December 2008

Getting Pre-Approved For A Mortgage

Once you’ve been matched with a lender, it’s time to get a pre-approval for the loan amount you need.  A pre-approval is simply a commitment from your lender to let you comfortably search within a given loan amount, which is not tied to a specific property.  To be pre-approved, a lender must complete a review of your current financial status (gross monthly income) and debt information.  When approved, the lender has determined your risk and decided that you have the ability to pay back the loan.  Ask your lender for a pre-approval letter and give it to your real estate agent.  This will make potential negotiations between you and the seller a lot easier as they can see that a lender has cleared you for the sell price of the property.

Online Mortgage Quote (PART 1)

Get More Benefit With Online Mortgage Quote
Online mortgage quote is the latest and the fastest way

Housing finance companies to cut rates from January

Following the leaders, the second-tier housing finance companies (HFCs) are also lining up special s

Preparing Your Home for Texas’ Fall and Winter Weather

When you own a home, things can slide.  Wife, kids, holidays, work, and more work can all add up to a neglected home.  More importantly, things that will end up costing you money in a time when all us could use every single penny we can get.  I ran across a great article by Jacob Narisi from PlanoStar.com on preparing your home for the winter months:

Loose brick, crumbling mortar joints, and missing caps are signs of neglect on brick or stone construction. Unless you’re really handy, hire a mason for these repairs. You can buy a chimney cap at most home repair stores for about $40 that will go a long way to keep out unwanted moisture. Then, use a flashlight to inspect the inside of your fireplace. The damper should operate freely, and the flue should be free of any creosote buildup. If there are any problems there, you will want to contact a chimney sweep.

It might take some work, but removing leaves from gutters now will mean a drier home when it gets colder. Leaves and other debris can clog gutters and force water from storms or melting ice to seep under the shingles. To remove wet leaves and debris, enlist a friend, your spouse or your child for help. One person works on the ladder, digging the leaves out with a garden trowel or plastic scoop, while the other is at the base of the ladder to hold it steady and help cart away debris. Even better, hire someone to do this job and make sure the company is insured. You also can get that company to repair or replace sagging gutters and reattach loose downspouts.

Trim branches that hang over the roof or brush up against the exterior of your house. In the name of safety, consider trimming branches that might break with the weight of ice, especially if they hang over your driveway, walk-ways or the street. Again, you know your abilities: Don’t do this work yourself if you can’t do it safely.

Caulk and replace worn weather stripping and broken or cracked glass. Weather stripping is an inexpensive and effective fix to make your home look better and keep cold wind out of the house.

ICICI to cut home, auto loan rates

Housing, auto and personal loan customers of ICICI Bank will get their new year gift in the form of

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