Everyone makes choices. Their outlook on life, whether at home, at work, behind the wheel or at the theater, directly correlates to the decision to be either positive or negative. In essence, it’s as simple as whether you see the glass half full or half empty. As author Stephen R. Covey puts it in his much publicized book, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People,* you can choose to be proactive or you can choose to be reactive. He takes his theory a step further, saying that a proactive stance leads to greater success and contentment. From that perspective, a reactive person is sabotaging himself or herself. [Read more…]
Four Important Home Maintenance Tips Everyone Should Know
One of the important aspects of owning a home is having the knowledge of how to keep it maintained to avoid costly repairs and serious damage. Over the years weather and use will wear down both the interior and exterior of your property.
If you are able to practice preventative care on your home, then you will prolong the life of all of its systems and components. At least every six months or so, you should be performing an inspection of your property so that you can ensure that it is still functioning properly and safely.
What should you be looking for when it comes to preventative home maintenance?
Here are a few important pointers to keep in mind:
Pests and Insects
Check your home thoroughly for any insects and unwanted pests such as carpenter ants and termites. Make sure that there is no point where the wood of your home is in contact with the soil and trim away and bushes and trees away from the foundation of the property.
If you can catch the infestation right away, it could save you thousands of dollars on repairing future structural damage.
Windows and Doors
Take a close look at the windows and doors of your home to see if you need to repair any leaks to save energy. A draughty door or window can really add to your energy bill over time, so it will be worth it to ensure that everything is sealed properly.
Gutters and Downspouts
Another important home maintenance task is to go around the exterior of your home and clean out all of the debris from your downspouts and gutters. This will ensure that they are draining properly and moving water away from the house. Otherwise, the water can collect on the eaves of the roof or around the foundation and cause leaks and damage.
Check the Roof
Make sure that you also inspect the roof at least every six months. Look for any loose shingles or damaged roof tiles. If you spot any damage early, it will be a lot less expensive to fix than the water damage that would be caused in your attic by leaving a leaky roof for a long time.
These are just a few of the most important preventative home maintenance tasks that every Austin property owner should know. For any additional questions regarding your home maintenance, feel free to contact your trusted local real estate professional.
3 Critical Tips To Improve Your Credit Score And Mortgage Terms
When you are looking for a mortgage for your home, your credit score is very important. Any potential lender will check your score and will use the number to assess your creditworthiness and the interest rate that they offer you.
The better your credit score the lower the mortgage interest rates will be available to you, as the lender will be able to see that you can handle credit well.
However, if you have a very bad credit score, it could be causing you to be offered high interest rates on your mortgage that could cost you thousands over the years.
Improving your credit score before searching for a mortgage will ensure that you get the best rate possible. But what can you do to improve your credit score?
Here are three tips that can help you improve your credit score and your mortgage loan:
Be Patient
Remember that improving your bad credit will be a little bit like losing weight. You might not see results right away but it is the long term benefit of your good habits that will make all the difference.
When it comes to all of the ways to improve your credit score, there are no quick-fixes and the best way to rebuild your credit is to be responsible over time.
Check Your Credit Report For Errors
If you don’t know precisely what your credit score currently is, the first step will be for you to obtain a credit report. You can request a free copy of your credit report and check it over carefully for errors. There might be an error on the report that is making your score appear worse than it should be.
Set Up Payment Reminders
If you have trouble remembering to make your credit payments by the due date, this can be one of the biggest negative factors bringing down your score. You can ask your bank to set up convenient reminders through the online banking portals so that you will receive an email or a text whenever your payments are due.
Your credit score is very important when looking for a Austin home mortgage, as it will mean that you receive much better program options and interest rates. Keep these tips in mind so that you can enjoy the best rates possible on your mortgage.
For more tips on how to improve your prospects for the best mortgage, feel free to contact your local, trusted mortgage professional.
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