Buying a home, what do I need to know?
Q. I really want to buy a home in the next year or so. We are working on our second child, due in February, and our lease is up on our two bedroom apartment in May. I have never looked into it before, I don't even know where to start. My credit isn't great (debt from years ago and current student loans), but my husband's is really good. I was also wondering if someone could give me an average of how much the home costs to how much the monthly payment on the loan would be. Like if I bought a $120,000 home, my monthly payment would most likely be..... Any help anyone could give me on this would be much appreciated! Thanks!
A. Your payment will vary tremendously based on the interest rate you obtain, the length of the loan, your amount of down payment, the taxes and insurance costs in your area, and the type of loan you choose - for example interest only versus regular amoritization. interest only doesn't pay down your principle and should best be used only in a market with rapidly accelerating values or for a house you won't stay in long.
your other costs are significant and often unmentioned. Gardening supplies, utilities, maintenance of all the appliances, walls, floors, outside structures - all add significant costs to owning a home. don't read decorating magazines unless you have lots of money.
you want to think about where you want to live. what should be near you? work? recreation? trees? subways? with the market as slow as it is in most places, you should be able view a property at several times a day/week, and see the rush hour/weekend traffic patterns. if you like to garden, find out what kind of soil there is and if there's enough sun for anything but hostas and azaleas.
when I was househunting, a very helpful thing was to look at that property aerially, either through google maps, or more helpfully, local government data on line. you can find out this way if the property is in a flood zone, near a landfill, bordering a future development (the tract next door may be wooded but owned by a developer putting in a race track), near protected land, etc.
think very carefully before you move about what type of house will be best for your family. draw up a wish list and pare down as you learn what you can afford. you'll probably want a kitchen open to an area where kids can play. do you need lots of closets? do you need big open spaces? quiet nooks? a garage? do you want to open your door and let your kids run out and play or do you want a little more solitiude and then need to walk/drive your little kids to see friends. on your first house, unless you can think about it really really well, you will make a lot of mistakes and therefore learn a lot for the next house.
the most important thing, as you've probably heard, is location, location, location.
you must be realistic so that you don't get yourself into a situation where you must leave your children in day care. it's so harmful to babies, and you don't want to get trapped.
the best way to jump in is to find a buyer's agent. some states probably don't have them. a buyer's agent is a realtor whose loyalty must be to you. if you don't have a buyer's agent, even if a realtor takes you around and appears to be helping you, they don't represent you.
the washingtonpost.com has a 'realtor mailbag' column that is very very informative about househunting.
good luck and best wishes!
your other costs are significant and often unmentioned. Gardening supplies, utilities, maintenance of all the appliances, walls, floors, outside structures - all add significant costs to owning a home. don't read decorating magazines unless you have lots of money.
you want to think about where you want to live. what should be near you? work? recreation? trees? subways? with the market as slow as it is in most places, you should be able view a property at several times a day/week, and see the rush hour/weekend traffic patterns. if you like to garden, find out what kind of soil there is and if there's enough sun for anything but hostas and azaleas.
when I was househunting, a very helpful thing was to look at that property aerially, either through google maps, or more helpfully, local government data on line. you can find out this way if the property is in a flood zone, near a landfill, bordering a future development (the tract next door may be wooded but owned by a developer putting in a race track), near protected land, etc.
think very carefully before you move about what type of house will be best for your family. draw up a wish list and pare down as you learn what you can afford. you'll probably want a kitchen open to an area where kids can play. do you need lots of closets? do you need big open spaces? quiet nooks? a garage? do you want to open your door and let your kids run out and play or do you want a little more solitiude and then need to walk/drive your little kids to see friends. on your first house, unless you can think about it really really well, you will make a lot of mistakes and therefore learn a lot for the next house.
the most important thing, as you've probably heard, is location, location, location.
you must be realistic so that you don't get yourself into a situation where you must leave your children in day care. it's so harmful to babies, and you don't want to get trapped.
the best way to jump in is to find a buyer's agent. some states probably don't have them. a buyer's agent is a realtor whose loyalty must be to you. if you don't have a buyer's agent, even if a realtor takes you around and appears to be helping you, they don't represent you.
the washingtonpost.com has a 'realtor mailbag' column that is very very informative about househunting.
good luck and best wishes!
What's a good reptile for a beginner?
Q. I was considering getting a reptile and I would like some help on what type I should get. I mainly want a lizard. I don't really like snakes or anything that would get too big for a bedroom. Have any advice that would be good for me? If so, please provide all of the stuff I would need for it. Thanks to those who answer!
To those that mentioned the turtles: what type of turtles would suit me?
to bubba: i've seen some anoles around my house sometimes. could i house those if I catch them? how many do you recommend live together and what do they eat?
To those that mentioned the turtles: what type of turtles would suit me?
to bubba: i've seen some anoles around my house sometimes. could i house those if I catch them? how many do you recommend live together and what do they eat?
A. Yellow belly, red ear, painted and map turtles are friendly!!
Good Choices for Inexperienced Owners
Reptiles can make excellent pets, but sometimes inexperienced owners are overwhelmed when the realize how expensive and difficult some reptiles are to care for. Unfortunately, many owners go home from pet stores with incomplete and even incorrect information on proper care of their reptiles so end up surprised and unprepared when they find out what it really takes to care for their pets, in both time and cost. Unmet expectations and poor advice about care can result in a bad experience for the owner and can ultimately be fatal for the reptile.
Some reptiles are poor choices for beginners, often due to diet or environmental needs or an unwieldy adult size. However, there are some readily available reptiles that are good for beginners. These animals are relatively low maintenance, compared to other reptiles, but they still need a significant investment in proper equipment up front. As always, do thorough research before deciding on one of these pets and get your enclosure set up before bringing home your new pet. I recommend new owners read about "Salmonella and Reptiles" to become aware of the risks and preventing infections, and also "Reptile Light and Heat" to get an overview of the possible methods of meeting the environmental needs of reptile pets. Here are my recommendations for reptiles for beginners:
Lizards:
Unfortunately, one of the most common lizards found in pet stores, the iguana, is not a great choice for beginners, largely due to their size and tendency to become aggressive at maturity, as well as their specific diet and environmental needs. Many lizards have very specific requirements when it comes to heat, humidity, light (especially special bulbs that emit UVA and UVB light), and diet. However, a couple of lizards stand out for their suitability for beginners and availability.
Snakes:
The biggest obstacle for many owners is the diet needs of snakes. For most commonly kept snakes, owners must be willing to feed whole prey such as mice or rats (prekilled is preferred). However, snakes have the advantage of often only needing to be fed once a week or less so can easily be left on their own for a few days without a pet sitter. They also have no requirement for UVA/UVB lights.
A Note About Turtles
Fortunately, the idea of marketing turtles (particularly red eared sliders) as wonderful pets for kids seems to have fallen from favor. Aquatic turtles get to be quite large and messy, and turn out to be pretty boring to children. It can be very challenging to meet the housing and environmental needs of most turtles (aquatic turtles, box turtles, and tortoises). Deciding to get a turtle requires a great deal of preparation and commitment.
Good Choices for Inexperienced Owners
Reptiles can make excellent pets, but sometimes inexperienced owners are overwhelmed when the realize how expensive and difficult some reptiles are to care for. Unfortunately, many owners go home from pet stores with incomplete and even incorrect information on proper care of their reptiles so end up surprised and unprepared when they find out what it really takes to care for their pets, in both time and cost. Unmet expectations and poor advice about care can result in a bad experience for the owner and can ultimately be fatal for the reptile.
Some reptiles are poor choices for beginners, often due to diet or environmental needs or an unwieldy adult size. However, there are some readily available reptiles that are good for beginners. These animals are relatively low maintenance, compared to other reptiles, but they still need a significant investment in proper equipment up front. As always, do thorough research before deciding on one of these pets and get your enclosure set up before bringing home your new pet. I recommend new owners read about "Salmonella and Reptiles" to become aware of the risks and preventing infections, and also "Reptile Light and Heat" to get an overview of the possible methods of meeting the environmental needs of reptile pets. Here are my recommendations for reptiles for beginners:
Lizards:
Unfortunately, one of the most common lizards found in pet stores, the iguana, is not a great choice for beginners, largely due to their size and tendency to become aggressive at maturity, as well as their specific diet and environmental needs. Many lizards have very specific requirements when it comes to heat, humidity, light (especially special bulbs that emit UVA and UVB light), and diet. However, a couple of lizards stand out for their suitability for beginners and availability.
Snakes:
The biggest obstacle for many owners is the diet needs of snakes. For most commonly kept snakes, owners must be willing to feed whole prey such as mice or rats (prekilled is preferred). However, snakes have the advantage of often only needing to be fed once a week or less so can easily be left on their own for a few days without a pet sitter. They also have no requirement for UVA/UVB lights.
A Note About Turtles
Fortunately, the idea of marketing turtles (particularly red eared sliders) as wonderful pets for kids seems to have fallen from favor. Aquatic turtles get to be quite large and messy, and turn out to be pretty boring to children. It can be very challenging to meet the housing and environmental needs of most turtles (aquatic turtles, box turtles, and tortoises). Deciding to get a turtle requires a great deal of preparation and commitment.
Would it be possible to live on $33,500 a year in Boston MA?
Q. I am looking to move to Boston within the next few years with my son who will be approx. 3 years old. Iam looking to live in a good area with a good school system. I'll be working as a medical assistant, looking to eventually become a nurse. I am trying to map out all expenses so any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.
A. Unfortunately, Boston is pretty expensive, and especially in the better areas with good school systems. If you were a single person with no kids, it would be possible, but difficult - even then you would probably have to have a roommate and/or live in a small apartment near public transportation. Given that you have a three year old, if you're looking to rent an apartment with no roommates, it will be difficult to find an affordable one and could be impossible in an area with a good school system. The areas with the best schools that are still very close to Boston are Newton and Brookline, but it's hard to find a one bedroom apartment for under $1200 a month and many will be $1500 or so. These are extremely nice areas but not cheap. If you could find any situations with shared housing, such as just renting a room or sharing a house or larger apartment, this will reduce your expenses. Also moving farther away from Boston but still being in a town with a decent school system - Concord, Acton, or somewhere around there - you might save a little bit in rent, although this will increase your transportation expenses. Public transportation in Boston is cheaper in Boston than a lot of cities but owning a car is also not cheap (besides registration, excise taxes, insurance, etc., and car payments if you haven't paid off your car), parking can be expensive if you have to drive downtown.
If you're able to complete your nursing degree before moving to Boston, then you'll probably have a higher salary, and you'll have a great job market in Boston. Unfortunately, though, Boston's pretty expensive.
If you're able to complete your nursing degree before moving to Boston, then you'll probably have a higher salary, and you'll have a great job market in Boston. Unfortunately, though, Boston's pretty expensive.
Does anyone know of any good affordable apartments in the Houston area? ?
Q. I've been searching for an affordable apartment (between 2-3 bedrooms), preferably below the price of $1,200. I also have four kids (three which are ages 6-8, and a child who is a currently a senior in high school) so I'd prefer any apartments containing good/ fairly new appliances which are family-friendly with as little crime as possible within the area and are zoned to decent schools...
Any help would be appreciated!
Thank you. :)
Any help would be appreciated!
Thank you. :)
A. A few suggestions: google "Houston Crime Maps". Not sure if they have this service there, but they do in some major cities and it is linked up with the local police department. You can usually type in an address and see what incidents were reported around it. This should give you a good idea of crime level and what to expect if there is crime.
Then, you can try Craigslist to find a rental. If you don't want to try that, I've had success before with Rent.com. Finally, you may just want to contact a real estate agent that handles rentals. If they are good, they'll know all of the areas. It won't cost you anything to work with the real estate agent (instead they usually get a commission from the landlord when they bring in a new tenant that signs a lease).
Then, you can try Craigslist to find a rental. If you don't want to try that, I've had success before with Rent.com. Finally, you may just want to contact a real estate agent that handles rentals. If they are good, they'll know all of the areas. It won't cost you anything to work with the real estate agent (instead they usually get a commission from the landlord when they bring in a new tenant that signs a lease).
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Title Post: Buying a home, what do I need to know?
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Rating: 97% based on 9598 ratings. 4,8 user reviews.
Author: Unknown
Thanks For Coming To My Blog
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