Every homeowner wants a healthy home for his or her family and pets. Making the right choices in your house isn't always easy though. Keep reading to learn more about how you can create a healthy space and enjoy your home even more. These five tips should put you on the path.

Update Your Insulation

Individuals and families in older homes should consider the fact that they may have unhealthy types of insulation in the walls keeping them comfortable. If you're not sure about your insulation, have the pros check it out first.  In the case of asbestos or any other hazardous material, you don't want to be digging around in the walls on your own.

Asbestos and hazardous insulation remediation can be a big job, but for a homeowner, it should be a top priority in terms of a healthy home. Updating your insulation will also be a major plus when and if you go to sell your home.

Get a Mold Check

Most homeowners never think about mold until they get an inspection related to selling their home. For others, mold isn't even a consideration until damage to the home occurs and a mold issue more or less reveals itself. Getting a mold check for your home can help your family breathe easier in the house. While most recently built homes won't have mold, getting a check isn't going to hurt you.

Pick the Right Paint

According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), paint, wood stain and other varieties of coatings account for about nine percent of volatile organic compounds (VOC) emissions in the country every year. For a healthy home, look for low-VOC paint. They are water-based, low or no odor and non-toxic. While it can be hard to identify low-VOC paint on store shelves, online searches and on-can labeling should make it easy to find this type of paint if you're looking for it.

Take Your Shoes Off

Taking your shoes off every single time you come in your home might be a hard habit to get into, but for many people, it can lead to a healthier home environment. Your home might also require a little less cleaning, which is an added benefit. If you have a mudroom or a large entryway, removing your shoes should be easy. Tracking less outside germs from your shoes into your home can also help keep pets and children with a tendency to spend time on the floor healthier all year round.

Add Plants to Your Décor

Fresh, live plants can beautify almost any space. Live plants do more than just make your home look a little bit nicer though. Spider plants, lilies and aloe vera can help get rid of formaldehyde in the air, and English ivy, asparagus ferns and bamboo plants can work to clean indoor air as well. Whatever plant you choose, make sure they're not toxic to your pets if they roam free around your home.

Making your home a healthier place isn't exactly as glamorous as buying new furniture or adding a room to your house. Don't take your home's health for granted and you won't have to worry as much about home-related hazards.

There are many questions homeowners ask themselves during the selling process. "How much will my home sell for?"  "How much should I list my home for?"  "Who should I select as a real estate agent to sell my home?"  "What if

By Cary Teller

There is something awesome about buying a fixer upper and doing the renovations yourself. Some people fix them up a bit at a time, using cash as they have it available. If you want to make a big impact by doing small things, here are 10 things you need to

By Dixie Somers

Being a first time homebuyer can be an intimidating prospect; it seems like there's so much to learn! The process doesn't get less challenging the second or third time around, but here are five tips to help you research and prepare for your next home buying experience.

Location, Location, Location

It's a cliché but it's true: location really is the most important part of the real estate equation. However, the right location isn't the same for everyone. Take your family's priorities into account and know where you would buy a home, and where you would not. Try to be flexible, but if you're longing for a place with a yard, then a balcony might not cut it, however a roof deck might! Always look for the exception to the rule. It's also a good idea to compare home prices around the home that you're considering. This will help you figure out if your house is a good deal and in line with the market expectations.

Find Your Financing

Finding the perfect house can take years, but once you find it things will move quickly. Most real estate markets are fast moving and a great house at a great price can easily go on the market in the morning and be under contract by the evening. When you find that house you have to be ready to jump on it. This means that you should have your financing figured out before you make an offer. Ask friends, family, any law or finance professionals your family uses, or ask your REALTOR® for a recommendation for a mortgage company. Be sure to get quotes from several different firms so you have a general idea of what your rates really should be.

Understand the Vocabulary

You should take the trouble to educate yourself about some of the jargon that comes with the real estate territory, otherwise, you might find yourself completely out of your league when discussing purchasing terms.

Check out the Neighborhood

If you're looking for homes outside of the neighborhood you live in, the best way to get a feel for it is to go and spend the day there. Find a few open houses you're interested in and go make a day of it. Have lunch, stroll the streets, check out the parks, schools, and find out what kind of people live there. These are the things that give a neighborhood its flavor, and things that you can't know until you go there and see for yourself.

Choose a Trustworthy Agent

A real estate agent can make or break your home buying experience. If you don't have an agent you already know and like, ask for recommendations, check local ratings sites and ask around. This can be a very personal relationship, so if you find an agent you believe in, hang on to them!

Buying a home is an exciting and stressful process, but with these tips, we hope you'll have a great experience researching, shopping and purchasing your next home.

Every homeowner wants a healthy home for his or her family and pets. Making the right choices in your house isn't always easy though. Keep reading to learn more about how you can create a healthy space and enjoy your home even more. These five tips should put you on the path.

Update Your Insulation

Individuals and families in older homes should consider the fact that they may have unhealthy types of insulation in the walls keeping them comfortable. If you're not sure about your insulation, have the pros check it out first. In the case of asbestos or any other hazardous material, you don't want to be digging around in the walls on your own.

Asbestos and hazardous insulation remediation can be a big job, but for a homeowner, it should be a top priority in terms of a healthy home. Updating your insulation will also be a major plus when and if you go to sell your home.

Get a Mold Check

Most homeowners never think about mold until they get an inspection related to selling their home. For others, mold isn't even a consideration until damage to the home occurs and a mold issue more or less reveals itself. Getting a mold check for your home can help your family breathe easier in the house. While most recently built homes won't have mold, getting a check isn't going to hurt you.

Pick the Right Paint

According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), paint, wood stain and other varieties of coatings account for about nine percent of volatile organic compounds (VOC) emissions in the country every year. For a healthy home, look for low-VOC paint. They are water-based, low or no odor and non-toxic. While it can be hard to identify low-VOC paint on store shelves, online searches and on-can labeling should make it easy to find this type of paint if you're looking for it.

Take Your Shoes Off

Taking your shoes off every single time you come in your home might be a hard habit to get into, but for many people, it can lead to a healthier home environment. Your home might also require a little less cleaning, which is an added benefit. If you have a mudroom or a large entryway, removing your shoes should be easy. Tracking less outside germs from your shoes into your home can also help keep pets and children with a tendency to spend time on the floor healthier all year round.

Add Plants to Your Décor

Fresh, live plants can beautify almost any space. Live plants do more than just make your home look a little bit nicer though. Spider plants, lilies and aloe vera can help get rid of formaldehyde in the air, and English ivy, asparagus ferns and bamboo plants can work to clean indoor air as well. Whatever plant you choose, make sure they're not toxic to your pets if they roam free around your home.

Making your home a healthier place isn't exactly as glamorous as buying new furniture or adding a room to your house. Don't take your home's health for granted and you won't have to worry as much about home-related hazards.

What Options Do You Have to Refinance Your Home?

The first question to ask is why are you looking at an online mortgage? Are you looking for a better deal than your current mortgage because your credit has improved since you were a first-time homebuyer? Are you filling out a residential mortgage application because you’re looking at a second home, perhaps to spend winters in a warmer climate? Are you considering adding investment property to your overall financial portfolio and an online mortgage is easier to administer than one with your local bank? Refinancing a home may be a confusing process, but knowing why you’re doing it and what the economic conditions are may help you make a smarter decision in the long run. Here are some common types of refinance options to consider when looking at a residential mortgage application:

• Cash-Out Refinance: When you’re in a situation where you need extra cash at a lower interest rate than otherwise available for home improvement loans, college tuition or other necessary expense, a cash-out refinance loan may be a good option to consider. It will typically work best when you’ve built significant equity in your home, which you may then turn into cash, leveraging your home’s equity against the balance of the loan.
• FHA Streamline: An FHA streamline mortgage is a fast and easy way to save money on your FHA mortgage loan. Depending on the terms of your current mortgage, you may be eligible to refinance with a minimum 5 percent reduction in your payment, with no appraisal, income or asset verification required.
• VA Interest Rate Reduction Refinance Loan (IRRRL): Did you get a VA mortgage loan to finance your home when the economy was better and the interest rates were higher? If you’ve served in our country’s military, whether you’re currently on active duty or a veteran, getting an IRRRL loan through the VA may enable you to enjoy the lower interest rates available in today’s economic market. With a lower interest rate, you may enjoy either a shorter repayment period or a lower monthly payment with a simple online mortgage application.
• HARP 2.0 Program: Offered through the federal government, the Home Affordable Refinance Plan was developed when the housing bubble burst. Established in March 2009 by the Federal Housing Finance Agency, it was intended to help homeowners, even first-time home buyers, who found themselves upside-down in their mortgages, owing more than their home was worth. If this describes the circumstances you find yourself in, a HARP refinance loan may be helpful if you’ve kept your mortgage payments current but have not been able to receive traditional refinancing due to the changed value of your home. However, if you’re potentially eligible for this program, be aware that it currently has an application deadline of September 30, 2017 with no guarantee of its extension.
• Refinance to a Fixed-Rate Mortgage: If you have an adjustable-rate mortgage and you’re seeing the rates and your payment constantly changing, it may be very frustrating when you need to stick to a budget. When you need to count on a constant payment over a longer period of time, such as during retirement or while on a fixed income, a fixed-rate mortgage refinance may help provide that level of security. By refinancing into a fixed-rate mortgage refinance loan, you may be able to enjoy lower overall repayments and may not need to worry about changing payment amounts over the remaining life of the mortgage.

Whether you’re a first-time homebuyer facing an online mortgage process to refinance a bad interest rate or are considering a residential mortgage application to fund investment property, refinancing is often a complex process. Knowing how the process works and what your options are may mean all the difference between negotiating a successful contract and being stuck in a bad deal for years to come. By educating yourself on the options you have available, you may be able to turn a tidy profit on investment property or enjoy that perfect vacation home you never thought you’d have the chance to own.

By Brooke Chaplan

If you are unhappy with the current look of your home, you may be thinking about redecorating to spruce the space up. For most, redecorating includes repainting the wall, refreshing the home décor and even purchasing new curtains or furnishings.

“There’s no place like home,” as the old saying goes. That’s especially true when it comes to an investment.

You live in and love your home, but there might come a time when you have to leave it. And when that time comes, you’ll want