Month: July 2019

My Listings

NEW Geist, IN Listing! 10104 Brooks School Road

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Features Sheet - Voigt

Almost an acre in Hamilton County! This Geist contemporary spacious home welcomes you to the lake community & all it offers! Rare to the area =no HOA!

Offering multiple spaces inside & out to entertain & relax including full finished walkout lower level, multi level decking, stamped patio w/ gas fire bowl & custom pergola. Private, wooded & secluded you’ll enjoy seeing deer often.

Walk to the marina, sailing club, coffee, ice cream, yoga, golf, local eateries & boutiques.

High end kitchen w/ SS, granite, & wine fridge. Maple Floors throughout main level, heated garage w/upscale flooring. LL offers bar, fireplace, full bath, & bedroom.

Irrigation system, security system w/cameras, new HVAC, & new Water Heater. Invisible fence for your fur babies.

 

shawna.obrien@talktotucker.com
F.C. Tucker Geist
The Tumbarello Group

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Household Tips

Best Ways to Keep Your Attic Cool This Summer

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Best Ways to Keep Your Attic Cool This Summer

Best Ways to Keep Your Attic Cool This Summer

We’re always excited when the temperatures start to rise in spring . . . but then they keep rising . . . and the humidity rolls in . . . and by July, some of us are ready to go back to February. Before you end up sweltering in your home this summer, check out these ideas to keep your home cooler by reducing the heat in your attic.

Make sure your attic is properly ventilated.

Your attic should be about 100 degrees in the summer. If it’s not ventilated, however, the temperature up there can climb to 150. An overheated attic can damage the shingles on your roof and will force your air conditioner to work harder which will raise your electric bill. You can remove hot air from an attic in one of two ways. You can force the air out by installing an electric ventilator or attic fan; these typically come with thermostats and automatically turn on when the temperature reaches a pre-set level. Alternatively, you can install vents that allow hot air to escape—but don’t force it—in the gable, soffit or ridge of the roof. A good rule of thumb is to have at least one square foot of vent space for every 300 square feet of floor space in the attic.

Make sure you have adequate insulation.

Installing more insulation in your attic won’t necessarily keep the temperature in the attic down, but it will keep the heat there from impacting your home as much. In Indiana (zone 5) the insulation should have an R-factor of at least 25.

Consider reflective roofing.

If it’s time to replace your roof anyway, you might want to look at different options. The Building Research Council in Illinois found that dark shingles are 27 percent hotter than white shingles, so opting for a lighter color can reduce your air conditioning costs. Metal roofs are more reflective than shingles and produce even more savings—though you do have to be sure that your ceiling is airtight so you don’t run the risk of condensation causing problems in the winter.

Shawna O’Brien
shawna.obrien@talktotucker.com
F.C. Tucker Geist
The Tumbarello Group

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Buyer Tips

Guide to Financing Your Home Purchase

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Guide to Financing

GET PREAPPROVED

Getting preapproved requires that a lender verify your financial information, and it serves as their commitment to lend a specified amount based on that information. It will give you a number of advantages. When you find a property, sellers will take your offer more seriously given that you have a lender that has committed to backing your offer.

It also gives you the assurance that you’re looking at homes you can confidently afford to finance. Your efforts will be focused on properties that match your financing abilities.

You’ll have an edge over other buyers who aren’t preapproved. In situations where there are multiple offers on a property, this can be the difference between having your offer accepted or losing the property to another buyer.

FINANCING METHODS

Fixed-Rate Mortgage

The interest rate stays the same for the entire term of the loan — usually 15 or 30 years — so the interest and principal portions of your monthly payment remain the same. Your payments are stable and predictable, but initial interest rates tend to be higher on a fixed-rate mortgage than on adjustable-rate loans.

Adjustable-Rate Mortgage (ARM)

The interest on an adjustable-rate mortgage is linked to a financial index, such as a Treasury security, so your monthly payments can vary, up or down, over the life of the loan – usually 30 years. Some adjustable-rate mortgages have a cap on the interest rate increase to protect the borrower. The lower initial payments on ARMs make it easier for buyers to qualify.

Conventional Loan

A conventional loan can have as little as 3% down with mortgage insurance. To avoid mortgage insurance, you have to have a minimum of 20% down. The maximum amount for conventional loans is $424,100. Loans above $424,100 require a jumbo loan. The advantage of a conventional loan is that there is no upfront mortgage insurance payment and mortgage insurance can be removed when you have paid the loan down to 80%.

FHA

An FHA loan requires at least a 3.5% down payment. The advantage of an FHA loan is that it has lower credit score guidelines and allows higher debt to income ratios to qualify. This is generally a good choice for first time homebuyers, but be sure to talk to a trusted lender to determine if this is the right product for you.

VA

A VA loan requires zero down payment and does not require mortgage insurance. It also has lower credit score guidelines and allows higher debt to income ratios. This loan is reserved for qualified veterans. To determine if you qualify, you can work with your trusted lender to obtain your certificate of eligibility.

USDA

USDA loans require zero down payments, but they do require guarantee insurance, which is similar to mortgage insurance. Homes are restricted to designated rural areas determined by USDA, and USDA has maximum household income limits for eligibility.

Click here to download a LOAN PRE-APPLICATION CHECK LIST

Shawna O’Brien
shawna.obrien@talktotucker.com
F.C. Tucker Geist
The Tumbarello Group

 

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