Tips for Getting the Best Mortgage Rates
| January Fiscal Fitness Tips |
| Are you thinking of refinancing or buying a new home in 2013? January is the perfect time to plan ahead to maximize your chances of getting the best possible mortgage terms. Set aside time at the start of the year to: Review Take a good look at your finances. Is your debt under control? Is your job secure? Do you have a strong credit rating? How much equity do you have in your home? To qualify for the best rate, you’ll need to have a rock-solid financial foundation.Revise If you recently bought a car, got a new credit card, or had your credit report pulled for another reason, your credit score may dip. To qualify for the best rates, change your plans so you are applying for a new mortgage when there is less activity on your credit report. Similarly, the value of homes typically dips during the winter when the market is quieter. Try to avoid refinancing early in the spring when appraisals will be based on sales of comparable homes during the winter months. Be prepared to revise your timeline to qualify for the best rates! Revisit If you take a little time in the beginning of the year to review, revise and revisit your mortgage financing, you can increase your ability to qualify for great terms and save thousands of dollars over the life of the loan. Want to know more? Please give me a call at 617-965-1236 or email me for information or help. |
| January’s Home Value Improver |
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Quick Tips for Decluttering Are you struggling with the winter blahs? Scientists say that getting rid of clutter will help you feel more focused and energized. A Princeton University study found that a cluttered environment even limits your brain’s ability to process information. Here are five quick tips to help you get rid of clutter: 1. Take photos: We are so accustomed to our environments that sometimes it is hard to see the clutter. Take photos of rooms and imagine you are viewing them in a magazine. You will see your rooms in new ways! 2. Everything in its place: Everything that you want to keep should have an assigned spot. Start by picking up five things and finding good places for them. Train yourself to always put those items back in their assigned places. Once you have mastered the first five, try it with five more items, and so on. 3. The hangar trick: This idea originated for clothes but, with adaptation, could be used for everything. Hang all your clothes with hangars pointing the same way. When you wear an item, return it to the closet with the hangar pointing the opposite direction. At the end of a season, discard any clothes that have not been worn. 4. Set a time limit: Tackle one room or closet at a time. Grab a trash bag or box, set a timer for 30 minutes and try to fill the bag or box within that time. Anything you haven’t worn, used or enjoyed within the past year is fair game to be given away. 5. Play mind games: Sometimes we have a hard time giving things away because we think we will use the item or that we like it more than we really do. A columnist for Psychology Today says to use your imagination to overcome roadblocks. Find out how much a similar item costs on ebay or Craigslist. Would you pay that much to own it? If not, get rid of it. |