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Using a Mortgage Broker – Is This Option For You?

June 19, 2007 By

The lending market is flooded with individuals claiming that they will get you approved for a home mortgage loan no matter what your situation. The number of mortgage brokers has increased in the last few years. They are challenging traditional lending institutions for the majority of the mortgage sales each year.

Many homeowners have used mortgage brokers with much success. They have qualified for loans that would have been turned down at a bank. Their experience has been a good one. Some homeowners have not had this positive experience for various reasons.

Whether applying for a loan at a bank or through a mortgage broker, do your homework. Learn all that you can about mortgage terminology and exactly how a mortgage works. Compare adjustable rate and fixed rate mortgages so you have an idea of what you are looking for when you visit these institutions.

Broker Basics
Mortgage brokers are not regulated by the federal government. Most states don’t require licensing or any specific educational requirements for those interested in the industry. This means that there are some sharks out there just waiting to feast on your hard earned cash.

Their purpose is to broker loans that are offered by several different sources. The more loan sources there are available, the greater the chance that a non-traditional borrower will qualify for one of them. A non-traditional borrower could be someone with poor credit, no credit, no money for a sufficient down payment, or a self-employed individual.

Things To Consider

A potential homeowner should investigate potential brokers before doing business with them. This will help you to avoid being taken advantage of. If you don’t know anyone who has used a particular mortgage broker before, then you will have to do things the old-fashioned way.

Have the mortgage broker give you a paper copy of the loan program they are trying to offer you. Make sure that the documentation states clearly the responsibility of the lender, any fees, and how much the final loan amount will be. A good-faith estimate for the loan should also be obtained. Now you can compare the different types of loans and choose the best one.

A week or two before the closing, mortgage buyers may want to lock into a low rate if it becomes available. Get a signed rate lock document from the mortgage broker to verify that the rate you chose is the rate that will be applied to your loan. Having a signed document can avoid such errors as missed faxes.

When shopping for a mortgage, a mortgage broker is a possible option for loan approval. Because they are not sanctioned by any federal body, you should do the legwork required to find out which ones are legitimate and which are not. That could be the difference between getting appropriate financing and getting fleeced.

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Filed Under: Home, Money & Finance

Planting Your Summer Flower Garden For Living Color

June 18, 2007 By

Planting your summer flower garden takes early preparation before summer arrives. What you want is a garden that is alive with color all summer long. Proper planning and care will yield a beautiful summer flower garden.

Planning Your Garden

All types of gardening begin with the planning phase. If you don’t plan ahead, then you are planning for your garden to fail. Start with a drawing of the planting areas. Include existing trees, shrubs, and borders.

Be sure to differentiate the shady from the sunny areas on the design plans. Hostas work well in shade or full sun and there are many different varieties to choose from. Most flowering plants like daisies, marigolds, and daylilies enjoy full sun.

Choosing Your Plants

When choosing your plants, note the particular growing season of each. Know that if you include annuals that they bloom once a year. By summer, you may have only green stalks.

Look at drawings of the full grown flowers in seed catalogues. Knowing the final size of the plant will guide you in determining what size area to allow for their planting. Be mindful that bulbs need to be planted earlier in the year to ensure that they will bloom during the summer.

Plant Arrangement

Grouping different plants with the same color hue together deepens the effect of the color on your garden landscape. You may also decide to alternate colors using different plants. Whatever your choice, choose colors that complement each other to be side by side in the flower garden.

Plants need to be arranged by height. This way, all of the plants receive the sunlight they need. Also, they all will be able to be viewed by others if the shorter plants are in front of the taller ones.

Planting Alternatives

Planting a flower garden doesn’t necessarily mean planting in the ground. Container gardens are beautiful and add something special to your garden. Container flower gardens can be used to dress up a patio, a deck, or other area of the garden.

Container gardens are versatile. They can be moved from place to place depending on your mood. If you feel like warm reds, yellows, and oranges this month, but want a softer look to the patio the next month, you can switch those plants for pots containing ones that are pink, baby blue, and lilac in color.

Containers can be all sizes, shapes, colors, and materials. Mixing terracotta pots with glazed pottery creates a unique look. Using pots of varying sizes in an arrangement could become a conversation piece.

Planting a summer flower garden takes planning. Sticking to your plan designs will make bringing it all together very easy. Choose your plants early to make sure your garden gets the full benefit of their blooms.

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Filed Under: Crafts & Hobbies, Home

Family Vacation: Ideas For Super Summer Fun

June 18, 2007 By

You’ve worked hard all year and you deserve a vacation. Check out the following suggestions to help you find the perfect family vacation spot.

It’s time to plan for your annual summer vacation. While you may have a number of places to choose from, you want to select a perfect vacation spot the entire family will enjoy. Here are a few family vacation ideas for summer fun.

Number one on the list would have to be Disney World. There are a myriad of packages that are not only all-inclusive, but with advance booking you can lock into very good price deals available during the summer months. Let’s face it, it’s a wonderful place to take the kids and you can be assured the kid in you will love it too.

Another vacation idea would be a camping trip. Summer is the perfect time of year to take the entire family to a destination of your choosing where communing with nature serves as a backdrop for a glorious week of fun and adventure. With a lake for swimming and fishing and sitting around a campfire toasting marshmallow, telling ghost stories, and sleeping in tents makes this a perfect spot for the entire family.

How about London, Paris, or Italy? While most of the residents of these countries are themselves on vacation, this is a perfect time to travel there. This also gives your kids the opportunity to become acquainted with different cultures. Whether you are riding on a gondola, watching the changing of the guards at the Royal Castle, or taking a picture in front of the Tower of Pisa, this is sure to be one vacation that will be filled with memorable moments.

How about a week in Hawaii? The Ritz-Carlton in Kapalua offers special programs for kids from ages 5 through 16. They have activities such as arts and crafts, tennis clinics, golf, snorkeling, and even a beach adventure that is hosted weekly from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Oh, and don’t worry, there are plenty of things to do for you as well. This is a great family vacation resort and one you should definitely check out.

While these family vacation ideas for the summer are just the tip of the iceberg, wherever you choose to travel, ensure you book very soon, have your passports up to date, and have a wonderful time.

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Filed Under: Travel

Overcoming the Guilt of Being a Stay at Home Mom

June 17, 2007 By

Being a wife and mother may not be a paid position, but it is no less a job. Giving special attention to children during their formative years is to be commended not condemned. Still, moms who stay at home often feel a sense of guilt.

For any family, a sudden illness or other catastrophic event can put a strain on the finances even if both parents were working. It is normal to feel impotent when such things are thrust upon us. What is not normal is letting the situation cause guilt over your position in the household. A significant number of people think that these moms lounge all day and play with the children. That is not the truth of the matter.

Preventing Feelings of Guilt

Make Boundaries - When one parent stays at home and the other continues to work, boundaries need to be defined. There must be an understanding about the duties expected of each family member. For example, the mother who is home with the children may be responsible for housework. The working spouse will have to take up the slack financially if more money is needed.

Discuss Financial Matters – It should also be agreed that financial matters are a matter of family discussion. Just because the mom doesn’t work outside the home, doesn’t mean that the money is the sole property of the husband. The mother is saving money by keeping the children at home instead of paying a sitter.

Share Feelings – If you are feeling guilty, talk to your husband. Sometimes, a reassuring word is all that is needed to dispel those feelings. Knowing that your husband doesn’t see any need for the guilt will make you feel better.

Take Breaks – Keeping small children happy is a full time job. You are taking them to play groups, going to the doctor for visits, fixing breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and whatever else comes with the territory. When you put them down for a nap, it’s okay to take a break and rest without feeling guilty.

Make Time for Yourself - Kids can push our buttons at times and cause us to get angry. After the anger comes guilt over shouting at the children or the husband. At the first sign that you are coming unraveled, find a quiet place to sit and calm down. Having moments of meditation in the morning before everyone awakes will give you a chance to set yourself before things get busy.

Guilt can be brought on by any number of circumstances. Being a stay-at-home mom is not easy and it is a position that demands respect. As long as you know that you are being the best mom that you can be, have confidence in your self and your actions.

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Filed Under: Stay At Home Moms

Is It A Migraine Headache? – Symptoms And Treatments

June 17, 2007 By

Have you ever had a headache that just wouldn’t go away or left you feeling that something wasn’t right? Use this list of symptoms and treatments to help you decide your next course of action.

Could your headache be a migraine? Do you have headaches which seem to linger on and on no matter what type of over-the-counter medication you take? Is the pain located on one side of your head? Do you become sensitive to light and sound? Do you feel sick from it? If you answer yes to any of these questions, it is most likely the case that it’s not a headache at all, but a terrible migraine.

It is estimated that more than 29 million Americans suffer from migraines, and unfortunately women are affected more than men. What complicates this further is that most migraines are attributed to sinus infections or tension headaches.

Migraines are typically caused by stress, skipping a meal, lack of sleep, medications, sunlight, TV, certain foods, or loud constant noise. The pain is caused when brain cells set off a specific nerve which releases chemicals that cause swelling of the blood vessels on the surface of the brain. The result is a pain felt around the eye or temple area.

Not easily diagnosed, routine CT scans may be performed to determine if there are any other underlying causes. This is certainly no comfort to those who experience migraines. While there are many reasons why someone would develop migraines, it is suggested by doctors that a diary is kept to determine the frequency of the migraines and what event played a role in its onset.

Accordingly, the FDA has approved three over-the-counter medications to treat migraines. Whether or not they are effective, only the individual experiencing the pain can determine. However, it should be noted that some of these medications can cause side effects. Moreover, more potent medications have also been approved by the FDA to control the incidents of migraines. However, these also may have adverse effects.

Another type of therapy, one that has been used as an alternative to drugs, is biofeedback. Using a specific type of equipment which monitors physical tension, a migraine patient has the ability to control the catalyst which contributes to the stress. After a certain amount of time, the patient can then use this technique without equipment to either stop the attack or minimize its effects.

Migraines can be debilitating. Whether you choose drug therapy or biofeedback therapy, it is up to you to decide which treatment is most effective and carries with it less risk in developing side effects.

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Filed Under: Health & Wellness
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