Getting a Mortgage These Days

Some may think that it is nearly impossible to get approved for a home loan these days, but with the right preparations, you will make that task much easier. The first thing to be prepared for is that banks are now requiring a down payment and not a down payment that comes from the seller, but from you, the buyer. Banks want to see that you are a serious home buyer with something at risk and a down payment does just that. Have at least 5% of the home sale price ready to go, but it may require more like 10, 15 or even the old standard, 20%. Obviously the more money you have for a down payment, the easier it will be for you to not only get a home loan, but more desirable loan terms and 20% down will help you to avoid PMI. PMI or Private Mortgage Insurance is an additional payment you will be required to make if your home is financed for more than 80% of its market value. The problem is that PMI is not something you can write off on your taxes and so it is a fee that can cost you hundreds of dollars on top of your mortgage, taxes and insurance that has zero benefit. For those of you who do not have 20% for a down payment, be sure to check out FHA.com for down payment grants that do not have to be paid back to a lender. Another important thing to do is to check your credit reports from all 3 credit bureau's and correct any errors, also, know your credit score. Be sure to pull from Experian, Trans Union and Equifax as all 3 can contain different information as well as incorrect information; you will also have 3 different credit scores. The closer to 900 your credit score is, the better and that means a lower interest rate. You can pull your credit reports for free once a year directly from the 3 credit bureaus.

NECESSARY DOCUMENTS FOR MORTGAGE APPLICATION

Make sure to have your past 2 years worth of tax returns photo copied, including your W-2's as the bank or mortgage company will have to verify your income. Also, bank statements are needed to verify down payment funds, and meet reserve requirements as well as to establish your ability to save money by having a nice balance sitting in a savings account, money market or CD. These basic principles can make your experience of getting a mortgage simple and painless. Being prepared is your best offense in these tougher times, so be diligent and aware and you will come out on top. For reference, bankrate.com is a great place to start in finding current mortgage rates and terms so you know what to expect.

Walltat.com... Awesome Wall Decal Art

I would like to talk about a product called Walltat. It is a sticker type wall decal product made for all kinds of surfaces including walls, ceilings, floors, on glass, mirrors or even for your car! The awesome thing about them is that they are only as permanent as you want them to be. What do I mean by this? Well, put the Walltat on your wall and when you are ready to move, or if you want to change the design, simply peel the wall decal off and toss it, it is that easy. This product comes in hundreds of images, all of which allow you the consumer to choose custom colors to match your decor. They also have reflective and translucent decals that will be sure to have guests to your home buzzing about how cool they are. This is the Walltat I recently placed on my master bedroom wall. I choose to make the branches brown and the birds fuchsia and it came out better that I had hoped. I will post my own picture of what it looks like in my blog soon, so check back for it. I loved this decal so much that I just purchased another design. Once I put it up, I will take a picture of it and post it. They are totally affordable and there is a design or two for everyone. With a huge color pallet to choose from, you will find a decal for every room in the house. They also come in a variety of sizes from smaller decals around 3 feet to 10 feet and larger. There is something for everyone here so be sure to check it out. I hear that Extreme Makeover: Home Edition just picked this company up and will be featuring their decals on multiple shows this season. I know that they have a mention on the abc.com website under "TEXTILES, WINDOW & WALL COVERINGS." All in all, this is unlike any other wall covering product I have ever seen and it is worth taking a gander, so what are you waiting for? Go ahead, check it out... www.walltat.com

Tim and Eric Awesome Show... Great Job!

The Tim and Eric Awesome Show Great Job! appears on the Cartoon Network during the "Adult Swim," time later in the evening. http://www.adultswim.com/ This show features 2 dudes, Tim and Eric and they put together a 15 minute show featuring short comedy sketches and they also feature many famous cameos throughout the show. Click here to see a sketch featuring Ed Begley Jr. Other cameos include David Cross, Will Forte, Jeff Goldblum, Rainn Wilson and John Mayer. Click here for another sketch featuring John C Reilly I have never laughed so hard, scratched my head more often or wondered why I was watching something, but couldn't change the channel. I suggest to everyone reading this to check out the show at least once in their life, maybe you will dig it, maybe you will hate it, but one thing is for sure, you will think about it long after you are done watching it and you will want to discuss it with others, even if they think you are nuts. Be sure to check out Tim and Eric's site as well at www.timanderic.com as they tour the country preforming a live version of the show for all to gawk at. Great Job!

My first blog

Well, this is it, my first official blog. I am excited and still learning, but this is going to be fun. I intend on sharing with all of you tons of info I have compiled as a result of consuming everything I want, hehehe... I will also share info on saving money as I HATE to pay full price for anything. I hope that you will find my blogs full of useful reviews and links to the best places to get the items I discuss. Enjoy!