Refinancing your home can have many benefits. First, you’ll be able to take out money to address immediate needs in your home like improvement projects. These things can only benefit your home’s value in the long term. Before you take the leap to refinance your home, you should be sure that you’re actually ready to take this step. Knowing what you’re in for allows the entire process to go more smoothly. Read on for tip to understand more about the refinancing process and what you’ll need.
Just like when you initially purchase a home, refinancing your home will require you to have your finances in order. Take a look at your budget and needs and determine if it makes sense for you to refinance your home. For example, your employment status or distance from life goals like retirement could have a factor on the term of the loan you’re willing to take out. A 15-year mortgage may make more sense than a 30-year mortgage, but your monthly payments will also be a bit higher. You need to take all of this into consideration before you refinance.
Your credit score will also be a factor in refinancing your home just as it was when you initially bought your house. Check your score and see if any red flags pop up. Getting these corrected earlier rather than later can help you to get a better rate on the loan. There are plenty of free services that exist online that allow you to check your credit score.
If you know the value of your home and understand how much equity you’ve built up in the house, it will give you a better idea of your refinancing options. You can’t get more than 70% of what your home is currently worth as a cash-out refinance. If you owe more than your home is worth, you might be in a tighter financial situation than you realize. You can do plenty of things to increase the value of your home; it will just take some time. You may even consider selling your house, making a move, and starting from scratch. Financially, this could be the best option, and you could also end up with a better interest rate.
Getting your finances in order and the simple act of preparing for a home refinance could give you some insight into your financial picture after being a homeowner for some time.
Stay out of debt. Don’t open new accounts. Pay down any debt you may have. That is the standard advice for people who are trying to get in good financial standing before buying a home or refinancing a home.
Do some research and find the best home loan refinance rates around. Then, look into your own finances and decide what’s best for you regarding refinancing your home loan.
Your first week in your new home is an exciting time. It’s also a very busy one. There is just so much to do to get everything in order and settled in! Some things are more important to get done this first week than others. On the other hand, there are tasks you’ll be glad you completed your first week instead of putting them off.
Here’s your guide to your first week in your new home.
Start by opening new accounts for all of your utilities as soon as possible. These are the non-negotiables you simply can’t live without. These utilities include things like:
Electricity
Gas
Water
Sewer
Trash
Internet, phone and cable/satellite
You’ll want to rekey all of the locks of your new home. You never know who has a key to the current locks. While you are having the locks rekeyed be sure to have extras made as well. Give backups to friends and family that you trust and consider getting a safe box for a spare key should you lock yourself out.
Plan to deep clean before you begin unpacking and settling in. Wipe down walls, mop floors, dust every cranny and hire a carpet cleaner. If you plan on repainting do it while the rooms are still (mostly) empty. You will only have to move furniture once and it will be easier to clean up afterward.
Refer to your inspector report for maintenance tasks. Plan them out by making necessary arrangements. Hire professionals, schedule out weekend projects and purchase necessary supplies. If this is your first house you’ll want to purchase equipment to take care of your new yard. Especially items like a lawnmower, hose and gardening tools.
Change your address on important accounts such as bank accounts, credit cards, health insurance, memberships, subscriptions and workplace benefits. Hopefully, you’ve already put in your change of address with the post office. However, this is only for a few months which is why it’s important to make these changes now.
Locate all of your shut off valves in case of emergency. Know where the main shut off valves are as well as the minor ones. Familiarize yourself with your circuit breaker and make sure that it is appropriately labeled. Now is a great time to come up with an emergency plan and course of action for your family in case anything should happen.
The first week in a new home can feel very hectic. There is just so much to do in such a small amount of time! However, there are always tasks that need to take priority. Use this guide for your first week in your new home to get everything in order with the least amount of friction during the process.
