Government Programs to Get Free Money

If you need help paying some bills or taking care of your family, the government can sometimes help. Many state and federal programs exist to help not just low-income families, but people of varying income levels. Many programs are meant to help homeowners.

Here are some of the various types of government help available:

Down Payment Assistance
If you can’t afford a down payment on a home, many states offer down payment assistance. To find such programs in your state, start at the Federal Housing Authority. Many states offer multiple programs.

Nevada, for example, helps with a grant of up to 5 percent of a mortgage to be put toward a down payment and closing costs. It’s available to anyone with an annual income below $98,500.

Utility Bills
Low-income households can get help paying heating and cooling bills from the Low Income HomeEnergy Assistance, which is funded by the Department of Health and Human Services. The grants are issued by individual states, which set their own eligibility requirements.

For discounted landline or cellphone service, the income-based Lifeline program provides eligible customers at least $9.25 toward their bill.

Childcare
Annual costs for infant care range from about $5,000 in Mississippi to $22,600 in Washington, D.C., according to the Economic Policy Institute…a big cost for any family.

The Child Care and Development Fund helps low-income families by giving money for childcare for children under 13.

Unclaimed Money
Not exactly free money, unclaimed money is money owed to you because you either forgot about it, lost it or didn’t claim it. It can be a deposit paid to a utility company that you never got back, a lost savings bond, unclaimed life insurance benefits or an uncashed paycheck.

The funds are turned over to the state when the owner can’t be contacted, such as through clerical errors or companies having old addresses on file. The website unclaimed.org is a good place to startchecking to see if you’re owed unclaimed money.

With any of the above programs, be wary of anyone who says they represent a government agency and are contacting you with an offer of free money. The government rarely reaches out to people with such offers.

This article is intended for informational purposes only and should not be construed as professional or legal advice.

6 Colors to Paint Your Ceiling

When it comes to getting creative with paint, it’s important to look beyond walls and accent furniture. In fact, let your gaze travel all the way up to the ceiling.
 
According to Better Homes & Gardens, choosing an unusual color for your ceiling will instantly add style and atmosphere to any room in your home. Here are six great choices to consider:

1. Dark Browns
Rich shades of brown make a room feel cozy and den-like, perfect for a study or family room...especially any room that has a fireplace. Browns that have undertones of gray will blend nicely with neutral décor.
 
2. Water Colors
Think calming pastels, like turquoise, blues, mint greens and lavenders. These soft colors are perfect for any room you want to relax in, like a bedroom or screened-in porch.
 
3. Grays
From pale shades to darker tones, grays add mood and sophistication to any room. They’re especially effective when a room is accented with white upholstery and linen. They can travel nicely from the dining room to a home office.
 
4. Bold Shades
Make an unexpected statement by using a bright pop of color on a small-space ceiling, such as in your bathroom. This strategy works particularly well when you have a monotone color scheme on walls and flooring below.
 
5. Blue Hues
Take your cue from Mother Nature and paint the ceiling any number of cool blue shades, from a soft sky blue to a cool, gray blue. A pale shade with just a hint of blue will actually make your ceiling look higher.
 
6. Bright White
If you’re going to opt for white, go beyond the standard fare and choose a bright white to contrast and really show off your wall color, as opposed to just blending in with it. 
 
Top off your room with one of these colors and bring a whole new personality to your home. 

Is Your Extra Room an Untapped Revenue Opportunity?

More homeowners are renting out their unused bedrooms to supplement income—to the tune of 33.6 million!

That’s the number of extra rooms available across the country, according to a recent Finder.com analysis of U.S. Census Bureau data. Assuming each of these rooms could be rented out for $100 a week (a rock-bottom rent in many markets!), homeowners all told could earn $174 billion each year.

The breakdown, based on Census data, is as follows: there are 357,032,421 bedrooms in the U.S., and 323,391,100 people, leaving a surplus of 33,641,321 rooms. The total number of spare rooms is likely to be even higher, since many couples share a bedroom.

Where are all these available bedrooms?

Florida leads with 3,026,887 bedrooms, according to Finder.com, with Pennsylvania, Michigan, Ohio, and North Carolina rounding out the top five.

The average homeowner renting out an extra room, Finder.com’s analysis shows, can expect to gain $5,000 a year in rental income—an amount significant enough to pay down a mortgage.

Renting out an extra room is not decision to be taken lightly, however. Be sure to:

• Check with your accountant for the tax implications of the extra income and how to handle relevant tax payments.

• Research relevant county or state laws surrounding letting spare rooms.

• See if the terms of your lease allow subleasing of rooms, and if there are relevant local regulations.

• Make sure that your home insurance policy covers tenants, as well.

• Do a background investigation of potential tenants. Interview them in person and ask for financial records that demonstrate their income.

• Request a rental bond and two weeks’ rent in advance—this will offer you some security if your tenant proves unreliable.

Your real estate professional may also be a resource worth consulting. 

What Should You Do After Inheriting Your Childhood Home?

Your childhood home is a place where you’ve likely created many cherished memories; however, it isn’t uncommon for a person to have mixed feelings about inheriting that property later in life. While the home may have sentimental value, it could still cost a lot of money to maintain. What can you do with the property after taking ownership of it?

Rent the Property
Instead of selling the property, you could rent it out if you don’t want to live there yourself. Depending on market conditions, it could be possible to charge rental rates equal to or greater than the monthly mortgage payment. If the house is paid off, your monthly rental check can go toward an emergency fund or retirement account.

Run a Business From the Home
If the inherited property has a finished basement or an office space, it can be the ideal place to run your company. Since no one else is living there, you can get business done without your spouse or kids interrupting you. In many cases, residential property will cost less than renting a commercial office space or entire commercial building.

Move Into the Home
Assuming that the home is in a suitable location and meets your family’s needs, it’s within your rights to move into the property yourself. This can be an ideal solution for those who live in an apartment and are ready to exercise more control over their living arrangement.

Sell the Home 
An option one may want to consider is selling the home and investing the money. The proceeds from the sale could be used to invest in your future. You can invest in education, your current business or a new venture. Investing in the stock market could result in significant profits both now and in the future. Of course, whether this is right for you depends on your timeline, investment goals and risk tolerance. Be sure to consult with a financial advisor prior to making a major investment.

A home can be a powerful tool to help you gain control over your life. If you choose not to sell or rent it, you have a place to call your own for years to come. If you do rent or sell it, it can serve as a tool to help secure your financial future.

Source: Kara Masterson/RISMedia’s Housecall

Home Selling To Dos Before Your Vacation

Summer is vacation time, but if you’re selling a home and planning on taking a break, there are some things to consider before taking time off.

This can be a popular time for house hunting. Long days of sunshine offer extra time in the day for people to visit, and parents looking to buy a house before the school year starts are often especially motivated.

So, before you go on a vacation, be sure to follow these steps for peak selling conditions:

Clean, clean, clean. You’re keeping your house in perfect condition while it’s on the market, but take a few extra steps to make sure your home is ideally staged while you’re away. Clear the fridge of food and drinks that may expire while you’re gone. Do the same with your pantry— toss or, better yet, give away opened packages of food that could spill. Clean and put away all dishes, and leave a bag in your trash bin. Vacuum and dust all rooms, make sure kids’ and teen rooms are well organized, and spruce up the bathroom.

Notify your agent. Before leaving, let your agent know and provide them with a number to contact you while you’re gone. Talk over the circumstances that would dictate a call that interrupts your fun. Obviously, an offer will warrant a call, text or email. Vacations are a good time for open houses, so an update after an open house could be productive. You also should arrange for a contact at home—a relative, friend or neighbor—who can access the house in case there’s a problem. Make sure they have phone numbers for a plumber, electrician, gardener, contractor, exterminator, etc.—anyone who might be needed in an emergency.

Halt mail delivery. A mailbox stuffed with envelopes and boxes, or even a pile of mail inside the home, is unsightly. Arranging for your post office to hold your mail while you’re away is best. Also, take the step to hold delivery of any newspapers you may subscribe to. There are things that may get dropped off at your house that you can’t stop in advance, such as free newspapers, phone books, flyers and menus placed on your door by local businesses—ask a neighbor to keep an eye out for these things and to remove them for you.

Remember to Relax. Your vacation may get interrupted with updates from your agent, but the goal should be to get some rest. Selling a home is stressful and getting a break from that process can put you in the right frame of mind after you get back.

How Can Smart Appliances Save Me Time?

Do you have enough hours in the day? We bet most of you wish you had more!

While connected appliances can’t make a day longer, they can help recapture more of your time. In fact, one recent study showed connected appliances save a typical household 100 hours a year.

According to the Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers (AHAM), these time savings can be sourced from several areas. If you’ll be away from home for a while, for example, connectivity ensures your appliances stay in working order while you’re gone. Should an appliance need repair, connectivity revolutionizes the process—manufacturers are already developing features in which repair technicians remotely identify problems and, in some cases, remotely repair them.

Day-to-day, a connected dishwasher, for instance, could “learn” when you typically wash dishes and begin washing them automatically. Clothes washers, in another instance, can give you guidance when it comes to cleaning a certain type of garment, saving you time spent researching.

What’s more, connected appliances have the potential—with the Smart Grid—to drive energy cost savings and improve the environment, automatically reducing energy use based on users' preferences, or allowing users to access renewable energy when available.

Want to learn more? Download AHAM’s white paper, Home Appliance Connectivity: Limitless Potential (www.aham.org/industry/ht/d/Join/pid/84076), for an introduction to the possibilities connected home appliances hold, as well as what manufacturers are doing to keep them safe and secure.

How to Hide More Seating In a Small Space

Whether it’s an apartment or a tiny home, small-space living can have so many advantages, both in terms of cost and lifestyle. But when it comes time to have a few guests over, finding a place to put everyone can indeed be a challenge. Here are a few clever strategies for tucking away seating options that can be accessed when the need arises.

Invest in an all-purpose bench. Place a bench up against a wall or window and use it to display plants, stacks of books or dishes. When company arrives, stash said items on a windowsill or in a closet and pull the bench out for extra seating.

Stow hassocks in your entertainment center. Buy a shelving unit for your television that includes room to house two small hassocks right underneath the TV. Pop these out whenever you need two extra seats in your living area.

Tuck stools underneath counter space. Have a counter in your kitchen? Buy backless stools that slide all the way underneath the counter, so that they are out of the way and create more space when not in use. Put them into action wherever you may need when guests pop by.

Make chairs multi functional. Put small accent chairs to work in other rooms, such as to stack towels upon in the bathroom, or as a plant stand in the bedroom. They can resume their traditional role as a chair if and when the need arises.

Decorate with large pillows. Adorn your bed or sofa with a giant pillow or two that can serve as floor-cushion seating for casual soirees. Let’s face it - who doesn’t like to cozy up to the coffee table close to the snacks?! 

New Home Trends: Papered Ceilings?

You may have heard that wallpaper is making a comeback. But have you heard about wallpapered ceilings? Technically, this trend is called ceiling paper, and it can transform a room in the same way papered walls can.

Highlight a space. Do you have a home office tucked to one side of your family room? How about a cozy reading nook? Add colorful ceiling paper to one portion of a room to divide the space naturally.

Make a statement. Just like a colorful throw cushion on a neutral couch, jazzy ceiling paper can make a “boring” room bold. Choose a fun print or color that shows off your personality and style.

Accent, accent, accent. Tie your ceiling paper into the rest of your decorating scheme by choosing the right accent color. Whether you go with a solid, stripes or a soft pattern, a papered ceiling done up right can complete the look of a room.

When wallpapering a ceiling, it may be best to bring in a pro, as the application can be tricky. If you’re a diligent weekend warrior and feel like going DIY, make sure to properly prep your ceiling for application by removing any paint and electrical fixtures. Experts also suggest creating a ceiling blueprint for precise application.

Interested in more home improvement tips? Feel free to contact me directly.

Should I Stay or Should I Go? How to Know When It’s Time to Sell

Part of being a homeowner is dealing with the intermittent thought, “Hmm, maybe I should put my house on the market...”

Obviously, deciding to sell your home is no small decision. In fact, it’s right up there with deciding to buy a home in the first place. Here are four indicators that can help you decide whether now actually may be a good time to list your home:

You’re out of space. While it might be nice to have more room for your shoes, does that warrant a new home? On the other hand, is there a baby on the way? An in-law moving in? If your household is getting ready to grow, it may be time to move on to a house that will accommodate your expanding needs.

You’re in a hot market. If “sold” signs are popping up frequently in your neighborhood and prices are rising quickly, it might be worth talking to your real estate agent. If now is the time you can potentially make a big return on your investment, you might want to consider making a move.

You’re sick of yard work. If raking leaves and restaining the deck are no longer considered fun projects, you may be at a stage where you’re looking to scale down to a more streamlined, less work-intensive living situation.

Your life has changed. If you’ve had a major life event—marriage, divorce, new job, retirement—it may necessitate a new home and/or a new location that makes more sense for your new life. Consider whether your current home is still the right fit. 

What Happens Between an Agreement to Buy and Closing?

After looking at several houses and choosing the right one, you’re most likely eager to move in as soon as possible. Before you can, there are several important things that must happen between the initial purchase contract and the closing.

Mortgage Approval
You will need to secure a mortgage. Even if you were pre-approved, you’ll need to obtain a loan for a specific amount of money for the specific house you want. The lender will take another look at your income, assets, debts and credit score to see if any significant changes have occurred recently. The lender will also require an appraisal to make sure that the amount of money you want to borrow is in line with the value of the property.

Inspections
A home inspection is critical before closing on a house. Many serious problems are not visible, but they can be expensive to repair. The house should be thoroughly inspected by a professional who can spot issues with the roof, foundation, windows, plumbing, electrical system and other areas that need to be addressed. A termite inspection is often required and is a good idea even if it’s optional since termites can destroy a home and the damage can go unseen for a long time.

As the buyer, you’ll be responsible for the costs of inspections. If problems are found, you can ask the seller to have repairs made. If the seller refuses, you’ll have the right to renegotiate the sale price or to walk away. If repairs are made, the seller should furnish proof and you should have the property re-inspected to make sure the repairs were completed in a satisfactory manner.

Closing Requirements
A real estate attorney will handle the closing paperwork and distribute funds. The contract and the lender may have specific requirements regarding the qualifications and duties of the closing attorney.

If you’re taking out a mortgage, you’ll most likely have to obtain homeowners insurance. This will need to be done in advance so you can present your policy information at the time of the closing.

Utilities
Once a closing date has been agreed upon, the buyer and seller will need to transfer the utilities. The seller should contact the utility companies and request that services be canceled on that date, and you should ask the utility companies to commence your services on the same day.

Do Your Part to Close the Deal
A lot of things need to happen in the relatively short period of time between an agreement to buy a house and the closing. Talk to your real estate agent so you understand each step in the process and what you need to do to help things move smoothly.

Creating Kitchen Designs to Serve a 'Mature Market'

According to a report from the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) authored by Doris Pearlman—founder of Denver's Possibilities For Design—those aging into the "mature market" will require a new way of thinking about the kitchen, arguably the most important room in the home.

Pearlman has identified the following trends to consider when designing kitchens for today’s mature market:

- Rethink the double oven. Why not install them in two separate locations—splitting, not stacking them—and eliminate that awkward oven on the bottom?

- Realize that the over-the-range microwave might not only be difficult, but also dangerous for the average consumer.

- Raise the dishwasher with separate drawers installed at counter height.

- Most over 55 households may have more than one cook in the kitchen, so how about two sinks? A prep sink, in addition to the main sink, will create a separate work zone.

Pearlman says that today's working sinks are often two to three inches deeper, accommodating larger pots and pans and keeping splashing to a minimum. Stylish options range from apron sinks (also known as farm sinks) to sleek, contemporary stainless steel designs.

According to kitchen and bath designer Mary Jo Peterson, CKD, CBD, CAPS, when dedicating space to a built-in refrigerator, make sure that the space allotted never extends beyond the countertop. That means when installing a free-standing fridge, a 24-inch depth is a good rule of thumb.

Pearlman suggests creating a kitchen island niche or fold-up extension that accommodates sitting while preparing food for the less mobile resident—or for those who have trouble standing.

You could even situate the microwave at the end of an island, making it more reachable for the mobility-challenged user, or even the grandkids.

Don’t forget to include a tech nook with a docking station to recharge all of today’s gadgets. Pearlman believes the over-50 crowd is quite comfortable with the internet, email and social networking, so a computer desk in the kitchen will allow them to browse for recipes on cooking sites and Pinterest, while being able to monitor the front door at the same time.