All Posts by LHowe

How to Entertain Yourselves this Thanksgiving!

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This year’s Thanksgiving may look a little different than last year–smaller gatherings, eating dinner over Zoom, etc. Nevertheless, we imagine most people are still celebrating in some form or another, whether that means having only immediate family or quarantining before seeing relatives. Whatever your plan, you will hopefully have some downtime after the meal to spend with family. For many, there is no better way to relax than with a good movie or no better way to bond with family than over a good board game.

In that spirit, we bring you our top three Thanksgiving themed movies, in addition to Merriam-Webster’s top 10 words that can help you win at Scrabble. If you have any Thanksgiving movie recommendations or rare words that can lead to Scrabble dominance, we’d love to hear from you!

16 Pumpkin Spice Flavored Items that I am Avoiding!

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Fall is here and with the change in season comes pumpkin spice flavoring in EVERYTHING! Pumpkin spiced lattes, pumpkin beers, and all the pumpkin baked goods you can scarf down before retiring the flavor for another year. Pumpkin spice products definitely have their own cult following! I am not going to argue with you about pumpkin muffins or pumpkin pie – which I love almost as much as sweet potato pie, but I am not even a fan of Starbuck’s pumpkin spice latte – too much chemical flavoring. Will you agree with me that some people have taken the pumpkin spice craze too far. These 16 absurd pumpkin flavored and scented items, ranging fromridiculous to down-right unacceptable, will make you agree that even pumpkin spice should have its limits.

Tips for Maintaining Your Marble Countertop

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With marble countertops being all the rage, it’s time we talk about how to care for this stunning surface. While it lends a timeless and elegant look to your kitchen and bathrooms, truth be told, the beloved stone can be rather high maintenance. Take the proper measures, however, and it’s totally worth it for a classic look that isn’t going out of style any time soon.

Here are a few tips to keep your marble countertops looking as new as the day you got them.

Recent FHFA Changes and How They’ll Impact You!

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The Federal Housing Finance Agency (Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac) recently announced that effective September 1 there would be an Adverse Market Refinance Fee, which applies to all mortgage refinances serviced by government entities. The so-called “Adverse Market Refinance Fee” (Fannie is also calling it a “Loan-Level Price Adjustment,” while Freddie’s alternative label is a “Market Condition Credit Fee in Price”) would assess a 50-basis point fee for both no cash-out refinance mortgages and cash-out refinance mortgages. This means lenders will pay an extra 0.5 percent of the loan amount as a one-time charge. This would add as much as $1400 to refinances. That was the bad news.

The better news is that on Tuesday, August 25, the FHFA announced that Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac would delay the implementation of the controversial Adverse Market Refinance Fee. The fee will now be applied starting December 1 rather than September 1. Along with this news, the FHFA said Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac will exempt refinance loans with balances below $125,000 along with Home Ready and Home Possible products. Mortgage Bankers Association President and CEO Robert Broeksmit said, “We welcome today’s announcement from the FHFAamending the recently announced Adverse Market Refinance Fee from Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. Extending the effective date will permit lenders to close refinance loans that are in their pipelines and honor the rate lock commitments they made to their borrowers, ensuring that economic relief in the form of record low interest rates will continue to flow to consumers.”

If you are thinking of refinancing to take advantage of the truly historic low rates we are seeing right now, then please give me a call. I can recommend a good lender – either one we work with constantly – or one who works for your current bank. I want to make sure that you get the best rates and best service possible and I am happy to share my contacts with you to make that happen!

Can You Buy a House With a High Income and Low Credit Score?

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A mortgage lender looks at several factors when deciding whether to approve a loan application. A lending institution wants to know that a borrower has both the ability and the will to repay debts. If you have a high income and a low credit score, a lender may have reservations about approving your mortgage application.

All About the Second Mortgage – Good Idea?

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If you need money for home improvements, to pay college tuition or another purpose, you might be able to secure funds with favorable terms through a second mortgage. Before you do so, it’s important to make sure you understand the terms and potential risks.

Useful Insights for a First Time Home Buyer

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As a First Time Home Buyer, you may be confused about how to make that home purchase happen. We all know it takes more than just the desire to buy a home in this day and age. It takes planning too. Here are some insights to keep in mind when working toward owning a home.

10 Father-Related Facts in Honor of Father’s Day!

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To the 70 million fathers in the U.S. and the countless more father figures, thank you for shaping the children (and adult children) in your lives! We hope that those who are celebrating June 21st with their father or father figure have a wonderful day. And to those who are missing their father/father figure more than usual this week, we are sending our love.

Please read on for some dad-related trivia in honor of Father’s Day!

Has Quarantine Forced You to Reevaluate your Home?

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Has spending more time at home lately had you reconsidering your space? The quirks you lived with just a few months ago might not be so easy to dismiss when you’re stuck with them all day, every day. I think many of us are going through a Goldilocks moment. Our homes are too big, too small, too old, not in the right place, etc. etc.! Are you ready for a new home that is just right? A lot of us are going through that evaluation. Here’s how to tell if your relationship with your house can recover or if it’s time to move on.