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February 8, 2012

This New House

Filed under: Uncategorized — Tags: , , , , , — Dexter Dejar @ 9:30 pm

The pursuit of the American Dream: grow up, work hard, go to school and buy a luxury home to live in. While many people have their idea of a large, sprawling, mansion set somewhere in an affluent neighborhood, many are rethinking the classical idea of a luxury home.

At this very moment, the current trend in luxury homes is actually a more contemporary and ultra-modern design while getting away from the more traditional looks and feels. These homes are very creative and urban looking. Many once served another purpose. For instance, one trend is to take old art galleries and renovate them into modern homes. Large eco-friendly estates are also appearing, featuring designs that are original and energy efficient. Not surprisingly, California has many of these homes for sale. One eco-friendly luxury home in Malibu is selling for a meager $9.5 million dollars. Another Hollywood Hills mansion, made in a contemporary design of steel, glass and concrete is selling for $10 million dollars

New luxury homes are emphasizing creative design elements that think outside the box. Many are designed with very open rooms that contain few walls or enclosed spaces. The result is a home that feels more spacious and open. Others are pulling from famous architects like Frank Lloyd Write’s “Pottery House” in Santa Fe or Pierre Koenig’s “Case Study House 22″ in Los Angeles.

They are rethinking parking as well. If you are like many other urban minded American’s parking is a huge issue for you in the congested city streets you call home. The good people over at Dezer Properties and Porsche Design Group have come up with a creative answer to this problem and for anywhere from $2.9 million to $9 million it can be yours.

Purchase one of the condo’s in the 57 story tower, and you get your very own elevator. How does this help your parking? Oh, did we mention that it is a drive in elevator that will lift you and your car up to your condo? From there you get your own parking space and step right out to your front door. Technology will even be wired so that it recognizes individual drivers and cars. For the record you don’t need to drive a Porsche to live there, but if you can afford the condo, you can probably afford a Porsche as well, so why not buy one to match your new home?

Check out mortgage interest rates to help you fulfill your American Dream.

January 16, 2012

A Real Green House

Filed under: Uncategorized — Tags: , , , , — Amanda Rosehill @ 3:00 pm

Everybody can use some extra money these days. Additionally, most people are looking for ways to go green as well. Fortunately there are plenty of ways to go green and save some green as well. One of the biggest ways to do so is to make some environmental changes to your home. Here are a few.

If you live in a climate with moderate temperatures then a heat pump is a great way to save money. Rather than use an expensive furnace or A/C, a heat pump transfers energy between the inside and outside. So on a cold day it takes energy from outside (heat) and pumps it inside and vice versa on warm days. If you live in the cold north or hot south, forget about it, but many parts of the country can really benefit from this energy efficient device. Need to refinance? At refinancing you will get a great rate.

Tankless water heaters have become a very popular way of saving money, energy and even space.. A standard water heater takes constant energy to keep its surplus water hot whereas as a tankless system only heats water as it is needed, that way it is not constantly using energy.

Sometimes nature does it best. Natural sunlight is free but sadly many homes don’t take advantage of it. Installing skylights is a great way to go. Large, bay windows let in a lot of light and can look very cosmetically pleasing as well. North or South facing windows are the best for sunlight as east or west facing windows only catch a little sun.

Most everyone uses energy efficient light bulbs. Do you know that lighting alone can cost you about 10% of you electric bill, and the older bulbs can eat away electricity. Energy efficient bulbs can reduce this use by 50%-70%! They may cost a little more upfront but they save money and electricity in the end. They tend to last longer than normal bulbs as well. For a great home loan try FHA home loans today.

Most of the country, but especially the Southwest, need to invest in water conservation. Not only is saving water wise, but it will also save you money on lowered utilities. Design your yard with regional plants and greenery that will thrive in your climate. Don’t plant grass that requires a lot of water if you live in a dry climate. While it may not seem as pretty at first, a well-kept garden of cactus, wild grasses and scrub brushes can really add a rustic, native feel to your home. Looking for a home in California? Come to San Diego new homes for sale for a great new home today.

Don’t forget about mulching. Most lawn mowers can be equipped with mulching blades. Rather than have the clippings be bagged and thrown away, mulching blades cut the thee grass clippings into tiny particles that get deposited back onto the lawn. This acts as a fertilizer to renew your growth. It also acts as a barrier to keep moisture from escaping and drying out your lawn, thus reducing the need for more water. It will save time on bagging and raking.

All it takes is everybody doing a little bit and adds up to a huge difference.

For a great home loan try mortgages today.

December 25, 2011

A Vertical Home

Filed under: Uncategorized — Tags: , , , , , , — Brad Stiegler @ 2:10 am

So you need a place to live and you are not sure if you should by a house or rent an apartment or live in shotgun shack out in the woods. Heck, you couldn’t even tell the difference between a condo, a town house or an apartment. Never fear for we are here to help you out.

The simple truth is that there is no real difference between a condo and an apartment. Or rather, the differences are legal and not design wise. The same building plans can be used for condos in one area and apartments in another. The difference is in ownership. Now is a great time to check out mortgage refinance while rates are low.

Condos require a bank loan to purchase property and once it is paid off you own it just like you would a house. They are built and sold as individual units. Apartments are homes that are rented out individually, but are all owned by one person or company.

There do tend to be a few differences in condos and apartments, but they are largely cosmetic and intentional. Because they are usually made for individual purchases, condos tend to be built to a higher quality of standard then apartments. Condo’s also often built as multistoried buildings and exists with two or three floors or a loft, basement or similar features, but these could easily be apartments as well. For a great mortgage see jumbo loan rates today.

Condos are almost always part of a Homeowners Associations, or HOA, that usually operate in condo neighborhoods. You must pay a monthly or yearly fee to the HOA and they perform certain functions for your neighborhood. These functions can range anywhere from hiring help to do the landscaping, to fixing outdoor structures or cleaning and maintaining the public pool and hot tub. While these services also exist in apartments, they are usually factored into the rent and controlled by the owner, not the HOA.

HOA’s are infamous for having rules and regulations about what you can, or can’t, do with your property. Some HOA’s are very strict while others are very loose. For instance, some have rules about what color you can paint your condo or how the outside should look. Some won’t allow you to install outboard AC units or carpet your garage. Others will let you do whatever you want.

Another option is to buy a townhome or townhouse. These are essentially houses that are built vertically. In many cities there is no room for expanding outward and so they built houses with narrow “footprints” meaning the actual area of land it uses is small. They are often found near downtown areas or in older U.S. cities.

Don’t be fooled by the description, some are very large and prestigious. Many townhomes are six or seven stories tall with very elegant designs. Only the rich can afford to live in many of them. Other townhomes are more reasonable, consisting of only three or four stories. Cities like New York, San Francisco and Chicago are famous for their rows of townhomes.

If you are looking for a home in California check out new home builders San Diego for a house you will love.

December 15, 2011

Laura Ingalls Wilder

Filed under: Uncategorized — Tags: , , , , — Dunkel Oneal @ 10:46 pm

When I was a kid there were a number of shows we watched religiously. Buck Rodgers, Airwolf, the A-Team, all of the usual boy stuff. Yet there was one other show that captured the hearts and minds of most of the nation. That show was Little House on the Prairie. Come to mortgage for a great rate today.

The show, which ran from 1974-1983 on NBC, was a very loose interpretation of the book series written by and based on the life of Laura Ingalls Wilder. The Ingalls were a pioneer family that lived in Wisconsin, Kansas, Minnesota and South Dakota in the 1800’s. The show chronicled some of the events in the life of Laura and her family. It should be called “Little Disaster on the Prairie” because each week something bad happened. Eventually, as the series ran on, and plot ideas ran thin, it got more and more absurd and repetitive. Still this show had us, and most of America, glued to the TV every day. It starred Michael Landon, Melissa Gilbert, Melissa Sue Anderson and Karen Grassle. Later years would see a very young Shannon Doherty on the show as well.

While Ingalls in the books moved around a lot, the show was primarily set in Walnut Grove, Minnesota. In fact, the books show what life was like back then. They sold their cabin in Wisconsin and moved near Independence, Kansas, as the rumors said it would be open to homesteaders soon. While in Independence, they meet the kind and lovable Mr. Edwards, a person anyone who watched the show would remember as well. He helps them build their house and dig a well. During that year the came down with what was later identified as Malaria but were able to survive. After the farm was planted the found out the land was not open for homesteaders and they were forced to move, this time to the famed Walnut Grove.

Laura’s father, always called Pa Ingalls, had hoped the new home would be “a land of milk and honey,” but after a plagues of locust destroyed their crops two years in a row he decided they should move again. It is an interesting study of the old West to see how often they moved around and were willing to rebuild everything. They spent a brief time in Iowa and then back to Walnut Grove. When their father decided DeSmet, South Dakota held more promise for them their mother had enough of the moves and made him promise not to move anymore. He was true to his word and the settled in DeSmet once and for all.

Laura Ingalls married Almanzo Wilder and became Laura Ingalls Wilder. They themselves finally settled in Mansfield, Missouri and it was there that she wrote her books. The town was her final home and every year the whole town celebrates he writings with a festival, parade and selling handmade crafts.

Come to FHA home loans for your new home today.

November 18, 2011

Common Dream Homes

Filed under: Uncategorized — Tags: , , , , — Zal Goodspeed @ 9:57 pm

Everyone has an idea of what their perfect dream home would be. Here are some common ones.

- The beach house- Drive down Malibu and you see the envy of both home owners and stars alike. A house, right on the beach. Clear skies, blue water, mountains and the smell of salt water. Who needs AC when you have the ocean breeze? And you will sleep great as the peaceful sounds of the ocean lull you to rest every night. You step into your front yard and its sand and ocean, get your surf board and have some fun. Afterwards go back home, take a seat, down a Corona and day is done. This could be a town home type building or if you are feeling a little more remote and exotic, you could go for a Bungalow on the beach. Wooden frames, screens and netting with a near 360′of the water, crystal clear blue waters of the South Pacific. Either way, when they day is done you can head down the beach to a beachside barbeque.

- Mountain Home – Right, beaches aren’t your thing. You head for the hills. If so, get a lodge up in the Rockies or even Alaska if you are really bold, and settle in for a peaceful scenic life. Towering peaks, fresh mountain air, clear cold streams that run into a pond in the valley that your home up high has a brilliant overlook of. Oh it is filled with fresh Salmon as well. Don’t forget the wildlife you see every day. Elk, moose, beavers, eagles, bears and maybe even mountain lions. The long winters just give you more time to snowboard. When you are done, come home, drink some spiced cider and cozy up by a fire in the fireplace. You’re not even sure where the nearest town is. Sure, the snow might seem like a hassle, but deep down inside you know you love it. For your own dream home check out FHA loan rates today.

- So Green Acres doesn’t suit your’ needs, you want Park Avenue. You crave the lights, the energy, the sounds, the city scene. If so a flat or a high rise is right up your alley. Contemporary furniture and design are your style. The view from your flat is over an artist square and music wafts with gentle in with the night sounds. Or your high rise has an amazing view of the city around you. Either way, when it is time to go out you won’t need your car. Just walk down the street or hail a cab and you are off for the evening checking out the hottest new venue or trying a new restaurant. Seen and be seen is your motto while you hang out at a cool roof top lounge. If you live in the Carlsbad or San Diego are come see new home builders San Diego for gorgeous new home.

These are just a few options that we can dream about. Of course, you could also live in a palace, English estate, cottage or yacht. Heck, you could even live in a giant tree house or transform an old missile silo in your new bachelor pad. The possibilities are endless, as well the locations, so shoot for the moon.

For your own dream home check out home mortgage today.

September 20, 2011

House Flippers Gain By Bypassing Banks And Taking Advantage Of Non-Traditional Loan Providers

Filed under: Uncategorized — Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , — Stephen Von @ 2:35 pm

Because of the weak overall economy in the US brand new business opportunities are becoming obtainable for property buyers to start flipping houses along with properties. Because a lot of them do not possess enough money saved, they will need to use a hard money lender. Hard money brokers will provide these real estate buyers with hard money financing. The investor can use this money to buy a home or other property in order to flip it (buy and sell for profit). Hard money lenders use different procedures for lending and thus are different than banks.

Either individuals or private companies and businesses will finance a hard money loan, which is generally a short term loan. The requirements of this kind of loan are quite a bit different than a real estate loan given by a bank. The guidelines are less strict and the interest rate is always quite a lot higher. This loan can be a valuable tool for property investors and can provide a large income even after repaying the loan. The repayment terms also vary depending on the loaner.

Researching hard money lenders is a good idea before trying to get a hard money loan. You can find lenders through the internet, word of mouth, or from local ads. Once a hard money lender is selected, the process can begin. Less attention is paid to the credit of borrowers but nevertheless lenders need to protect their funding. There are a variety of documents that they may ask you to be submit, including a credit application, tax returns, W-2’s, bank statements, check stubs, or others at their discretion. These loans are generally granted much faster than a conventional bank loan.

It is important to understand the disadvantages of using a hard money lender versus a traditional bank. The interest rate that a hard money lender can charge varies. The annual rate of interest can be from ten percent up to twenty percent. Loans can be for a variety of durations but usually are short term, from a couple months to a few years. The sooner borrowers pay off the loan the more money they will make. There could be additional fees on top of the interest rate but it can be different among lenders.

The amount that one can borrow also varies. This amount depends on the value of the property for which the loan is for. Factors that are looked at are the cost to purchase the property, the amount of money it will cost to repair the property, and the value of the finished house. The amount a hard money lender is willing to loan depends upon the final value of the home. After all the costs of an investment property are accounted for, the real estate investor can determine if he will make a profit on the deal using a hard money loan.

Doing some research is a good idea so an investor can find the best deal for a hard money loan and generally be informed of what he is doing. Every state has different regulations, including some that don’t allow hard money lenders to operate in their traditional ways, make sure they are in compliance with your state laws.

More about hard money residential loans as well as details about hard money lending can be learned at Stephen Von’s highly informative website.

September 14, 2011

How Private Loans Can Help People Secure Cash

Filed under: Uncategorized — Tags: , , , , , — Stephen Von @ 11:04 am

Corporate credit seekers often need to have liquidity but may well not meet the requirements for standard real estate property loans. These kinds of secured loans based upon real estate collateral are normally referred to as hard money loans. A hard money lender is and person or company that gives these kinds of loans They’re happy to write a check promptly to the borrower the moment she or he is evaluated for credit risk.

Hard money lenders charge increased rates of interest compared to traditional property backed lenders, as there is a a lot higher chance of failure to pay, and often the hard money loans are the last secured lenders to get their money back in bankruptcy filings. Typically, such loans are capped at around two thirds of the most recent appraisal value for the home in repaired condition, usually quoted as an ARV (after-repair value). Contracts for short duration loans or “bridge loans” are written for home owners who require a short term solution until they can secure more permanent financing. This can be the case for financially distressed properties. So more of these loan agreements end up in court to be contested if the borrower does not pay.

As a result of the increased risk profile of their clientele, the high interest rates provide sufficient protection against impairment of the home, liquidity for the lender, and court costs and loan value impairments. The necessary interest rate may be so high that usury laws come into effect, so many states and localities effectively ban hard money lenders from practicing.

So hard money lenders can be very local and segregated persons or small organizations because of this regulatory interference. Some oversight is provided to this unusual market by regulatory organizations which are few and mostly just known by professional real estate property financiers.

Loan sharks sometimes abuse the legitimate lending process by charging exorbitant rates of interest and pretending to be genuine hard money lenders. Some credit seekers are not sophisticated enough to understand what they’re getting into when they sign their property over as collateral and therefore are vulnerable to certain unscrupulous lenders who may take advantage of their lack of knowledge.

The usual interest rate on hard money loans can be as high as prime plus fifteen or even higher with five points on the borrowed funds. The local real estate market for the specific property being lent on, local usury laws, bankruptcy laws, and how available credit is in the vicinity are factors a hard money lender will consider when giving a quote to a potential borrower. A lot of commercial real estate investors can shop around because they understand the industry. However consumers will generally require to do plenty of research to find the lowest rates and less onerous terms including higher ARVs for their property financing.

Get more info about a hard money loan lender at Stephen Von’s page. You can also learn how to select the right hard money lender for your needs.

September 12, 2011

Obtaining Money Through Non-Traditional Lenders If Banks Will Not Lend

Filed under: Uncategorized — Tags: , , , , , , — Stephen Von @ 1:20 pm

In this day of economic upheaval where traditional commercial and lending institutions have tightened their lending requirements, and now take longer to come to a decision on whether they are going to supply money for a particular project, there is till a possibility to receive funds for investment purpose from people involved in hard money lending.

These people have been around for a very long time and generally focus on supporting real estate transactions in the area where they reside. They can supply funds to help someone obtain a piece of property that the traditional banking companies now steer away from, because they may be worried about the credit worthiness of the person asking for money, or they do not feel comfortable with the value or type of transaction taking place.

However, it is not always related to credit or property type, sometimes a person finds an opportunity that they must react to quickly, and the traditional banks are known for being slow in their deliberations. The one who found the property might be under pressure to obtain it as soon as possible in order to get the price they have been quoted. They will turn to non-traditional sources to help them take advantage of this situation.

There are people who look for opportunities to help people purchase the property for the one willing to buy it, and they will supply enough funding to help make the transaction occur. Although, there are some limitations as to how much help they are willing to provide. They also do not want to wait a long time before they are paid back.

An example of something that they would be willing to underwrite is a property selling below value, but needs to be renovated to bring it up usable standards. The group lending the buyer money will ascertain what the true value of the property is and set a figure on what they will let the person borrow. If they can not reach an amicable agreement on the perceived value, then they will walk away and not lend any money at all.

One of the differences between these lending groups and the banks is the cost of borrowing the money. They are not looking to lend the money for more than six years in most cases, and the interest rate they charge can be in the neighborhood of 10 to 15 percent. This actually works in the one seeking the funds favor as it acts as an incentive to try to find a traditional mortgage once the property is fixed up.

These lenders do not care about the credit worthiness of the borrower, because they will only supply funds to cover 60 to 70 percent of the loan to value equation and if the borrower defaults they will take ownership of the property. The loan to value works like this: if the properties listed value is $200,000 and the investors only supply 70 percent, that will come out to $140,000. The person borrowing the money will have to get the rest through other means. They often feel comfortable that they will not lose money since there is a buffer against that loss.

Although the economy has changed and getting cash is not as easy as it used to be, there are still avenue to explore to find what one may need to complete a real estate transaction. Hard money lenders can sometimes help when no one else can.

Find more info about money loans by visiting Stephen Von’s website. They can provide hard money loans for your specific needs.

September 6, 2011

Index Funds

Filed under: Uncategorized — Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , — Owen Jones @ 5:49 pm

If you have decided to invest capital in a portfolio mutual funds, then you ought to be aware that there are various sorts of mutual funds.

The normal investment firm fund will leave the selection of stocks and shares to the judgment of the investment manager and you, as the investor, have no contribution into the determination of where your investment goes. This is a passive investment.

If you want to have a more active role in the choice of investments, but do not have the time or information to take the necessary decisions, you ought to look into the alternative of index funds.

Index funds are an attractive variant on traditional, managed funds in that you get to tell the investment management of your particular fund, which general region of the global market that you would like to invest in.

For instance, the asset manager of a general mutual fund will invest wherever in the world the manager of that fund thinks fit, but with index funds, you can specify fields like the Americas or Alternative Energy stocks.

This permits you, the investor, the chance to narrow the field of investment if you have a hunch that money is moving in a definite direction, but do not have enough information to manage your investments yourself.

With some of these index funds, you can specify that they track an index too. In our instance, the tracking fund would invest in proportion to, say, the top 50 stocks in our given sector,say, the Pacific Basin.

Index tracking funds give power to the investor who has a gut feeling, but who does not have the time or even maybe the ability to track investments in a selected field. The down side is that some of these index funds are costly to be in. However, these actively managed mutual funds frequently outperform the targets of the investment industry.

There is a reason for this extra expense in some sorts of funds but not in others. For instance, if you go into a general performance fund dealing just in green companies, there will almost certainly be loads of investors with you; but if you specify Chinese green products, you might be virtually on your own and so charges for the fund manager’s time will rise.

This is simple to understand, but can be fairly hard to put up with, unless you choose your niche market well Herein lies the key of opting for index tracking funds – you are going for niche markets that you believe that you understand.

Many of these index tracking funds are no-load funds, so you have to take that into account before deciding to invest or not.

Index funds are best suited to those who read the papers and who pride themselves that they have an notion about what is going on in the markets, although they do not know the details of which firm does what and where.

This does not mean, however, that index funds are maintenance-free financial products – all investment vehicles need reviewing at least once per annum. Rather, if you ‘bet’ on the Pacific Basin and your investment pays off (or not), you might want to switch to a different sphere of interest at a later date.

Owen Jones, the writer of this piece, writes on a variety of topics, but is now involved with Index Mutual Funds. If you would like to know more, please go to our web site at Mutual Funds

August 20, 2011

The Motley Fool Website

Filed under: Uncategorized — Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , — Owen Jones @ 2:50 pm

The Motley Fool is the title of a financial web site that began in 1993, although it is now far more. From its humble origin as the brain-child of two brothers in Virginia, the Motley Fool has turned into a multimedia financial services company which gets its message out by means of its web sites in the USA, the UK and Australia; books, newspaper columns, TV appearances and newsletters.

The blurb on their web site says that the company took its name from Shakespeare, who said that the king’s fools were permitted to tell him anything without being scared of of being beheaded, so long as it was in an entertaining way. The Motley Fool may have lost its head.

For while their personal investing advice is as useful as anything else you will perhaps read anywhere, the comedy can be a bit thin.

However, the advice is sound and the structure of the site with its discussion boards leads to many exciting, topical debates by knowledgeable (and much less well-informed) investors all keen to put in their two penn’orth.

There is info on most aspects of personal finance on the site, ranging from advances to investments like stocks, shares, bonds and mutual funds.

The web site is full of with hints and tips on how to make and invest money. You will find recommendations on things like finance software, dividends, stocks, and how much you should become saving from your monthly salary.

There are regular features on other aspects as well like which is the best electric or gas firm, getting out of debt and credit repair. Another feature is their interest in stocks, shares and mutual funds.

The team at Motley Fool are managing a ‘million dollar portfolio’ of their own real money on line and members of the website are allowed to watch, talk about and copy every transaction.

Only a certain number of people are permitted in at any one time, so you might find this feature closed to you, but you can register to be informed when a space comes up.

In the meantime, you could become a member of one of the CAPS Contests which mock up gambling on the stock exchange with pretend money in mock portfolios. That is, you play with make-believe money, but the awards are real enough.

These contests are immense fun and the best fashion of being able to learn about the stock exchange and market movements without it ruining you.

All in all, it worth adding the Motley Fool to your list of Financial Favourites because there is such a lot of free financial knowledge there which seems to come from the heart of the managing, owner brothers and their colleagues. Sure, they receive commissions on everything and attempt to sell a pro version of the site, but there is still a lot of free info there too.

One statement of warning though: whilst the financial guidance and suggested links are pretty good, do not go there expecting to have a good laugh, because the comedy wears rather thin after about five minutes.

Owen Jones, the author of this piece, writes on a variety of topics, but is now involved with Motley Fool. If you would like to know more, please go to our website at Mutual Funds

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