Blog

02
Mar
By Jim Hasek
Home Decorating, ,

Can Your Waistline Be Affected By Your Kitchen Colors?

Have you ever walked into your kitchen and instantly felt hungry? Rarely do people think about the colors that they choose to paint their kitchens. They are often too busy worrying about whether the kitchen will match the rest of the home, or whether the colors will be satisfactory to the rest of the household. However, as much as you might want to have a special color in your kitchen, your brain is very likely wired in a way to react in ways that you may not have intended! When painting and decorating your kitchen, you may want to think…
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01
Mar
By Jim Hasek
Mortgage, ,

Should You Get Pre-Qualified Or Pre-Approved For Your New Home Purchase?

Often times, home buyers can be disappointed when they find their dream home only to discover they are not able to get a mortgage to purchase the property. There are methods that potential buyers can use to ensure this does not happen to them. One of the options is to ensure you obtain a pre-qualification from your lender. It is important to understand the difference between a pre-approval and a pre-qualification. While both are helpful, they do not carry the same weight. What are the differences between these options? A pre-qualification allows a borrower to determine how much money they…
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28
Feb
By Jim Hasek
Around The Home, ,

DIY Home Improvement: A Much Better Bedroom in Just a Few Hours

Taking on the task of renovating your home can seem like an awful lot of work, but there are ways to do this that require a lot less energy and just a little bit of money. Whether you're looking for an instant home revamp or are readying your home to sell, here are some ideas for how you can improve your bedroom in no time. Make It Clutter Free It might sound too simple, but just clearing away the extraneous stuff that can accrue in your bedroom will instantly improve the look of your space. Instead of doing it over…
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27
Feb
By Jim Hasek
Mortgage

How To Successfully Use Your Down Payment to Achieve Your Home Buying Goals

When you are considering purchasing a home , understanding the lending guidelines regarding a down payment is important.  Here are a few key tips to consider: Gifting of a Down Payment There are some programs that will allow you to use a gift for your home down payment. However, before you assume this, make sure you talk to your loan officer. Generally speaking, the lender will require the person making the gift to provide a letter stating the money was a gift and does not require repayment. Windfalls as a Down Payment When people hit the lottery or come into…
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26
Feb
By Jim Hasek
Market Outlook, ,

What’s Ahead For Mortgage Rates This Week – February 26th, 2018

Last week's economic releases included minutes from the most recent FOMC meeting, a report on January sales of pre-owned homes and weekly readings on mortgage rates and new jobless claims. FOMC Minutes: Economic Strength Hints at More Rate Hikes Minutes of the January 30-31 meeting of the Fed's Federal Open Market Committee indicated that most Committee members believe that inflation will reach the Fed's goal of 2.00 percent. Members found that the economy was stronger since 2017 and expected "a gradual upward trajectory of the federal funds rate would be appropriate." While analysts expect three rate hikes in 2018, the…
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22
Feb
By Jim Hasek
Mortgage, ,

3 Great Homebuying Tools Millenials Have Available to Them Right Now

The economy seems to be heating up rapidly, but home loan interest rates are still at historically low levels. Real estate values have climbed a bit across the country, but low interest rates and affordable prices makes for an excellent opportunity for new homeowners to get into their first home before it rates and prices rise higher. According to the recent studies, there were 4 consecutive quarters of homeownership growth where new homeowners outpaced new renters.  The solid economic fundamentals are likely responsible for creating this excellent home buying environment. Over the past year, Millennials seem to be on board…
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