Posts by : Rosette Garcia

The centerpiece of your backyard? Your pergola, which supports lights, shades your guests from the sun and adds visual appeal to your seating area. And now that outdoor heaters are easy to obtain and use, your backyard can be a great spot to entertain all year-round.

Do you long for a yard with a pergola? Or maybe you're not sure exactly what a pergola is. Design gurus define them as stately structures with vertical pillars to support a series of open crossbeams, frameworks or canopy coverings overhead. Pergolas differ from gazebos in that they lack traditional solid roofs and feature an open, airy construction, welcoming diffused sunlight and summer winds into the structure.

You can go...

When selecting a gas grill, start with the configuration: Do you want a built-in grill or one that's free-standing? Natural gas or propane? Both fuels cook similarly, so your decision should come down to availability and convenience.

Grill size is next. How much cooking surface is available? Larger grills include more main burners. You can always turn off a burner or two, but you can't make your cooking surface larger.

It sounds like we're talking to grillers in Colorado or New Mexico — people with large acreage who grill all the time. But people who live in cities also enjoy grilling in their small backyards or even on their balconies or terraces. So what should grillers be looking for...

FICO credit scores range from 300 to 850, with most lenders considering a score of 800 or higher to be excellent.

The most important factor in determining your credit score is your payment history. Certain monthly payments — such as those for your mortgage; auto, student or personal loans; and your credit card payments — are reported to the three national credit bureaus of TransUnion, Experian and Equifax. If you make these payments on time, your credit score will steadily rise. But if you make even one of these payments 30 days or longer past your due date, your FICO score could fall by 100 points or more.

Your FICO score also varies depending on how much of your available credit you a...

Jenny King with US Mortgage helps walk us through what types of incomes can qualify for what types of home loans. Big bonus coming? Side hustle income? Employed less than a year? Let's break down what you can use to qualify for a home loan and what you can't.

Watch here

Whether it's for holidays, summer parties or casual gatherings, your space should be set up to facilitate social interactions. So how can you create more social spaces in your home without making it feel less relaxing and inviting? Here are some ideas to get started:

Open floor plan

Consider an open floor plan if you're in the market for a house where entertainment is a priority. It's much easier to entertain guests when you can prep the meal alone in the kitchen. This is possible when your home has enough space for guests to gather outside the kitchen to enjoy their conversations.

Game room

Consider creating a game room entertainment space. Adding games that promote social interactio...

Use a Large Mirror

Mirrors make a small space look larger by reflecting light, which can maximize the natural and artificial light in the room. It’s okay if the mirror seems out of scale in a smaller space.

Make Use of Natural Light

If you can, make use of natural light. Open blinds or install privacy window film to prevent blocking light.

Choose a Streamlined Bathroom Vanity

You also want to make bathroom furniture as scaled down as possible to accommodate the small space. A pedestal sink or slim-fit vanity will help remove the visual clue that the room is too small. Smaller touches help open up the floor space while remaining functional.

Remove Large Décor Pieces

A small bathroom...

Buying an area rug isn't always as simple as choosing a design you like and then buying it. The style, color, size and shape will depend on several factors you will want to consider. So how do you choose an area rug when there are so many options? Here is a quick guide to get you started:

Calculating size

Rugs come in many sizes, including standard measurements such as 4"x6", 5"x8" and 8"x10". An area rug that is too small will make the room look unbalanced, but a rug that's too big will make the room look smaller. Don't base the size on the room's measurements but on your furniture configuration instead. Be sure to measure the area to determine the best dimensions for your rug.

Traf...

Do you have spaces that are getting too messy for your liking? Or maybe you need to get clutter under control before a summertime celebration or milestone event hosted in your home. Here are a few things you can do to limit the chaos.

A Place for Everything

The best way to tame clutter is to avoid it in the first place. When planning to organize your home, make sure you have a place for everything and put everything back in its place. You can sort things with whatever method works for you, but make sure when you’re done working with something, it returns to its designated spot.

Closed Storage

To further facilitate the taming of clutter, choose closed storage. Use bins with lids,...

Have you ever struggled because of your kitchen lighting? Is it hard to read recipes or do homework at the counter? If so, it might be time to update the lighting in your kitchen space. But what are your options, and do you have to hire an electrician to help? Luckily, there are many great products, including  several you can do yourself.

Replace Your Overhead Lights

Consider swapping out your current overhead kitchen lights for a fresh look. Older incandescent bulbs do not put out as many lumens, (the measurement for light) as newer forms of light can.  They also tend to be energy hogs. So, if you have older kitchen  lighting, consider replacing it with fixture that  newer CFL or LED b...

When paying your mortgage each month, a portion of your payment goes toward reducing your loan's principal balance while another portion goes toward paying interest. A share of your payment will typically go toward paying for the costs of property taxes and homeowners insurance too.

If you want to pay off your mortgage faster and without paying as much in interest, your strategy should be reducing its principal balance quicker.

You can do this with a mortgage recast.

What is a recast?

If you have extra money, you can make a large lump-sum payment on your mortgage loan's principal balance. This will reduce the amount you owe on your loan and the amount of interest your lender will char...

For years, people have set up their home offices in any spare, empty corner of their homes. It might be in a basement, in a guest room or in a corner of a living room. But as remote work continues to trend upward, people will need to shift to a more permanent home office space. What can you do to redesign your home office to be a more productive and happy space?

Choose the Best Space in Your Home

If it’s possible, make sure you have a dedicated space. Ideally, it should be a place where you’re not interrupted or distracted by things going on in the home. Many families are choosing to transform unused guest rooms for this purpose. A basement room could also work.

Focus on Lighting...

We all love our pets and want to keep them safe and secure at home. Your yard should be free of hazards, especially for dogs who regularly go outside. So what is the best way to landscape for your pets? Here are some ideas for nontoxic plants, secure fencing and more.

Putting Up Fences

The best way to create a safe place for your dog is to fence in your yard. You can install several types of fencing, from chain link to wood privacy fences, yourself. Or you can hire a professional fencing company to install these for you. You may also consider Invisible electric fences to contain your pets.

Safe, Non-Toxic Plants

Dogs and cats sometimes unknowingly chew on plants even if they are toxic...

TikTok has swept the nation. Short videos influence many top trends, including how we decorate our homes. If you want to know the top trends this video platform promotes, you’ve come to the right place. Here are a few TikTok trends you may want to consider for your new home.

DIY transparency TikTok personalities shed new light on what it takes to complete DIY home improvement projects. While networks like HGTV glorified the DIY lifestyle, TikTok is drawing back the curtains and giving homeowners a realistic look inside DIY projects. TikTok decorators can give you the confidence to know you can do it, but understand you may face challenges you can overcome with creativity.

Make your o...

Do you have old, worn, or dated tile in your bathroom? You may want to take a sledgehammer to the wall and tear it all out, but may be a  better idea to consider all your options before you do that. Is tile reglazing worth it? Here are some pros and cons to consider.

What Fits Your Budget?

The first step is to consider the cost. The prices to replace a shower or tub and tile can range anywhere from $1,500 to $10,000. Reglazing can be 75% cheaper and will last  about ten to fifteen years. You’ll need to decide what works for your home improvement budget to determine which solution is best for you.

Do It Right the First Time

One of the most significant drawbacks of reglazing is that it ...

The simple answer, NO, you are not being punished, and NO, this is not new! Loan level price adjustments have been around. When you have a great lender in your corner, they are going to find the best strategy for you and your circumstances to get the best terms possible. Learn more here:

Click here to understand Loan Level Price Adjustments!

The mortgage process may seem scary. This is understandable: Your lender will ask for plenty of paperwork to verify your income and debts. You’ll need to sign what might feel like a mountain of documents. And your lender will closely study your credit history. But the mortgage-lending process isn’t nearly as overwhelming as it seems at first glance.

Start the application

The process starts when you fill out a Uniform Residential Loan Application. This application will ask for your basic information, such as full name, current address and Social Security number, for anyone applying for the mortgage loan. It will also ask for the address of the home you hope to buy.

You’ll also need to p...

Applying for a mortgage? Your debt-to-income ratio is a key number. Lenders care about how much money you spend each month on your credit cards, student loans and auto loans. The less of a financial burden your monthly debts are, the more likely you are to not miss any mortgage payments.

What exactly is your debt-to-income ratio?

Your debt-to-income ratio measures how much of your gross monthly income your monthly debts eat up. The lower this ratio, the better it will be when you are applying for a mortgage.

What is gross monthly income? Your gross monthly income is the money you earn every month before taxes and any deductions that are taken out.
What are my monthly debts? Your monthly...