What to know about mortgage applications

Purchasing a home is the single largest financial transaction that most of us will make in our lives.  Purchasing real estate is a complex transaction, and using trusted, professional Realtors and lenders is highly recommended in order to make the transaction as smooth as possible.  After the housing market crash, lending regulations have been tightened to help ensure that the predatory lending practices that led to the crash are no longer possible.  If you are thinking of using a mortgage to purchase a home, there are some things you should know to expect when going to the bank to apply for a mortgage.

The mortgage application is a complex form that is used to collect as much information from a Buyer as possible to make sure they are capable of making the payments.  As a Realtor, my Buyers often ask me what to expect when they are going to the bank to apply for a mortgage, as this is not information that most people will know off hand. Thanks to MSN Real Estate, there is a simple guide to mortgage applications to help Buyers know what to expect.  A borrower's guide to the mortgage application offers a breakdown of the 8 sections of the mortgage application, and offers some insights into the information.

If you've been considering purchasing a home, contact me for information on lenders who would be happy to help you determine the correct loan program for you.  Feel free to share this information with your friends and family, and follow my blog to keep up with all my posts!  Friend me on Facebook and follow me on Twitter to keep up with everything I ever post!

Grilling secrets revealed!

In past posts, I've made it clear that I love hosting cookouts in the summer.  In addition to the time spent with friends and family, the real truth is, I LOVE to cook on the grill.  Burgers, brats, chicken, and even are delicious when cooked over the open flame of a grill.  Different foods require different temperatures to ensure proper cooking.  Learning the best way to cook a steak to a perfect medium temperature, or to produce a perfectly cooked, moist chicken breast is an art form that takes practice to perfect.  Grilled vegetables are a delicious alternative from the norm that take a certain understanding to execute properly.

Almost any type of food you can think of can be cooked on the grill.  Many recipes that I have come up with on my own have been variations on marinades or spice rubs to created different grilled dishes.  Through trial and error, I have learned some of the Do's and Don'ts for cooking certain foods on the grill, but it has taken me years to gain the experience and knowledge I have now.

Luckily, thanks to the people over at lifehacker, there is a great graphic that can help you know the best placement of food on a grill to get the best results without the hassle of all that trial and error. Where to Put Food on the Grill for Perfection Every Time summarizes this great infographic provided by Food Republic.  Check out lifehacker's article, or click the infographic to view the full report at Food Republic.

Let me know your favorite food to cook on the grill or share your favorite recipe in the comments below!  As always, feel free to share this information with your friends and family, and follow my blog to keep up with all of my posts.  Friend me on Facebook and follow me on Twitter to keep up with everything I ever post!

DIY popcorn ceiling removal

Popcorn Ceiling

Popcorn textured ceilings have been used in residential homes for quite some time.  Beginning in the 1950s up through the 1980s, they were the primary ceiling choice for hallways and bedrooms in nearly all residential construction.  The texture of these ceilings help act as a noise reducer to help keep noise levels down in homes.  While the idea behind its use was completely practical, the textured ceilings were difficult to clean, and the look has lost favor over time as well.  Luckily, if you're looking for a solution, removing a popcorn ceiling is fairly simple!

Garden Sprayer

Putty Knife

The only tools you will need are a garden sprayer and a putty knife.  Make sure to have plenty of plastic sheeting to cover the floors.  If you plan on leaving the walls as they are, you will want to cover them with plastic as well.  Once you have sufficiently covered everything you would like to keep clean, use the garden sprayer to coat the ceiling with water.  Be sure not to overdo it, or the drywall under the texture will become too wet.  Once the ceiling has been coated, let the water soak in for about 5 minutes.  This will allow the water to soak into the textured portion of the ceiling, and help to separate it from the drywall beneath.



After 5 minutes has passed, you can use the putty knife to begin scraping.  Start in the same area of the ceiling that you started in when spraying as this has had the longest amount of time to dry.  Since the water has soaked in, it shouldn't take much pressure with the putty knife to start removing large sections of the popcorn texture from the ceiling.  Just be sure not to press too hard, as this may gouge or scrape the smooth surface of the drywall underneath.

Stripped Ceiling

This is what the ceiling will look like after removing all the popcorn texture. If there are any gouges or blemishes from removing the texture, just use some drywall putty and sand paper to smooth out any problem areas, then you are ready to prime and paint your newly smooth ceiling!

Feel free to share this information with anyone who has ever thought of removing their popcorn ceilings, and follow my blog to keep up with other helpful posts.  Friend me on Facebook and follow me on Twitter to keep up with everything I ever post!