Here is a nifty little Excel Loan Amortization Schedule template you can download by clicking the link. You need to have Microsoft Excel or Office installed on your computer. What savvy borrowers do is use programs such as these to figure out how to pay as little interest as possible and get their home paid off. It would be nice to live debt-free. Just enter your loan balance, interest rate, and payment, then it does the rest. It is super easy to use.
A standard home loan is 30 years, Continue Reading »
As interest rates have fallen over the past few months, you may not realize it, but your buying power has increased. Let’s run some sample numbers. I’m going to use $300,000 as a sample loan amount. Obviously, if your possible home purchase was $600,000, then you can roughly double the below increased buying power figure. Of coarse, your down payment might be substantially different.
Sample at 4.5% interest: Continue Reading »
Feng Shui, pronounced “Fung-SHWAY“, is the ancient Chinese art of aesthetic design for homes, structures, and gardens. Although it has been in use for over 3,500 years, recently its use and popularity has spread greatly. The most important purpose and use of fung shui is to create and hold “positive chi”. Chi is energy, and through the correct placement of interior aesthetics, home architecture, and plantings, the theory is that positive chi will foster.
Feng shui interest and use in Seattle has been steadily growing. Continue Reading »
In short – YES! According to ASP Home Staging Statistics, staged homes sell in far less time (up to 83% faster), and for more money (up to a 586% return on staging dollars spent). Even if one considers these figures to be “hype” from the staging industry, and you were to cut these percentages in half, then it would still be greatly worthwhile.
I personally have witnessed the difference many times. Continue Reading »
There are a great many homes in Seattle with unfinished basements. If you have one that has good ceiling height (7 feet), and is dry, then you may want to consider finishing it. Many basements are equal in square footage to the main floor, so you could double your home’s finished square feet, and substantially increase your home’s value. Continue Reading »