The Basics Of Rug And Carpet Care

basic carpet careWhile most homeowners tend to rely on professional carpet cleaners to clean their carpeting, they fail to understand there are specific steps that can add durability to their carpets and rugs. Here’s a breakdown of how you can keep your carpeting and rugs in good shape.

  • Different treatments for different materials
    The care and cleaning of your carpeting and rugs will depend upon the materials from which they are made. Wool rugs require frequent vacuuming while avoiding the use of a rotary brush. Ammonia and highly alkaline cleaners should not be used because of the likelihood of damage to the wool. Synthetic carpets and rugs can be vacuumed using a beater brush to remove grit. A steam cleaner can be used to remove dirt and debris stuck in the fibers.
  • Vacuum High-Traffic Areas Frequently
    High-traffic areas are susceptible to stains. You may want to pay special attention to family rooms, door entries, halls leading to kitchens as well as pet areas. This essentially means vacuuming daily to keep persistent dirt at bay.
  • Air Them Out
    Dust collects in your carpets and rugs over time. This is unsanitary and can cause allergic reactions and other health problems. Airing out your carpets frequently is an important home maintenance task. Vacuuming will not be the best option as it tends to send dust into the air. Fresh air and sunlight will kill all the bacteria and remove the dust particles.
  • Use Pads Beneath Area Rugs
    Some people prefer to use accent area rugs over wall-to-wall carpeting. While beneficial in most cases, don’t forget to use rug pads underneath your carpets to avoid two main challenges: carpet-surface erosion and dye transfer.
  • Use a High-Quality Vacuum
    Using a high-quality vacuum plays an important role in keeping your rugs and carpets in shipshape. Not all vacuum cleaners are the same, and you may want to choose high-quality products to avoid frustrating breakdowns when you’re putting in extra effort in the care of your carpets. A quality vacuum cleaner will be highly durable, effective, and efficient.
  • Regularly Rearrange Furniture
    Furniture positioning significantly affects the rate of wear and tear in carpets and rugs. Chairs and sofas strategically placed in permanent positions naturally cause foot traffic and dirt patterns mainly characterized by pets and normal wear and tear. Furniture legs can also damage carpets if not shifted periodically.

You may want to take care of carpet divots by placing ice cubes in plastic bags and resting the specified bag in the divot. The subsequent cold from the ice will cause the carpet fibers to bulge and restore their resilience and the carpet’s smooth surface.

Fixer-Upper Financing

Can you finance a Fixer-Upper ?

The FHA 203(k) is a mortgage and home improvement loan all in one.

You can replace a roof or replace the windows to conserve energy. Why not paint or put new siding on the home and give it a fresh new up to date look. You can put in your dream kitchen. Maybe new flooring, carpet or tile would be just the thing to make the home look amazing. Why not replace the electrical and plumbing in the home while you are at it.

What ever the case may be your needs can be addressed with this type of loan.


Information provided by Ed Muchnick, Gateway Mortgage

Low Down Payments

Are you wondering how much you need to save for your new home? It may not be as much as you think.

0 DOWN

The VA and the USDA both offer a zero down loan program for individuals and/or properties that meet their criteria. Sometimes, loans require little or no cash out of pocket. Some HUD properties are available with as little as $100 down

3%

Some Fannie Mae Community and Home Path ® programs allow just 3% down. You may even be able to fund your down payment through gifts, grants, employers, government agencies, unsecured loans from family or even with loans against CDs or retirement accounts.

3.5%

The FHA loan program allows as little as 3.5% down, and it is more lenient than most other programs on minimum credit scores.

5%

Fannie Mae / Freddie Mac conventional loans are available with down payments as low as 5%. The minimum changes based on property type, credit score, occupancy, etc.

ARE YOU SURPRISED at how low you may be able to go? While many believe a 20% down payment is required, you can now see that it’s far from the only option.

Information provided by Ed Muchnick, Gateway Mortgage
gatewayloan.com/ed-muchnick

Seller Financed Home Loan

How does the seller determine the rate?

seller financedThe interest rate on a Seller Financed Transaction is negotiable. A seller can check with lenders and mortgage brokers to determine current rates on mortgage loans. 
Normally sellers do not charge loan fees or points therefore seller financed costs are generally less than a conventional home loan. 
Interest rates are reflected by current Treasury bill and certificate of deposit rates. 
Most sellers will not want to provide a loan for a lower interest than the market is offering. Interest rates the seller charges may be higher than those on conventional loans. Five to 15 year loans are usually acceptable.

How Do You Sell Your Home, Fast?

How Do You Sell Your Home, Fast?

get sold fastWhen the time comes to sell your home you will want to sell it as quickly as possible. You first move should be to find a qualified local agent that is familiar with the local market. You should also find a full time agent. You will need an agent that will take the time to do a CMA (Comparative Market Analysis) to get a solid listing price for your home. The more realistic your listing price is, the faster it should sell. Today, buyers do a lot of research on websites that show asking prices for homes based on what the property offers. Be prepared, most buyers are educated these days and know what a property should be worth. Also do not sell your home to a company offering a quick way out for way less than your home is worth! It is very important to list your home with a agent that will take great interest in getting your home sold. Listing a SALE BY OWNER usually ends up being a big mistake because of the knowledge that is needed to get a transaction to the settlement table. It can end up being a big waste of time and prolong the sale of your home!!

KEEP THE FOLLOWING USEFUL TIPS IN MIND:

To get to the settlement table quickly, I strongly suggest the following courses of action…..

  1. Curb appeal is so important. Keep the lawn cut, trim the bushes and keep the property edged and the weeds trimmed.
  2. Make sure that the front door is in good repair because that is the second thing that potential buyers are going to look at.
  3. Make sure that your home is clean and smells fresh. If you are having an open house, bake some cookies in the kitchen to have that wonderful aroma throughout the home if you have the time.
  4. Remove all clutter from the walkways and rooms, allowing the buyers to picture their belongings in your home. If there is clutter they have a hard time seeing past that.
  5. Remember that you shouldn’t overdue the upgrades. It is always best to speak with your listing agent to see what will get the best return on your money spent. Keep the color choices neutral if painting any rooms. Kitchens and bathrooms will draw the most interest, so make sure that they are presentable.
  6. Most of all listen to your agent! You hired them to provide you with a professional service and they are usually the most educated as far as pricing your property to get the best return!
  7. Make sure that your agent has the time to run open houses to get as many potential buyers through the property as possible. It is not always in your best interest to hire an agent that has many listings going on at one time!

Good luck in selling your home!

What You Need to Apply for a Mortgage

mortgageWith the housing crisis that we experienced 10 years ago, lending is most likely a bit different than it may have been the last time you applied for a mortgage. This is said not to scare you, as lenders are still lending, homes are still selling and there is still a wide range of programs for customers to choose from ( yes, there are even still programs with little to no money down for a mortgage). Contact George with any questions you may have.

 Needed Items for a Mortgage

Income Items

• W2 forms for the last two years
• Most recent pay stubs covering a 30-day period
Federal tax returns (1040’s) for the last two years, if:
~you are self employed
~ earn regular income from capital gains
~ earn sizable interest income, etc.
~ earn more than 25% of your income from commissions or bonuses
~ own rental property
~ or are in a career where you are likely to take non-reimbursed business expenses.
• Corporate or Partnership tax returns (if you own more than 25% of the business)
•Pension Award Letter (for retired individuals)
• Social Security Award Letters (for those on social security)

Asset Items

• Bank statements for previous two months (sometimes three) on all accounts. All pages, even if you don’t think they are important
• Statements for two months on all stocks, mutual funds, bonds, etc.
• Copy of latest 401k statement (or other retirement assets because they can count as reserves)
• Explanations for any large deposits and source of those funds
• Gift letter (if some of the funds come as a gift from a family member ~ the lender will supply a blank form).
• Additional documentation will also be needed to show transfer of gift funds

Credit Items

• Landlord’s name, address and phone number (if you rent for verification of rental)
• Explanation for any of the following items which may appear on your credit report: Late payments, credit inquiries, collections accounts
• Copy of bankruptcy papers if you have filed bankruptcy within the last seven years

Other

• Copy of purchase agreement (if you have already made an offer)
• Copy of divorce decree and separation agreement

FHA Loans

• Copy of Social Security Card (or other documentation of social security number)
• Copy of driver’s license

VA Loans

• Copy of DD214


Information in this valuable article provided by Edward Muchnick

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