Winterize Your Home Now that winter has begun, it is very important to have some routine maintenance done on your home. A home must be constantly cared for or it will begin to break down. If you discover potential problems early, this can save you thousands of dollars in repairs and protect your investment. 1-Get ... [Read More]
Winterize Your Home
Now that winter has begun, it is very important to have some routine maintenance done on your home. A home must be constantly cared for or it will begin to break down. If you discover potential problems early, this can save you thousands of dollars in repairs and protect your investment.
1-Get your furnace inspected each year. PG&E will do a free safety check on your gas appliances. You can call them directly or visit their website. Make sure you clean or change your furnace filter and don’t forget to install a carbon monoxide detector in your home.
2-It is a good idea to have your furnace pipes cleaned every 2-3 years. This will remove germs, mold and dust from the pipes so it won’t get into your home.
3-Have your door and windows weather stripped. This will help keep out drafts and save money on energy bills.
4-Keep your rain gutters cleared out. Leaves and other plant debris clog the gutters and can cause them to backup. This can lead to water damage of the roofing materials.
5-Make sure the downspouts drain water away from the house. Too much water near the foundation can damage it and cause the house to settle.
6-Trim back trees and bushes away from your home. Make sure all venting screens at the bottom of your home and on your roof are in good repair. Small animals can enter your sub area or attic and nest there because it is warm.
For more advice about maintaining your home give us a call at 408 684 4469.
Related articles
10 ways to winterize your home (seattletimes.nwsource.com)
10 Quick Tips to Winterize Your Home (bargaineering.com)
Repair Your Gutters and Downspouts Before the Next Storm in Somerset County, NJ (manvillenj.wordpress.com)
Long term savings on your Home Loan When getting a home loan, everybody wants to get the best bargain. For a lot people, that means getting the lowest interest rate at no cost. But this is not always the best bargain for the borrower. Many times a home owner will take that option and find ... [Read More]
Long term savings on your Home Loan
When getting a home loan, everybody wants to get the best bargain. For a lot people, that means getting the lowest interest rate at no cost. But this is not always the best bargain for the borrower.
Many times a home owner will take that option and find themselves refinancing again in 2-5 years just because interest rates went a little lower. Every time you refinance your home you start the loan term all over again. That means if you had a 30 year fixed rate loan and if you refinance after only a few years, then you will have to start that 30 year loan term from the beginning for a full 30 years. That could cost you thousands of extra dollars over the years. This is money that goes to the banks and not toward your own investments. The banks love it when you refinance because they make money.
Don’t count on the banks to give you the best advice. Remember they want you to refinance even if it’s not the best bargain for you in the long term.
If you plan on staying in your home for more than 5 years it may be a better bargain to pay some fees up front and buy your interest rate down to a lower rate. Then you don’t have to try to refinance every few years trying to chase interest rates down. The money you spend in the beginning may save you thousands and thousands of dollars over a 5 or 10 year period.
The lesson is: Pick a loan professional you can trust. Choose someone who is more interested in establishing a long term relationship by doing what is right for you instead of someone who has a quota to meet.
For a free, no obligation analysis of your current loan, give us a call at 408 684 4469
