Tiling- Are you building or remodeling? Make your flooring stylish!

 Long a popular choice of commercial establishments, such as restaurants and shopping malls, ceramic tile, marble, and granite have found favor in the American home.  Today’s homeowners appreciate the easy care and durability of these materials.  Also, inviting is the wide selection of products available.

Ceramic tile, marble, and granite are a real value in terms of their appearance and longevity.  Ceramic tile offers a variety of shapes, colors, and patterns.  Marble creates elegance with its distinctive lines, colors, and polished surface.  Granite provides unique, inviting textures and shades.  All three ad variety and individuality to any home.  When it comes time to remodel or redecorate your home, the choice of any of these materials for your floors, countertops, or walls will assure years of satisfaction.

Styles

There are many different types, sizes, and styles of tile available.  Because of their longevity, ceramic tile, marble, and granite are more expensive than their alternatives.  For this reason, it is important to select the correct materials for the job in the style, color, and pattern that is right for you.

Some ceramic tile has a finish that strongly resembles marble or granite.  This tile gives you both the beautiful look of stone and the durability of ceramic tile.

Selection.

 If you want to explore the possibility of installing one of these elegant materials in your home, visit a few distributor showrooms in your area.  Choose show rooms that deal exclusively with these materials so you can receive expert advice.  Design assistance is usually available and most distributors can recommend a qualified tile contractor if you need one.  Take with you a list of the areas to be tiled, a rough sketch of the room, dimensions, and samples of nearby carpeting, wallpaper, or other materials if you have them.  If you have an idea of a design, you might like, bring along a rough sketch of it.

Since these types of tile can be expected to last the life of your home, proper installation is critical to the success of the project.  New tile is only as good as the sub for beneath it.  A successful installation means there can be no flex of the surface which receives the new tile.  A properly installed floor can survive as long as the home does.

Care and maintenance. 

Ceramic tile, marble, and granite require only periodic maintenance to remain looking their best. Always buy a little extra tile as insurance against any future problem which may require tile replacement.  Use a silicone sealer to seal the grout after 30 days.  Ceiling is highly recommended for natural stone tiles.  To keep the ceramic tile clean, sweep, then damp, mop it with warm water and disinfecting agent such as a couple of ammonia to 1 gallon of water.  A nylon scrub pad will remove stubborn stain stains. Never wax glazed tile or use soapy solution on it.

To keep marble or granite looking its best, it is important to frequently remove any dust with a soft brush.  Occasionally damp mop it with a neutral PH7 cleaner available from your local ceramic tile dealers.  After it has fully dried, apply a marble polish to protect the finish.  For enduring beauty with minimal care, ceramic tile, marble, or granite may be just what you need for your floors, countertops, or walls.  Their ageless appeal adds natural durability and beauty to any decor.

REal Quick> ways to avoid foreclosure

 For whatever reason you're struggling to make mortgage payments-

Forbearance is an agreement to pause or reduce payments temporarily.

Use a loan modification to change the terms of your loan to make monthly payments lower.

Selling the house for less than the remaining loan balance(this requires lenders approval).

The Factors that control your interest rate when buying a home and why they don't matter as much as you think they do.

 Most people buy a home because it solves a particular problem for them.  They could be relocating, upsizing, or downsizing for whatever reason.  Some rely on the interest rate as an indicator for their purchase.  The interest rate is the cost of borrowing that money and is an added expense (when not paying in cash) on top of the principal (the actual price one pays for the home).  

On top of the Principal and interest there is taxes and insurance when purchasing.  These all roll into an acronym PITI.  Ultimately the lender you receive the loan from will use your total PITI to calculate the debt to income ratio (DTI), which determines how much money you can borrow.

Most buyers look at the interest rate as an indicator of whether or not they will buy a home.  But why?

There are key factors that are uncontrollable for buyers and the amount of interest they pay on the mortgage.  I'm not talking about what specific home you want or the income someone makes or even their already realized debt (credit cards, cars, existing mortgage(s), etc.).  If your financial goal is to buy a house- the best time to buy is now because it is an investment.  

Yes, The current impact of upward movement in interest rates means that you have lower purchasing power and higher monthly payments.  These factors can be minimal considering you can negotiate a lower purchase price and plan to refinance later.  Which will be money either directly saved or a future sum of money pending interest rates fall.  Which over the 30 year life of the loan is most probable.

If you're interested, and most aren't, you can follow the 10-year US Treasury yield to determine how interest rates react.  As bond yields rise due to government spending and inflation, mortgagers raise their consumer rates to maintain profit margins.  Immediately as discussed above when interest rates are high it significantly reduces home-buying power.  Don't let these numbers deter you from your purchase there are hidden benefits to higher interest rates.

When interest rates are high this reduces the purchase price.  If you are already pre approved for a loan the high rates tend to reduce the number of buyers which gives you more power to force the seller to lower the asking price.  You are not locked into your interest rate forever-the purchase price you are.  Meaning when the real estate market cycle comes full circle you will have the opportunity to refinance.  Opening possibilities of selling and realizing your equity gained.  

I can go into why buyers win more in negotiations but that would be giving away trade secrets and I'm tickled that you have read this far already.  So, text me "homebuyer" if you would like to know more how my services can benefit you.  260-221-9673  or clickrobley.realtor