Homeownership » Sunset Beach and Beyond Realty

How Do I Refinance my Home?

August 17, 2020 by Karen Baker Leave a Comment

This seems to be a common question among homeowners as interest rates are at an all-time low. Many Americans are currently scrambling to try and figure out exactly what they need to do in order to refinance and lock in a better rate than the one they may currently have. Luckily refinancing your home is a lot easier than you may think. Try following these steps to ensure you have a successful and stress-free refi!

Step 1: Refinancing Options

There are a few different options when it comes to refinancing. Rates, terms, and cash-out options should all be discussed with your lender to ensure you are getting the option that suits your personal needs.

Step 2: Finalize Your Rate

You will want to lock in your rate as soon as possible so that you don’t have to worry about a last-minute change taking place. Rates can change daily pending on the current market, which is why it is vital to lock your rate in immediately. Even with a locked rate, rest assured you can still make changes to your applications or change the structure of your loan if needed.

Step 3: Documentation

The type of documents you may be required to submit will vary from lender to lender, however, the general documents you can expect to be asked for include, but are not limited to, tax returns, W2s, bank statements, as well as any child support or alimony payments.

Step 4: Underwriting

During this step your documents will be reviewed and any additional needed documents will be requested. You may also be required to disclose and explain any revolving debt such as credit cards that weren’t recently provided in your statements, or were recently opened. This is the time to ask any and all questions if you have them.

Step 5: Approval

Your approval to refinance takes place once all of your documents have been reviewed, generally speaking this only takes a few business days, however, with more complicated loan terms you may be waiting up to two weeks. At this time, you will be contacted with your approval notification and will then work to set a closing date for the new loan start date.

Step 6: Closing

Now that your loan has been approved and documents have been submitted it is time for you to review and sign your disclosures. Viola! Now that you’ve signed the disclosures you have officially completed your refinance.

The time it takes to refinance a home varies pending on each lender, however, if you are hoping to refinance your home as soon as possible make sure that you stay on top of the requests sent to you for documentation, questions, or signatures to help the refinancing process move both smoother and faster.

For more information on selling, purchasing, or refinancing real estate, please feel free to contact our office at any time.

Making your Home the Best on the Block

July 7, 2020 by Karen Baker Leave a Comment

Every neighborhood has that one home, the home that everyone seems to be drawn too. There are many factors that go into making a home an “it” home, however, one thing always stands out among the rest, curb appeal. Without being able to see the inside of a home, all the home has to offer spectators is the outdoor appearance. So how do you make your home the “it” home?

Lawn Care

While mowing the lawn adds a fresh clean look to a home, if you don’t mow a lawn correctly it can end up looking patchy, sloppy and cause more of an eyesore than you may realize. Try finding a mowing path that flows with the shape of your yard and mow in the same pattern each and every time you mow, this will create nice lines and give off a very put-together look.

Garage Doors

If it’s in the budget, try upgrading your garage door to a more modern look. Small windows up top, a barn style door, black matte handles on whitewashed doors, there are many different styles that will instantly make your garage and thus the front of your house look more appealing. If adding a new door isn’t in the budget, try giving your door a good cleaning or even take on a DIY project to refinish the door in a new neutral color with faux handles.

Gardens

Whether you prefer a vegetable garden, rose garden, sunflowers, or succulents, building a dedicated garden space will give your house a homey look. There are millions of different ways to build a garden, from in ground to raised beds, vertical gardens, to greenhouses, there is a garden to fit every space. The first step is to decide what you want to grow, and then start mapping out the area to decide what type of garden would fit best in your designated gardening space.

Related: See Landscaping Trends Here

Lighting

Outdoor lights will help your home look it’s best even once the sun has gone down. Try finding LED lights that can line your driveway, spotlights that shine on gardens, water features, or any other features you want to highlight, as well as soft lighting that can be installed near your garage and front door.

Outdoor Seating

Oftentimes the outdoor areas in our home are overlooked. Whether it is a porch or a portion of your lawn, find some outdoor furniture so utilize the space as much as possible. By adding some rocking chairs to the porch, an outdoor sectional with throw pillows, or a swinging bench, your home will not only have an extra space for both yourself and guests to enjoy, but your home will also have a personal touch that makes it seem cozy to those passing by.

While most people dream of having the perfect house, it does take a lot of commitment and time to keep your home in tip-top shape at all times. Even when winter rolls in, homeowners are still caring for their lawns, trimming back trees, and getting ready to plant for the coming spring. Make sure you have both the time and commitment needed to up your curb appeal. Enjoy trimming your trees, sipping coffee from the porch, finding the perfect pattern for your lawn, and ultimately, enjoy your home and make it your own.

Contact us today for tips on staging your landscaping for top price!

Find Out What Your Home is Worth

Home Office or Home? Can it be Both?

June 17, 2020 by Karen Baker Leave a Comment

Working from home has become more and more popular among Americans, especially given the recent COVID-19 pandemic. While working from home may seem like a dream to most, it is often extremely difficult to work from home successfully for a variety of reasons. After a while, you may notice that home no longer feels like home, but rather a workplace. So how do you separate the two and allow yourself to have a productive workday and yet still get the feeling of going home once you’ve clocked out?

The easiest way to separate your work from your home is to have a home office, a space you only use when on the clock so that once you punch out, you can leave the office, shut the door, and enjoy life on the other side.

Not only does leaving the office for work purposes only allow you to still enjoy your home outside the office, but by zoning in on work and not indulging in normal home activities you will find that you crave spending time at home just as much as you would if you were to go into an office each day. Some simple examples of what not to do, making sure that you don’t have the TV on in the background during work hours otherwise relaxing in front of the TV after work won’t seem as enjoyable. When it comes to breaks or lunch, try walking around the block on breaks, or eating lunch outside, even going out to ear on occasion, this will help you feel as if you haven’t been home all day and provide you with a “ahhh” feeling once clocking off and relaxing on the couch.

If you don’t have the space to dedicate to a home office that is separated from the rest of your house, don’t worry, there are still ways to make it work! Make sure you are still following the no TV in the background rule and leaving the house for short breaks or lunch when possible. If your work doesn’t require a lot of equipment, try “closing” your office each night and putting your laptop, paperwork, files, etc. into a cabinet, closet or drawer so that once work is over, you aren’t reminded of your work throughout the rest of the day due to the visuals. Even without working, oftentimes just by seeing the items you use while at work can trigger your brain into feeling stress or even allow you to feel overwhelmed which can in turn cause you to be unable to fully relax and enjoy your home.

More: Creating the perfect backyard home office

If you aren’t able to put all of your work-related items fully out of sight, look into purchasing some sort of cover, this can range from a simple throw blanket to cover a desk, a tri-fold changing screen to separate and hide your workstation, or simply good organizational skills. Out of sight, out of mind.

With many positions now transitioning to remote work, make sure that you are still giving your work your all, by slacking or not being attentive, you could be required to do more work than you would if you were to still go into the office each day. Get rid of any and all distractions that might cause you to lose focus, set a timer for breaks and lunch, treat the day as if it were a regular day at the office.

One of the more controversial discussions when it comes to working at home is surprisingly your attire, and while there is nothing wrong with working in your pajamas from time to time, be sure that you still get up and get yourself ready for work more often than not. By not putting yourself together each morning you are actually decreasing the pleasure and relaxation of a lazy Saturday morning spent on the couch, it may end up feeling like a lazy workday instead of the perfect way to start your weekend.

Remote positions are not for everyone, if you currently work remotely and find yourself feeling down, try following some of these tips to boost morale and allow you to enjoy your job and home to the fullest, or, if you are currently looking at accepting a remote position, be sure to think of all the pros and cons that come with it. In conclusion, working from home can be an incredible experience, just be sure that by doing so you are still able to enjoy the place you call, home.

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10 Spring Cleaning Tasks to Complete While Staying at Home

March 24, 2020 by Karen Baker Leave a Comment

This is a weird time right now and we all are in it together, which is a little bit comforting, but you might be starting to go stir crazy and if so, now is the time to roll up your sleeves and do a little spring cleaning. Here are 10 spring cleaning tasks to complete while staying at home.

Wipe down or spray all electronic devices, remote controls, handles, stairwell rails, windowsills, refrigerator handles, cabinet handles, and pretty much any other thing your hands touch on a regular basis. Don’t forget the underneath side.

Sweep or vacuum under all couches and chairs. This is often the place that gets forgotten a lot.

Clean out the garage and throw away or organize a lot of the clutter that fills up your garage during the winter.

Put all of your reusable grocery bags in the washing machine.

Disinfect, clean, or put your shower curtains in the washing machine.

Clean all of your cutting boards by rubbing a cut lemon all over them and sprinkle with salt or baking soda for a stronger clean, better scent, and to combat stains.

Clean out your refrigerator. Wipe down the interior and all the shelving with white vinegar.

Clean out and organize your junk drawers.

Vacuum your furniture and underneath the cushions.

Wipe down blinds and ceiling fan blades.

Reorganize bookshelves.

Wash, spray, and clean kids toys and if they are safe, put them in the dishwasher without the heated dry option.

Clean out your dishwasher and the washing machine.

More: 10 Tricks to Get the Most Out of a Small Closet

If we try to keep busy, who knows, at the end of all this will have sparkling clean homes to impress our friends… That is, when we’re allowed to see the big kid. Stay safe out there and stay home!

10 Tricks to Get the Most Out of Your Small Closet

January 13, 2020 by admin Leave a Comment

Whether you’re selling or just trying to Declutter your life, finding new and unique ways for storage and organization can always make your life a little bit better. Here are 10 tricks to get the most out of a small closet.

#1. Purge.

Before you start to organize, it’s time to take absolutely everything out of your closet and purge items you haven’t worn in over a year. If there are items that you love or are nostalgic or if you gain weight or lose weight, pack them up into a Rubbermaid container and store them somewhere else rather than in your closet, which you access daily.

Great Post: What to know about the first year of homeownership

#2. Organize the storage underneath the clothes.

Your clothes may be stacked so tightly you can’t get another hanger on the rack but are you utilizing the space underneath the clothes? A small dresser or shoe rack beneath hanging clothes can free up a lot of space and you can still use it vertically rather than just the floor footprint.

#3. Install sliding doors.

If you have bi-fold doors or doors that go from one to the other and cover up half of your closets, it can be difficult to really see everything you have in your closet. Consider either a curtain rod, a barn door that opens all the way or sliding doors that completely move out of the way so you can get everything in your closet at one time.

#4. Baskets are your friends.

Whether it’s shoes, bulky sweaters, or jeans, baskets can be your best friend for organizing certain items of clothing. They make them in so many different shapes, colors, and sizes now, you can really tailor them to fit every shelf in your bedroom and closet.

#5. Hang all accessories.

And you don’t have to just hang them in your closet either. Hang purses, belts, scarves, and bras all on unique hooks a fixed to the wall or on one large hanger that holds everything.

#6. Add another bar.

You know, you don’t have to have just one bar in your closet. You can double up the number of clothes you store in your closet by adding another clothing rack.

#7. Use a coat rack outside of the closet.

A decorative coat rack in the corner can house a lot of items including coats, of course, purses, scarves, and sweaters and jackets that you use most often.

#8. Reorganize shoes.

Don’t stress over trying to figure out where to put all of your shoes. You can typically fit more pairs on the shelf we position each shoe facing the opposite direction. Think of how they are stored in a shoebox. Tiny cubbies and cubicles can actually store more than you might think.

#9. Go vertical.

Additional shelving above the bar, baskets, containers, and other items can be stored all the way to the ceiling in your closets. You can even hang up hats and scarves on the outside of your closet right above the opening.

#10. Go high-tech.

Now, this is for those of us that really care a lot about their closets. There is an app called Stylebook. It helps you log everything you own and makes it easy to create new looks you didn’t even know you had. Where has this been all my life?

If you’re looking to organize your home or looking to sell, you’ll want to get it organized, de-cluttered, and staged as best as you can. Call us today for more specific tips on your home or to find out what your Sunset Beach area home is worth today.

How to Keep Your Home Safe This Season

10 Ways to Keep Your Home Safe from Burglars

How to Keep Your Home Safe This Season

December 16, 2019 by admin 1 Comment

There’s nothing worse than coming home from vacation only to find your home is been violated. There are ways to stay safe even if you’re not to be home this season. You want to protect your home and with the holidays approaching, break-ins are more common than ever. We hear nearly every day of people getting packages stolen off of their porches or news stories about a burglary. There are ways to avoid vacation violators this season.

#1. Get to know your neighbors.

If you don’t already know your neighbors, now would be a great time to build some trust, maybe meet a new friend and develop a bond that can protect both you and them. Now would be a great time to take them a plate of cookies and introduce yourself. While you’re doing that, you might also suggest keeping an eye on each other’s property and if enough trust develops, set up an arrangement to have them help you bring in the trash or collect packages if they see them on your front porch to save them for later. If you develop enough trust, you can let them know that you’re going to be away for certain amount of time and to keep a special eye out for any suspicious activity.

#2. Have automatic lights.

Set up automatic motion sensor lights on the outside of your home. Burglars won’t know that their automated and may be enough to scare them away should they come on in the middle of the night.

#3. Hold any mail or package delivery until your home.

You can simply notify the post office that you’re going to be gone for a certain amount of time and to simply hold all the packages until you return.

#4. Leave the Car in the Garage

If you’re planning on leaving a car at home, park it in the garage so that it is not a temptation for burglars to break into while you’re away. Also, take any extra keys with you just in case there is a break-in.

#5. Be proactive and take pictures of valuable items

Take pictures of items in each room making note of it and its value. This is simply a way to protect yourself if something should happen.

#6. Request a signature for all delivered packages.

The UPS has a program called UPS My Choice, and it allows customers to receive an email or text before a package arrives. Take advantage of tracking and delivery alerts to be notified when a package has been delivered.

#7. Invest in an alarm system.

It not only protects your home in case of a fire or a break-in but simply having the sign in the front yard is enough of a deterrent to any would-be burglars. Nest, Ring, and others offer great protection.

#8. Trim away any large trees or bushes

Trim bushes by interior or exterior windows and doors. Most of these should be below 3 feet to keep visual clearance.

#9. Conceal exterior wiring.

It’s been known that burglars will look for ways to cut the electricity in order to remove lights and security systems.

#10. Get a four-legged security system.

Dogs are some of the best ways to deter burglars and sometimes simply leaving out a doormat that says “beware of dog” even if you don’t have a dog can be enough of a deterrent.

We want you to stay safe this holiday season and by the simple tips and tricks, you can protect your home whether you’re there or not. Have a great holiday!

Thanks for being such valuable customers and friends this year! From our house to yours, Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!