Archive for October, 2009
Designing Your Dream Kitchen
Whether renovating or building new, kitchen design requires careful consideration of a family’s lifestyle. What happens in your kitchen dictates the first decision you make before further fine-tuning any design elements in your plan. Your first decision must be on kitchen size.
For many families, the kitchen is indeed the heart of the home. Not only is the kitchen the site of food preparation, for many families who opt out of formal dining areas, it is also where all meals are served.
For the family oriented home-owner who leads a casual and traditional lifestyle, the kitchen is also where children gather to do homework, where Mom sets up her scrapbooking supplies, where friends are entertained. If this is you, your kitchen design must be planned to accommodate a variety of activities.
For home owners whose approach to the kitchen is more utilitarian, a compact, modest-sized kitchen might be more in line with the design you have in mind. The kitchen can be much smaller, with the saved space devoted to rooms that see perhaps a little more activity than the kitchen.
For many of today’s singles and couples, cooking has become a hobby as much as a necessity. If this is you, your kitchen design will be a backdrop to showcase your interest and talent. Be sure your kitchen adequately accommodates this popular pastime.
No matter what your lifestyle, there are certain elements key to all kitchen design, all kitchen sizes. What appliances will occupy your kitchen space? Consider size and placement in your planning.
Do you have room to work? Is an island necessary and is their adequate space to ensure its placement will not interfere with traffic flow? Is floor space sufficient for an easy flow of traffic from refrigerator to stove to sink to table?
Have you allowed for adequate cupboard and countertop space? Do you have space for all your kitchen tools and those tools and appliances still on your wish list?
Once you have studied carefully your lifestyle, you are better prepared to decide on a kitchen sized to meet your family’s needs. It is then that you can move on to design that perfect kitchen.
Consider searching the Internet to find some useful design tips, methods and designs in particular for your kitchen. Who said kitchen design is a hard and frustrating experience — it can actually be a lot of fun if you’re prepared with the right tools and knowledge.
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Tags: Home Building 101: Choosing Home Plans
Home Building 101: Choosing Home Plans
Choosing Home Plans
Looking For a New Home Plan?
Start Out by Identifying your Needs:
An architect identifies clients needs.
They help clients develop a program.
When you develop your own program, write down your needs.
Be open and truthful asking yourself what you expect from your new home. Considerations in this area include space requirements. Note: The amount of space and the type of space –taking into account anticipated changes in your family’s size. Will you need to accommodate aging parents or a growing family? Will you need a home office to fit your future job plans? Do you plan to live in your new home after retirement? Will a child return home after college? Do you have the space to accommodate an elderly, ill or disabled person?If you are less concerned with the perceptions of others your instincts may be the guide. You may need to search to strike a balance between personal needs and making a statement. Your program must also address your budget. Remember to leave dollars for landscaping and furnishings. An under-furnished new home with little landscaping can be a real disappointment. Adding 10 percent to the total cost is a good percentage to add to cover unforeseen changes, additions and upgrades that inevitably occur.
Home Sizing
The program that you develop may be somewhat of a wish list and reality may force modifications. This realization will probably occur when you determine an affordable square footage for your new home. The size of the home you build is the most important factor.
You can determine the average cost per square foot for new homes in your area by calling the local chapter of the National Association of Home Builders. Multiply the square footage of the home that you wish to build by the average cost per square foot to determine a general cost. If you find yourself staring at a grand total that is far beyond your budget, you’ll have to scale down the design or choose a new one. If it’s close to your budget, you can adjust the options, extras and finish materials to stay within budget. Developing a budget and calculating costs will take time and research, but it is an action that needs to happen.
Home Exterior Style
Decide the exterior style of your new home. Many people know what they want, but if you are unsure, this is simply what appeals to you. Home designs are very regional and this should be kept in mind. Choose appropriate house designs for your region. If you choose to be unique, this could affect your resale value.
Unsure of your home plan preferences?
Certain characteristics of each plan style may help.
Country Home Style This is the most popular style Nationwide. Country Style Characteristics include a large front porch or a wraparound porch, and a steeply pitched, gabled roof line that runs lengthwise. The farmhouse style is often lumped in with country-style designs. This house is typically a rectangular or L-shaped home, often two-story, and is derived from homes built in agricultural communities around the turn of the 20th century.
Traditional Home Style
This term describes classic designs with regional characteristics. Cape Cod Floor Plans for Free are at this cool web site – http://www.homeplansforfree.com/index_files/page0005.html
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, and saltbox designs are all regional (and historical) styles. Simplicity is a common characteristic of traditional designs. They display little ornamentation, simple roof lines and small-paned windows that are often spaced equally (ranch styles may be an exception).
Victorian Home Style
This traditional-style home has strong historical origins; roof lines are intricate and include towers, bays and eyebrow windows; ornamentation and decoration are in the Victorian, and ornate porches are a prevalent feature. Materials usually include shingles or narrow-lap wood siding. This style is more appropriate for two-story homes, although one-story designs with Victorian features are also becoming very popular.
Contemporary
This broad category embodies many styles and shapes of homes. The common factors are an absence of ornamentation and decoration, and in general, little reference to older styles. Contemporary homes display bold geometric shapes, lots of glass, and windows with out shutters or decorative trim. Roof lines often range from flat to very steep.
Choosing Home Plans
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For Florida homebuyers FHA home loan is the only option
Florida FHA Loan, Florida FHA Mortgage For Many Florida homebuyers FHA home loan is the only option.
The FHA loan program was created to help increase homeownership. The FHA program makes buying a home easier and less expensive than other types of real estate mortgage home loan programs. Here are just some Examples of how FHA can help you buy a home,
Minimal Down Payment and Closing Costs.
Down payment less than 3.5% of Sales Price 100% Financing options available No reserves or required. FHA regulated closing costs. Seller can credit up to 6% of sales price towards buyers costs. Easier Credit Qualifying Guidelines such as: No minimum FICO score or credit score requirements. FHA will allow a home purchase 2 years after a Bankruptcy. FHA will allow a home purchase 2 years after a Foreclosure. Easier Debt Ratio & Job Requirement Guidelines such as: Higher Debt Ratio’s than other home loan programs. Less than two years on the job is allowed. Self-Employed individuals o.k.
Apply Now at http://www.fhamortgagefhaloan.com/
At one point and time many years ago, the FHA loan was the only alternative to local bank financing for home buyers. In the fashion world, there is a saying: Wait long enough, and everything comes back into style. That rule applies just as well to Florida FHA mortgage program. Long-overlooked, the FHA mortgage is becoming popular again with Florida Home Buyers for its low rates and the real security it provides borrowers.
For Florida banks and other mortgage lenders, FHA mortgage loan financing offers the security of a government insured Mortgage. Win/Win! To learn more, call today at 1-800-570-0448 or just use our fast and easy quick application!
For first time home buyers and other borrowers, the FHA home loans can have key advantages:
Easy Qualification – The FHA loan insures lenders against loss for loans made to properly qualified FHA home loan borrowers. So you’re likely to find FHA mortgage loans with terms that make it easier for you to qualify.
Minimal Downpayment Requirements – FHA mortgages can work with as little as 3% down and those funds can come from a family member, charity, or your employer. Although the FHA loan does not have a zero down mortgage option yet, you will find that your 1st Continental Mortgage loan officer can point you to many Downpayment assistance programs that work well with Florida FHA home loans.
Less than A-1 Credit is Okay – The Florida FHA home loan program exists to expand the pool of home buyers. Even borrowers with prior bankruptcies or mortgage lates get approved every day for FHA mortgages to buy or Refinance homes in Hillsborough County or any of the other Florida counties we serve. The FHA loan program uses credit quality, not credit score!
Lower Cost Over the Life of the Loan – The Florida FHA home loan rates are extraordinarily competitive. FHA’s lower risk to the lender means a better rate for the borrower.
Safeguards for Borrowers Who Get Behind – The Florida FHA loan mortgages also allow the lender more options in helping borrowers who fall behind keep their homes are get current again: special forbearance, workouts, even free mortgage counseling. Further, HUD can allow the lender to take past due payments and move them to the end of the loan and in some instance will actually pay your past due payments for you. Options to save your home you’ll never get from a conventional loan! In an uncertain world, this is another excellent reason for you to get an FHA mortgage.
Options for Manufactured Housing – Under certain conditions, you can even finance a Mobile Home or manufactured home using a Florida FHA mortgage loan. Call 1-800-570-0448 to get pre-approved for a Florida FHA loan for manufactured housing or just use our quick application to learn more!
FHA Loans Are Fully Assumable – When you are ready to sell your home, you can offer buyers FHA financing! All FHA loans can be assumed by qualified buyers.
These are just seven of the many good reasons to apply for an FHA mortgage. Call 1-800-570-0448 to speak with a friendly Florida FHA loan specialist now!
The FHA program has evolved since it started in 1934 and now has options for HUD insured loans that fit a variety of different borrowers and situations.
FHA Home Loans for Purchasing a Florida Home
Although Florida FHA home loans require additional paperwork, the reality is that applying for an FHA mortgage loan in Florida is not much different from applying for conventional financing. In fact, for many borrowers the small amount of extra time turns out to be an exceptional mortgage bargain because they save thousands of dollars over the life of their Florida Mortgage.
At 1st Continental Mortgage, we have been working with the FHA program for many years. We’re experts at assembling the proper paperwork and presenting your loan application to FHA approved lenders diligently and professionally. It’s one of the ways that we have earned our reputation for closing FHA home loans in Florida on-time.
You may be surprised at how flexible sellers are in the current market and how many programs there are that provide Downpayment assistance to applicants for FHA financing to purchase Florida homes, condos, and townhouses. The fact is, seller can pay up to 6% towards your closing costs. This means, no closing costs for you when negotiated during the purchase contract!
The FHA program offers excellent fixed rate options and never a prepayment penalty. If other mortgage lenders are quoting you subprime rates, you owe it to yourself to make the call to 1st Continental Mortgage to compare the costs of getting an FHA home loan for your home purchase. Call 1-800-570-0448 to speak with an FHA mortgage expert before accepting any conventional mortgage quote as the best you can do!
FHA Home Loans Offer the Convenience of Streamlined Refinance
An FHA streamline refinance is one of the easiest home loans for Mortgage Lenders and borrowers. Since HUD approved you for the original FHA loan, the paperwork to refinance is minimal and the process is simple.
So long as you have made your FL FHA loan mortgage payments on time for the previous 12 months, you can lower your monthly payment if interest rates go down with minimal out of pocket expense. Even if you have been late on your FHA mortgage, you might still qualify for an FHA streamline refinance in Florida under very specific conditions.
Less documentation and no appraisal are just two of the reasons a FHA streamline refinance is cheaper and faster for the borrowers who qualify.
FHA Mortgage Loan Streamline Refinance Requirements
When your 1st Continental Mortgage lender helps you get a streamlined FHA refinance on your existing mortgage loan, he or she will make certain that you meet these conditions:
Your current mortgage must be an FHA mortgage. You must have had your FHA Mortgage for at least 6 months. You must have paid your mortgage on time for the most current 12 months. Your FHA Streamline Refinance must lower the principal and interest portion of your mortgage payment by at least $50 or convert the mortgage from an ARM to a fixed rate FHA home loan. You can’t get cash out on the FHA streamline refi. You must have an FHA appraisal if you are rolling the closing costs into the FHA streamline refinance. Any existing liens on your Florida home must be subordinate to the new FHA mortgage. FHA Mortgage Loan Refinance Programs for Cashing Out Equity
Although a streamline refinance does not allow you to cash out equity, we have a FHA loan refinance program that is specifically designed for borrowers who want to cash out equity to consolidate debts, make home improvements or to access funds for other purposes.
Unlike many conventional loan programs, the FHA mortgage does not adjust the rate based upon loan to value or credit score. You will find the FHA has very reasonable underwriting guidelines for cash out refinancing.
We have helped many clients borrow up to 85% of the appraised value of their homes and use the funds to consolidate debts or to make home improvements and other purposes. Qualified borrowers will have to look hard to find lower rates and better terms than they can get on Florida FHA cash out refinance right now!
Call 1st Continental Mortgage today at 1-800-570-0448 or use our quick application to apply for an FHA refinance on your home in Sumter County or any of the other Florida counties we offer FHA mortgages in.
FHA Home Loans For Mobile Homes with Land
Although some conventional lenders in Florida shy away from making a loan on Mobile Homes or manufactured homes, many FHA mortgage loan lenders do not.
In fact, mobile homeowners fortunate enough to connect with a Florida mortgage lender, who is well schooled in how FHA loans work for mobiles and manufactured homes, can get a better interest rate, better terms, and a lower monthly payment by going FHA in nearly every case.
If you’re shopping for financing to buy a mobile or manufactured home on land in Sumter County or any of the other 66 counties in Florida that we serve, call 1-800-570-0448 and let us give you a quote for an FHA mortgage loan to purchase your mobile or manufactured home.
It only takes a few minutes to get an FHA loan mortgage quote on your Florida mobile home. We’ll wager that the savings on your monthly mortgage payments will make it some of the highest paid work you’ve ever done.
Few people realize that the FHA loan uses the same underwriting criteria for single and double wide mobile homes and manufactured housing as it does for traditional site built block or stick homes. In addition, FHA is one of the very few programs that can offer up to 97% financing on mobile homes on land. In addition, did you know that the seller can contribute up 6% toward your closing costs on an FHA mobile home loan and that down payment assistance can be used in Florida? It’s true! You could package your mobile home financing to create a real no money down loan with unbelievably low rates.
Call 1-800-570-0448 or use our secure online quick application for a free no obligation quote on financing your manufactured or mobile home using an FHA mortgage loan.
FHA Mobile Home Lending Guidelines
The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) sets forth these guidelines for determining if a mobile or manufactured home qualifies for an FHA mortgage loan in Florida:
The mobile or manufactured home must be constructed in accordance with the Federal Manufactured Home Construction and Safety Standards. A red tag is attached to the rear of each section of homes that comply with the standards. The home must be taxed as real estate by the local tax assessor’s office. The mobile or manufactured home must have been built after June 15, 1976. The mortgage must have a term of at least 30 years from when amortization begins. The mobile home or manufactured home must be on a permanent foundation. The axles and tongue must be removed from the mobile or manufactured home. The mobile home or manufactured home must have adequate skirting and insulation, and the crawl space must have adequate ventilation.
If you would like to determine if your mobile or manufactured home meets the guidelines for section 184 financing from FHA, call one of our Florida mortgage pros at 1-800-570-0448. We’ll be glad to help you determine if the property that you are interested in can be used as collateral for an FHA mobile home mortgage.
FHA 203k Mortgages For Florida Homeowners Making Home Improvements
The FHA 203k loan program is nothing more than a specialized FHA home loan designed to help homeowners make home improvements. It is especially popular in neighborhoods with properties in need of rehabilitation.
The FHA 203k loans work in Florida communities in much the same way as Construction loans for home improvement. Eligible borrowers can use the proceeds from these mortgage to renovate and improve their primary residences.
Qualifying for a 203k FHA mortgage uses the same guidelines as a standard FHA mortgage for the purchase of a Florida home.
Target Borrowers for FHA 203K Mortgages
This specialized FHA mortgage is for Floridians who wish to buy a home that needs repairs or renovations. Just as is the case with a conventional construction loan, a single FHA 203k loan covers both purchase of the Florida real estate and renovation. FHA 203K financing can be used to purchase a property on a site and move it to a new foundation on the mortgaged property and rehabilitate it.
In addition, Florida homeowners can also use a 203k FHA mortgage to refinance existing debt when they finance one or more home improvements using the FHA 203k mortgage program.
Many borrowers are finding out what a good deal a Florida FHA home loan really is. Call 1-800-570-0448 today or simply use our quick application to find out more!
I need a mortgage. Why should I do business with you?
What is a Home Loan?
What is a Mortgage?
What is Refinancing?
What is FHA?
What is HUD?
What is Sub Prime?
What is a Lender? Do I need a Lender?
What is a Broker? Should I use a Mortgage Broker?
What is a Mortgage Originator?
What is a Mortgage Loan Processor?
What is a Mortgage Underwriter?
What is a Pre-Approval Letter?
What is a Mortgage Commitment?
What do I need to apply for a mortgage?
What is the difference between a fixed and adjustable rate mortgage?
Can I buy a house using a FHA Loan?
How much mortgage do I qualify for using an FHA Loan?
Does the FHA loan impact how much house I can qualify to buy?
How do I qualify for a home mortgage using the FHA program?
What is the difference between a regular mortgage and a FHA Loan?
Do you have to improve your credit score to get a better rate with FHA?
What is the importance of credit when you apply for an FHA Loan?
I heard the FHA loan is only for 1st time buyers, is that true?
My mortgage company says I should not consider the FHA program. Why should I listen to you and not them?
I want to improve my mortgage term. Can I refinance my FHA loan now?
How soon can I refinance to a new home loan?
How often can I refinance my home?
How can I refinance my home when I have credit problems?
Where can I refinance my home if I’m late on my mortgage?
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Are You Purchasing Your First Home as a Couple?
You have decided to purchase your first home – together. This is a very exciting time, but it is not without pitfalls. Communication is the key. What do you need from your home? What do you want in your new home? How much can you afford to pay? Are you going to use a realtor? Where do you want the new house to be located? Where can you find furnishings for your new place? These are all important questions you should discuss prior to looking for a new home.
Wants vs. needs
The decision is made that a new home is to be bought, but what features are wants and which ones are needs? How many bathrooms do you need? Are you planning to stay in the house for 30 years or only 5 years? Will you need room for your family to grow? Will your new house have a pool? How about a hot tub? Do you need a large yard or a small yard? The number of bedrooms and bathrooms is an important consideration.
Obviously, the number of bedrooms and bathrooms greatly influence the amount the final price will be, but if you will be enlarging your family, make sure you buy as much house as you can afford. As you tour the various houses, it is important to also envision your furniture or your prospective furniture to ensure there is plenty of space. Make sure you talk about closet space, furniture placement, color for the walls, and future renovations. Dream together and paint the picture of your future. Remember, this can be more fun that exasperating.
Will you be able to afford a house with a pool or hot tub? Do you need outdoor furniture? A pool/hot tub is usually considered a want and may need to be forfeited to obtain the number of bedrooms and/or bathrooms you desire. Make sure you have discussed this in advance to ensure you are in agreement.
Can We Afford a New House?
Before you start looking for a new house, you may need to be pre-approved for a loan. The financial institution you have decided to use can help you determine how much house you can afford to buy. Try to remain well below the upper amount of the range given to ensure you are able to afford to also furnish your new home and do any upgrades you would like to do in the future.
Is a realtor important?
You may want to consider using a realtor especially for your first house purchase. A realtor is priceless for finding a house in a good location and for negotiating all the paperwork for a purchase. (Of course, it helps to have a lawyer to have around for the closing). Realtors know the areas that they sell. They are usually versed on which schools are good and where various entertainment venues are.
Closing
Closing is the best and worst part of buying a house. You will likely wish to have a lawyer available to look over all the paperwork before you sign anything. Make sure you have a clean title and all the necessary papers are in order. You will be signing until you think your wrists will break. When all the signing is done, you will be handed your keys for your new house. Congratulations as you have survived the process of buying a new home. Now the fun begins.
Home at last
Once you have gotten your new key, you will need to move in. During the moving process, take time to reflect on your dreams for the future. Don’t forget to have a house warming party once you have settled in and invite all your friends to your lovely new home.
Need some help paying for that new home or what goes in it? Take a look at www.MyDreamHomeRegistry.com, the gift registry for everything home.
