Fireplace Safety Tips - Porch.com

This fall, make fireplace safety your number one concern. When temperatures dip we turn to our fireplaces to create heat as well as a cozy atmosphere for our home. But an increase in fireplace usage means that every homeowner should be aware of the hazards of unplanned fires and understand how to create a 

sadly, 14,000 house fires each year start from fireplaces. Nearly 6,000 injuries occur from these fires and a whopping 65% of these injuries are inflicted upon children under the age of 5. Accidental fires also cause $893,000,000 worth of property damage each year. Following these safety tips can not only save lives, it can help save your home from damage.

from our friend

Anne Reagan thank you 

click here for the rest of the story from porch.com

How poor credit costs you on homeowners insurance

If your home sits by the ocean, atop a fire-prone canyon or even in a not-so-nice neighborhood, you probably know you're paying more for homeowners insurance, but something even closer to home may be driving your monthly payments higher: your personal credit score.

Lower credit scores are widely known to impact mortgage availability and rates, but what most home buyers don't know is that they also increase the cost of homeowners insurance.

CLICK HERE FOR THE REST OF THE STORY FROM THE LOVELY DIANA OLICK AT REALTY CECK

 Neal Paskvan is a full time Realtor specializing in Downers grove, Darien,Woodridge, Westmont and Du page county Real Estate

Dealing With Home-Equity Resets - NYTimes.com

The home equity lines of credit, known as Helocs, were originated before the housing market collapse when home values were still climbing. According to TransUnion, of the $474 billion in Heloc balances held by nearly 16 million consumers as of the end of 2013, nearly half of the loans were originated from 2005 to 2007, the peak year.

Many of these lines have a 10-year draw period, when borrowers may tap their credit and only make interest payments on the balance. As the draw periods come to an end starting next year, borrowers will have to begin paying both interest and principal on the outstanding balances. The TransUnion study estimates that more than half of the loans have balances of $100,000 or more.

CLICK HERE FOR RHE REST OF THE STORY FROM THE NEW YORK TIMES

Neal Paskvan is a full time Realtor specializing in Downers grove, Darien,Woodridge, Westmont and Du page county Real Estate

5 Must-Have Items for Your Guest Bathroom | ApartmentGuide.com

5 Must-Have Items for Your Guest Bathroom | ApartmentGuide.com

Neal Paskvan is a full time Realtor specializing in Downers grove, Darien,Woodridge, Westmont and Du page county Real Estate

Goodbye, Granite: The 6 Hottest Countertop Finishes - Reviewed.com Dishwashers

For years, granite has been the go-to material for high-end countertops. Despite its expense, weight, and ubiquity, it still remains the countertop of choice.

But at EuroCucina 2014, there was a huge variety of granite alternatives on display. From stainless steel to tempered glass, from ceramic to wood... we’ve seen the future of your kitchen, and it’s not granite.

click here for the complete list from reviewed.com

Wells Fargo Lowers the Bar on Jumbo Mortgages

In late July, the San Francisco-based bank lowered the minimum credit score on these fixed-rate jumbo mortgages to 700 from 720, Goyda said. Credit scores range from 300 to 850, and levels below"The purchase market is softer than we thought that it would be."
640 are often considered subprime.

click here for the rest of the story from aol











Neal Paskvan is a full time Realtor specializing in Downers grove, Darien,Woodridge, Westmont and Du page county Real Estate

FICO launches new credit scoring model to benefit millions of consumers

According to a FICO statement, the credit score changes will weigh medical debt less heavily than unpaid credit card debt and other collection information.























click here for the rest of the story from wallstreet.com

Neal Paskvan is a full time Realtor specializing in Downers grove, Darien,Woodridge, Westmont and Du page county Real Estate

Reverse Mortgage Pros and Cons | Learn the Disadvantages

click here for a list of pros an cons about reverse motgagesReverse Mortgage Pros and Cons | Learn the Disadvantages

Sellers often have some old-fashioned ideas about marketing their home that don’t include photography and that thing called the Internet | Inman News

Homebuyers ask for pictures and they want lots of them. They want great photographs that they can look at on their computer screens, tablets or smartphones.
The way buyers look for homes has really changed now that everything is on the Internet. Marketing homes on the Internet is old news for real estate agents and for homebuyers, but home sellers have not caught on.

click here for the rest of the story