You’ve decided to spruce up the homestead with some needed improvements. Fantastic. Now here lies the rub, how are you going to find home improvement financing?
Let’s face it, kitchen floors and new window panes don’t grow on trees. Even though home improvements are an investment that will make you money in the long run, finding the home improvement financing you need now can be difficult, and not getting an adequate amount of funding for your projects can lead to compromises in quality that you may later regret.
Homeowners have a variety of options when it comes to finding home improvement financing. They can borrow against the equity in their homes and various federal loan programs also exist for borrowers. Here’s a few home improvement financing options you may what to consider:
Mortgage refinancing: Now is the time to take advantage of historically low interest rates by refinancing your mortgage to pay for home improvements. You can refinance your mortgage and borrow money against the equity you have in your home. Some banks even offer loans that allow you to borrow more money up front by adding the value of the planned improvement to your equity. Refinancing your mortgage for home improvement financing purposes is a good deal because you’ll have the convenience of just one home loan and monthly payment.
Home equity loans: These loans, also known as second mortgages, lets homeowners borrow money by leveraging the equity in their homes. They’re popular among folks looking for home improvement financing because homeowners are able to deduct the interest from their federal taxes.
Federal Title I loans: If you don’t have much equity in your home, you may qualify for home improvement financing under a Title I loan. These federally-backed loans offer negotiable interest rates and can be tapped for about $25,000. The loans can only be used to pay for essentials however, such as improvements made necessary by a medical condition, not luxuries like swimming pools.
One method of home improvement financing you want to avoid is financing through a contractor. These loans often are made by sub-prime lenders and come with hidden fees. Also, getting financing through your contractor puts you in a poor bargaining position with him when it comes to getting a quote for your home improvement project. When hiring a contractor, it’s best to have your budget and home improvement financing already prepared to ensure the best deal.
Home ownership is like any other investment — you’ve got to spend money to make money. But to get the most out of your home investment, make sure you get your home improvement financing right. Borrow from reputable lenders and don’t overextend yourself.
February 26, 2011
Family Friendly Home Décor Tips
Along with the vitality and liveliness children bring in to a home, they also bring great energy. Often times, children’s energy can lead to broken vases, stained carpeting and scratched flooring. Parents often times feel that they must sacrifice their designer taste and style to transform their home into a ‘jungle gym’ full of child proof appliances and cheap furnishings.
Decorating your home to accommodate children doesn’t have to mean giving up rich fabrics and decorator hues for a collection of cartoon characters and primary colors. There are plenty of functional home décor materials to fit your taste and the wear and tear of a busy family lifestyle.
Creating a Kid Friendly Color Palette
Before you start decorating your kitchen or family room, consider how often you and your children use that particular space. If the room is a high traffic area, consider using neutral, organic colors like taupe, light browns and greens. These neutral colors camouflage dirt and the everyday deterioration of your active lifestyle. If these organic hues seem dull, incorporate bright shades by adding colorful home accessories like throw pillows and area rugs. A few accent colors are quick, simple, low maintenance ways to liven up even the dullest room.
If the room you are decorating is considered an ‘adult only’ space, splurge and experiment with rich decorator hues and color palettes. Creating an ‘adult only’ room allows you to have at least one area that you can decorate exactly how you want, without the possibility of your hard work being at risk.
To learn more about the latest family friendly home improvement materials that will complement all color palettes, visit www.westcoastflooring.com.
Installing Long-Lasting Floors
When selecting carpet flooring for your home, opt for darker colors. Dark carpeting disguises grape juice and mud stains better than light carpeting. Save the lighter colors for adult zones like the bedroom or home office.
If you’re in the market for hardwood flooring, select something more durable that can withstand roller skates and soccer cleats. Bamboo flooring has proven to be a more durable alternative than oak or laminate flooring. Bamboo also accepts a large variety of stains, making it a versatile flooring option that can be blended to match almost any interior color palette. All wood flooring will eventually scratch, but bamboo can easily be refinished, unlike laminate flooring.
Extend the life of your carpets and hardwood flooring by investing in wool area rugs that have been treated to resist stains. Hooked wool rugs are great for high traffic areas where kids walk, play and eat because they offer easy spot clean up and very little maintenance. You can find durable rugs in all sorts of stylish patterns and colors and they can be moved around to designate areas. Toss one in the kids’ play room, or underneath the coffee table to preserve your home floors.
Visit www.westcoastflooring.com to find more durable flooring options for your home.
Incorporating Durable Fabrics
Though dining room chairs upholstered in silk may look great now, they will not look as attractive after a few meals with the kids. Instead of purchasing couches and chairs upholstered in high maintenance materials, like silk, select durable fabrics such as cotton and ultra-suede that can withstand daily activity. Consider the fancier fabrics, such as chenille and crinkled velvet, for accent pillows and throws. Velvet and chenille have a more formal feel and are more durable than silk.
Couples don’t have to surrender their style when they have children. There are plenty of attractive and substantial home décor solutions for the busy family lifestyle. Transforming your home into something more stylish and family friendly is simple when you invest in the right home décor materials.
This article is provided by West Coast Flooring Center , one of the largest flooring stores in Southern California , offering flooring services with a wide variety of quality flooring options and other home improvement services.
West Coast Flooring is currently offering weekly, limited-time specials to represent a different home improvement product or service that would work best in the kitchen, family room, bathroom and foyer. Find the latest West Coast Flooring offers for your spring home improvement projects today.
February 13, 2011
Leading Edge Home Design
Stylish facades, functional European inspired kitchens, versatile spaces, and sophisticated contemporary living, are all characteristic of homes built by boutique builder Urbanedge.
Their enviable street presence, superior list of inclusions, user-friendly procedures and priced as displayed policy, indicates Urbanedge Homes customer orientated focus and desire to give new home buyers the very best in home design and value for money.
To discover the Urbanedge difference and what makes them so unique, visit their brand new display homes at Brimbank Gardens Estate in Derrimut. With three of the latest versions of their ever popular designs, there is something for everyone. Even the modest 23 square Zerne 001 oozes with sophistication and style and is indicative of the quality and excellence of the designs Urbanedge has on offer.
The Zerne 001 provides three spacious bedrooms and open plan living centered around a stylish kitchen featuring 900mm stainless steel appliances, huge walk in pantry and an abundance of pot drawers. Extremely functional, this home is perfectly suited for first home buyers or those wanting more from their lifestyle for less.
The latest version of the four bedroom Ludo 002 boasts a brand new façade, whilst the architectural flair flows inside through to the cleverly designed living areas creating the perfect scene for family living. An integrated alfresco area provides a private sheltered haven that can be enjoyed all year round, whilst dual access to bedroom four gives you the option to convert it into a study, home gym, or for convenient access to the baby’s bedroom.
For those wanting more room for a larger family the 32 square Larne 004 offers it all. Huge alfresco dining and entertainment space for relaxed get-togethers, home theatre room for family fun, a kids retreat with access outdoors so they can run in and out and a resort style master bedroom and ensuite with access to a private restful outdoor retreat for the parents own enjoyment.
To help celebrate the opening of their new showhomes, Urbanedge has created a massive package with up to $46,000 worth of additional inclusions for only $9,000, available in conjunction with the Urban Options standard inclusions on their entire range of home designs. This package includes CaesarStone benchtops to the kitchen, evaporative cooling, ceramic tiles and quality carpets throughout the entire home, contemporary vanity units, Gainsborough designer door handles, sectional Colorbond remote controlled garage door, just to name a few.
Urbanedge’s new display homes are open Sat-Wed 11am -5pm at Brimbank Gardens Estate, Derrimut. 169-173 Windsor Blvd, Derrimut (MEL REF 39 A1) or call 9363 6729 for more information or directions or you can visit http://www.urbanedgehomes.com.au.
