Author: Werhat

Arts and Crafts-Style Window Treatments

The Arts and Crafts movement of the late 19th century rebelled against the mechanization of the Industrial Age, focusing rather on handmade craftsmanship in architectural and ornamental arts. Heavily influenced by temperament, Arts and Crafts architecturally styled homes contain an abundance of wood and wainscoting together with the usage of natural stones and materials across the home. In case you’ve got an Arts and Crafts home, or only want to decorate your windows following this style, then think organic.

Let in the Light

A majority of Arts and Crafts-styled homes do not use window treatments at all, letting the window function as cosmetic therapy. A number of these homes included windows with a run of wood-framed lites at the top of the window for a decorative effect and a large pane at the bottom for watching. A number of these homes even contained leaded windows with coloured panes or stained glass. To a bay window in the dining room area of such a home, add four hand-designed windows which have stained and clear glass since your own window treatment.

Woven Shades

For a natural window treatment which complements the Arts and Crafts-style home, select a shade woven from an organic material like bamboo or other natural fibers. Select layouts that include a flat fold, where the shades fold up rather than roll, or a nest shade, where the organic material hides the operating mechanisms and the pull wires to get a tidy, but simple look.

Simple Panel Curtains

When you want the privacy that drapes afford, look to simple panel drapes made from natural substances in solid colors. Stick to colors found in nature: green, browns, beiges, gold, dusty rose or ocean blue. Of course, the colour of your window treatments should match the colour palette within the room. Look to fabrics made from hemp, cotton, silk or bamboo to remain true to the ideals of the Arts and Crafts movement.

Wood Blinds or Shutters

Bi-fold wood shutters paired to the wood in the home create a one-of-a-kind look within an Arts and Crafts-styled residence. These kinds of window treatments cost more because they have to be crafted to match the individual windows in the home, but they not only add a natural look to the window, they function as an insulator to keep the chilly from the window. Wood-slatted blinds offer a less-costly variation on the wood shutters which stick to this principle of natural substances in an Arts and Crafts home.

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Design Attributes of a Four-Poster Bed

Stately and elegant, a four-poster bed attracts an upscale appearance to practically any bedroom setting. The design of the frame, the material it is constructed from, and the method by which in which the frame is styled assist the bed become a focal point that complements a wide range of decorating schemes.

Timeless Appeal

During medieval Europe, elaborately constructed four-poster beds with enormous carved posts and luxurious fabrics were prized possessions of imperial families, noblemen and people of great riches. Canopies and drapes surrounding and covering the bed provided both heat and solitude. Today, fabric-draped four-poster frames include a sense of love and a female touch to the room. A simple panel of gauzy fabric draped over the top rails softens the appearance of the bed frame. Provide a dreamy appearance with layers of material draped or hung out of the rails or tied to corners articles. Heavier, patterned fabrics, silk or satin drapes and canopies make a look of grandeur and elegance in formal or traditional-style rooms. Sheer, white fabric draped above a dark wood frame conveys a tropical feel, reminiscent of the mosquito netting used on Colonial plantation beds made from mahogany or rosewood.

Topless Frames

Create a sense of visual height in a room using the vertical lines of a topless four-poster bed frame. Corner posts are produced in a broad assortment of styles, from enormous, stately columns to narrow, tapering poles. Asymmetrical frames feature taller posts at the head of the bed and shorter articles at the foot of the bed. Spiral turned twists known as “barley twists” bring 17th-century styling while adding visual interest to the bed frame. Four-poster frames may be stained or painted to match any colour scheme.

Contemporary Styling

To get a clean, modern look, leave the top rails of a four-poster frame uncovered. The sharp, angular lines of a black or dark-stained wood frame imply a masculine feel. Insert a traditional twist in a contemporary setting with a campaign-style canopy bed frame, featuring slim, iron shirt rails that curve gracefully upward to your central crown. Use this type of frame just like to highlight a high or vaulted ceiling while making an open, airy feel in your bedroom.

Dialed-in Design

Create a statement bed by selecting a four-poster frame that complements and enhances the style of the room. In a shabby chic or French Country setting, consider a distressed wood or wrought-iron bed frame left as is or accented with ruffled, frilly fabrics in grey or white floral prints. Create a stunning appearance in a room using Old World or Mediterranean influences with a oversized bed frame featuring big column-like posts and gold or silver gilding on carved accents. A light, natural wood finish adds a comfortable, relaxed feel in a coastal or beach-inspired setting. For the eco-friendly decorator, look for frames made from renewable wood, such as rattan or teak, certified by the Forest Stewardship Council.

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How to Stain Prefinished Hardwood Floors

A hardwood flooring provides a natural coating in your home. Like any other flooring surface a hardwood flooring becomes worn down over time. You can revitalize the surface by simply staining the floor and stripping the old finish. This really is a labor-intensive project, but upon successful completion you will have a beautifully renovated hardwood flooring that you can admire with pride.

Remove in the room. Cover in the room and shut all doors to prevent dust. In case you have entryways that do not have doors, pay for the entryways.

Analyze the floor for cracks or nicks from the boards. By employing wood putty fill any cracks. Fill the cracks and smooth the surface just as much as you can using the putty knife. It does not have to be perfect since you need to sand the floor, but it might supply for a neater finish.

Put on safety goggles, a mask and ear protection, then sand the part of the floor using a sander. Keep the drum off of the floor until the machine is turned on, then gradually lower the drum. So you don’t dig into the floor begin walking the sander as soon hits the floor. Once you stop moving, lift the drum immediately. When sanding, Proceed with the grain of the wood, and create two moves.

By using an edge sander sand the perimeter of the floor and any sections you couldn’t reach with the sander. Sand using a semicircular movement, moving from left to right. Use coarse sandpaper.

Sand the floor again using the drum sander and border sander, now using a medium-grit sandpaper (50 to 60 grit). Use the same technique that you used when sanding with the paper.

Sand the floor one last time, now using fine-grit (80 to 100 grit) sandpaper.

Vacuum the dust from around the room, such as the walls and ceiling, while it melts to prevent the dust.

Run a floor buffer equipped with a fine abrasive display (100 to 120 grit) on the surface of the floor. Begin buffing the floor and go with the grain of the wood.

Begin applying the stain to the floor along the wall farthest from the door or entryway — you do not need to paint yourself. Dip a clean rag to the stain and cut in along the edges of the floor, starting in 1 corner. Apply the blot moving in the direction of the grain, and wash the excess stain with a clean rag up. (You might want an assistant to do that.) Change rags frequently and wear safety goggles, gloves and a mask when applying the stain. Allow the stain to dry immediately.

Apply a water-based urethane complete or a polyurethane (oil-based) end to the floor. Apply the finish to the floor the same way that the stain was implemented by you, but use natural bristle brush or a foam applicator rather than the rags you used when applying the stain. Allow the finish coat to dry to the moment. Polyurethane will need an overnight period, although A urethane can dry in a few hours.

Remove from the floor using a clean, moist cloth. Apply finish and allow it to dry. Repeat this process has the range of coats that the manufacturer recommends. Water-based finishes require additional coats.

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Senior Citizen Housing Grants

Elderly citizens and their families can struggle to find suitable and affordable housing. To make things harder, senior citizens might have particular needs a normal home can’t satisfy. Government and charitable agencies provide grants to qualified senior citizens to help them locate a suitable home or adapt their present house for their requirements. For instance, senior citizen grants can help older applicants make modifications to stairs in their home to accommodate disabilities.

Housing Choice Vouchers

The Department of Housing and Urban Development presents senior citizens with low and low incomes aid to seek out safe and sanitary housing through its housing choice voucher program. The program provides participants with vouchers they can use to cover any housing they choose as long as it complies with HUD health and security standards. This permits senior citizens to search for housing outside of subsidized housing projects that may not supply the living conditions they need.

Public Housing

Public housing is a government program designed to give low income households, the elderly and individuals with disabilities help in finding a safe and decent place to live. Elderly taxpayers with incomes lower than 80 percent of the median income of the city or county can apply for a few of those over 1.2 million homes in the public housing program.

Home Improvement and Repair Loans and Grants

The Department of Agriculture (USDA) helps senior citizens in rural areas who can’t manage a USDA low-interest loan by giving grants of up to $7,500 to repair and enhance their homes. Eligible applicants must prove their home is in urgent need of repairs and improvements to remove a health and safety hazard, or even to allow accessibility for an older or handicapped relative.

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How Do I Lock in a Mortgage Rate of Interest?

Mortgage interest rates may change many times every day, which means you may need to lock at a rate at least or at some point prior to the closing of escrow. The rates of interest for both conventional and government commissions are based on activities in the bond market or other market conditions that may lead to the prevailing rates of the day to increase or reduce. Most loan officers will notify borrowers that interest rates are subject to change prior to the closing of escrow. You may permit the speed on your loan to float before the closing of escrow or petition to lock in a mortgage rate of interest.

Rates and loan conditions interest with your loan . During the application process, ask your loan officer to market various interest rates and conditions to help ascertain an appealing monthly mortgage payment for you.

Contact your loan officer to check on weekly or daily rates of interest. Your timely follow-up will enable you to ask a mortgage rate lock under the conditions which you want. Ask that your loan officer contact you by email or mobile phone for interest rate upgrades that satisfy your requirements. You may need to lock in an rate of interest on a moment’s notice. Some mortgage lenders will lock into your interest rate according to a verbal agreement, while other lenders may require a signed rate-lock form. Ask your lender to provide the conditions of your rate-lock in composing.

Pay the required fees to lock in your mortgage rate of interest. Some creditors will ask a fee that amounts to $1,000 or up to 1 percent of the loan amount. Get information from your loan in advance of your interest rate lock-in request.

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How to Compare Mortgage Lenders Online

Mortgage companies use a variety of advertising and promotional methods to reach customers. The Internet enables mortgage lenders to market loan products and upgrade interest rate fluctuations when they want to. Most lenders update rates perhaps several times because of fluctuations in the bond market, per day. Assessing mortgage lenders on the internet may enable you to discover an attractive home loan.

See sites terms and which list mortgage rates from multiple lenders. Use the listings to compare mortgage rates of interest, fees and points. Opt for the mortgage firms with the lowest costs by selecting the firm with the lowest annual percentage rate.

Locate sites which allow you to complete a brief questionnaire and receive comments from many lenders. Compare the offers by assessing terms and the rates of interest of each offer. Select the mortgage lender with the lowest percentage rate.

Apply online to a number of mortgage companies and ask that every loan officer email a good faith estimate, as well as a truth in lending shape. Assessing the costs will make it possible for you to compare mortgage lenders on the internet.

Check mortgage rates and terms with companies which you conduct business with, such as your credit card issuer, auto finance business and your current home lender. Some companies which provide financial services might also provide mortgage loans. Go to the sites for companies which you currently use to compare against other creditors you’ve researched.

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Tenant Rights in San Francisco

Like many areas, San Francisco uses a blend of local and state law to give security to tenants. Due in part to its comparatively high cost of living, San Francisco includes cost controls and just cause eviction provisions in its rent ordinance. Landlords should follow further protocols when dealing with tenants, comparative to other areas of the nation and state.

Significance

The City of San Francisco is in a continuous battle to balance its high housing costs with the needs of its occupants, particularly those who have low to medium incomes. Based on 2010 data analyzed from the National Low Income Housing Coalition (NLIHC), the fair market rent for a two-bedroom unit in San Francisco is 1,760 per month. To afford this rent, NLIHC estimates that a household must earn $70,400 annually. This reality increases the importance of providing stability for tenants in terms of occupancy and cost.

Types

The rights that San Francisco gives to tenants, particularly those that supersede state law, may be broadly grouped in price, quality of the leasing experience and flooding classes. In terms of price, San Francisco imposes price controls on rent and adds to country regulations governing security deposits. San Francisco generally defers to state laws covering the leasing experience, such as maintenance, repair and renter harassment problems ; however, the town adds its own unique stipulations. While many California cities allow taxpayers to terminate month-to-month tenancies for any reason, according to the state’s Department of Consumer Affairs, San Francisco only allows evictions associated with a just cause.

Characteristics

According to the San Francisco Tenants Union, many dwellings in town have been covered by rent control. If a tenant lives in a unit built on or before June 1979, generally landlords may simply raise the rent on his apparatus by a predetermined amount once per year. Between March 1, 2010 and February 28, 2011, the San Francisco Rent Board notes that maximum growth allowed by the rent ordinance is 0.1 percent. While San Francisco uses state law to mandate most landlord responsibilities in association with repairs and upkeep, it uses local ordinances in certain areas, for example its minimal heat requirement. The Rent Board points out that landlords should offer a suitable heating system that allows for a temperature of at least 68 degrees F from 5 to 11 a.m. and 3 to 10 p.m. Landlords can’t evict a tenant from a San Francisco rental unit without citing among 15 just triggers, as of 2010. Since the Tenants Union notes, just causes include nonpayment of rent and violation of the leasing agreement. Many tenants never covered by rent control do enjoy the town’s strong eviction protections.

Factors

State law, according to the California Department of Consumer Affairs, limits the amount a landlord may charge for a security deposit to twice the rent on an unfurnished lease. San Francisco does not impose limitations beyond state legislation ; however, tenants have an additional security deposit right in town: They’re entitled to interest on the deposit a landlord holds. Like the rent control annual growth, landlords must pay out interest at a predetermined yearly rate to tenants once per year in the form of an immediate payment or rent credit, according to the San Francisco Rent Board.

Pro Insight

Evictions are a contentious issue in San Francisco. The Tenants Union guides tenants to consult with an attorney whenever they are faced with an eviction-related situation. They also notify tenants who evictions in California should proceed through the courtroom. Tenants across the country have the right to remain in their apartment even after receiving an initial flooding note. Once an eviction proceeds to court and the judge or jury principle in the landlord’s favor, a tenant should move out. Some evictions, such as an owner move-in, demand special treatment in San Francisco. When a landlord evicts a tenant so she or a close relative can move in the tenant’s marriage, the Tenants Union states that each displaced tenant is eligible for $4,941 in relocation benefitsup to a max of $14,825. Tenants with little kids, the handicapped and elderly persons receive an additional $3,295 in reimbursement.

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Advice on FHA Hybrid Programs

FHA hybrid plans let home buyers to combine the advantages of fixed and adjustable mortgage prices. These programs offer you the low interest payments of flexible mortgage rates but offer the higher security associated with fixed-rate mortgages. However, these hybrid programs are relatively new — that the FHA started insuring them in 2004 — and may lead to confusion among borrowers. If you are interested in an FHA hybrid program, make sure to realize the details of the loan.

Definition

Hybrid mortgages are loans that start out as fixed-rate mortgages — that the rate of interest stays the same — for the agreed number of years after which change to adjustable rate mortgages, which change their rate occasionally. Since hybrid mortgages change in to ARM mortgages, lenders are able to charge lower interest rates compared to fixed-rate mortgages.

Types

The FHA offers four major types: 3-, 5-, 7- and 10-year hybrid mortgages. In other words, the mortgage includes a fixed-interest rate for 3, 5, 7 and 10 years, respectively, prior to shifting to a ARM loan. The 3-year hybrid vehicles have an annual interest cap of 1 per cent and a life-of-the-loan cap of 5 points. The other types have a 2 percent annual cap and a 6% life-of-the-loan cap. By way of instance, a 5-year hybrid that begins with a 5 percent interest rate could increase by a maximum of 2 percentage points annually after the first five years to a maximum of 11 percent.

Apps

The FHA offers hybrid mortgages for its FHA Secure, FHA 95 Percent Cash-Out Refinance, FHA 85 Percent Cash-Out Refinance and FHA to FHA Refinance applications. The FHA Secure program is for borrowers with a less than perfect payment history who have been current on their payments to the previous six months. The maximum loan amount for an FHA Secure mortgage is 90% of their home’s value. The FHA 95 Percent Cash-Out Refinance program is for borrowers that have a good payment history who want to buy a loan larger than their existing mortgage to cover their mortgage and spend the balance. The FHA 85 Percent Cash-Out Refinance program is much like the 95 Percent Refinance but is significantly more flexible on its payment history requirements and allows individuals who don’t live in the home to be co-borrowers in the mortgage. The FHA to FHA Refinance program has a more flexible eligibility criteria, which allows borrowers with an existing FHA mortgage to enhance the conditions and conditions of their mortgage. The provisions for the hybrid versions of these apps remain exactly the same with the exception of the hybrid interest payment arrangement.

Goal

Hybrid programs are a sensible choice for households who plan to live in their new house for several years and expect their income to increase in future years. It is also a good option for families who find that the interest rate of past-due mortgages too pricey but need the security of mortgage payments in the first years of the loan.

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What Determines If You Have to Pay Flood Insurance?

If you have a homeowners’ coverage, then chances are it doesn’t account for damage brought on by a flood. Most home insurance policies do not offer the coverage. To find flood insurance, you must do this through the federal government and the National Flood Insurance Program. While not everybody needs flood insurance, even if you fill two requirements, you need to get flood insurance for your house.

The Flood Insurance Rate Map

The Flood Insurance Rate Map, or FIRM for brief, is spread by the Federal Emergency Management Agency. The chief goal of the FIRM will be to outline your region’s flood issues. Lenders consider this the official determination of whether you reside in a flood zone. You are able to see the map online through FEMA’s website, ask for a copy by email or by telephone. At precisely the same time, you can find a copy of the Flood Insurance Study, or FIS, which communicates your region. Flooding areas are categorized in two ways: low to moderate risk and higher risk.

Your Loan

Just because you live in what is regarded as a high risk flood area doesn’t mean you are required to have flood insurance. Nonetheless, it is highly recommended by FEMA and by the National Flood Insurance Program, which administers flood insurance in the United States. Nonetheless, your lender will need it. In fact, if your loan is backed by the U.S. government, like the Federal Housing Administration, and you reside in a high risk flood zone, you need to carry flood insurance. It is also necessary if your creditor is governed by the U.S. government.

Type of Policy

There are two types of flood insurance coverages offered by NFIP. The first is a preferred risk policy, that includes a lower premium and is designed for those in moderate or low risk areas. Conventional policies are designed for people in high-risk areas and offer coverage for both the house and your belongings. NFIP will take into account the entire year your home was built, the number of people it can hold, number of floors, contents, and where it’s found in the flood zone and your deductible before deciding your premium.

What You Pay

Flood insurance is not offered by your house insurer. Only the federal government can offer flood insurance. In this case, you pay a yearly premium, based on your geographical area and your type of policy. The average policy for a high-risk house prices approximately $370 a month. If you have a preferred risk policy, your premium cost can be as low as $100 per year. Premiums are paid on a yearly basis and may be paid by cash, check or money order.

Policy Maximums

If you buy flood insurance, you should know that there are policy maximums in case of a claim. For residential home, those maximums are $250,000 for the replacement of your house and $100,000 for the replacement of your things. Replacement of your house includes replacement of necessary contents in your cellar, including hot water heaters. Home contents include clothing, electronics, appliances and other personal possessions.

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Can a Borrower Have Two FHA Loans at Once?

One borrower is that the exception, not the rule. The Department of Housing and Urban Development has set specific rules for this rare occurrence. Most individuals are not eligible for two FHA loans in the same time, unless they proceed to a new place or significantly increase the size of the loved ones.

General Rule

HUD’s general rule is that a borrower may have only one FHA loan at a time. If the borrower needs a brand new FHA loan, he then usually needs to repay the initial FHA loan before applying for the next FHA loan.

Exception

Regardless of the general rule, HUD does permit one individual to have multiple FHA loans in certain conditions. In brief, HUD enables multiple FHA loans once the borrower’s personal circumstances have changed considerably since the closure on the initial FHA loan.

Relocation

One reason why HUD may allow another FHA loan is if the borrower relocates into a new place which isn’t within reasonable commuting distance of the debtor’s existing home. As an instance, if you move to another state because of a new job, then HUD will allow you to acquire another FHA loan in the new state. HUD has not understood what a reasonable commuting distance is, but most mortgage lenders agree that more than one hour is foolish.

Family Size

Another reason HUD might allow another FHA loan is if the borrower’s family size has considerably increased since closure on the initial FHA loan. The borrower must have the ability to demonstrate that his current home isn’t big enough to accommodate the family. For instance, if a borrower takes out an FHA loan to purchase a two-bedroom condo, and then has triplets, the borrower will likely qualify for a second FHA loan.

Rental Restrictions

One major limitation on getting another FHA loan, even in the event that you qualify for one of those two exceptions, is that you can only count leasing income from the very first property as earnings on the new FHA loan program if you have 25 percent equity in the very first property. Therefore, for instance, if you owe $85,000 in your very first home and the home is worth $100,000, you then simply have 15 percent equity, meaning you won’t have the ability to add rental income from your home in your second FHA loan program. Without that leasing income, you may not qualify under FHA debt-to-income ratio requirements. HUD requires your mortgage payment to be 29 percent or less of your gross yearly earnings.

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