A monthly mortgage can seem like enough of a financial responsibility on its own, but there are many factors involved in home ownership that affect its fiscal feasibility. If you're in the market for a house and are wondering how your income will stack up against the rest of your expenses, here's how to determine a home cost that's reasonable for you. Determine Your Down Payment Before you start with anything else, you'll want to determine the amount of money you can put down so you can estimate your monthly payments. The traditional amount for a down payment is 20% of the home's purchase … [Read More...]
With the increasing flexibility of the modern workplace, there are many more businesses offering their employees the opportunity to work from home. While this shift in the job market has created a bevy of new options for freelance workers, it can also be a good reason to turn a spare room into a spanking new office. If you're working from home, here are some tips for a stylish transition. Prime It With Paint Outside of lighting, the color and upkeep of the walls is going to have a huge impact on the way your spare office will look. Before even considering placing furniture or putting up … [Read More...]
Week in Review Last week's scheduled economic news included reports on pending home sales, construction spending and several jobs related readings including ADP Payrolls, the government's Non-Farm Payrolls and the national unemployment rate. Mortgage Rates, Weekly Unemployment Claims Rise Mortgage rates rose across the board according to Freddie Mac's weekly report. The average rate for a 30-year fixed rate mortgage rose two basis points to 3.64 percent; the average rate for a 15-year fixed rate mortgage rose by one basis point to 2.94 percent and the average rate for a 5/1 adjustable rate … [Read More...]
The idea of an idyllic beachfront home is appealing for many people, but there are a number of factors involved in this type of home purchase that should be considered before getting serious. Whether it's a home to live in full time, or a vacation property with investment potential, there are a number of issues to take note of. So, if you're on the fence regarding waterfront property, here are some things you should keep in mind if beach life might be right for you. The Ever-Shifting Shoreline It goes without saying that the times are changing, and erosion of beachfront property is set to be a … [Read More...]
Whether you're familiar with the market or you've never sold a home before, an effective real estate agent can be exactly the thing you need to make for a positive market experience. With the world of real estate in a constant state of flux, here are a few reasons why the right agent can successfully guide you through the muddled waters of the market. A Skill For Communication In the case that the real estate market makes you nervous, it's particularly important to have the kind of agent who will keep you in the loop and give you the information you need to make an informed selling decision. … [Read More...]
With technology advancing at a mile a minute, the 2016 Consumer Electronics Show is a great place to see what's new to the market and what will be sure to turn heads in the year to come. If you couldn't make it to the show yourself but are curious about the highlights of the event, here are some of the hottest items in technology that appeared in Las Vegas this year. Make It Molecular With A Spectrometer Designed by Consumers Physics, the SCiO is a modern, small-sized molecular sensor that can give you volumes of information about your food that you've never had before. Instead of consulting … [Read More...]
