We will be closed December 25th to celebrate with our families.
Exterior door and window leaks are the biggest source of energy loss when (baby) it’s cold outside. You can help prevent the heat sneaking its way out, and the cold creeping its way into your cozy home by sealing the gaps. For gaps at the edge of windows, you can simply caulk the gaps. (Be sure to cut out old caulk for best results.) For gaps between panes on newer windows, a little bit of weather stripping can go along way in keeping winter out. On older windows, short of reglazing, you can use weatherstripping or caulk to seal gaps.
For doors, check the weather stripping where the door seals. At dusk, you can check from outside for light getting through cracks. For all window and door leaks, you can light a candle, and hold it near potential gaps in windows and doors to check for a flicker caused by escaping warm air, or entering cold air.
If you have any spare rooms, or rooms that are rarely used, keep the doors to them closed, and close the vents in them. This will prevent your central heat from working to heat unused space. Unless someone decided to start using the vacant room, no one would notice the sweet savings on your energy bill.
A bonus tip, if your home has more than a single story, you can partially close the vents on the top floor, and keep the doors to frequently used rooms open. Be careful, though. If your air handler is oversized for your house, this could put unnecessary stress on it, causing it to die prematurely.
Ceiling fans are fantastic for cutting cooling costs in the summer. The breeze effectively reduces the perceived temperature, meaning you can turn the thermostat up a couple of degrees to lighten the load on your air conditioner unit. What about in winter?
Most ceiling fans have a switch to reverse the rotation direction that the blades spin. While you don’t want to feel the breeze when you’re trying to stay warm, you do want to generate circulation of the air in the room to even out the temperature between the top of the room and the bottom. Switching your ceiling fans on in reverse direction accomplishes this. No longer will the risen warm air stagnate against the ceiling, leaving the heat from your furnace under-appreciated. You can set your thermostat a couple of degrees lower, to lighten the load on your furnace, while staying comfortably warm when it’s cold outside.
Test your fire and smoke alarms, your carbon monoxide sensors, and your security system components to make sure the batteries are good, connections are secure, and CO sensors have not yet expired. Fires and carbon monoxide are both more common during cooler months, and holidays are also a time when thieves may be after the presents under your tree, unfortunately. Don’t forget to check mounting brackets and wiring for external security cameras and motion sensing lights. Being safe is essential to feeling cozy at home.
Start with keeping a backup stock of food in case you are stuck inside due to snow or ice. It also makes sense to check your first aid kit to see if anything needs to be replenished, or buy one if you do not already have one. Keep extra stock of prescription medications, just in case you are unable to get a refill when running low. Make sure you have a means of opening cans in the event that power is lost. Keep firewood on hand, or another means of keeping warm. Keep emergency numbers handy, and keep your cell phones and any supplemental power banks for them charged. Stock up on batteries, test your flashlights, check your fire extinguisher(s), and keep several gallons of potable water on hand. In the event that you need these resources, your future self will thank you later. So do something nice for yourself and your family: be prepared.
Yesterday, December 7, 2017, the Federal Housing Administration announced that for 2018, 3,011 out of 3,141 counties in the U.S. (~96% of all counties in the nation) will see an increase in FHA loan limits.
Ceilings and Floors
In high-cost areas, the FHA’s loan limit ceiling will increase this year to $679,650, up from $636,150, providing a $43,500 increase. In addition, the floor will rise from $275,665 to $294,515, an $18,850 increase.
Reverse Mortgages
The National Mortgage Limit for FHA-insured Home Equity Conversion Mortgages, or reverse mortgages, will also rise with the loan limit ceiling from $636,150 to $679,650, for an $18,850 increase.
Next Year
FHA case numbers assigned on Jan. 1, 2018 or later will be subject to the new loan limits.
HUD’s Press Release: https://www.hud.gov/press/press_releases_media_advisories/2017/HUDNo_17-110
Welcoming your friends and family into your home can be one of the most anticipated events of the holidays. Whether you have family visiting from out of town, or if you’re hosting Christmas dinner this year, the fact that your home is the gathering place for your loved ones is a special privilege.
However, all the stress from cooking, cleaning, and social duties of hosting may get in the way of enjoying the moments and memories with your guests. Following these tips may help you achieve balance and celebrate the joy of your holiday gathering.
Get ahead so you don’t feel like you are falling behind. Do you wait until the last minute to do your shopping, or prepare your home for guests? Of course, doing anything last-minute is a tried and true recipe for anxiety or stress. By making a list of what you need from the store early, you may be able to beat the holiday crowd — if you wait until the day before Christmas, you are giving yourself the gift of a stress filled shopping trip. The best cure for situational stress is preparation. You can do it!
Promising more than you are able to deliver will run you ragged. While it is sometimes easier to say ‘Yes’ than to risk confrontation, Remember, it is okay to say ‘No.’ If you lack space or patience to host guests from out of town, or if you are uncomfortable cooking a complicated meal, it’s okay to say ‘No.’ Your family most likely loves you as much as you love them, and will understand. Ultimately, you will be more relaxed, leading to happier holidays.
Once you have prepared and decided that you can handle hosting your loved ones, it’s time to distribute the work to those willing to help out. Relying only on yourself to get everything done will make it difficult to enjoy the experience. Ahead of time, take down a list of everything you need to accomplish, and try to delegate at least 50% of the tasks to family members or outside sources. If you have limited help, or limited space, this is where prioritization and balance really come to the rescue.
If you normally find yourself trapped in the kitchen during your holiday hosting, consider catering a meal for your guests to enjoy. Sure, your grandmother’s family pie recipe is better, but is a ready-to-bake pie from the store good enough? Is the catered green bean casserole better than your old standard? Even outsourcing a portion of the kitchen tasks can give you room to breathe, and even enjoy the tasks you’ve reserved for yourself to brag about. Everyone will likely appreciate mixing up your typical holiday cuisine, and you will gain quality time spent with your friends and family instead of stressing in the kitchen. Joy to the host!
If you have tried these, or if you have your own tips that we should know about, please leave it in a comment below! We would love to hear from you.
Last year, the conforming loan limit was set to increased to $424,100 for this year (2017). Now, most of the United States will see an increase for single unit properties to $453,100 for 2018.
The HERA (Housing and Economic Recovery Act) indicates that the baseline conforming loan limit should be adjusted with the change in the average home price in the United States every year.
According to the FHFA (Federal Housing Finance Agency):
According to FHFA’s seasonally adjusted, expanded-data HPI, house prices increased 6.8 percent, on average, between the third quarters of 2016 and 2017. Therefore, the baseline maximum conforming loan limit in 2018 will increase by the same percentage.
A loan is considered “conforming” when it conforms to Government-Sponsored Enterprise (Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac) guidelines.
In light of the recent announcement of the S&P CoreLogic Case-Shiller Home Price NSA Index increase from last year, and FHFA’s seasonally adjusted, expanded-data HPI increase, this conforming loan limit adjustment is a welcome change for home buyers in high valuation markets.
To learn more about this increase, you can read the press release from the FHFA by going to https://www.fhfa.gov/Media/PublicAffairs/Pages/FHFA-Announces-Maximum-Conforming-Loan-Limits-for-2018.aspx.
Source: September S&P CoreLogic Case-Shiller National Home Price NSA Index Up 6.2% In Last 12 Months
Recent Analysis of the September HPI figure show as a 6.2% annual gain in home prices, up 5.9% from the previous month. Several large markets that were hit hardest in the financial crisis are reporting the highest gains, including San Diego (up 8.2%). 15 of the 20 major cities posted increases before seasonal adjustments, but all 20 reported increases after seasonal adjustments.
On the bright side, these price increases continue to be fueled by a strong economy, low mortgage interest rates, and a low inventory of homes; however, continued price increases and low inventories can put pressure on affordability for some people.
Steve Remington
Chief Operations Officer at Benchmark
We are proud to announce that Benchmark Mortgage was named in the Top 100 Places To Work For 2017 by The Dallas Morning News!
We are honored by this award, especially when considering what it takes to be among the rare air of the other 34 winning Mid Size Businesses who were also named to this list. To quote Doug Claffey, CEO of WorkplaceDynamics*,
“This is far more than a popularity contest. What distinguishes a Top 100 workplace is a fundamental difference in philosophy about what drives success. Winners put employees at the center of things. They create an environment that unleashes potential, inspires performance and, in the process, boosts the bottom line.”
Cheryll Hall of The Dallas Morning News writes*,
“No company has ever made our Top 100 list based solely on pay, perks and benefits. Not one.”
We have always operated according to our Core Values of Positive Attitude, Relationships, Dynamic, Excellence, and Success. We have always provided unparalleled support for our branch partners (80+ branches nationwide). Over the years, we have cultivated these values with our approach to the mortgage business as The Benchmark Way.
We never needed an award for giving back to those who have vowed to give it all (http://bootshoot.com), to support our team members in time of need, or to simply do the right thing as members of our community. Even so, the Top 100 is a good reminder to take a look in the mirror, and evaluate whether our priorities are as aligned as they once were. This year, we were given confirmation that we are still on target.
Thank you, Dallas Morning News!
For more information about Benchmark, please visit https://whois.benchmark.us
In honor of this sustainable celebration, we have made a list of common household items that we can all recycle to help conserve resources and protect our environment.
Some items require advanced processing and recycling may not be available in all cities. Click here to see if recycling for these items is available in your area.
Remember, it is better to reduce what you use, and reuse what has already been used, and lastly, to recycle items that would otherwise end up in a landfill. Paper, cardboard, and organic matter can also be composted to help feed your garden.
PLANO, TX—United Lending of Austin, TX, a mortgage lender founded in 2008 by David McMillan and Tommy Nelms, is set to become Benchmark Mortgage, effective December 1, 2017. Offering a wide range of mortgage products, United Lending has been recognized by the Austin American Statesman and the Austin Business Journal multiple times for their excellence in mortgage lending. “We offer a vast array of mortgage products, and we work with all types of clients, from first-time home buyers to multi-million dollar homeowners and everything in between,” says McMillan. “We are consistently one of the top five lenders in Austin on the Austin Business Journal’s Book of Lists. Recently, we even hit the No. 2 spot! By focusing on top talent, we’re able to let the growth take care of itself.”
With a wide range of available products, and high standards to match, United Lending sought a similarly minded partner to support their growth. “Our individual team has been United Lending for more than 10 years. We value a strong partnership with corporate, back office and the warehouse-side of the business. So as we grew, it became obvious that we needed to find a partner that supported this growth,” Nelms says.
United Lending has achieved success by focusing on their most valuable assets: their people, and their clients. “Our main priority is to create the best office environment with the best people in the industry. We have multiple people on our staff, both in production and operations, who have been with us for 20 years or more,” Nelms explains. “Ultimately, it boils down to communication. We strive to provide a hassle-free experience with over-the-top communication. We over-communicate to all parties involved, so not only are there no surprises, but everyone knows what is going on before they have to pick up the phone and call,” adds McMillan.
It was the shared focus on relationships and excellence which eventually resulted in a partnership with Benchmark Mortgage. “We decided to join them for many reasons. But once again, the main reason was the people. Jim McMahan, one of the owners, and an industry icon, and I have had a relationship from a previous company. It has been a great decision for us,” explains McMillan.
Although this relationship is not recent, rebranding was a slight challenge. “We didn’t want to do it right away because we have done a very good job branding United Lending in Austin over the years. It made sense to adopt their name as we grew into Houston and San Antonio, but now we will bring the three cities under the same name.” Nelms explains.
Beginning December 1st, United Lending will adopt the Benchmark Mortgage name, representing the company’s core values and founding principles. Tommy Nelms describes the practical result of these ideas, commonly referred to as “The Benchmark Way”: “When you work with Benchmark Mortgage, you can always expect to work with experienced, knowledgeable people who want to make the lending process as easy and seamless as possible. One of the biggest changes we’ve made in recent years is how we support originators teams with operational teams. We are getting great files to the processing department, and then, in turn, to the underwriters. Quick closings, minimal conditions, approvals in less than two weeks, supporting the originators in such a way that they are not bogged down in paperwork, but are able to work on the referral relationships and create new ones.”
Benchmark Mortgage’s strong emphasis on building trust through relationships makes this partnership mutually beneficial. With United Lending changing to the Benchmark Mortgage name, they proudly share in the same heritage of excellence which began in 1999.
