turkey in the oven and a house full of people to create a little extra warmth, so go ahead and save a few pennies by keeping the house at a lower temperature this day! 

9. We all know that the dreaded part of Thanksgiving is having to do the dishes afterwards! It’s suggested to really scrape your plates clean rather than just a quick rinse under the faucet before putting them in the dishwasher.  This way, you can use the most efficient cycle on your dishwasher and save energy.  Also, don’t forget to make sure that you utilize all free space in the racks before running a cycle, so you can run as few cycles as possible.  Take the few extra minutes to hand-wash the bigger items and save even more energy! 

 Wishing you and yours a very happy and safe Thanksgiving!

Let’s Eat! 

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 It is without a doubt that before you even begin the search for your dream home, you should have a down-payment secured and a pre-approval letter, but there are several other factors you want to consider when you begin the hunt.

Pinpoint certain neighborhoods that you like and what price range you can afford within each neighborhood.  Then, make a list of wants versus needs and use that as a way to narrow down your search. It may even be wise to create a checklist for features on both the interior and exterior and for the neighborhood overall.

After many long days of looking at a significant amount of properties, it’s hard to remember each and every one of them.  If you could take a picture of each property and match it with the check list you’ve created, it’ll be easier for you to remember more about a specific home.  Evaluate each property’s checklist — is it predominately wants or needs?  If it’s wants, throw it in the ‘No’ pile and relieve yourself of extra deliberation.

It’s important not to look at a home by yourself, especially if you’re married.  Your spouse may be able to point out something you’ve overlooked or maybe doesn’t like a certain feature that you find appealing.  If you’re a couple house-hunting, it’s even wise to bring a non-biased friend to give you an alternative opinion on what they see in the house. 

Once you’ve selected a few homes for the ‘Maybe’ list, get an idea of what the utilities and maintenance for each property would be.  Also, don’t just look at what the home offers now, but what is the potential of the home versus the cost of improvement and the sales price.

Following these guidelines should make your home-search much more efficient and cut out some of the headaches along the way.  Lord knows there will be plenty of others to come later in the process, so eliminate the ones where you can.  When you’re ready to make a bid, remember that other buyers are impressed with the same quailities of the home that you are, so be prepared to make a competitive bid.

Best wishes in finding the home of your dreams!

Contact us today: 214.923.0261 or email us: info@archwoodproperties.com 

Due to a revamped Good Faith Estimate (GFE) that is to begin in January of the new year, mortgage shopping will become that much easier.  Good Faith Estimates disclose information about mortgage transactions that lenders must provide within three days of receiving an application. 

The new GFE provides the following:

Clearer Presentation of Critical Mortgage Features:  Crucial features of a GFE will be provided in a neat, concise summary table on the first page of the document.  As it is, borrowers become distracted and feel overwhelmed with such scattered information that they miss the key points that are very important to them, such as: increased interest rates and balances, if a loan has a balloon payment or even a prepayment penalty.

Clearer Presentation of Lender Charges: While the current GFE provides only an open-ended list of settlement charges, it does not distinguish which of those are from the lender or third parties.  Since all figures are estimates subject to change, this gives lenders free range to up the charges as loans more closer to the time of closing.  With the new GFE, there is now a clear distinction between lender charges and third-party charges, and the lender charges are no longer itemized.  You will only have two lender charges: points that are paid to reduce the interest rate and the total of all other charges, known as the origination charge.  The origination charge can’t change at the time closing.

Clearer Presentation of Brokerage Charges: If a third-party broker is involved, origination charges do include an additional fee, Yield Spread Premium, paid to the broker by the lender.  The YSP is shown upfront as a credit t to the borrower (negative points) to be used in exchange for a higher interest rate, allowing the borrower to see how much of the origination charge is paid indirectly through a higher rate.

 Please note that while the redesigned Good Faith Estimate will be more beneficial to borrowers, it isn’t a complete fix for all the dependent variables out there.  While the origination charges are concrete, lenders don’t have to commit to an estimated rate and points provided in the GFE until they are locked down by the lender in a loan.  Lenders should disclose how long the estimated points and rates are good for, so it gives borrowers a better idea of what kind of timeline they are on in order to receive those specific figures.

All this mortgage talk of points, rates and charges is confusing to many borrowers but at least you won’t be as confused when the new Good Faith Estimate is implemented in January.

Contact us today: 214.923.0261 or email us: info@archwoodproperties.com 

It is typical for home transactions to slow down during the holidays, since people are usually busy with season festivities and their budget seems to be a bit more strapped this time of year.

This year, home sales might continue to cruise right through November, December and January without any caution, all thanks to the extension and expansion of the tax credit.  In order to get the tax credit, buyers must have a 30-day binding contract on a property by at least April 30th, which adds the pressure for prospective buyers to keep their focus on the home search, rather than taking a holiday break.

Tips for buying during this crucial time are:

Don’t procrastinate! Either start or continue your search now, and don’t forget to get a pre-approval letter from a lender.  Also, you shouldn’t hold out for hope that their will be another extension for when you’re ‘ready’ to buy.  The extension is a cure to a current economic crisis, and once the market stabilizes, the giving is gone!

Beware of interest rates! Interest rates are low right now but are expected to rise.  Remember that with increased interest rates comes increased mortgage payments and will significant affect the type of house you are able to purchase. 

Keep in contact! Don’t drop the ball with your lender, expecting them to always communicate with you. Be sure to be in contact with them frequently to make sure there aren’t any obstacles causing delays in processing the loan.  Short sales may cause you trouble in this situation if you’re looking to get this wrapped up before the April 30th deadline.

No shortcuts! Don’t skip any of the typical steps of purchasing a home just to make a tax credit deadline.  It’s possible to see many buyers choose a house that really isn’t right for them, just to get the tax credit.  It’s not worth it!

Contact us today: 214.923.0261 or email us: info@archwoodproperties.com 

Anyone who has ever purchased a home understands how relieving it is when you finally find the home of your dreams.  It’s not uncommon for prospective buyers to search for months without feeling that warm cozy ‘home’ feeling when they walk into a property. But don’t let your excitement of finding the home you’ve always pictured overrule your logic in considering if this is really the right buy.

Make sure to rationalize these thoughts!

Price

Even while you may be pre-approved for a larger loan than you originally thought, are you really comfortable with the monthly mortgage? What is the required down payment and do you have that money readily available? Do you have money to cover the transaction fees and moving expenses?  If there is significant work to be done on the house, is it an amount you can save in a reasonable time period?

Condition

What kind of repairs and maintenance is needed on the house?  Is it significant like a new roof, electrical wiring, plumbing? Many times, a fixer-upper is a great find and has tons of potential, however it can also put you in debt.  Some houses that require such work just end up being a money pit with a never-ending cycle of renovations.  Is that how you really picture yourself living in your ‘dream home?’

Size

When looking at a property, remember to calculate how long you plan on living there and if it will meet your needs, now and in the future.  Are the number of bedrooms, living areas and bathrooms adequate for your family and living style? Do you plan on expanding your family while in that home?  Will all your furniture really fit in the space allotted or will you have to buy more furniture just to fill the place?  If the home doesn’t have exactly what you need, how much will it cost to add additional space?

Many times, homes are easier to visit than to own and are more pleasant to a visitor’s eye than when you’re dealing with the issues first-hand.  Obviously, when buying a pre-owned home, it is rare that a property will meet every single want, but make a list of must-haves and likesand you’re search will be much more successful if you’re a bit lenient in the like  department and a stickler in the must-have area, rather than vice versa.

Contact us today: 214.923.0261 or email us: info@archwoodproperties.com 

Money Magazine’s Amanda Gengler reports on how to use your property to rebuild equity in your home!

Contact us today: 214.923.0261 or email us: info@archwoodproperties.com 

Steve Brown of the Dallas Morning News reports on the improving local housing market.  Read the article here: http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/classifieds/news/homecenter/realestate/stories/1110dnbussales.29d4c3f59.html

Contact us today: 214.923.0261 or email us: info@archwoodproperties.com 

 This year, it’s pertinent to get a jumpstart on preparing your taxes.  With such a shift in tax credits and the current state of the economy, give yourself or your accountant to get everything in line.  Things to consider this year, moreso than years in the past are:First-Time Home-Buyer Tax CreditCongress has just extended and altered this benefit as of November 6, making it more generous for many.  The provision is a true dollar-for-dollar tax credit of up to $8,000 for 10% of the cost of a home for first-time homebuyers and a similar $6,500 credit for buyers who already own a home. There are interesting twists. Two or more unmarried people buying a house together may be able to allocate the credit as they wish. Taxpayers who buy this year may also claim the credit on either a 2008 or 2009 return, and those who buy in 2010 can claim the credit either in 2009 or 2010. Some people claim the credit in one year rather than another to avoid phase-outs.

George Mantor, of Real Estate Information Systems Media, helps us understand the principles behind homeowner association fees.  When evaluating the HOA monthly fee, it is important to consider three things: how was the number arrived at, what does it cover, can anything be done for less?

Contact us today: 214.923.0261 or email us: info@archwoodproperties.com