Real Estate Decorate Blog » Home

How much can I afford to pay for a home?

admin — Wed, 13 Jul 2011 08:55:01 +0000

To determine ‘affordability’ you will first need to know your taxable income along with the amount of any debt outstanding and the monthly payments. Assuming it is your principal residence you are purchasing, calculate 32% of your income for use toward a mortgage payment, property taxes and heating costs. If applicable, half of the estimated monthly condominium maintenance fees will also be included in this calculation.
Second, calculate 40% of your taxable income and deduct all of your monthly debt payments, including car loans, credit cards, lines of credit payments. The lesser of the first or second calculation will be used to help determine how much of your income may be used towards housing related payments, including your mortgage payment. These calculations are based on lenders’ usual guidelines.
In addition to considering what the ratios say you can afford, make sure you calculate how much you think you can afford. If the payment amount you are comfortable with is less than 32% of your income you may want to settle for the lower amount rather than stretch yourself financially. Make sure you don’t leave yourself house poor. Structure your payments so that you can still afford simple luxuries.

Making a Home Decor Statement With Lighting

Ralph Serpe — Sat, 12 Mar 2011 04:01:42 +0000

Since time immemorial, light has been used as both a necessity when being contrasted with dark, as well as a luxury. The former categorization is made relevant by the simple fact that when night falls, people turn on their lamps. The second definition has a more modern connotation and it is the one that focus is laid more on in the contemporary setting due to the fact that the availability of ready sources like electricity and battery power has made this more of a luxury. The following are some of the ways of exploiting this shimmer in a home environment to make interior decor statement.

One of the ways to manipulate the way lighting is set up in an interior is to try different types of brilliance’s. For example, there is the fluorescent shimmer that has been known to produce the yellow glow that can be suitable for those who want to diffuse their rooms with a dream soft aura at night. There is also the incandescent which can be used for bringing saturation that is infused with warmth which can be great background for chitchat on a late evening. There are also the stronger ‘green’ light sources that are usually preferred for their high conservation levels as well as permanence. These are great for both interior and external use like illuminating a backyard because they are not wasted and rely mostly on solar.

Another approach of decorating a home through shimmer and glimmer is by trying to define several areas. This purportedly helps to increase depth of the house and even enlarge a room that would otherwise look small. That is why when one installs bulbs on corners that are usually dark while leaving a relatively dim center, can be able to make a beautiful setting that appears quite large from almost any vantage point. Lighting can also be used as decor medium when it is meant to cast a glow over the furniture in a room. These powered illuminations would be playing the same fantastic duties that a family of candles interspersed on tables, cabinets and walls would play in another setting. This is why when installing any of these kits, it is essential to reconnoiter the whole room arrangement so that one can find the best areas for this display.

The Secrets Of Good Bathroom Design

admin — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 02:45:27 +0000

Bathroom is an important part of our house. It is as important as our room, our living room, the dining room and of course our study room. Not many people think much about designing their bathroom when they are designing their house. Bathrooms have been overlooked because people thought we only spend half an hour in the bathroom per day. So the bathroom design could not have been that important, right? Bathroom design is also important because we need to feel relaxed when we use our bathroom. A nicely designed bathroom with the right fixtures and lightings can be of a help when we relax our body and mind with a bath, or a long hot shower after a long day at work. A badly designed bathroom would certainly have the opposite side effects for our relaxation.

The first step to designing a bathroom is to decide on what types of products that you will need for your bathroom. Don’t make a hasty decision after looking at design books or magazines because you might get something that you do not need and you only want to get it because it will look nice in your bathroom. Be practical and only fill your bathroom with necessities. The second step is measure the space of your bathroom. Then get the products and fixtures of appropriate size that is suitable for your bathroom space. After that you should produce a scale version of your bathroom floor plan and plot the position of the fixtures and products on the plan. Be sure to leave extra space so that you can move the things around in your bathroom. The point is to not over-clutter your bathroom.

The next step is to plan out your plumbing system and also your water and wastes management system. Be sure to get an expert to help you with this because if you mess this up, it will be very hard to fix, not to mention expensive. After that you can plan for the lighting in your bathroom, the heating and also the ventilation of the bathroom. You can also include some storage space in your bathroom, if you have the space for it. After all the planning, you can then get a quote from an expert or a contractor to see how much designing a new bathroom would cost you. Make sure you ask for any recommendations for anything extra to be put in your bathroom to complement your design. A professional opinion is worth the money!