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Home & Lifestyles
Home and Lifestyles H & L
How holiday hosts can avoid overserving guests
For Home & Lifestyle
The 2021 holiday season could prove to be especially festive. After the COVID-19 pandemic forced families to tone down their holiday celebrations in 2020, the 2021 holiday season figures to feel more familiar. The rollout of a trio of effective vaccines has made gatherings more safe, and that should make for an especially jovial 2021 holiday season.
The image of a house full of family and friends no doubt excites individuals who love to host holiday gatherings. And coming off a year in which no such celebrations were held, it’s easy to see how hosts and their guests might be tempted to celebrate a bit too much. That could prove both dangerous and costly. Overconsumption of alcohol can affect guests’ judgment, both during the party and at the end of the night when it’s time to go home. In addition, host laws could put holiday hosts in the crosshairs of law enforcement if they overserve guests. Hosts who are determined to have violated host laws could be vulnerable to lawsuits if their guests get into trouble.
Hosts must acknowledge and accept various responsibilities when hosting a holiday party, not the least of which is making sure guests get home safe and sound. Hosts can consider these strategies to avoid overserving guests. • Hire a professional bartender to serve drinks. The Insurance Information Institute notes that most profes- sional bartenders are trained to recognize
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signs of intoxication and are skilled at limiting consumption by partygoers. Hosts can benefit from that expertise and training if they hire professional bartenders to man the bar at their parties. Let guests know in advance that bartenders have been asked to monitor each guest’s consumption, and support the bartender should he or she refuse to serve a guest. • Host outside your home. A large party at home may create a warm atmosphere, but it also can leave hosts liable in the eyes of the law. Hosting the party at a restaurant with a valid liquor license can minimize hosts’ liability risks. In addition, restaurants and bars tend to be very busy during the holiday season. That means it will likely take longer for guests to order and receive their drinks. Extra time between drinks can reduce the risk of overconsumption. • Stay sober. Hosts can more effectively monitor how much their guests are drinking if they abstain from consuming alcohol. Guests who recognize hosts are not drinking also might be more agreeable if hosts ask them to stop for fear that they’re consuming too much alcohol. • Shift the focus of the festivities. When planning the party and inviting guests, look for games and activities that engage guests and don’t promote drinking. Guests are less likely to drink too much if they’re given something to do at the party, especially if the activity has nothing to do with alcohol. Avoid games like beer pong in favor of MORE charades or other activ- VAN GOGH ities that require guests MOMENTS to stay sharp. • Stop serving alcoARE MADE hol as the party winds ON MOHAWK down. As the festivities begin to wind down, PRODUCT FEATURED: EXQUISITE CRAFT COLOR: MIRROR IMAGE stop serving alcohol and offer water, coffee or tea in its stead. This decreases the chances VISIT YOUR LOCAL RETAILER TO SHOP OUR NEWEST that guests will overdo it and gives them a Retailer Name SMARTSTRAND SILK STYLES.chance to assess how & Logothey feel and determine if they can drive home safely. With a festive holiday season in full swing, hosts can direct their focus to ensuring guests stay safe and avoid We Serve All of Madison and St. Clair Counties and the Riverbend Area Hours: Mon/Wed/Fri: 9:00 AM-6:00 PM • Tue/Thurs: 9:00 AM-5:30 PM Sat: 9:00 AM-4:00 PM • Closed Sunday drinking too much. vallowfloor.com • 618-656-7788
How to plan a safe New Year’s Eve night out
For Home & Lifestyle
New Year’s Eve is a popular night to paint the town red. That popularity could skyrocket even further as the world says goodbye to 2021 and ushers in 2022.
Many cities and millions of individuals toned down their New Year’s Eve shenanigans a year ago, as the COVID-19 pandemic made it hard to celebrate safely. But the rollout of three effective vaccines has beckoned revelers out of their homes, and that could make for an especially rowdy New Year’s Eve.
Fun might be the top priority on New Year’s Eve, but safety must be in the mix as well. As individuals make plans for a night out this New Year’s Eve, it can help to keep these safety tips in mind. • Utilize a car service. Whether it’s a ridesharing service like Uber, a taxi cab or even a private limousine for large parties, leave the New Year’s Eve driving to the professionals. This ensures that no one will drive after having too much to drink. Even revelers who can control their alcohol consumption should avoid driving if they plan to drink. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, a person need not be legally impaired to experience impairment. Drivers with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of .08 are considered to be legally impaired. But the NHTSA reports that a BAC of .05 can reduce coordination, lead to a reduced ability to track moving objects, make it difficult to steer, and produce a slower-than-normal response to emergency driving situations. • Go out for dinner first. Experts at the University of Notre Dame’s McDonald Center for Student Well-Being note that having food, especially foods that are high in protein, in your stomach prior to consuming alcohol will help slow the processing of that alcohol. Someone who has not eaten will typically hit a peak BAC between 30 minutes and two hours of drinking. But someone who has eaten will typically peak between one and six hours of drinking depending on the quantity of alcohol consumed. • Make a plan. Overconsumption of alcohol is not the only potential danger lurking on New Year’s Eve. Large crowds can make it easier for friends to become separated, especially if they plan to visit more than one establishment before or after the clock strikes 12. When going out with a group on New Year’s Eve, create an itinerary, complete with meet-up spots, for the entire night. This ensures anyone who gets lost can easily find his or her way back to the group. Individuals who are wandering alone on New Year’s Eve may be vulnerable to criminals who are looking to prey on people whose inhibitions have been lowered by alcohol and/or the festive atmosphere of the night.
A rowdy New Year’s Eve may be on tap as the world ushers in 2022. That likelihood only underscores the importance of emphasizing safety when going out this December 31.
Helping YOU Find the Perfect Home Loan
As with housing markets across the country, the Illinois real estate market has been marked by low inventory and rising prices. While these conditions are advantageous for sellers, many buyers are feeling frustrated after getting outbid and having trouble finding a home they like that is also within their price range. So, whether you are a firsttime homebuyer or not, it’s time to brush up on what to know when buying a home.
What is a home appraisal?
When you finance your home purchase with a mortgage loan, your lender will hire a licensed appraiser to conduct a professional appraisal of your home’s value before approving your loan. Licensed real estate appraisers in Illinois have education, training, and experience in assessing the market value of residential properties. The appraiser visits the home to examine it in person and then researches comparable properties (“comps”) which are similar homes in your area. Based on the unique features and condition of your home, plus the local comps, the appraiser prepares a report with an estimate of your home’s current market value. As long as the appraiser’s market value is the same as or more than the agreed purchase price, you don’t need to worry about it derailing your mortgage loan application. However, if your home appraises for a lower value than what you want to borrow against it, you’ll either have to bring more money to the table or renegotiate the sales price. To protect yourself during the home buying process, you can add an appraisal contingency to the sales contract. This enables you to walk away without a financial penalty if the appraisal is lower than the contracted purchase price. If you are getting an appraisal as part of the mortgage refinance process, there are some aspects that could have an impact on your home’s perceived value. Here’s what home appraisers look for.
· The number of bedrooms: A bedroom is any room with a window and a closet. · Health and safety concerns: Is there lead paint? Do the HVAC and cooling systems work? Is the home in basic livable condition? · Interior upgrades: Any permanent improvements you’ve made to the home, such as new tile in the bathroom, new kitchen cabinets, and countertops, etc. will boost the appraised value. · Exterior condition: Upgrades outside of the home’s living space, such as a new garage door, backyard pool, porch, patio, etc. · Comps: What similar homes in your area have recently sold for, as well as overall property value trends in your real estate market.
When do you get an appraisal?
Home appraisals usually occur during the underwriting phase of your mortgage application. If you are buying a home, the appraiser will go and inspect it while the home is under contract and still owned by the seller. If you are applying for a mortgage refinance on your own home, you will be living in the home while the appraiser comes to make notes. Outside of the mortgage loan process, you can get a professional appraisal of your home anytime you want an accurate value, such as when you’re considering selling. Home appraisals in Illinois usually cost between $450-500. Unless you negotiate for the seller to pay, the appraisal fee will be added to your closing costs as a buyer. You will also pay the appraisal fee as part of your closing costs when you refinance.
Home appraisal vs. a home inspection
It’s important to note that a home appraisal is different from a home inspection. Home inspectors are also licensed and certified, but they serve a different purpose. Instead of assessing value, the intent of a home inspector is to catch any major issues with the home before you purchase it. Home inspections are highly recommended but not required by mortgage lenders.
How does an appraisal affect your mortgage loan?
Because an appraisal can make or break the approval of your home loan, it’s an important part of the mortgage application process. A home appraisal also protects you from paying more for a home than the market says it’s worth. If you go under contract on a home and the appraisal comes in below the purchase price, you have several options: · Pay the difference in cash · Renegotiate a lower purchase price with the seller · Walk away from a certain house and keep looking
Partner with Town and Country for your home loan needs!
Locally owned and operated, Town and Country Banc Mortgage Services, Inc. is consistently rated one of the top housing lenders in our market. We offer a wide variety of home mortgage loans, and our entire team of knowledgeable lenders can help you find the best home loan for you. To apply for a new home loan or a mortgage refinance, connect with Sue Cress by calling 618-691-9243, emailing scress@townandcountrybank.com, or visiting our Edwardsville branch today!
