Prequalified? You have an edge

Whether you are buying a home or are refinancing your mortgage, you eventually have to apply for a loan and compare offers. You will need to gather a lot of paperwork, satisfy a list of credit requirements, negotiate the best possible loan terms and make sense of the good-faith estimate.

You will be asked to supply a lot of paperwork when you apply. Then you’ll get some paperwork in return. Of the documents you receive, the most important is the good-faith estimate, or GFE, of closing costs.

Whether you’re looking for a small, low maintenance condo, or hunting for the perfect luxury home in the Colorado Springs real estate area, getting prequalified (or better yet, preapproved) for a mortgage will give you a major advantage when it comes time to make an offer.  There are many reasons to have a serious discussion with lenders before starting your house hunt.  The two biggest reasons include nailing down exactly how much house you can afford and supplying you with a valuable home buying tool – the prequalification or preapproval letter.  Sellers will appreciate knowing that your offer is serious and backed by a strong financial position, giving you a competitive advantage over other buyers who haven’t completed all their homework and may not have proof that they are capable of following through on the contract.  Lenders are generally more than happy to help out with this process and it could take as little as fifteen minutes to obtain a prequalification letter.  So the next time you’re thinking about buying a home, make sure you sit down with a lender first.  It will save you a lot of stress down the road! 

All About Interior Paint | All About Interior Paint | Photos | Painting | This Old House

Interior paint has come a long way in the 32,000 years since we started slapping it up against the sides of cave walls. That primitive mix of crushed charcoal, clay, and animal marrow has evolved into a sophisticated cocktail of pigments and resins able to resist scrubbing, stains, and mildew. Today, paint ranks among the most DIY-friendly—and thrifty—home-improvement materials, easy to brush or roll on and quick to transform the look and feel of a room with just a couple of gallons.

Thinking about remodeling your house this spring? One of the most affective and inexpensive upgrades you can do is to apply a fresh coat of paint.  Truly, nothing makes a bigger impact than color.  Whether you go with cherry red or off-white, painting the interior of you home is a great way to breathe new life into your living space.

Buyers considering Colorado Springs homes for sale will certainly appreciate clean, freshly painted walls as well.  If you are planning on placing your home on the market this spring, you may want to invest a few bucks in interior paint.  Buyer’s appreciate clean, neutral colored walls and are more likely to place an offer on a home that requires less upfront work.  And a fresh coat of paint can do wonders for the appearance of homes currently on the market, particularly when they are emptied of their furnishings.   

Do’s and Don’ts for Using Your Fireplace | DoItYourself.com

Colder winds knock at the door and rattle the rafters while inside a warm fire burns with glowing embers shooting sparks up the chimney. A fireplace conjures up images of warmth, wine, and dreaming as leaping flames cast shadows on the wall. It all sounds so romantic, so snug, but are you burning the right wood in your fireplace to keep the chimney clean? What about the possibility of chimney fires? Take a moment to learn what woods to use for your fireplace fantasies and a few safety tips to keep your fireplace evenings enjoyable.

Although wood-burning fireplaces are no longer built in new Colorado Springs homes for sale, you are more likely than not to find one in older homes.  Wood-burning fireplaces not only offer charm, but also produce an amazing amount of heat.  But did you know that there’s more to your fireplace than just adding wood and lighting a fire?  This is a great article on some of the common myths and mistakes homeowners associate with wood-burning fireplaces.  It covers everything from the types of wood and their uses to common maintenance tips.  Fireplaces are a great asset to have in the home, and they are even more enjoyable when you know how to correctly use them.  So before you light any matches, make sure you check out this article.  You’ll definitely appreciate the helpful tips!