The Beginner’s Guide to Home Loans

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Okay, you’re finally ready to buy a house. You’re cruising the market, scouting neighborhoods, and just beginning to look at your finances. Unfortunately, however, house hunting is a lot more difficult than the shows on HGTV portray it to be. Here are a few basic financing terms you should know before showing up to your bank when looking for a house.

First, you should know what a mortgage is. A mortgage is essentially a long-term loan where you borrow money from a bank and pay it back, with interest, until you’re the full owner of whatever you bought. Basically, it’s a type of loan for property. It’s also usually a secured loan, where you put something up for collateral that the bank can take in case you stop making payments.

You also should understand what a loan is, more broadly. A loan technically occurs anytime one person borrows a lump sum of money and agrees to pay it back at a later date. Typically, formal loans involve interest, which means that you pay back a little more than you originally borrowed. Mortgages are always a type of loan, but not all loans are mortgages.

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Home equity loans are loans for a set amount of money that’s secured by your home — in this case, your home is the collateral. The danger, here is, that you might lose your home if you stop making payments. But many use a home equity loan to make home improvements, pay for their child’s education, or invest in some other significant item — they’re usually used for big purchases that you can’t otherwise afford.

This is actually almost a synonym for a second mortgage, which is probably another term you’ve heard. They’re essentially the same, but have slightly different rules for how much you can borrow and when you can get the loan. Home equity loans typically occur after you already own a property, whereas a second mortgage can be taken out while you’re still paying off your first mortgage. Your credit history, financial state, and bank will all determine what you’re allowed to do, however.

Hopefully, this brief guide helped explain some of the differences between the types of loans you can take out as you prepare to buy a house. Nothing about the process is simple, but with a little research and a lot of expert help, you’ll be homeward-bound in no time — happy house hunting!

3 Things To Consider When Looking for Senior Housing

If you or a loved one have been having medical issues or could simply use some help with daily tasks, you may have been looking into senior housing Denver CO. Senior living communities can offer a number of benefits to residents, from accessible healthcare to a sense of community and more. As you narrow down your options, however, there are a few essential things you should keep in mind. Here are a few of the key factors you may want to look for in a senior home.

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1. Levels of Provided Healthcare Vary

Depending on your or your loved one’s medical needs, having around-the-clock healthcare may or may not be important to you. While some health situations call for consistent care, others may simply require occasional check-ins. This is an important factor to consider before committing to a home, since not all homes provide the same degree of in-house healthcare. Some facilities help with bathing, dressing and nursing services; others may offer help with tasks like taking medication but lack on-call medical staff. Be sure to ask around at each home you visit to determine whether the level of care provided matches your medical needs.

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2. Good Nutrition Makes a Difference

One thing that not all homes offer is quality dining. When you visit a home, ask about their nutritional planning and what types of foods they offer residents. This is especially important because many older adults have special nutritional needs. Additionally, if you or your loved one have allergies or dietary restrictions, be sure to ask if the facility would be willing or able to accommodate them.

3. Entertainment and Community Matter

Finally, don’t forget that when you’re living somewhere like Benchmark Senior Living, the entertainment provided and the sense of community between the residents can make all the difference in terms of the quality of your experience. Some homes offer regular community-building activities like bingo tournaments, movie nights, or musical events. When you’re visiting, pay attention to how residents interact with each other. If you’re looking for a close-knit community, for instance, seeing residents that are friendly and comfortable with each other may be a good sign that you’ll be able to find the companionship you’re looking for.

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When you or your loved one need help with everyday tasks, would like consistent companionship or simply want accessible healthcare, moving to a senior living community may be a good decision. Choosing the right place, however, can involve balancing a number of different factors. When you’re searching for a home, keep these essential things in mind and you’re sure to choose the right senior home for your situation.

Top 3 Reasons To Consider Getting Insurance for Your New Horse

If you’re the proud owner of a new horse, you may have been looking around for the best horse insurance you can get your new animal. While owning a horse is a dream come true for many people and is likely an exciting time, it also comes with risks and responsibilities. It might seem intimidating to consider the risks that come with having a horse, but thankfully, a little preparation ahead of time is all it takes to put yourself and your horse in the best possible position to stay safe no matter what lies ahead. If you’re on the fence about whether you need insurance for your new friend, consider these important reasons insurance could help protect you and your horse.

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1. Your Horse Could Have an Accident

If you’re planning on using your horse in equestrian sports, or even if you’re just keeping it for hobby riding, it’s important to keep in mind that accidents are always a possibility. While it might not be pleasant to think about, consider what you’ll do if your horse gets injured unexpectedly.

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Without insurance, veterinarian bills could quickly burn a hole in your pocket or, in worst-case scenarios, even prevent your horse from accessing the quality care they need. If you have good insurance in place ahead of time, on the other hand, you won’t have to worry about out-of-pocket costs in the event of an accident. You can focus on getting your horse help right away.

2. Your Horse Could Pass Away

In a similar vein, if your horse should die before its time, you may be left with countless expenses but no horse to ride in competitions, for example. Certain insurance policies can help provide you another horse in these cases. If your horse has to be put down for medical reasons and you can get proof from your veterinarian that the horse could not be saved, you may be able to get compensation from your insurance company that you could then invest into your next horse.

3. You Can Protect Yourself From Lawsuits

Finally, if you happen to get sued because of alleged damages caused by your horse, having the right insurance policy can help protect you from certain liabilities. Without insurance, you may have a tougher time when legal issues arise.

Owning a horse can be a dream come true, but also entails potential risks that have to be taken into account. If you’re thinking about getting horse insurance, keep these key facts in mind and you’re sure to make the right decision for you and your new animal.

Top 5 Ways To Make Your Upholstery Last

You've invested a lot of money in your upholstery. You spent time doing your homework on Joybird reviews furniture to choose just the right sofas and chairs. Now it's time to take good care of them.

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1. Vacuum Regularly

You should vacuum dirt and pet hair away from your upholstery about once per week. Use a vacuum attachment with a brush that is made for furniture. This will keep dust, soil and hair from getting stuck in the weave of the fabric.

2. Revive and Flip Cushions

If possible, shuffle the cushions on your couch once in a while to make sure that they are each used consistently. Flip other cushions and pillows regularly to ensure that they wear equally on both sides. These items will eventually become flat or stretched from use. Hit cushions gently with your hands to get them back in shape and keep the furniture you found through Joybird reviews comfy.

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3. Use Stain Protectors

Purchase a fabric protector spray as soon as you get new upholstery. Make sure that you follow the instructions and perform a color test on an unseen part of the fabric before spraying the entire piece. This coats the fabric and makes it repel stains. 

4. Clean Stains Immediately

Just like you did with the stain protector spray, test upholstery cleaning spray on a hidden part of the furniture or curtain. Do not allow the stain to dry before you clean it up.

5. Utilize Yearly Professional Cleaning

Even if you keep up with the regular maintenance of your upholstery, there is no substitute for a professional cleaning service. You should have this done every year or two. A qualified cleaner will have special equipment and cleaning products to take care of stains and buried dirt that you cannot get rid of on your own. They can make your upholstery look new and apply a powerful stain protector.

How To Manage Your Time

Getting to the end of your week and wondering why you haven't made a dent in your to-do list can be frustrating. While you can't spin time out of thin air, there are strategies to managing the time you do have more efficiently.

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Write It Down

If you're not sure where all your time is going, keep a log for a week. It may seem tedious to track every activity but you'll have powerful insights when you're done. You may be surprised by how much time you're losing to scrolling apps or watching TV. You don't need to eliminate these activities but you can be mindful of how much of your day they're eating. Habits or automatic behaviors are hard to see when you're in them. Writing them down forces you to be honest. You can also look at your phone to see where all your screen time is going but ideally, this isn't your whole day.

Pay Someone Else 

If you've taken stock of how your time is being spent and there's simply nowhere to cut back, consider hiring someone for tasks you don't enjoy. Get your weekends back and find a neighborhood kid to cut your grass. Use a meal delivery service for those nights you'd rather not cook.

Plan Ahead

If you fail to plan, you plan to fail. It's a cliche, but it's also true. Write down your goals for the day. You can do this at night or in the morning, just make sure you do it. Another mantra is 'eat the frog.' Take on your biggest chore first thing in the day. You'll be more likely to accomplish it when you're still fresh.

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Get Healthy

Your brain needs to function properly to make decisions. Poor diet, lack of exercise and too much alcohol can all contribute to a less than ideal mental state. A sugar high can rob you of as much as five hours of productive thinking. Replacing bad habits with healthy ones helps you maintain focus.

Get Organized

Even laser-like focus won't save you any time if your priorities are all over the place. Organize your files, organize your goals, organize your bathroom, organize anything that feels cluttered and messy. Having a system lets you spend less time hunting for things and more time doing what you intend to do.

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Stop Procrastinating

Most time wasting activities are just another form of procrastination. If you're having a hard time getting started try devoting just ten minutes to a task. Once you're moving, you'll find that continuing isn't as hard as you'd thought.

Examine Your Values 

When all else fails, take a long hard look at why you're doing what you're doing. Are you in the wrong job? Can you ask for less hours? Could you make more money doing something else? Sometimes change is required to get where you want to go.

Managing your time is a skill that takes practice. Evaluating your habits and making meaningful changes can help you make the most of your day and ultimately your life.