Category Archives: Home Mortgage
Remodelling Tips for Your Home
The housing market still seems a little shaky; many people are making the decision to stay in their current homes instead of selling and buying a new one. This of course means that more and more people are deciding to remodel their homes to improve their current home’s livability. The underlying goal of course should still be the overall value of the home. Just because you invest $ 50,000 on remodelling that does not mean you will see that money realized in a profit when you do finally sell it. There is a cap to your home’s value and you should be aware of that before you begin.
Once you have made the decision to start a remodelling project you should clearly map out the process. First, think about your remodelling goals. Are you planning to do some needed repairs or add a hot tub to the enclosed porch? Make sure you have written goals of your plan before you start. Included in the plan should be an overall budget. Always pad the budget for those unexpected costs – there are always unexpected costs!
Next, you need to determine who will do the work. If your project will require a building permit, you might want to make sure it also does not require an expert. Check your city building codes before you begin to ensure you are in compliance to avoid heavy fines. In addition, if you are not a plumber or an electrician you might want to consider hiring an expert even if city building codes do not require it. Your budget can quickly go out the window if you make a novice’s mistake and then end up needing an expert anyway.
If you decide to hire an expert, make sure you have a home improvement contract. You can find samples online as well as at your local office supply store. Making sure that each party is aware of their rights and responsibilities can ward off unnecessary problems. You should also check the reputation of the contractor before signing the contract. Ask friends, neighbors and co-workers for recommendations of a reliable builder.
Any projects that will be extremely noisy should be discussed with your neighbors. Not that it determines whether you start the project, the courtesy extended to your neighbors will be well worth it to all parties. In this way, you will know the best times to conduct the work. If any of your work will be encroaching upon your neighbor’s property while working on your project, i.e., ladders in the neighbor’s yard to reach your roof, prior approval is always appreciated.
Student Loan Consolidation
Student debt consolidation is the process of consolidating several types of loans into one debt. This results in reduced monthly payments- which results in a lot of saved money in the long run. Consolidation loans will have fixed rates- giving you an added benefit on saving to recover your debt.
Such services can be obtained by American Education Services consolidation- or AES for short. You can save up to 50% on your bill with this service- a very good value indeed. ACS consolidation is also available- and is much like AES in terms of how it works. Federal consolidation and Network consolidation also work in nearly the same way- giving you many choices. Not only can you save a good deal of money on your bill- but you get the added benefit of having just one bill a month- not several. This can reduce stress and let you route your energy to other problems, instead of worrying about which bills you should pay.
You can generally choose debts that will last 10- 30 years generally. You may get lower payments, but the total amount to be paid will be higher in the long run. It has been debated as to whether the government should allow such consolidation among the Federal consolidation service only. This would put some banks and companies at a loss, such as the AES consolidation or ACS consolidation, but may be better for students in the long run. Federal consolidation has a very good rate- and is often better than banks or other companies can do. You will also not encounter hidden fees or tricks- making Federal consolidation an easy choice. This isnt always the best way to go- as some companies actually do have lower rates. But make sure you get a second opinion before you decide on anything for certain.
With such consolidation, you can lower you monthly payments. However, you will want to debate the decision, as you will end up with 10- 30 years worth of debt to be paid. The consolidated debt into one bill can be less stressful, but often this is a small benefit when considering long term effects. You may wish to pay separate bills and have the freedom of paying off your student debts as fast as you can- certainly much faster than 10-30 years worth of debt.
If you are looking into student loan consolidation- make sure you look at your options first. Rushing into student loan consolidation can put you into a huge debt that will take you many years to recover from. If you are on the verge of bankruptcy, or desperately need the money, consolidation is the best choice for you- but keep in mind you will be paying your decision off for many years to come. If you are looking to simplify paying your bills, this is probably a bad choice- and this decision shouldnt be taken lightly. You should talk to a consolidation broker, or ask help with your bank for more information to see if this is right for you.