Reach your goals
Could buying a new home actually be less expensive?
An aerial view of a new residential project featuring completed brick and siding homes next to properties under construction.
Many of us grew up thinking that new homes were out of reach because of the cost. This assumption has just changed: Newly built housing now costs less than existing housing in a third of major housing markets. This means that if you are shopping for a home, it means that you may be able to purchase a brand new home for less.
The metro areas offering the biggest discounts on new homes are mainly in high-supply Sun Belt markets. These include Austin, Texas; Raleigh, North Carolina; And Tampa, Florida.
One reason for this shift in prices is that existing home inventory levels lag behind new home inventory in these areas. Many homeowners are not interested in moving due to rising mortgage interest rates, while new home inventory has recovered to pre-pandemic levels.
The other reason is that some construction companies ramped up new construction work after the epidemic but were unable to complete the projects before current prices and interest rates started to rise.
No matter what you’re thinking of buying, Your APM Loan Advisor It can help you with financing.
Source: thestreet.com
Mortgage IQ
Options to improve your cash flow when rates are high
Earlier this month, mortgage interest rates rose to their highest level in nearly three years. If you’re a homeowner with a mortgage with a reasonable interest rate, you may be content to wait out the current economic situation — but what if your current home financing options could improve your other finances? You may have more options than you realize.
If cash flow is something you want to improve, refinancing offers two main options: rate/term and cash out. If the new interest rate doesn’t improve your cash flow, you may want to consider a longer loan term. This can reduce your monthly payments. A cash-out refinance is another possibility, although you’ll need a professional appraisal to determine the available equity for your home.
If you’re nearing retirement age, a reverse mortgage may offer a solution. This offers several options, including a lump sum withdrawal, a line of credit, or monthly payments.
Another option: Home Equity Line of Credit, or HELOC. This enables you to take advantage of a percentage of the equity in your home, which is the amount you have paid down plus any estimated appreciation in value. A HELOC provides cash for several years, which you can withdraw as needed. If you’re moving soon, you can use your HELOC funds to make needed repairs or improvements to your current home (which may improve its sale price and attract potential buyers) and pay off the HELOC balance when you sell your home.
We offer a fully digital HELOC that takes just a few minutes to apply and takes up to 5 days to close. Click here to find an APM Loan Advisor Near you and apply today.
Source: cnbc.com
Financial news
Choose the right path to achieve your savings goals
For many of us, saving for something we wanted started in childhood. If we set our sights on a LEGO™ set or gaming console, we’ll reserve a portion of our allotment until we’re ready to buy. Today, we have different plans for our savings (unless you still love LEGO sets).
If you want to build an emergency fund or are saving to fund a short-term goal, such as a vacation, savings accounts provide easy access to funds. If you’re looking for a long-term return, such as retirement or a child’s college tuition, investments offer you greater long-term growth potential for your preferred level of risk.
Depending on your budget preferences, you can maintain both types of accounts, with portions of your monthly income automatically transferred to savings and investments.
If you’re putting money into savings to pay off debt, there are other options. For example, you may qualify for a debt consolidation loan with a lower interest rate, or a Home Equity Line of Credit (HELOC). Both keep your savings for their intended purpose.
The right saving and investment strategies can help provide financial security at every stage of life. If you want help, Contact your local APM Loan Advisor For referral.
For informational purposes only. This content is not intended to constitute financial or investment advice. Because individual financial situations vary, readers are encouraged to seek personal guidance from a qualified investment broker or Certified Financial Planner (CFP®) before opening accounts or investing funds.
Source: Tamkeen.com
Did you know?
Personalized Pricing: How It Works, and How to Avoid It
You may have already heard of something called dynamic pricing – when retailers such as fast food outlets change menu prices according to factors such as order size. Consumers weren’t happy with this tactic, but it didn’t go away. Instead, it has evolved into personalized pricing.
Here are some examples:
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Some hotels set prices based on your geographic location when you book.
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Airlines may look at your browsing data to determine ticket prices.
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Online retailers may look at your purchase history and personal data before pricing your items.
Although you may not want to check the price of every product you buy, there are ways to avoid subjective pricing when shopping for big-ticket items.
Avoid shopping through retailer apps. These apps often offer discounts on texting and email, but there’s more to it than good intentions. When you complete an online application, you provide a lot of personal and financial information. This will likely affect your future rates.
Learn new ways to compare store. Changing your location with a VPN app can help you find lower rates; So you can browse incognito. Asking a friend to do some price checking on your potential purchases can also help. Visit several sites and track your results by taking screenshots or written notes.
Hide your personal data. Some companies collect data while you browse online. Clearing your browsing data and cookies helps thwart them. You can also use a VPN app to protect your personal information.
Source: npr.org
Personal finances
Is it time to slow down and continue Lifemaxxing?
You’ve probably heard jokes about the stresses of modern life for a long time. Previous generations were in the rat race, while newer generations complained of being stuck in survival mode. However, others have decided to trade the daily struggle for life on the financial slow lane… at least for a while. Some call it lifemaxxing.
The phrase “maxxing” is very popular in today’s social media. People who want to improve financial strategy are “moneymaxxing” while those who design the ultimate vacation are “PTO-maxxing”. Lifemaxxers make their own headlines.
A recent survey of more than 4,000 adults, conducted by financial services company SoFi, found that 72% of Americans are willing to make slower progress on their financial goals in order to attend to their families, take vacations and prioritize meaningful memories. This doesn’t mean they give up on their financial goals, but instead they make time to enjoy life.
About 59% of respondents said that maximalist living is how they define financial progress, as meaningful experiences like vacations and attending concerts are still within their reach despite becoming more expensive.
For younger Americans, taking time off may be due in part to the barriers they face. Rising home prices, student debt burdens, and wages that are barely keeping up with inflation have made it difficult to achieve these milestones.
“Actually, there are different stages of financial independence, and I think it’s really good for people to embrace the early stages of financial independence,” commented Brian Walsh, certified financial planner and head of consulting and planning at SoFi.
Source: cnbc.com
food
October: Mummies Pizza Puff Pastry
Two pieces of mummy shaped pizza topped with mozzarella cheese and olive eyes on an orange plate.
Since your trick-or-treater will bring home a lot of sweets, this Mummies puff pastry pizza It is a delicious and fun alternative. Add your choice of pizza toppings before wrapping up! Vegetarian options are also easy to prepare.
Around the house
Get comfortable with these four decorating tips
Porch decorated for fall with mums in woven baskets, pumpkins, and a rattan chair with pillows.
Now that fall has officially arrived, you may be busy unpacking your favorite sweaters and favorite cold-weather recipes. The setting of your home and its surroundings is equally important, especially since holidays tend to bring more visitors to your home. Here are some simple ways to go from comfort to comfort.
Decorate the entrance. Create a warm welcome with your choice of pumpkin, ornamental cabbage, or chrysanthemum. Add a rustic or holiday-themed welcome rug. Worried about muddy shoes? Place an inexpensive basket near the entrance so family members can easily change into slippers or flip-flops.
Dim the lights. It’s easy to overlook how lighting affects the mood of a home. It only takes a few minutes to install a dimmer switch, and you can create a warm and cozy environment that complements the season.
Enjoy the outdoors. If the summer is too warm to start a fire pit, now is a good time to prepare it. You can also determine if this is the right year to watch weekend sports outdoors by using a TV designed to withstand wet weather and varying levels of humidity.
Add seasonal scents. Even though it’s officially pumpkin spice season, it’s easy to overlook how great some scents can be in cozy decor. If you’re not a fan of pumpkin spice, sniff out candles that contain scents of cedarwood, amber, fig, or apple cinnamon.
Source: Countryliving.com
