Thursday, June 13, 2013
With the summer temperatures rising, so does the need for more energy for your home. Make sure your home is running at the highest efficiency possible by following these simple tips. They can help lower your energy bills and leave you cool and comfortable all summer long!
1. Keep the blinds closed during the day. By keeping your blinds closed during the hottest part of the day, you’ll block heat from seeping into your home. For added insulation from the heat, use heavy drapes or curtains to block out the sun’s rays.
2. Adjust your thermostat to run at least two degrees warmer than you normally would. Consider using a programmable thermostat so that your air conditioner isn’t working hard to cool your home while no one is there to enjoy it. According to Kentucky Utilities, a programmable thermostat can save up to 12% on your home energy costs. Avoid placing lamps or TV sets near your room air-conditioning thermostat. The thermostat senses heat from these appliances, which can cause the air conditioner to run longer than necessary.
3. Use ceiling fans to cool your home. Even when your air conditioner is running, turn your ceiling fans on so you can spread the cooled air more effectively throughout your home without having to adjust the thermostat. According to energy.gov, if you use air conditioning, a ceiling fan will allow you to raise the thermostat setting about 4°F with no reduction in comfort level.
4. Consider planting shade trees or shrubs in areas of your yard that receive full sun during the day. Not only will you save on energy costs, but you’ll give your home more curb appeal! An air conditioning unit that operates in the shade uses less energy than one operating in the sun, however when planting, make sure to keep limbs far enough away from the unit so that they don’t block airflow.
5. On really warm days, avoid using your oven. Stick to using a crockpot, the microwave, or grilling out. Heating your oven up daily adds more heat to your interiors and therefore requires your air conditioning cooling system to work harder and longer. If you need to do laundry, wait until the sun has gone down so that you aren’t heating your home more than necessary.
Tuesday, June 11, 2013
Ball Homes is pleased to announce The Reserve at Tates Creek, a neighborhood of distinctive homes on just twenty premium lots. The Reserve will offer upscale homes with larger lot sizes. The Reserve is bordered by land that is currently undeveloped in Jessamine County or by existing home on larger lots.
Located just off Tates Creek Road near the Fayette-Jessamine County line, The Reserve at Tates Creek is a rare opportunity to build a luxury home in this highly desirable and limited availability location. This subdivision is close to Hartland Estates and near south-side shopping and dining.
Sixteen plans will be offered at The Reserve at Tates Creek, from 2128sf to 3547sf. Several large ranch plans are available. Home plans can be customized by the buyer. All electric homes are standard, and natural gas is an available option. Homes will have mostly brick fronts and Cambridge Beaded vinyl siding. A few homesites are suitable for inground or walkout basements.
A model home is planned, and more information is available from any Ball Homes Specialist at Milestone Realty Consultants. Please call 859.514.4545 to speak with a Ball Homes Specialist.
Friday, June 7, 2013
We'd like to give a warm welcome to Realtor Debbie Meers, the newest agent on our Ball Homes Sales Team for Central Kentucky. Debbie will be joining the team at our Walnut Hill Club at Chilesburg.
Debbie Meers is a veteran of the Real Estate Industry with over 10 years experience. Debbie believes in hard work, honesty, and being forthright. With these qualities, we know that she will be a tremendous asset to our team.
To contact Debbie, visit the Walnut Hill Club at Chilesburg during their Open House Saturdays and Sundays from 1-5pm.
Tuesday, May 28, 2013
You’ve heard over and over that now is the time to buy. House prices are increasing and mortgage rates are at historical lows and you know you need to get into the game. But what do you do if your credit doesn’t look that great? Here are 4 things you can do to improve your credit score so that you’re ready to buy your first house.
1. Get copies of your credit report and make sure it’s accurate.
Errors on your credit report can force you to pay a higher interest rate or even disqualify you from getting a mortgage at all. Go to
www.annualcreditreport.com and get a free report from each of the three national credit reporting companies (Equifax, Experian and TransUnion) According to federal law, you’re eligible for a free report every twelve months. Check for any errors, accounts that aren’t yours, or negative marks older than seven years. Make sure lenders have reported your credit limits accurately, because they can affect your credit score.
2. Make all your payments on-time.
The easiest way to build up your credit score is to make every payment on-time. If you don’t have a good bill-paying system, you can set up automatic payments from your bank account to help you pay on time.
3. Improve your debt-to-credit ratio.
The credit-scoring process looks at the ratio of your debt to the total amount of available credit you have. While your credit card might have a $10,000 maximum balance, having it maxed out looks bad to potential lenders and doesn’t look good on your credit history. Some lenders may consider multiple maxed out balances to be a sign of irresponsibility on your part. Your long-term goal is to get rid of all your debt, but a good, short-term target is to shrink your ratio to less than 50 percent. Then 40, then 30, and so on.
4. Pay it off, but don’t close it out.
Because Lenders looks at your debt-to-credit ratio, having an account with a $0 balance but a high credit limit can be a good thing. Lenders also look to see the length of time an account has been opened. They want to know that you can handle debt on a long-term basis because they are considering loaning you a large sum of money for 30 years. Avoid opening up new accounts just to increase your credit limit. Adding accounts too quickly sends up a red flag that you might not be able to handle your credit responsibly.
If you’re planning on buying your first home in the near future, follow these tips to help raise your credit score and build a well-rounded credit history that will make lenders want to loan you the money for your mortgage. Contact a mortgage professional at
Walden Mortgage for more information on purchasing your first home.