Money Saving Tips for Homeowners From the Pros

 Saving money as a homeowner can be challenging but professionals in the industry have several tips that can help reduce around your home so you have more money to save.

1. Avoid paying thousands on home appliance repair costs

Appliances, especially if they are old and untrustworthy can cost you more than you should really shell out. In fact a broken refrigerator can cost you thousands of dollars in repair costs. If you haven’t been caught in a pickle yet, think about getting a home warranty. A home warranty can help you pay for surprise repairs and replacement costs.

2. Go solar and cut your electricity bill

Your energy bills can be daunting and can hold you down each month. Solar energy can help you reduce your home’s electricity costs. There are systems out there they will not only help you with savings but also potentially give you more power.

3. Save big on your energy bill by replacing your home’s windows

A window that was installed poorly or has cracks in the seals or panes, can drain your home’s energy. In fact, tons of your heat or cool air from your HVAC system can be lost through faulty windows. Replacing your home’s windows with certified energy-efficient windows can save you big bucks in the long run by saving tons on your energy bills.

4. Eliminate expensive gutter cleaning costs

Cleaning your gutters several times a year is a burden for you and a huge unnecessary expense if you hire a professional each time. The solution is to upgrade your gutters to a system that remains clear and clog free. There are many systems on the market today that have a lifetime warranty.

5. Lower your homeowner’s insurance premium by getting home security

Many insurance companies out there will give a homeowner a discount on their rate if they have a monitored security system. A system can detour a burglary or if one takes place and your system is on, they might pay your insurance deductible.

7. Don’t let pests drain your bank account

Pests such as rodents, termites and cockroaches will destroy your home and its structure. This can end up costing thousands of dollars in the long run. Getting regular inspections and treatments by professionals is imperative.

All of these tips can help you save money now and money in the long run. It is important to always keep your home and all its parts working and running smoothly.

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Cool Your Home Off With These Insider Ideas

 Living in the South can be brutal during those hot summer months. In fact, during the month of July, Mayor LaToya Cantrell called and emergency declaration “to focus on health and safety within the community.” So how do you keep your home cool during these hot times? Here are some insider tools of the trade.

Don’t lose your cool

A home is not perfect but there is one that can come pretty darn close to being perfect. The LSU AgCenter’s LaHouse Home and Landscape Center is the perfect example of solutions for Louisiana’s climate.  It’s a special kind of model home strategically designed to showcase solutions for Louisiana’s climate. The LSU AgCenter’s LaHouse Home and Landscape Resource Center is a permanent, high-performance housing educational exhibit, attraction and outreach program.

As for your home, a place where you do lose air is through duct leaks and return leaks. You will want to test your ducts and make sure they are sealed properly. In order to do this, you will need to hire a trained professional to test for leaks. If there are leaks, then they will come in and seal them with mastic.

“Duct leaks and return leaks can have a huge impact on cooling bills, comfort, indoor air quality and dustiness of the home,” says Claudette Hanks Reichel, LSu LaHouse professor.

Another thing you should always do is have your HVAC system routinely checked by a professional. A professional will come in each season to make service your unit. In between services, you will need to check your filter to make sure it does not need to be changed.

Take it from the top

Your roof is a place where you can lose your cool air. A vented attic can become hotter than the outdoor temperature. A good way to avoid this is to seal your attic by filling in air leaks in the ceiling, chimney and other bypasses. Another option is spray foam insulation which can be put in your attic and other places in the home.

“Spray foam insulation can reduce electric bills by a third and is much more resistant to mold, especially compared to fiberglass insulation. On the exterior, choosing a lighter-colored roof or adding a reflective roof coating can reduce the heat from the sun coming through the roof, ” says Lance Dickman, of NANO Architecture and Interiors.

Be prepared to throw some shade

“Long, deep proches help shade windows and give a barrier of shade before you pass the threshold into the home,” says Dickman. Another great way to create shade on your home is to plant trees and bushes close to the house to reduce the amount of heat that comes in through the windows and walls.

Window treatments are another great way to help filter the sunlight and heat. “Some glazing treatments can cut solar gain 40 to 50% without affecting the color of the view. And upgrading to insulated windows and doors can make your home more efficient year-round,” comments Dickman.

On a side note, New Orleans has tons of homes with crawl spaces, these should not be sealed completely up. This could cause a build up of pressure which can make the walls of the crawl space cave in. If you are worried about ventilation in your crawlspace, consider a smart vent that will help in protecting the foundation of your home. “Consider Smart Vent or similar products that help protect your foundation and crawl space by allowing bidirectional water and air flow – when water is at a certain level the vent will open or close,” explains Lance Dickman of NANO LLC.

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The Difference Between Annual Percentage Rates and Interest Rates

 If you are looking around for the best rates and options for a mortgage, then you are probably familiar with interest rates and annual percentage rate (APR). The majority of consumers think that these are one and the same, but they are not. They are related but that is as close as it gets.

What is the interest rate?

Simply put, interest rate is the percentage you pay to borrow the principal amount on your loan on an annual basis. The interest rate applies to the life of the loan, from the day it’s borrowed to the day it’s paid off. There are two types of interest rates, fixed or variable. When you get a fixed interest rate, the interest rate stays the same throughout the life of the loan. A variable rate varies and will change over the life of the loan. A variable rate is based on the prime rate and when the prime rate changes, so will your variable rate. This means that the payment on your variable rate will go up or down when the Fed moves to change the rate.

What is APR?

This can be a bit confusing but just remember that the interest rate is what the lender will charge the borrower for the loan. The annual percentage rate is the total price of the loan expressed as a percentage. The annual percentage rate will include lender fees as well, so the APR will be the same as the interest rate if the loan does not have any additional fees. If the loan does have additional fees, then the APR will be higher.

Why do you need to understand both APR and interest rate/?

When you are shopping for a loan, you want the lowest rates. Most consumers look for the lowest interest rate but if they do not include the APR rate, they will not get a full picture of the amount they will owe. The interest rate only calculates the cost that it will be to borrow the principal, but the APR will give you the cost of the total lifetime cost of the loan. For example, if you borrow $15,000 to be paid over 72 month at an interest rate of 7.99% with no origination fees, the APR will also be 7.99%.

How are interest rates calculated?

When determining your interest rate, a lender will look at your credit history, application information and the terms you selected. This means that the better your credit score is, the better interest rate you will be able to obtain. So getting your credit score the highest you can get it will get you the lowest rate. To ensure that you have a healthy credit score, you need to pay your loans and bills on time, do not use all of your credit that is available, pay any debt you have down, and don’t apply for a new loan or credit cards right before you are applying for a mortgage.

How is APR calculated?

When APR is calculated, a lender will take into consideration your interest rate, finance charges, and fees you will have on your loan. Remember that the APR can be affected by the origination date and your payment’s due date.

All financial decisions are a big part of your life, so you need to make them wisely. Remember to get all of the facts before you decide to borrow. If you are working with a real estate agent, they can refer you to a lender that is right for you.

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Tips to Sell Your Family Home

 Selling your family home is something that can be emotional. Whether you are downsizing, moving to another location or wanting to buy a condo, there are tips to start with in order to reach this goal.

1. Determine Your Timeframe

Think about your timeframe because it can take a few weeks to several months to sell a home. Even in a seller’s market there are variations due to the asking price, location, condition and appeal of your home. So knowing how much time you need to get yourself into a new home is important. This will help your real estate agent determine the listing price and the marketing strategy they will use to sell your home.

2. Determine Your Home’s Market Value

Your sales agent can help you with this step. It is very important to find out the market value of your home before it is listed for sale. You and your agent will review recent home sale in your area, the condition of your home and if you have any upgraded features or renovations that have been done. The market conditions will be a big part of determining the list price of your home. This means you will need to take into consideration housing inventory, interest rates and buyer demand.

3. Get Your Home Ready For Market

Your home needs to make a good first impression so in order to do this, you must address any problems. Make sure the floors are clean, paint looks fresh and your home looks overall welcoming. This will include your home’s curb appeal, repairs and maintenance, decluttering, and staging. Your real estate agent can help you with the process or can refer you to a home stager who can assist.

4. Negotiation and Accepting An Offer

This can be a complex step and your real estate agent will help you along the way. Remember that you need to be prepared to negotiate. and don’t let your emotions get in the way. Your realtor will review all terms with you and help you with your response in a timely manner. Also, consider all the offers if there are multiple offers and accept or counteroffer.

5. Prepare To Close

Again, your real estate agent is there every step of the way including this last step. This final step has many stages that you will need to go through. There will be a final walk-through where the buyer and their agent will walk the property to make sure everything’s in order. The escrow company will release an estimated settlement statement and you will sign the closing documents. Once these are complete all funds will be released and the keys will be given to the new owner.

If you are ready to sell your family home, contact a local realtor who can help you with selling your home from start to finish. An agent can help you go through all the steps you need to do in order to get into your new dream home.

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July 2023 Saw Rising Home Sales

According to the National Association of Realtors (NAR), US pending home sales rose 0.9% for the second month in a row. This does come as a surprise due to the elevated home prices and rising mortgage rates. This still was lower than a year ago, as the year-over-year pending transactions dropped by 14%.

“The small gain in contract signings shows the potential for further increases in light of the fact that many people have lost out on multiple home-buying offers. Jobs are being added, thereby enlarging the pool of prospective home buyers. However, rising mortgage rates and limited inventory have temporarily hindered the possibility of buying for many,” said Lawrence Yun with NAR.

Pending home sales and contract signs for a new construction still top the existing home sale by about one to two months. There was an increase though in existing home sales in July. “But, unlike the market for new homes, which has received convincingly above last year’s lows, pending home sales continue to lag behind year-ago levels. This means more of the same is ahead for existing home sales, which have bounced back only modestly,” said Danielle Hale of Realtor.com.

“Today’s data suggests that home sales activity is unlikely to see a strong pick up in the next few months as limited options and significant affordability headwinds weigh on buyers,” says Hale.

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The 2023 Fall Seminar and Plant Boutique in St. Tammany

 The Master of Gardeners of St. Tammany along with the LSU AgCenter hosted the 2023 Fall Seminar and Plant Boutique this September in Mandeville. The event took place at Church of the King at I-12 and LA 59.

The event had several seminars that included presentations and table talks. The experts and experienced horticulturalists talked on many subjects such as the sale of bedding plants, trees, bushes, herbs and Gulf South natives. Patrons could also visit the Plant Boutique which had items from Bracy’s Nursery, Mizell’s Camellia Hill Nursery, Steiz Nursery and Windmill Nursery.

The table talk topics will include :

• “A Year at Clove Brook Farm: Gardening, Keeping Bees, Collecting Antiques, and Entertaining Friends” by Christopher Spitzmiller;
• “New and Recently Introduced High-Performing Plants for 2023” by Mike DeRee, of Ball Seed Company;
• “The Best Herbs to Use in Your Landscape Design” by garden designer, horticulturist and author Sue Goetz;
• “Container Gardening” by master gardener Peggy Plaisance;
• “Native Plants for your Landscape” by Caitlin Roberts of Swampfly;
• “Growing Vegetables,” by Grady Seale, of Covey Rise Farms; and
• “Ask the Expert” by Will Afton, county agent, LSU AgCenter.

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