Blog

03
Nov
By Jim Hasek
Home Mortgage Tips, ,

Understanding How Mortgage Amortization Works and How It Can Affect Your Future

Whether you're just beginning to peruse the market or you've recently found your dream home, there's a chance you're already considering the lenders and loan terms that will work best for you. Amortization may be a less-familiar term when it comes to the layman's knowledge of buying a home, but knowing more about exactly what it means can go a long way towards a more secure financial future. Explaining Mortgage Amortization Amortization is the process of paying off your mortgage loan through regular monthly payments. While a portion of each monthly payment will go towards the price of the home…
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02
Nov
By Jim Hasek
Home Mortgage Tips, ,

Baby on the Way? Helpful Advice for Managing a Mortgage With Only One Parent Working

If you're dealing with paying off your mortgage and going down to a one-income family, it can be complicated to determine how to financially swing it. However, becoming a parent and managing a mortgage are quite common nowadays with maternity leave and the modern family. While managing a mortgage on just one salary can be a challenge, there are a few simple things you can do to make it work. Buy The House You Can Afford It may sound much too simple, but many people get so wrapped up in the concept of a dream home that they forget about…
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01
Nov
By Jim Hasek
Around The Home, ,

$500 Renovations That Will Boost Your Home’s Value and Speed Up Your Sale

The idea of home renovations when you're selling your home can be unpopular because of the cost and time that can go into sprucing up a place you're about to leave behind. However, making a few simple, economical touches can go a long way to capitalizing on your home's value and making a difference in dollars. If you're curious about cheap options for an easier sale, here are a few that may make the deal a little sweeter. Kick Up The Kitchen A Notch With all of the time that a family spends in the kitchen, it's unsurprising that it…
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31
Oct
By Jim Hasek
Mortgage Rates,

What’s Ahead For Mortgage Rates This Week – October 31, 2016

Last week's economic reports included S&P Case-Shiller Home Price Indexes, along with readings on new and pending home sales. Recurring weekly reports on mortgage rates and new jobless claims were also released. Case-Shiller: Pacific Northwest Shows Fastest Home Price Growth According to the Case-Shiller 20-City Home Price Index for August, home prices in Portland, Oregon and Seattle, Washington grew fastest year-over-year. Portland posted an August index reading of 11.70 percent and Portland followed closely with a reading of 11.40 percent. Denver, Colorado rounded out the top three cities with the fastest rates of home price growth with a year-over-year reading…
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28
Oct
By Jim Hasek
Around The Home, ,

Dealing with Mice: Peppermint Oil, Dryer Sheets and Other Crazy Tricks to Try

There are things that everyone shares: the need for food, the search for love, and the intrusion of mice into our homes. But don't despair! There are several ways to deter and remove mice. Read on to learn about a few of the more well known, if a little out-there, methods. Peppermint Oil And Cotton Balls The smell of peppermint is lovely for humans, but terrible to a mouse's nose. Put a few drops of pure peppermint oil on cotton balls and place them where you've noticed evidence of mice. Be careful to change those balls for fresh ones at…
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27
Oct
By Jim Hasek
Home Values

S&P Case-Shiller: Home Prices Gain in August

Home prices gained in August per the 20-City S&P Case-Shiller Home Price Index. Analysts said that home values continue to expand in spite of challenges including low inventories of available homes and strict mortgage qualification requirements. National Home Price Index Near 2006 Peak According to the national Case-Shiller Home Price Index, August home prices are 0.10 percent below their 2006 peak and all metro areas in the 20-City Home Price Index posted gains. Top gains in the 20-City Home Price Index were posted by Portland, Oregon with a year-over-year gain of 11.70 percent, Seattle, Washington home prices gained 11.40 percent…
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