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The Simple Solution to All That Darn Kid Artwork - A Wall of Art

February 17th, 2010 categories: Decorating, Home Owners

If you have a kid in your house, chances are you have kid artwork. A lot of it.

Most likely you have it posted on the refrigerator, stacked in a pile or stuffed into a bin. Not an attractive or useful way to display your kid’s creativity - at least that’s how I was feeling after jamming my daughter’s drawings into a storage bin every week.

While at Ikea (where so many good ideas are born), I came across the RIBBA frames in white. I thought, “I have wall space. I have kid art. And I have a hammer.” Here’s the end result - my kid art wall.

I could have fit another row of frames but I plan to put a low dresser on that wall.

It’s not the most economical way of handling my daughter’s artwork ($14.99/frame) but it accomplished a few things for me:

- I decorated my daughter’s room with original works of art that are very personal.

- I am now able to throw out my less favorite (or odd-shaped) items without guilt.

- The wall can grow with my daughter - as she ages and draws new things, we can easily change out the artwork.

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Spoken by Jessica Beganski | Discussion: No Comments »

Making Home Affordable Program - Refinance and Loan Modification Options for Homeowners

August 28th, 2009 categories: Central Connecticut News & Information, Home Owners

If you have a Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac or now, FHA-insured mortgage (HUD recently announced that FHA-insured mortgages will also qualify, effective August 15, 2009), you may have the option of refinancing or modifying your loan through the Making Home Affordable program.

Do I have a Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac or FHA mortgage?

Fannie Mae Loan Lookup

Freddie Mac Loan Lookup

I couldn’t find a loan lookup for FHA so I suggest you contact your loan servicer (the company you pay your mortgage to) or review your loan documents.

Note: If your loan is not backed by Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac or FHA, you still may be able to take part in the program. Participation in the Making Home Affordable is mandatory for these types of loans but optional for others.

What’s the Difference Between Refinance and Loan Modification?

The Home Affordable Refinance Program is designed to help home owners who are current on their mortgage (no late payments in last 12 months) and upside down in their mortgage - the amount owed on the first mortgage is up to 125% of the home’s current market value. There are other qualifications but essentially, the home owner must be able to afford the new payments and it must be a better overall deal for the home owner. It’s important to note that this program will NOT reduce the principal owed on the mortgage - it only reduces the interest rate.

The Home Affordable Modification Program is designed to help home owners who have fallen behind in their payments. The program is available only for primary residences and for the first mortgage originated before January 1, 2009. Home owners must show that they:

Have a monthly mortgage payment (including taxes, insurance, and home owners association dues) greater than 31 percent of their monthly gross (pre-tax) income; and

Have a mortgage payment that is not affordable due to a financial hardship that can be documented.

Participation in HAMP will reduce the interest rate to as low as 2% and may even extend the term of the mortgage. However, home owners may be required to agree to a principal forbearance, which defers (not eliminates) repayment of the principal owned to a later date.

Applying Immediately Stops a Short Sale and Foreclosure

Please note that if you are in the process of asking your lender to approve a short sale, contacting your lender to also qualify for a refinance or loan modification automatically stops the short sale approval. It will also stop a foreclosure until you complete the application process.

Who do you contact?

That’s the question of the hour. The web site offers several phone numbers - one to speak to a HUD counselor, one to call the HOPE NOW hotline and another to find your loan servicer’s contact information to contact them directly.

My advice is to determine which you are most likely to qualify for - the refinance or the modification based on the criteria above and the FAQ’s on the site. Then, gather all the information recommended on the HUD counselor page and call your loan servicer directly. Ask them to either apply for a refinance or modification under the Making Home Affordable program.

You may not qualify for either program so your option may still be to do a short sale.

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When is it a good time to upgrade electrical panel to circuit breakers?

May 19th, 2009 categories: Home Buyers, Home Owners, Home Sellers

When is it a good time to upgrade your electrical panel to circuit breakers?

When your insurance company threatens to drop your policy.

I can be easily persuaded and luckily, it’s not going to cost too much.

Homes with fuses aren’t all that common any more but you may come across them during your home search. If at all possible, avoid buying a house with fuses because it will be hard to find home owner’s insurance. Ask the home seller to upgrade prior to closing and this is a perfect reason for requesting it be done.

Electrical Storm by U2

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K0adFYuNuns

Do you dig real estate news, tips and advice? Sniffing around for pet-related information in Connecticut?

Get Unleashed - the blog that’s helping to find homes for people and pets.

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Really Easy Ways to Cut Back Home Energy Costs in Connecticut

April 1st, 2009 categories: Central Connecticut News & Information, Home Owners

Last week, I co-hosted a seminar about ways to cut back your household budget.

While each speaker offered many great ideas, I learned the most from Ermelinda Flynn, a Rate Specialist at the State of CT Department of Public Utility Control who discussed some easy ways to cut back on your home energy costs. Here are some of the highlights from Ermelinda’s material that I wanted to share:

Switch Your Light bulbs

We all know this one - that incandescent light bulbs are not the most energy efficient. However, I didn’t realize just how much. Replacing a 75 watt incandescent light bulb with a 25 watt compact fluorescent bulb can save about $100/bulb over the lifetime of that bulb.

Furthermore, they do make CFLs that aren’t ugly for use in pendant lights, chandeliers and bathroom vanities. Although not as bright as the spiral CFLs, they are still a more cost effective alternative to incandescent bulbs.

Do Your Laundry More Efficiently

Use a clothesline in the summer (up to $85 in savings/year). Clean out the dryer’s lint filter after every load and clean out the dryer vent periodically. Dry two or more loads in a row. Fold or hang your laundry immediately after drying to cut back on ironing.

Replace Older Refrigerator

Refrigerators sold today with an Energy Star label use 40% less energy than most models sold in 2001. You can save as much as $100/year by buying a newer model. You can also: clean the condenser coils under the refrigerator, don’t cover steel racks inside with foil, make sure your refrigerator is level and has several inches of space behind it and around it. Toss out any second refrigerator or unplug it for any part of the year you’re not using it (garage or basement refrigerators).

Unplug

In the average home, 75% of electricity used for home electronics is consumed while they are unplugged. Battery chargers and AC adapters should be unplugged when not in use or put on a power strip and turned off. Turn off computer monitors and printers or put them in sleep/energy saving mode.

Enroll in Variable Peak Pricing Program

Did you know that CL&P has a program that all allows you to pay a different rate for your electricity based on when you use it? If you can shift the bulk of your electricity usage to off-peak hours, then you may be able to enroll in this program only available through CL&P.