When you apply for a mortgage loan, you’ll receive a standardized form called a loan estimate within three working days. The purpose is to give you the opportunity to compare multiple offers from lenders and to negotiate terms where applicable. Once you choose a lender, this pre-approval allows you to shop for a home with confidence, but keep in mind that the loan estimate is not a final approval, nor does it mean you’re locked into the loan.
With fall and winter approaching, it’s a good time to have your home’s heating systems professionally inspected and serviced, according to the Consumer Product Safety Commission. A trained technician can check chimneys, central heat, gas heaters, heat pumps, electric heaters, and more to make sure the systems are working properly and not producing deadly carbon monoxide (CO). They can also install electrical or battery-operated CO detectors throughout the house to ensure the personal safety of all occupants.
A rain garden isn’t as complex an idea as it sounds. You can just use a small depression in your yard—the one where a puddle always forms when it rains. According to LifeHacker.com, the goal of a rain garden is to “temporarily hold and absorb rain water runoff coming from roofs, driveways, patios or lawns.”
There are areas in your home that would be more practical, functional, and attractive if they were finished with the appropriate flooring, particularly high traffic areas like kitchens, playrooms, mudrooms, and laundry rooms.