March Mortgage Madness

Have you heard about the “Billion Dollar Bracket Challenge?” It’s a legitimate contest offered by Warren Buffett and Quicken Loans. The winner will receive 40 installments of $25 million or can take a lump sum of $500 million. The catch? Well, there is no catch, other than it’s virtually impossible to win.

To be precise, the chance of filling out a perfect bracket is 1 in 9.2 quintillion, or 9,223,372,036,854,775,808 to 1. The odds were figured by a math professor from DePaul University. Still feeling lucky?

So just how long are those odds? Let’s just say Mr. Buffett can sleep well knowing that his money is pretty safe. Here are some long odds that are more likely to happen than choosing a perfect bracket:

A meteor crashing through your roof: 182,138,880,000,000 to 1

Winning the Powerball Jackpot: 140,000,000 to 1

Shark Attack! 1 in 300,000,000

Mountain lion attack! 1 in 32,000,000

Struck by Lightning: 280,000 to 1

Finding a four-leaf clover on first try: 10,000 to 1

Pro golfer gets a hole-in-one: 3,000 to 1

If you entered this contest because you thought it was a good investment, good luck! You’ll need it. When it comes to finding the best mortgage for your individual needs, I can guarantee excellent odds when you work with me. So why gamble? Call Westchester Mortgage today at 617-965-1236. It’s a slam dunk!

Dealing with Ice Dams

Ice Dams form on roofs due to a cycle of melting and refreezing of snow. With extremely cold winters like this one, snow hasn’t always had the chance to melt and flow down gutters to the ground.

When a warm attic melts some of the snow but the cold outside won’t melt everything, a dam of ice forms at the edge of the roof and blocks the built up water that has managed to melt.

When the water rises to a certain level, it seeps in though the roof shingles and into your home. This is more common in houses with a low or flat pitch, but can happen on any roof.

When ice dams leak into your home, the water can cause damage to your walls, floors and ceiling. Unchecked water within your walls can lead to mold. It is important to have a professional check your home for water damage if your roof has leakage from an ice dam. Mold can cause severe respiratory infections and lingering effects on your health.

If your home has been effected by ice dam leakage, it is best to call a remediation specialist who can find water and mold inside walls and ceilings and remove it safely with professional equipment.