Choosing the Right Windows For Your New Home

House hunting is just like any other shopping expedition. If you identify exactly what you want and do some research, you'll zoom in on the home you want at the best price. These eight tips will guide you through a smart homebuying process. 1. Know thyself. Understand the type of home that suits your personality. Do you prefer a new or existing home? A ranch or a multistory home? If you're leaning toward a fixer-upper, are you truly handy, or will you need to budget for contractors? 2. Research before you look. List the features you most want in a home and identify which are necessities and which are extras. Identify three to four neighborhoods you'd like to live in based on commute time, schools, recreation, crime, and price. Then hop onto realtor.com to get a feel for the homes available in your price range in your favorite neighborhoods. Use the results to prioritize your wants and needs so you can add in and weed out properties from the inventory you'd like to view. 3. Get your finances in order. Generally, lenders say you can afford a home priced two to three times your gross income. Create a budget so you know how much you're comfortable spending each month on housing. Don't wait until you've found a home and made an offer to investigate financing. Gather your financial records and meet with a lender to get a prequalification letter spelling out how much you're eligible to borrow. The lender won't necessarily consider the extra fees you'll pay when you purchase or your plans to begin a family or purchase a new car, so shop in a price range you're comfortable with. Also, presenting an offer contingent on financing will make your bid less attractive to sellers. 4. Set a moving timeline. Do you have blemishes on your credit that will take time to clear up? If you already own, have you sold your current home? If not, you'll need to factor in the time needed to sell. If you rent, when is your lease up? Do you expect interest rates to jump anytime soon? All these factors will affect your buying, closing, and moving timelines. 5. Think long term. Your future plans may dictate the type of home you'll buy. Are you looking for a starter house with plans to move up in a few years, or do you hope to stay in the home for five to 10 years? With a starter, you may need to adjust your expectations. If you plan to nest, be sure your priority list helps you identify a home you'll still love years from now. 6. Work with a REALTOR®. Ask people you trust for referrals to a real estate professional they trust. Interview agents to determine which have expertise in the neighborhoods and type of homes you're interested in. Because homebuying triggers many emotions, consider whether an agent's style meshes with your personality. Also ask if the agent specializes in buyer representation. Unlike listing agents, whose first duty is to the seller, buyers' reps work only for you even though they're typically paid by the seller. Finally, check whether agents are REALTORS®, which means they're members of the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®. NAR has been a champion of homeownership rights for more than a century. 7. Be realistic. It's OK to be picky about the home and neighborhood you want, but don't be close-minded, unrealistic, or blinded by minor imperfections. If you insist on living in a cul-de-sac, you may miss out on great homes on streets that are just as quiet and secluded. On the flip side, don't be so swayed by a "wow" feature that you forget about other issues - like noise levels - that can have a big impact on your quality of life. Use your priority list to evaluate each property, remembering there's no such thing as the perfect home. 8. Limit the opinions you solicit. It's natural to seek reassurance when making a big financial decision. But you know that saying about too many cooks in the kitchen. If you need a second opinion, select one or two people. But remain true to your list of wants and needs so the final decision is based on criteria you've identified as important.

What Would Life Be Without Mistakes

Let me be clear from the beginning. I have made a lot of mistakes during my life. I have made mistakes that I don't even know about to this day. Even the ones I do know about, I cannot remember very clearly. Mistakes are a part of life. Unfortunately, some people believe they live their whole life without making any mistakes. That's mistake number one. I am where I am today because of the mistakes in my life. I have learned a lot from my mistakes, except I have not learned not to make any more mistakes. If somebody has not made mistakes in life, I would have to give that award to the Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage. Perhaps the closest she has ever come to making a mistake was in marrying me, but that certainly was not my mistake at all. Marrying her was the best choice I have ever made in life. I suppose she does make mistakes, but she knows how to fix them before anybody notices them. I wish I knew how she does that. Those who think they make no mistakes in life are just kidding themselves and are not really living. I remember several years ago a mistake I made. I planned to fill up my truck with gas for the week. It was clearly on empty. I should never have let it get that low, but I did. As I drove to the gas station, I thought of something I needed to pick up at Publix, which was on the way. So I stopped, went in and bought the item I wanted and then went out to get in my truck and go get some gas. As I turned the key to start the engine, it did not start. I didn't know what to do at the time. I tried my best to start it, but nothing I did managed to start it. Then, I looked at the fuel tank gauge and saw that it had passed empty, and according to that, the truck was out of gas. That was a big mistake. That mistake brought me a terrible consequence. I sat in the truck for a few moments staring at my cell phone. I knew what I had to do, but I didn't want to do it. In a few minutes, I tried to start it again, and I had the same result. Quietly sitting in the truck, I continued staring at my cell phone. I had no option at the time. I had to do what I had to do. So, I called the Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage. "My dear," I said as sweetly as possible, which is above my pay grade, "could you get a can of gasoline and bring it to me? I'm over here at Publix." I heard silence on the other end, and then I heard chuckling. "Are you telling me," she said, trying not to chuckle, "that your truck is out of gas?" Of course, she knew the answer to that question, but she used it to poke me. "No," I said sarcastically, "I just want to know if you can bring me a can of gasoline to Publix." I think she could feel the frustration in my voice. That certainly was another mistake added onto the first mistake. "Oh," she said, "I might be able to get over there in about three hours." I did hear her chuckling over the phone. I pretended I did not hear her chuckling, which was another mistake. I hung up the phone and sat in my truck thinking that I had a three-hour wait until she got there with the gas for the truck. On my fourth deep sigh, I saw my wife driving her van and park right next to my truck. I saw her through the window with the biggest smile I've ever seen her wear. She got out of her van and said, "Is this the truck that's out of gas?" At this point, I had exhausted all of my mistakes and just soberly nodded my head in the affirmative. She got a can of gas out of her van and set it down next to my truck. I picked it up and emptied it into my truck's gas tank. When finished, I put the can back in her van and closed the door. Then, I looked at her and simply said, "Thank you so much for your help." She chuckled and said, "Do you think you ought to go and fill your truck up with gas now?" Being all out of mistakes at this point, I told her, "I'm going right now and fill this truck up with as much gas as I can get." I took my time going to the gas station and filling up my truck because I knew I would experience the next stage of my wife's giggling about my mistake as soon as I got home.