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The Pros and Cons of Using Spare Funds to Pay Your Mortgage Down Faster

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The Pros and Cons of Using Spare Funds to Pay Your Mortgage Down Faster A home mortgage payment can be a large or even the largest expense in a person’s budget, and not having this payment any longer can be a life changing experience. Because of this, you may be dreaming about the day when you no longer have to make this payment. Some people may even actively make extra payments to their mortgage in order to pay the outstanding balance off more quickly. These may be funds from an IRS tax refund, cash received from the holidays or a birthday or some other windfall. Before you make the decision about whether to use spare funds to pay your mortgage down more quickly, consider these pros and cons.

The Benefits of Making Extra Mortgage Payments

You can shave many years off of your home mortgage when you make even a single extra payment each year. This can help you to achieve long-term financial goals, build equity and avoid paying more than necessary in interest charges. Keep in mind that any principal that is removed from the outstanding balance now will not generate interest charges going forward. This can have a snowball effect on your home equity, and this is especially true when you make extra payments on a regular basis.

Why Extra Payments Are Not Always the Best Option

Clearly, there are some great benefits associated with making extra payments on your home mortgage. However, there are also some downsides to consider before you take this step. Your home mortgage may be one of your debts with the lowest interest rate.

For example, many mortgage interest rates today are below five percent while some credit card rates may exceed 15 or 18 percent. Over the long-term, you may benefit more from savings on interest charges by reducing higher interest rate debts. Even if you have no other debts besides your home mortgage payment, you may be able to invest the money for a higher return than the interest rate on the mortgage.

Each person has different short and long term goals as well as a different financial situation to consider. With how low mortgage rates are today, however, many will benefit from paying off high interest rate debts and making smart investment decisions with any extra money they have.

Pantone Colors: Should You Repaint Before You Sell?

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Pantone Colors: Should You Repaint Before You Sell?Pantone is a universal language of color that you can use to select beautiful colors to paint the home. Interestingly, each year, Pantone selects a color of the year that embodies what’s happening in society. 

In 2021, the Pantone color of the year was awarded to two colors, Illuminating 13-0647 and Ultimate Gray 17-5104. These two colors highlight how two different elements can come together and support each other. This is the thought behind selecting them based on what has occurred over the last year. 

The bold yellow and deeper gray capture feelings of promise, friendliness, and thoughtfulness, which may be a great reason to add those colors to a home. Should homeowners repaint their home in these colors, though, before they sell?

When Psychology Matters, Remember Pantone’s Color of the Year

Pantone’s color of the year is normally the start, or continuation, of a yearly color trend. That can make it an excellent color to incorporate into your home, especially if you are selecting the color based on its meaning. 

However, most people don’t use Pantone colors to completely repaint before selling their homes. Instead, they use the Pantone color of the year to add pops of color or a touch of the modern color palette before putting the home on the market. 

How Can You Incorporate the Pantone Color of the Year?

For example, if a home is already based on a neutral color scheme in grays or blues, adding a pop of the color Illuminating draws the eye. Using yellow as an accent color is a great way to draw attention to impressive parts of the home.

For brighter spaces, toning down the room with a cooler, relaxed gray is a good way to make the space welcoming to those who love color as well as to those who have a more traditional approach to home decorating.

Repainting an entire home in the Pantone color of the year is an option if homeowners need to repaint anyway, but if they don’t, then it could be an expensive option. To reach the most buyers, the better bet is to choose a neutral palette that potential buyers can envision in their own preferred color scheme. 

How Does A Change In Mortgage Rates Impact A Family’s Housing Budget?

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How Does A Change In Mortgage Rates Impact A Family's Housing Budget?

The housing market is extremely competitive right now because mortgage rates are still near record lows. While mortgage rates are rising this year, the rates are still attractive to many individuals and families who are looking to buy a home. At the same time, when mortgage rates change, families need to re-evaluate their budgets. A change in mortgage rates will impact the monthly mortgage payment, so families need to know what they can afford.

Furthermore, because the market is so competitive, sale prices are going up as well. As mortgage rates and home prices rise, families need to determine what their monthly budget is. Even a small increase in the mortgage rate can make a big difference.  

Families Must Do The Math To Figure Out Their Monthly Mortgage Payments

Families need to figure out what monthly mortgage payment they can afford before they make an offer on a home. The factors impacting the monthly mortgage payment are the loan amount, the interest rate, and the repayment period. Many homeowners take out a 30-year mortgage; however, borrowers might be able to adjust the term to meet their specific needs. A few important points to remember include:

  • If the number of years over which the loan is paid back goes down, the monthly payment will likely increase
  • If the interest rate on the loan goes up, the monthly payment will increase
  • If the loan amount goes up, the monthly payment will increase

Families can adjust all of these factors to find the right monthly payment for their budgets.

There Are Ways To Reduce The Interest Rate On A Loan

Finally, there are steps that families can take to reduce the interest rate on their loans. For example, families might be able to put more money down to qualify for a better interest rate. This could reduce the monthly payment, keeping the loan amount within the family’s budget. Or, families might be able to pay down other types of debt such as credit card debt or car loans. If families have a lower debt to income ratio, they might qualify for a better interest rate. This could help families afford a larger house without having to spend more money.

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