Posts by : Rosette Garcia

Start by looking at your three-digit FICO credit score. This number sums up how well you've handled your credit and paid your bills. The higher this number, the more likely you are to be ready for the financial responsibility of a monthly mortgage payment.

FICO scores range from a low of 300 to a high of 850, with most lenders considering scores of 800 or higher to be excellent ones and those of 740 or higher to be very good. If you are close to those scores, it shows that you've done a good job of paying your bills and using your credit, skills that are essential when you take on the added responsibility of a monthly mortgage payment.

You can buy your FICO scores from the national cred...

Home maintenance needs to be done throughout the year. It is done to make sure that your home is in tip top shape all year long and that you and your family stay comfortable. As any homeowner knows, there is always some work that needs to be done around the house. If you divide the work by season, you will find that completing each task will be more manageable. Here is a compilation of home maintenance tasks that should be done with each season of the year.

In the fall

• Before the cold weather arrives, have a HVAC professional inspect your heating system. This includes checking the furnace and testing the thermostat as well as changing any filters as needed. If you have a fireplace, ma...

If you're buying or selling a home, you'll be working with a new set of rules as of August 17, 2024. According to a press release from the National Association of Realtors, offers of compensation will no longer be allowed on multiple listing services. However, "offers of compensation will continue to be an option consumers can pursue off-MLS through negotiation and consultation with real estate professionals."

Furthermore, says the NAR, "agents working with a buyer must enter into a written buyer agreement before touring a home."

What does this mean in practice?

An article on Bankrate says, "The biggest change is that listing agents (the age ​​​​​​​nts who represent home sellers) may n...

If you're buying or selling a home, you'll be working with a new set of rules as of August 17, 2024. According to a press release from the National Association of Realtors, offers of compensation will no longer be allowed on multiple listing services. However, "offers of compensation will continue to be an option consumers can pursue off-MLS through negotiation and consultation with real estate professionals."

Furthermore, says the NAR, "agents working with a buyer must enter into a written buyer agreement before touring a home."

What does this mean in practice?

An article on Bankrate says, "The biggest change is that listing agents (the age ​​​​​​​nts who represent home sellers) may n...

The last thing I want to do is help you move here and then you call me and tell me you hate it. This is where I’m from, where I’m raising my family, and where I will mostly likely retire. I love calling the Grand Strand home. Let’s talk through a few things that you should consider before moving here and if any of them are deal breakers, please don’t move here. 

Heat and humidity: With summer temperatures as high as 100 degrees and humidity in the 80’s and 90’s, our area can be like walking into a sauna. July and August will make you especially thankful for air conditioning. While not nearly as bad as Florida, our area is hot and humid in the summer months. Stay away if our sub-tropic...

This article lists out the reason why you want to move Myrtle Beach or the surrounding area. Learn why this is one of the fast growing areas in the nation!

As one of the fastest growing areas in the nation, people are moving to the Grand Strand in record numbers (this is included in our article about reasons why NOT to move here).

When I ask people, what brings you to South Carolina, the first answer people give is the weather. They are tired of cold weather and excited to leave their snow shovels behind. To be fair, our summers are hot but our winters are incredibly mild. It only snows once every couple of years and when it does, it rarely sticks around long. Our spring and fall season...

Eclectic decor allows you to select the best of all worlds by choosing your favorite elements from the decorating styles that best express your preferences. The key to pulling off this style with fun and taste is to be selective in what you choose. An eclectic living room expresses your personality with a relaxed and casual atmosphere that is well thought out. The room should not look cluttered and chaotic.

While eclectic decor does not have a set rule book to follow, there are some characteristics that do define the style:

• Color sense — An eclectic room should be anchored with one neutral color on the walls. From there, add in bold, vibrant hues and tones. Don't be afraid to choose c...

Limewashing is a unique painting technique that blends paint with natural mineral pigment to deliver a luminescent matte finish to your walls. The paint creates a mottled finish with a chalky texture that adds depth and interest to your walls. It is conveniently available in a premixed option in a variety of colors. After it dries, limewashing imparts a suede-like ambiance to the wall with soft tonal variations and textures. Limewash paint has been a staple in Belgian homes for centuries and dates to Roman times. One thing that can be said for limewash is that it gets better with age.

While limewash can trace its origins back to ancient times, its ecofriendly qualities  make it perfect f...

Most states offer homestead exemptions that will reduce the assessed value of your home. And by reducing this value, the exemption also reduces the amount you pay in property taxes each year.

How does this work? Maybe your local tax assessor says that your home is worth $250,000. If you qualify for a homestead exemption of $50,000, you will now pay taxes as if your home is worth a lower $200,000. This will reduce your property tax bill.

Say the assessed value of your home is $300,000 and your property tax rate is 2%. Your property tax bill would equal $6,000. But if you were eligible for a homestead tax exemption of $50,000, the taxable value of your home would drop to $250,000. At that...

Imagine what it would be like having an area of your kitchen specifically designed to meet your every cold-beverage preference. Dedicated beverage centers are now trending in a big way. According to a recent National Kitchen and Bath Association poll, more than half of those surveyed plan to install specialized beverage storage and appliances in their kitchens. From beer and wine to juice boxes and fresh smoothies, these centers are only limited by your imagination and budget.

Why do I need one?

One reason is to save space in your refrigerator. Storing drinks such as beer and wine in your main refrigerator can take up a lot of space. With a dedicated beverage refrigerator, you will have...

After years of streamlined, minimalistic style, the flashy style of the 1980s is making a comeback. One vintage furniture dealer says that '80s-era furniture is resonating with his clients, and he can't keep enough brass furniture, multicolored area rugs, laminate bedroom sets, curved sectional sofas and neon accessories in stock. The hallmark of '80s interior design was an aesthetic that combined extravagance, bold colors and a variety of cultural themes. Geometric shapes and patterns played a leading role in creating this style and were splashed liberally across upholstered furniture, walls, floors and accent pieces.

It's always a balancing act between rocking an interior retro style a...

Home renovations and improvements can be costly, running tens of thousands of dollars. Fortunately, you can borrow against your home’s equity to finance the cost of these projects. And you have two main options when deciding how to best do this, both involving home equity.

One of the benefits of owning a home is building equity. This is the difference between what you owe on your mortgage and what your home is worth. Say your home is worth $350,000 and you owe $150,000 on your mortgage. You have $200,000 of equity. You can borrow against a portion of that equity to pay for anything you’d like, including  home improvements. How do you do this? With either a home equity loan or a home equi...

A bathroom remodel is the stuff of homeowners' dreams. After all, you use your home's bathroom every day. And most of the fixtures are built in, so it's totally natural to fantasize about tearing them out and replacing them with ones that look and perform the way you want. Here are the steps involved in bringing your bathroom down to the studs so you can rebuild it according to your wishes:

1. Make a plan. If you've been thinking about remodeling for a while, you've probably thought some of it out already, like what colors and finishes you want for your new tiling or what kinds of features you want in your new fixtures. That is, unfortunately, the fun part. Before you begin, you'll have t...

It's probably been a few months since you started a fire in your fireplace. When you feel that first chill in the air, you know that cozy evenings spent in front of a fire are not far behind. Whether your fireplace is wood-burning, gas or electric, you will want to familiarize yourself with some of these important safety tips.

Clear the clutter — Over the months when a fireplace is not being used, clutter somehow seems to find its way around the fireplace area. Move any rugs, knickknacks, books, furniture or other decor that is too close to the fireplace itself. Check to make sure the area is clear of anything that could potentially fall into the flames. Make sure you have a fire screen ...

When you take out a mortgage loan, you’ll have to pay closing costs, the fees that your lender and other third-party companies charge for originating your home loan. These fees can run thousands of dollars, and you’ll typically have the option to pay them upfront as a single payment or roll them into your total mortgage amount and pay them back with your regular payments. Which choice is best? As usual, it depends on your financial situation. 

How much are the closing costs?

How much you pay in closing costs will vary, but you’ll usually pay from 2% to 6% of your total loan amount. For example, if you are borrowing $325,000, you can expect to pay from $6,500 to $19,500 in closing costs....

PMI protects your lender in the event you default — but you have to pay the premium. Depending on the size of your loan, you can expect to pay $120 or more with each mortgage payment because of PMI. You can avoid this payment, though, with what is known as a piggyback mortgage.

First, understand how PMI works: You’ll pay PMI when you take out a conventional mortgage — one not insured by a government agency — and come up with a down payment of less than 20% of your home’s final purchase price. How much you’ll be charged can vary, but you can expect to pay from 0.5% to 1.5% of your original loan amount in PMI each year. For a mortgage of $300,000, you might pay from $1,500 to $4,500 a year...

Lenders and banks check your credit before they approve you for new credit cards or loans. They do this to be sure that in the past you've paid your debts on time. If you have, you are more likely to pay your new loan or credit card payments on time.

When lenders check your credit in response to your request for a new loan or credit card,  it's known as a hard inquiry. These inquiries are listed on your three credit reports. And each inquiry could cause your three-digit credit score to dip by about five points.

Why? The more credit or loan debt you take on, the more likely you are to miss payments. Lenders are especially worried that if you apply for several credit cards or loans at onc...

Your home's primary bedroom is a sanctuary made just for you. Often combined with a bathroom for an en suite experience, the primary bedroom should be just as functional and beautiful as the rest of your home. Here is our checklist for creating the best primary bedroom to suit your needs:

Consider the bed

Sleep is essential to your health and well-being. Creating a space for a good night's rest is critical. Here are the essentials you need:

1. Bed frame: A sturdy bed frame that matches your design aesthetic should be chosen to fit the size and scale of your bedroom.
2. Mattress: Choose a mattress that works for your sleep preferences. Many options and materials are available, including ma...

The key feature of quiet luxury is an appreciation for high-quality, timeless materials such as solid wood flooring, marble countertops, natural stone and plush fabrics. It's all about creating a luxurious serene atmosphere without looking like you put too much thought into it. A room decorated in quiet luxury screams sophistication and simplicity at the same time. While it may seem expensive to implement, here are a few decorating guidelines to help you achieve the elegance of quiet luxury in your own home:

Keep it simple

The idea is to avoid clutter so that the eye is drawn to the important, high-quality pieces in the room. For decorative pieces, stick with natural materials like glas...

You finance a big purchase right before applying

When you apply for a mortgage, the lender looks at your debt-to-income ratio. This ratio measures how much of your gross monthly income is consumed by your monthly debts. Most lenders want your monthly debts, including your estimated new mortgage payment,  to be no more than 43% of your gross monthly income. If you finance a big purchase, such as a new car, that results in large monthly payments, your debt-to-income ratio will rise, which will give lenders pause. You might want that new car, but it's best to wait until after you've earned approval for your mortgage.

You pay your credit card bill late

When determining whether you qualify ...