HOUSING UPDATE
If you’re looking to break into homeownership but the price of single-family homes has you second-guessing, you might want to consider a condominium (condo) or townhome These types of homes often come with a lower barrier toentry–andthatcanhelpyoustarttobuildequityandenjoythebenefitsof owningahomesooner
Since they’re usually smaller than single-family homes, they can be easier on your wallet. While it’s not always the case, smaller square footage usually comes with a smaller price tag too. As a result, according to the latest data from Realtor.com, condos typically have a lower asking price than singlefamilyhomes(seegraphbelow):
Source:REALTORCOM
And here’s some exciting news: builders are focusing more on homes like these.TheNationalAssociationofHomeBuilders(NAHB)says:
“Theshareoftownhomesbeingbuiltisatanall-timehigh.”
That means there’s a good number of options to add to your home search if you broaden it to include condos and townhomes And you may even find somethingthatworksbetterforyourbudget
So, if you’re comfortable with a smaller space and want to buy your first home before the spring rush, adding these types of homes to your search mightbeyouranswer
Ready to find a home that suits your goals? A condo might be the perfect fit for your first home purchase.
Livinginacondohasabunchofotherperks,too Let’slookcloser atwhycondosareappealingforfirst-timebuyers:
They help you start building equity When you buy a condo or townhome, you build equity and your net worth as you make your mortgage payments and as your condo’s value goes up overtime.
They can be low maintenance. Condos are great if you want to own your place but don’t want to mow the lawn, shovel snow, or fix the roof. Your real estate agent can help explain any associated fees and details for the condos you’re interestedin.
They usually come with a range of amenities. Your condo might come with access to a pool, dog park, or parking. And thebestpart?Youdon’thavetotakecareofanyofthem They create a sense of community Buying a condo means you’llbelivingclosetootherpeople,whichisniceifyouwant a more close-knit feel Many communities like these hold fun events such as barbecues and parties to help create that senseofconnectionamongresidents
Remember, your first home doesn’t have to be the one you stay in forever. The important thing is to get your foot in the door as a homeowner so you can start to gain home equity. Later on, that equity can help you buy another place if you want somethingdifferent
ThePerksofaCondoLifestyle
WHY CHOOSE FBC MORTGAGE?
Choosing the right partners for your home purchase team is an important decision. You need to work with partners you can trust will be there for you every step of the way! This is why you should choose FBC Mortgage, LLC:
Leading national direct mortgage lender
Local and knowledgeable appraisers
In-house underwriting, processing, closing and decision making
Preferred lender for the nation's top real estate agents and home builders
Competitive rates and extensive loan product options
Industry-leading turn times
Available on nights and weekends
Real-time loan updates to our clients and business partners
As one of the most trusted credit repair providers in the mortgage industry, we have developed partnerrelationships with the nation's largest home builders and established a network of over 10,000 loan officers and real estate agents.
The Most Expensive Home Design
Mistakes To Avoid Like The Plague
While all home design mistakes sting a little bit, they’re particularly irksome when they’re expensive Sure, hating everything you bought on your latest Home Goods run is annoying, but not nearly as annoying as hating your $50,000 kitchen renovation. Here are the most expensive interior design mistakes you can possibly make, according to Havenly interior designers.
1. Missing the mark on a kitchen reno
Unsurprisingly, the most expensive home design mistakes often involve the infamous kitchen renovation While nitty-gritty faux pas, like going too trendy or picking a low-quality countertop material or backsplash tile, we’d argue that one of the most expensive kitchen reno mistake is committing to an impractical layout Not only is this extremely costly to fix, but it significantly impacts the dayto-day functioning of your cookspace Factor in errors with your plumbing, electrical, or gas, and you’ve got an expensive mess on your hands
Bathrooms are also a notoriously expensive undertaking, especially when you make a few mistakes along the way. In addition to investing in the wrong materials like backsplash, floor, and shower tile, going with a very trendy aesthetic that you’ll want to redo in three years is a costly faux pas in these functional spaces We love color and pattern, and highly recommend using it liberally in the form of wallpaper, paint, towels, and decor Keep the hard materials timeless and neutral!
With the amount of cost-effective furniture options on the market these days, you absolutely do not have to splurge on every single piece of furniture More often than not, the quality of a high-end piece and a budget find is the same, and you can save even more money by going the vintage route. While we do recommend allocating a reasonable amount of your budget to big-ticket items like a sofa, you can 100% save money on coffee and side tables, consoles, dining chairs, de and the like Don’t commit to all-luxe items
It’s incredibly expensive to have to ship back a sectional, bed frame, or acc seating just because you forgot to measure your space. Always, measure y room before going to your favorite furniture store or placing an order for that n sectional, and when in doubt, use painter’s tape on the floor to map out the ex layout This simple step will save you so much money and time especially w delivery windows are now 12+ weeks
Of course, refinishing hardwood floors can be pricey on its own, but havin move out all of your furniture in order to do so certainly adds to the expens you’re moving into a new home and know you want to change the hardw finish, do it before moving day you and your wallet will thank yourself later
6. Committing to all white everything
Don’t get us wrong we love the ultra-chic, minimalist white-on-white look (especially when paired with warmth and texture!) But, it’s important to be realistic about your lifestyle before committing to this style. Being thoughtful about these design decisions will ensure that you don’t have to replace your white rug, white sofa, and white dining chairs in two to three years because of impenetrable stains
4. Not measuring a room 5. Refinishing hardwood floors after you move in 7. Getting too caught up in trends
Don’t buy the ultra-trendy sofa, the trendy $3,000 rug, the trendy coffee table, the list goes on. They’ll be out of style in a few months to years, and you’ll be shelling out thousands of dollars again for furniture you love. Instead, opt for larger pieces that you can see yourself using for years to come, and invest in trendy decorative accents like throw pillows, candles, and vases instead
2. Going too trendy in a bathroom reno
3. Overspending on furniture
VEGETABLES TO PLANT IN OCTOBER AND GROW
October naturally feels like the end of a growing season As the leaves fall from the trees and the temperatures drop many growers start putting their plots to bed for the year However, it shouldn’t be seen as all over as October can still a productive time in a vegetable garden There are lots of crops to harvest in October and a good selection of vegetables to plant..
1.Onions
October is an ideal time to plant many types of onions Overwintering varieties of onions can be planted in the fall to give an earlier harvest of onions than ones planted in the spring, around 4-6 weeks sooner The soil in fall is warm enough to plant onions and let them get a good start and put out roots before winter arrives. They will hibernate over winter and then be ready to grow quickly once the weather warms in spring
2. Peas
Peas are a great option for a vegetable to plant in fall to provide fresh, early crops in spring The tricks to success with sowing peas in October is to use the right varieties and sow into the correct soil type Stick to hardy cultivars of peas and roundseeded types, the round peas are better suited to a fall sowing as wrinkled types can hold water and rot - they are better for spring sowings As for soil, sow seeds directly outdoors into well-draining soil, if you have heavier soil that sits very wet over winter it is not recommended to sow in fall
3. Asparagus
Asparagus is a fantastic perennial vegetable and the simplest way to grow asparagus is to plant bare-root one-year-old asparagus crowns in the garden These dormant plants give you a faster harvest of asparagus - two years from planting, rather than three when you grow asparagus from seed The advantage of planting asparagus in fall is that the soil is warm and the crown can start establishing a good root network before winter sets in Dig a trench to plant asparagus crowns and add organic matter, such as compost or well-rotted manure, as the crop loves fertile soil
4 Fava Beans
Planting fava beans in October means an earlier harvest of fava beans come spring. Sowing seeds directly in fall, as with other crops on this list, is best suited to milder climates and lighter soil types - as fava bean seeds can rot in very wet and cold ground
Hardy varieties of fava beans are suited to fall sowings They germinate at low temperatures, can cope with winter colds down to 14˚F, and they will mature quickly to provide an earlier crop of earthy and sweet beans
5.
Cauliflowers are not the easiest vegetables to grow, however, it is immensely satisfying when you harvest a tightly packed head of cauliflower from the vegetable garden A sowing of early-summer cauliflowers can be done in October Sow the seeds into large modules or individual pots filled with a potting soil for starting seeds in, such as this organic seed starter potting mix on Walmart Grow the cauliflower over winter in an unheated greenhouse or cold frame and plant it outdoors into their final position in spring.
6 Garlic
October is the ideal time to plant garlic in the kitchen garden. Garlic comes in hardneck and softneck varieties and many bulbs want a period of cold, around 30-60 days of temperatures at 32-50°F That makes late fall or early winter an ideal time to get the bulbs in the ground if you want to grow garlic If you want to grow elephant garlic, then October is also a good time to plant it Garlic tends to be grown in the ground in vegetable gardens, but you can also grow garlic in pots successfully Cloves should be separated from a garlic bulb and pushed into the ground, covered by at least an inch of soil. While there is a good range of garlic bulbs to plant, you should not grow garlic from grocery store garlic - as these bulbs are often treated with chemicals to stop them sprouting and could bring diseases into the garden
Cauliflower
BENJAMIN MOORE
PAINT DESIGN BOARDS
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