Tribute to Realtors & Builders 27
Ponte Vedra Recorder · September 24, 2015
Green
Continued from 23
environmentally friendly, they are absolutely stunning with complex colors
and upscale designs that fit into any
kitchen aesthetic.
Fireplace bake ovens
Preparing your credit for
homeownership requires work
(BPT)
Homeownership is a dream for
many Americans, and maybe it’s one
of yours as well. Making this dream a
reality requires hard work, dedication
and the proper preparation. You must
figure out where you want to live,
what type of home you desire, what
you can afford and also how your
credit rating may impact your homepurchasing goals.
Your credit rating can play an important role in the home buying process,
and your creditworthiness could also
affect the amount that you can borrow,
the interest rates you will qualify for
and your ability to obtain a mortgage
loan in the first place.
“A consumer’s credit is one of the
biggest factors that goes into the
mortgage-application process,” says
Eric Hamilton, President of Vanderbilt
Mortgage and Finance, Inc. “Before
applying for a loan, it is crucial to get
your credit in the best shape you possibly can.”
To help you build good credit and
increase your ability to obtain better
loan terms, Vanderbilt Mortgage and
Finance, Inc. offers these tips for improving your credit:
Pay your bills on time
Late or missed payments on any of
your credit accounts, such as credit
cards, mortgages and other loans,
could cause a drop in your credit
score. To prevent this, make your payments on time. Making additional payments whenever possible and paying
extra toward the principal balance will
also help to keep a good payment history and decrease the payoff timeline.
Using an Extra Principal Payment Calculator tool can also help you calculate
the savings that come with paying
extra - generating additional motivation to do so.
Minimize any outstanding debt and
keep existing debt manageable
Paying your statement balances in
full instead of letting debt accumu-
late can improve your credit scores,
which may result in better terms being
offered from lenders. Lenders often
check your credit report when you apply for a loan and measure the amount
of debt you’re carrying against the loan
amount they’ve requested. Excessive
debt is one of the factors that could
cause a lender to decline your application.
Avoid applying for unnecessary credit
Credit applications can appear as
inquiries on credit reports, which may
suggest to lenders that an applicant is
taking on additional debt. Be aware of
advertising or sales promotions that offer purchase discounts if you apply for
a credit card. Even these cards could
show up as inquiries on your credit
report. These inquiries remain on
credit reports for two years. Instead of
applying for additional credit, use your
existing lines of credit to showcase
your responsible credit management
by paying bills on time and paying off
the debt quickly.
“There are a lot of steps you can
take to improve your credit, but it’s
important to remember that credit
scores don’t change overnight,” says
Hamilton. “It takes time to increase
your credit rating, and while it may
feel like a slow-moving effort, it is well
worth the wait when you get to open
the door to a home of your own for
you and your family.”
For more credit tips, you can check
out the full Guide to Credit, and find
other useful guides for homebuyers on
vmfhomeloan.com.
NMLS Disclosure
Vanderbilt Mortgage and Finance, Inc., 500
Alcoa Trail, Maryville, TN 37804, 865-3803000, NMLS #1561, ( http://www.nmlsconsumeraccess.org/), AZ Lic. #BK-0902616,
Loans made or arranged pursuant to a
California Finance Lenders Law license, GA
Residential Mortgage (Lic. #6911), Illinois
Residential Mortgage Licensee, KS Licensed
Mortgage Co. (SL.0000720), Licensed by
the NH Banking Department, Mississippi Licensed Mortgage Company, MT Lic. #1561,
Licensed by PA Dept. of Banking.
A fireplace/bake oven combo is a
beautiful focal point that is as useful as it is stylish. Tulikivi soapstone
fireplace ovens warm kitchens and
provide home chefs an extremely useful way to bake. Their unique design
allows wood to burn separately within
the fireplace firebox or bake oven.
The whole stove warms evenly from
top to bottom so no heat goes to
waste, plus the aroma produced by a
wood-fired oven gives every meal a
delicious finishing touch. Learn more
about cooking with fireplace bake
ovens by visiting Tulikivi on YouTube.
Eco-friendly cabinets
Appearance isn’t the only thing
home chefs are considering when
shopping for cabinetry. Most pressed
wood cabinets are made with a resin
called urea-formaldehyde, which
can be unhealthy. Buying cabinets
made from solid wood helps avoid
this concern. Additionally, cabinets
made from sustainable materials are in
high demand, like bamboo or wood
that has been responsibly harveste d.
Finally, nontoxic paints and varnishes
are a must.
Greenhouse garden windows
A garden window is a popular
option for kitchens above the sink.
Not only do these types of windows
let natural light into the space to cut
energy expenses, they also feature a
recessed ledge ideal for potted plants.
That means this eye-catching window
also allows home chefs to grow their
own herbs year round so there’s no
need to waste time and fuel running
to the local grocery store. Healthy,
fresh flavorings can be plucked at a
moment’s notice.
Energy efficient appliances
Appliances alone account for a
whopping 13 percent of a household’s
energy costs. Refrigeration and cooking appliances are the biggest energy
drains, so it’s no surprise that green
kitchens feature Energy Star approved
appliances. Kitchen features that give
more bang for the buck are in high
demand also. Half of all the energy
used in the home goes to heating, this
is why smart homeowners are using
Tulikivi ovens to bake and heat their
homes. These bakeovens store heat in
the thermal mass of the soapstone, a
two-hour burn can radiate heat for up
to 24 hours producing clean, comfortable, cost-saving warmth.
Reclaimed materials
New doesn’t always mean the best.
In fact, more home chefs are seeking
reclaimed materials not only for environmental reasons, but also because
these materials give kitchen spaces
one-of-a-kind personality. For example, vintage reclaimed tile is fantastic
for creating a conversation-worthy
backsplash that no other kitchen has.
Another option is reclaimed wood
from old barns or schoolhouses,
which can be transformed into noteworthy flooring with a great backstory.