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Planning On Getting A Mortgage in 2021, Take These Steps

January 26, 2021 by Regine Lane

Planning On Getting A Mortgage in 2021, Take These Steps As we move into 2021, there are a lot of people who are thinking about getting a mortgage. Even though it is a great time to look for a home loan right now, it is also important for everyone to make sure they place themselves in the best position possible to be successful. It is important to take the following steps for those who are interested in applying for a new home loan this year.

Calculate Your Budget Carefully

First, it is important to take a look at the budget carefully and find a mortgage that is affordable. Remember that the mortgage payment isn’t the only expense that comes with owning a home. It is also critical to think about real estate taxes and homeowners’ insurance, which is often included in the monthly payment that goes back to the lender. Then, do not overlook the importance of utilities. Some of the most common utilities include electricity, water, gas, cable, and internet. Before looking for a home loan, make sure to calculate the budget carefully.

See If Extra Payments Are Possible

When people first take out a home loan, the majority of the monthly payment is going to go towards interest. Then, at the end of the loan, the majority of the payment is going to go towards the principal. Those who are able to afford to make extra monthly payments will be able to attack the principal directly. The faster homeowners are able to pay off their home loans, the less they are going to pay in interest over the life of the loan. Any homeowner that is able to make extra payments should consider doing so.

Don’t Forget To Deduct Mortgage Interest From Taxes

Anyone who is looking for a way to reduce their tax liability should consider taking out a home loan. There are lots of tax breaks that are available to people who own a home; however, for many homeowners, the biggest deduction is going to come in the form of mortgage interest. This can significantly reduce the amount of money that homeowners have to pay in taxes. Be sure to speak with the lender to learn more about the relationship between mortgage interest and tax deductions.

What’s Ahead For Mortgage Rates This Week – January 25, 2021

January 25, 2021 by Regine Lane

What's Ahead For Mortgage Rates This Week - January 25, 2021 Last week’s economic reporting included readings from the National Association of Home Builders Housing Market Index, along with Commerce Department readings on housing starts and building permits issued. The National Association of Realtors® reported on sales of previously-owned homes; weekly readings on mortgage rates and jobless claims were also released.

NAHB: Home Builders’ Housing Market Index Falls in January

Homebuilder confidence in housing market conditions fell three points to an index reading of 83 in January. The National Association of Home Builders Housing Market Index expected a reading of 85 for January as compared to December’s index reading of 86. Increasing covid-19 cases and rising materials costs caused builder confidence to fall as builder concerns rose.

The NAHB Housing Market Index remained strong as any reading over 50 indicates positive builder sentiment toward housing markets. Component readings for January’s Housing Market Index also fell; builder confidence in current market conditions fell two points to an index reading of 90. Homebuilder confidence in market conditions for the next six months also fell two points to 83. Builder confidence in buyer traffic in new housing developments dropped five points to an index reading of 68. Readings of more than 50 for buyer traffic were rare until the covid-19 pandemic started.

Conflicting factors impacted home builder confidence readings. Home sales rose as urban homeowners sought new and larger homes in the suburbs and rural areas, labor shortages, and rising materials expenses worried home builders.

Housing Starts and Building Permits Rose in December

The Commerce Department reported a seasonally-adjusted annual pace of 1.67 million housing starts as compared to November’s reading of 1.547 million starts. Building permits issued rose in December with 1.709 million permits issued annually as compared to November’s reading of 1.635 million housing starts.

The National Association of Realtors® reported 6.76 million sales of previously-owned homes sold as of December on a seasonally-adjusted annual basis. Home sales are increasing although demand exceeds available inventory and home prices continue to rise.

Mortgage Rates, Jobless Claims Lower

Mortgage rates fell last week with the average rate for 30-year fixed-rate mortgages two basis points lower on average at 2.77 percent. Rates for 15-year fixed-rate mortgages averaged 2.21 percent and were two basis points lower. Rates for 5/1 adjustable rate mortgages averaged 2.80 percent and 32 basis points lower.

First-time jobless claims fell to 900,000 claims filed as compared to the prior week’s reading of 926,000 new claims filed. Ongoing jobless claims were also lower last week with 5.05 million continued claims filed as compared to 5.18 million claims filed the previous week.

What’s Ahead

This week’s scheduled economic reporting includes readings from Case-Shiller Home Price Indices, the FHFA House Price Index, and the Federal Reserve’s Statement from its Federal Open Market Committee. Monthly readings on new home sales and consumer sentiment will also be published. Weekly readings on mortgage rates and jobless claims will also be released.

Let There Be Light! 3 Easy Ways to Make over a Room by Adding New Light Fixtures

January 22, 2021 by Regine Lane

Let There Be Light! 3 Easy Ways to Make over a Room by Adding New Light Fixtures Light is an important design element that can be used to influence your interior decor in a number of ways. In fact, you can experience a major transformative change on the overall style and ambiance of a room by making a few simple lighting changes. Consider how these ideas can help you to improve the look of your space with great results, and think about ways that you can improve your space by making a few changes.

The Addition of Spotlights

If you have fine pieces of artwork, decorative display areas or other features that you want to illustrate with beautiful clarity, the addition of spotlights is a great idea. You can shine light on these special features in your home by installing a single, bright fixture with a focused beam overhead, or you can use track lighting to highlight larger features. In some cases, the design or layout of your room may be sufficient to allow lighting to be placed at eye-level or even below the fixture to shine upward at it.

Background Illumination

While spotlights can shine a focused beam of light on fixtures, you can also use background lighting for ambiance. Consider how you can incorporate background lighting with under-cabinet kitchen lighting, dimmer recessed lighting placed behind a sofa or other features. Generally, these are lights that do not provide direct lighting, and the light may not be the main source of light in the room. It may even have a hint of color to it for a dramatic flair that further establishes ambiance.

Beautiful Lamps

Another idea is to use beautiful or decorative lamps in your room. These may be smaller desk lamps, towering floor lamps or table top lamps. There are lamps available in a wide range of colors, sizes and styles. The lighting from the lamps may influence ambiance and provide functional lighting, but the decorative nature of the lamps themselves can enhance the décor even when the lights are not turned on.

There are many different types of lighting that can influence your home’s décor, and in many cases, it makes sense to incorporate each of these styles of lighting in a single room to enjoy different benefits. You can study your rooms’ layouts and designs today to learn more about how the existing light fixtures influence decor, and you can make a few appropriate changes to enjoy better overall results for your space.

Planning On Getting A Mortgage in 2021, Take These Steps

What’s Ahead For Mortgage Rates This Week – January 25, 2021

Let There Be Light! 3 Easy Ways to Make over a Room by Adding New Light Fixtures

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