Homeownership can be a major undertaking that impacts multiple aspects of your day-to-day life. Determining when to buy a house isn’t only about your financial readiness, though it is definitely one aspect — a house is probably one of the most expensive purchases you’ll make. Beyond the numbers, you should consider your lifestyle when deciding to buy a house.

If you’re still figuring out if you should buy a house, here are both financial and lifestyle signs that you may be ready to make such a huge commitment.

SIGNS YOU ARE FINANCIALLY READY

YOU HAVE A STABLE JOB OR SOURCE OF INCOME

Whether it’s a 9-to-5 job, self-employment income or income from your small business, having regular, steady income is one of the first signs you can commit to a mortgage.

Yes, you’ll need it to pay the bills, but according to Zillow – your source of income is one of the main factors mortgage lenders look at when assessing your eligibility for a loan. If you don’t have proof of steady income or have a shaky employment history, you may find it difficult to qualify.

YOU HAVE A DOWN PAYMENT

Having enough for a down payment on a home can take a long time to save up, as it can be a huge chunk of money. Depending on the lender and type of home loan, you may be required to put down at least 3% (FHA loans, however, typically require at least 3.5%). For instance, a home that costs $350,000 with a 3% down payment requirement will require you to put down at least $10,500.

Don’t forget to factor in closing costs, which can be anywhere from 2 to 5% of the purchase price.

YOU HAVE GOOD CREDIT

Lenders look at your credit score as an indicator of whether you’re likely to pay back your debt. The higher your credit score, the more likely you will qualify for a mortgage with the most favorable rates and terms. Even a fraction of a percent higher on an interest rate can mean paying thousands more throughout the life of your loan.

YOU CAN AFFORD THE COSTS

Knowing when to buy a house isn’t only about whether you can afford the mortgage, though that’s a major part. It’s also about factoring in other costs such as property taxes, insurance, maintenance and repairs. Between all that, you’ll need to make sure you can also afford your lifestyle, such as bills, entertainment and other financial goals, and be able to make adjustments as needed.

You can use a mortgage or housing affordability calculator to determine how much you may be able to afford. If you can do so comfortably, it’s a sign you’re ready for homeownership.

YOU HAVE A GOOD DEBT-TO-INCOME RATIO

In addition to your income, mortgage lenders also look at your total debt. They look at your debt-to-income ratio, or DTI, to determine whether you can afford to take on a new loan in addition to your existing debt. The higher your DTI, the more likely you’ll be stretched too thin financially.

For this reason, lenders typically want borrowers to have a DTI of around 36% or less. To calculate your DTI, total all your monthly debt payments and divide it by your gross monthly income. If your DTI hovers around 36% (the lower, the better), you can probably afford a mortgage.

SIGNS YOU ARE PERSONALLY READY

YOU HAVE NO SHORT-TERM PLANS TO MOVE

Buying a house is typically a commitment to a specific location or neighborhood — if you love the area and can afford it, then fine. However, you also need to account for the fact you’ll most likely need to stay in your home for at least several years to see any return on investment when you do sell.

Plus, buying and selling a house takes time and money beyond the cost of the house itself. Unlike renting, where you end your contract and move your belongings, selling a house requires an additional financial commitment — think listing agent and other closing fees. It could also take months before you find a buyer and move. So if you’re ready to stay put, the extra work involved to buy a house could be worth it.

YOU HAVE THE BANDWIDTH TO ENGAGE IN HANDYMAN SKILLS

Owning a home means you won’t have a landlord who you can call if you need repairs done around the house. In other words, you need to ensure you have time to maintain your home and to learn the skills to do so. It’s not only plumbing work or fixing cracked windows; maintenance also includes routine tasks like mowing and fertilizing the lawn.

If you don’t have the skills or time to learn them, it means taking the time to hire a reputable contractor and oversee their work.

Take a careful look at your schedule to see whether it isn’t too demanding for you to take a few hours here and there to maintain your home. Be realistic; even if it’s a relatively new or move-in-ready home, you’ll need to give up some free time to keep your home in tip-top shape.

Be realistic; even if it’s a relatively new or move-in-ready home, you’ll need to give up some free time to keep your home in tip-top shape.

YOU AREN’T FEELING PRESSURED

For some, owning a home isn’t all that attractive, but they become a homeowner because of peer pressure. Perhaps your parents are wondering whether you’ll stop throwing money away on rent (in their words), or you keep seeing beautiful photos of homes your friends and co-workers have bought and renovated on social media.

If the decision to own a home is yours and yours alone, that’s great. Otherwise, you’re probably better off waiting if you feel you should purchase a home because that’s what people are telling you to do.

YOU’RE READY TO COMMIT

Homeownership takes up a large portion of your time and budget, so you want to be absolutely sure you’re ready to commit. For example, if you’ve got other major life decisions you might want to make, such as long-term travel, taking a work sabbatical or going back to graduate school, then it might be better to put off buying a home. However, if you really want to invest in a place that will grow with you, then by all means, consider buying a home.

SO, SHOULD YOU BUY A HOME? ANSWER THE QUESTIONS IN THE DECISION TREE TO HELP YOU DECIDE.

Source: May 4, 2022, zillow.com/resources/stay-informed/when-to-buy-a-house/, All rights reserved.

If you’re thinking of selling your house before the end of the year, you should start planning now. When it comes to selling real estate, the sooner the better. But don’t be dismayed if you, like many others, find yourself in the fourth quarter of 2021 and still want to sell your home. Mortgage rates are now low, and properties for sale are scarce. These are ideal conditions for potential sellers. These low rates, however, will not persist forever in the natural cycle of things. The home market will gradually begin to recover as more sellers become aware of the situation.

The spring and summer are the finest times of year to sell a home. The “selling season” usually begins in May and lasts through July, and this past summer has been particularly favorable for home sellers. Naturally, this varies by region, but statistically speaking, that is the greatest time to sell.

According to Zillow, a real estate analytic company: “Generally, the best time to sell a home to maximize return and minimize time on the market is May 1 to May 15. Homes sold in the first half of May sell six days faster and for $1,600 more than the average listing.”

Don’t worry if you missed that ferry. It doesn’t rule out the possibility of selling your home in the fall or winter. These figures simply indicate that selling early in the year is easier and faster.

However, the housing market has performed exceptionally well this year. Despite the pandemic-related unemployment weariness, conventional home prices soared by as much as 24 percent at the start of the year. Even while these prices and rates are starting to cool and come back down to earth, the aftershocks of this historic spike may be felt well into next year. Especially as a growing number of people return to work.

Another factor to consider is the inventory (home) gap that exists across the United States. Fewer homes are being listed for sale at the moment, creating an extremely favorable environment for potential sellers. However, these conditions do not endure indefinitely, and if you were planned to sell, it would be in your best interest to do it now, or as soon as possible. By the year 2022, the market may have returned to competitive levels, making it more difficult to sell your house. However, in the majority of cities and areas across the United States, the market remains extremely low. The housing market in metropolitan areas is still witnessing large reductions. For example, in the last year, the population of Austin, Texas has decreased by a startling -72.7 percent.

For a large chunk of the country, selling a home has never been easier than it is right now. Homes that are just listed are flying off the “shelves” even without the staging and “setting up.” The standard rate on a 30-year mortgage fell to 2.65 percent at the beginning of January 2021, eclipsing any previous record lows in the last 50 years.

To put it another way, if you’ve been thinking about selling your house, do it immediately or as soon as feasible (before the end of the year). The housing market is delicate, and these advantageous conditions will not last indefinitely. As more people learn about it, more homes will be placed for sale, putting the seller at a disadvantage.

“Staging” is the practice of setting up and furnishing an empty house being sold, rather than leaving it empty. It’s all for cosmetic purposes. Staging is a relatively new practice that has exploded in popularity in the past 2 decades.

It was discovered that furnishing homes when selling had psychological effects on potential buyers. It acts as an audition to eager people who prowl the markets.

Staging acts as “make-up” to any home with mild blemishes. Viewing a home completely empty is useful but can often show every little flaw it may contain. These flaws may not be enough to ruin the sale on their own, but they stand out much clearer when the room is empty.

Keeping Up with the Jones’s

You might not be a fan of staging, but it’s quickly become a fundamental staple within the industry. A staggering number of home sellers are following this commodity, which means your home will likely be sold against professionally staged homes. According to Investopedia, 82 percent of buyers agents confirmed that staging undoubtably made selling easier. It made it easier for buyers to “visualize the property as a future home”, according to a report by the National Association of Realtors.

Another thing you may want to consider is your online presence. The National Association of Realtors (NAR) reported that 93 percent of people dwelling in the market used online listings to search. The internet is fantastic source for home selling, it broadens your reach to so many more people, but this also means your home needs to look good online. This rings especially true in the age of “DIY” television which has heightened our expectations of what a home looks like. High-resolution pics combined with a properly staged home can dominate a market. If you can’t capture adequate pictures yourself, hire a professional to help. There is a notably difference between amateur and professional staging.

Proper staging also effects how much it can sell for. According to a 2017 report performed by the NRA, 58 percent of realtors experienced higher offers given to staged homes over those sold empty. Any where from 5 to 10 percent higher than asking price. That’s a significant mark in competitive markets. Only 14 percent of sellers believed staging to be an unnecessary tactic.

Home Staging Resource is a website that aids eager sellers in staging their homes. They recently performed a study involving 4,200 staged homes. 85 percent of the staged homes sold for up to 25 percent more than the un-staged homes.

Plain and simple, staging a home shows professionality and care towards the environment that largely translates to eager home buyers.

The expenses of staging may wildly vary. First, you need to consider the level of staging required, and which source you’ll choose for advertising. Will you be strictly online? Will you hold open houses? For example, virtual staging is when you photoshop furnishings into a picture for online posting. It’s become mildly popular and can be incredibly cost effective if you don’t plan on hosting physical open houses.

You first need to determine how much you’re willing to spend vs. how much you think you’ll make back. Staging often requires renting furniture to furnish the home, which can still be worth the endeavour. But using your own furniture not only cuts costs into thirds, but also might make you a profit. Home buyers have been known to purchase the furniture that comes with a staged home.

It’s the most wonderful time of the year, and no, I’m not talking about Christmas…It’s summertime! There isn’t anything quite as powerful than the smell and sizzle of a burger on the grill, expect for of course, a refreshing dip in a swimming pool in your own back yard!

But all wonderful things in life accompany downsides, and swimming pools are no exception…

 

Pro: Good for Your Health

A swimming pool not only provides endless entertainment for you and your lucky invitees, but swimming is among the most effective exercises out there. Swimming offers low impact exercises that builds strength and stamina without completely destroying your muscles the next day. The perfect solution for people suffering from joint and arthritis issues to receive a bountiful workout.

Aside from physical health, pools are fantastic for mental health too. Speedo performed a study in which 74% of participants experienced lower stress levels after installing a swimming pool, both physically and mentally. Lower stress equals happier and longer lives.

 

Con: Costly Endeavor

I can type away all day about how beneficial swimming pools can be, but at the end of the day they are a very costly venture. The starting price for most above ground pools can be $20,000, not to mention the water bill after filling it up.

Installation prices spike up costs as well, even if you’re planning on doing it yourself. This also depends on the type of material and lining you choose.

 

Pro: May Add Value to Your Home/Property

Any additions or renovations can instantly increase the value and equity of your home. Which given the current economic climate gives you a strong advantage if you’re planning or trying to sell your property. Swimming pools are hardly (if ever) considered “budget friendly”, so a property with a pre-existing pool stands out and potentially sells faster.

 

Con: Restricts Yard Space

If you have already have a small or medium sized lawn, a pool will restrict much, if not most, of that space. Additionally, most building and community codes require proper fencing around a pool as a safety measure, which takes up a larger surface area than the pool itself. This is especially problematic for those who live in areas that experience shorter summer and warm months, as for most of the year you can’t use half of your yard.

 

Pro: Pool Parties

I couldn’t write this without including perhaps the coolest reason to own a pool. A swimming pool turns an average family cookout into a sensational summertime blowout. You will never have to worry about family and guests growing board of festivities, unless the food is really that bad…

This seems like a vein reason to own a pool but providing timeless fun that create forever memories is truly a priceless attribute.

 

Con: High Maintenance

Pools can be difficult to manage. Between adding the correct chemicals establishing even PH balances, and keeping the pool free and clear of leaves, algae, and other intrusive elements, caring for a pool can be quite tedious.

A dirty pool not only compromises the aesthetic of your backyard, but it can be dangerous too. Dirty pools can host a variety of potentially harmful bacteria. In extreme cases they can produce dangerous ameba’s that can leave devastating health defects

Less is More

This is a good mantra for everything! It’s all too easy to get caught up when driving renovation projects. But sometimes you can find the greatest renovations from taking items away, rather than adding more.

Simply eliminating clutter can make any room seem larger and easier to move around. It’ll feel like you have a whole new kitchen! Take some time and rummage through your kitchen and figure what is used daily, and what hasn’t been used in 15 years.

Estate Sales

Stores too expensive? Try your luck at an estate sale! They’re similar to garage sales but often sell much higher quality items. From wooden cookware to whole complete sets, you can usually find everything you need at estate sales. You can even find some cheap artwork that will truly let your home kitchen snap.

Various apps and websites contain rosters of when and where an estate sale is taking place in your area. The items will be slightly used, but that isn’t anything a little dish soap won’t take care of. Use your best discretion and start saving!

Open Space Shelving

These are basically cabinets without doors. Sounds goofy, but these shelves are not only stylish, but very affordable. More shelving means more workspace, which is incredibly valuable in any effective kitchen.

They allow you to customize your kitchen a unique and unorthodox fashion without devastating your bank account.

Upgrade Pre-existing Items

Before you go tearing your kitchen apart and ripping the cabinets from the wall, you might want to consider working with what you already have.

Want new cabinets? Well you don’t have to replace the entire unit. Cabinets are often perfectly fine, it’s usually the cabinet doors that require replacement. Even if you are purchasing new items, you can buy cheaper products and upgrade them yourself at half the costs.

Attend a Home Improvement Lesson

If you’re not confident in your renovation skills, don’t hire a contractor quite yet! Various businesses offer quick classes that teach people how to perform simple renovations on their own. Places like Home Depot and Farm & Fleet offer handy work shops that will give you the knowledge necessary for lite renovations.

What’s better than learning handy tips! Once you’ve acquired new skills, you’ll be able to renovate and maintain without hiring pricy contractors.

Paint and Wallpaper

Sometimes a simple paint job will make you feel like you have an entirely new kitchen! Paint is usually cheap and easy to apply by yourself. Depending on the colors you choose, creative schemes can actually make your kitchen appear larger.

Don’t like painting? Try laying wallpaper! It’s just as affordable as paint and provides the same results. Experimenting with accent colors and shades can provide you with some pretty innovative results.

Purchase “Basic” Brands

You don’t need to purchase the top-quality brands to receive top quality use from your kitchenware and accessories. If you’re feeling handy you can always purchase cheaper products (cabinets, kitchen island, etc.) and upgrade them yourself with new doors and paint jobs.

“Garnish” Your Kitchen

Leaving a bowl of fruit on the countertop is a pretty typical practice. But when you “garnish” your kitchen, it gives you a creative opportunity. Do you store a lot of dry produce like onions, garlic, and avocados? Try hanging baskets that will suspend room temp produce off of the counter space. It’s handy, saves space, and looks cool.

Creating a Focal Point

This classic tip is straight out of the artists handbook. Creating a focal point directs the eye to where you want. It gives your kitchen a symmetrical appeal that allows you to literally construct what you want your guests to see. It also gives the illusion of a larger workspace.

Don’t Buy Too Cheap

We’re all about saving money, but the concept defeats its own purposes if you spend money on low quality products which won’t last long anyways. Sometimes it’s okay to splurge and drop some cash on something you really need, whether that be a new refrigerator, oven, or even cooking pans/utensils. You will save both time and money.

Safety is a critical affair in the environment, as it encompasses a wide range of domestic and outdoor approach to ensuring the preservation and protection of lives and properties. A part of which is the prevention of a fire outbreak.

It is advisable not to underestimate the impact of a glint as it can explode, destroy possessions, and endangering lives. And the prevention of fire is more crucial than you may think.

30,763 fire outbreaks occurred in the first half of 2017, according to the National Interagency Fire Center, and according to reports by the National Fire Prevention Agency in 2015, fires destroyed up 7 billion dollars’ worth of homes and culminated in 2,650 civilian deaths and 11,075 injuries.

By instinct, people would think about or consider the wellbeing of their loved ones. However, they often overlook the dangers that fire inflicts on lives and properties, until avoidable devastation occurs, making them regret that they didn’t put their safety ahead, and leaving them with nothing to make up for what is lost.

All the same, fire prevention and general safety can help tell a different story in areas that are susceptible to fire and prevent the spread of wildfires in tropical and dry locations. Instead of watching of overlooking a normal fire go out of control, keep it regulated by equipping your home with the appropriate fire protection and safety measures.

Since you never want to fall in tragic statistics like fire outbreak, explosion, wildfire, and the like, ensure that you observe these general fire prevention methods to keep your immediate environment safe and secure:

• Apply fire-resistant materials when building or renovating your home.
• Keep trees, shrubs and bushes trimmed and maintain your lawns.
• Have at least a shovel and a fire extinguisher near you for easy accessibility.
• Clear incandescent/inflammable materials, debris, and combustible materials from your home and surroundings.
• Have a well-functioning fire alarm system in your home.
• Prepare a fire safety plan and practice appropriate fire safety measures with campfires to avoid a house fire.
• Maintain vehicles to avoid sparks.
• Avoid any hanging metal objects from underneath your vehicles, such as loose mufflers or exhaust pipes.
• Do not start vehicles in areas with high brittle grasses to reduce fire risk.
• Keep an outdoor water supply with easy access for firefighters.
• Leave plenty of room for fire trucks to enter and attach to a water supply, if necessary.

With these few yet inexhaustive precautions, you can seriously reduce the risk to your family and home, let alone having to clean up after fire devastation

 

Every year when April 22 rolls around, Earth Day serves as a healthy reminder that even our most mundane activities can positively or negatively affect the environment. The way you eat, manage your house, and travel from place to place matter because the small choices you make can contribute to a greener future.

Below, find nine simple ideas to help you do your part for the environment.

FOOD

Eat less meat — Cut back the quantities of meat, seafood, eggs, and dairy you consume and replace those foods with a more plant-based diet to reduce your impact on the environment. Go vegan, and you could shrink your carbon footprint by nearly 75%.

 

Compost your food waste — Instead of sending uneaten food to a landfill, give it a second life by making a compost heap. You can then use properly aged compost, comprised of vegetable and fruit scraps, coffee grounds, organic materials, and more, as a nourishing fertilizer for vegetables and flowers.

 

Buy less packaged foods — Think of how much plastic you buy and then throw away on a typical day. Plastic is terrible for the environment for multiple reasons. For a start, it can clutter up animal habitats and add to the issue of global warming. You can cut your plastic reliance by choosing loose fruits and vegetables instead of ultra-packaged foods, using reusable totes at the grocery store, or buying foods in bulk.

HOME

Buy energy-efficient light bulbs — You may want to give some extra thought to the light bulbs you use to illuminate your house and consider switching to energy-efficient CFL or LED lights. Not only can these lights cut down on waste by lasting longer, but they can also lower greenhouse gas emissions and save you money in the long term.

 

Be aware of appliance water waste — Appliances are one of the time-saving wonders of the modern world, but it’s key to make sure you’re using them responsibly. For the least amount of water waste possible, resolve never to run a half-load of laundry. When it comes to dishes, choose an energy-efficient dishwasher, which only uses 4 gallons of water per load, instead of the seemingly greener hand-washing option.

 

Use eco-friendly cleaning products — Just because it cleans doesn’t mean it’s green. Cleaning products containing volatile organic compounds, or VOCs, such as ammonia, phosphorous, and nitrogen, can wreak havoc on waterways and air quality. These ingredients may be common in cleaning products, but the smarter approach is to opt for environmentally friendly alternatives.

TRANSPORTATION

Walk or bike when possible — Don’t you love when good advice pulls double duty? Here’s an example. Opting to walk or cycle instead of driving when you need to go somewhere is not only healthy, but it can reduce your carbon footprint by .5 tons a year, even if you only switch up your car-reliant routine one day a week.

 

Carpool to work — Is walking or biking to your workplace not possible? Consider another potentially more realistic option: carpooling. By joining up with one or two other co-workers, you can all effectively reduce the number of cars on the road. Bonus: you get to cruise down that wide-open carpool lane.

 

Become an electric car family — While there are options to avoid using a car, many people choose to own one because of personal preference or convenience. If it’s within reach for you, consider purchasing a hybrid or fully electric vehicle. Both of these options produce fewer or no direct and lifecycle emissions.

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Even one determined individual can have a significant impact on their environment with a few small lifestyle changes. This Earth Day and beyond, do your part for the earth by making one or more.

Maybe you’ve heard of manifestation, but you’re not really sure what it is or how to start. If self-improvement is a goal of yours in 2021, it’s not a bad idea to research methods like manifestation to understand how they might be able to improve your life. In this article, we’ll give you an overview of what manifestation is and offer some tips that even absolute beginners can benefit from.

What Is Manifestation?

Popularized in The Secret and embraced by a number of celebrities including Oprah, Will Smith, and Ariana Grande, manifestation is the idea that you can essentially make your goals and dreams reality through focused, intentional thoughts and actions. Depending on what resources you use, the exact actions involved in manifestation can be different. According to The Oprah Magazine, the basic framework includes naming and writing down your goals, combining them with action, and being grateful for what you have and receive.

6 Tips to Get You Started with Manifestation

Like most things, it would be hard to succeed with manifestation without a plan. If you don’t know where to start with exploring this discipline, try implementing these seven tips into your daily routine.

1. Get Crystal Clear on What You Want

According to The Oprah Magazine, it’s important to do some soul searching and know exactly what you want in any given area of your life when you begin your manifestation journey. Try not to be too general. Imagine specific elements of your goals. Think of this as similar to setting S.M.A.R.T. goals. For example, instead of making your goal “I want to be rich,” or “I want to save more money,” think about the exact dollar amounts involved in these goals and how you’ll go about reaching them. Once you know your goals, write them down so you can see them and even speak them out loud daily.

2. Don’t Be Afraid to Daydream

According to Gordana Biernat in her Psychology Today article: “Daydreaming creates blueprints of what you do want in your future” as opposed to worrying, which causes you to visualize things you don’t want. If you don’t really have a clear idea of what you want in life, allow yourself to daydream, and notice what you daydream about. Then use that knowledge to clarify your vision for your life.

3. Create a Vision Board

Based on the concept of visualization, vision boards are a creative way to compile images of everything you aspire to in a way that’s easy to see on a daily basis. Use this exercise to compile pictures of things you want to bring into your life, states of mind you want to cultivate, places you want to visit, and more. Look at it daily and visualize yourself achieving these things.

4. Don’t Forget about Action

It’s pretty unlikely that you’ll manifest a million dollars or anything else you want just by sitting on your couch and thinking positively. Manifestation goes beyond simply wanting and visualizing things and also requires action on your part.

 

According to manifestation expert Gabby Bernstein, quoted in The Oprah Magazine, “Manifesting is also known as co-creating because it’s a collaboration between you and the Universe.” That means you have to work toward the intentions and goals you set to really get the most out of them.

5. Be Grateful

Gratefulness is a great habit to cultivate because it truly can make you happy. Even before you start to see any positive changes in your life from manifestation practices, make it a habit to be grateful for what you have. If manifesting and working on your goals start to pay off, be grateful for the things you receive as well.

6. Use an Established Method

If you want a more structured approach than the above, try the 5×55 method from the Through the Phases blog. In short, this method requires you to select an intention, create affirmations to support that intention, and narrow them down to one. Every day for five days, you should then write your affirmation down in pen 55 times. The blog emphasizes to make sure to do this exercise in a “high-vibrational space” and to consider meditating beforehand to put yourself in the right frame of mind.

 

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When you break it down, manifestation has a lot of good aspects that good benefit just about anybody. Try incorporating one or more of these ideas into your routine in 2021.