How about some actual, genuine advice that you can use to help yourself get out of debt? Now, everyone’s situation is unique; but in general terms, if you own a home and have been making payments steadily, then you might have more power and leverage than you think. It does require some effort to utilize the leverage in your home (called “equity”), but if you spend some time to learn the basics of home finance, you can learn how to manage your debt as well! When renewing your mortgage for better home loan rates.

First, understand that since your situation will be unique compared to my own, I can only lend my personal experience in guiding you towards a solution. It is always recommended to consult with a professional loan counselor or credit advisor to help in your own situation. I can only speak in simplistic terms based on what helped me get my personal debt to a more manageable level.

Consider first, the different types of loans you might have, outside of your home mortgage. When nationwide averages are taken into account, most credit card holders have 3-5 pieces of “plastic money” in their wallet, right now! Where do you fit in? Now, combine that with the national average interest rate of ~14.75% for fair credit, or up to ~25% for bad credit averages. It does not take too much math to realize that the average credit card consumer is paying through the nose in interest fees alone! Furthermore, when the credit card holder is burdened with so many different bills, they are more apt to pay the minimum requirements, and this is a dangerous situation, especially if you continue to use those same credit cards for regular monthly expenses! When you pay the minimum payments, the majority of your payment goes to the interest only! And if you continue to use the credit card for regular expenses, you will simply NEVER get out of debt!

The question remains: If we are to be smart consumers, help our own personal finances and rid ourselves of bad debt, what can be done?

The answer is in where we live. Most of the lenders I have spoken with call a house “good debt”. That is, it’s not the “worst debt” we can have, but is debt none-the-less. It is often called good debt, because typically the interest rate on the loan will be much, much lower than any traditional non-secure debt (such as a credit card) because it has physical assets attached to it (your house). Also, it is called good debt because you are paying towards actual ownership of something. You can, and WILL eventually own your home! While you are paying it off, you are building value in that ownership, that you use to help with other expenses.

Here’s what some might suggest if your situation allows:

Consider Refinancing your house to try to get the best mortgage rates, or alternatively pursuing a Home Equity Loan or Home Equity Line of Credit. These options are useful for different things depending on your individual situation, so consulting with a financial specialist or home mortgage loan officer should help understand your options better. In any case, home mortgage refinance refinance will allow you to borrow against your home’s equity. If you are in a bad debt situation, do not borrow any more than you need, and only use it to pay off other debts. It is very likely that you will get a dramatically lower interest rate on the entire mortgage bundle, and the best mortgage rates will then help you save SO much more money on your other bills overall.

The strategy that I employed allowed me to combine 2 of my higher rate cards that I carried a lower balance on, and pay them off completely. Those cards were immediately shredded.

When refinancing, I saved approximately 2.1% on my mortgage interest rate, which allowed me to save an extra $300 or so on my regular monthly mortgage payments to begin with! This monthly savings, combined with the monthly payments I no longer had to make on the other 2 cards allowed me to pay off the 3rd card within about 6 months… At the rate I was going, it could have taken 6 years, easily! I have one more to go, and plastic is out of my life forever. And, even with lower monthly payments, I believe I have the best mortgage rate that I’ll be able to get,

This experience has changed how I think about credit, lending, and home finance forever. I have only been in my house about 5 years, and refinancing allowed me to eliminate debt that has been hanging over my head. I got the best mortgage rates I possibly could, and used my hard work and payments to eliminate nearly 12 years of other debts that have slowly built up. Your most important asset is your home; it can work for you when you also look for the best mortgage rate and know how to use the money you’ve put into it to your advantage! Use it wisely!

Stealing the design of another person’s web page. It’s one thing to download a free design for your web page or to make use of one of the free website builders out there. Totally stealing another person’s layout, on the other hand, is a really bad idea. Sure the web is a big place and the chance of the original designer ever finding out that you’ve stolen the design might be small, you still shouldn’t do it. If you love the design and want to use it for your own site, why don’t you contact the designer and site owner and ask for authorization to either use the same design for your own site or to request the designer how much to design something for you?

Using a picture or an graphic before acquiring permission. Just because the photograph or graphic turns up on a Google image search does not mean that the image or photo is public domain. Google indexes pictures and links to the original internet site that displays it.  There’s no problem on this. Posting the photo or graphic on your own web page before you obtain permission from the operator or the creator, however, is a violation of copyright law. You might be sued by the owner if he or she ever finds out about it. You would be wise to get authorization to use the graphic before you actually put it up. You may be charged some cash but it is guaranteed to be less than you would have to pay after getting sued. If you happen to be low on money you could do a search for free images or Creative Commons licenses that allow commercial use. It’s acceptable for the open public to utilize those.

Stealing another person’s authored written content. If you would like to make use of content that is not your own on your website, you’ll want to make sure that you give credit to the original creator of the content. If the content you use is from another website, it is imperative that you make sure you put up a link to that site. This will help you obtain the favor of the original publisher. When you never put up backlinks or credit, you’re in danger for getting in trouble for infringement of copyright and intellectual property laws. It will cost far more to cover the infringement than it would set you back to just give proper credit or to hire someone to create something new for you.

It is always much better to err on the side of caution with regards to building your business. Saving money is obviously something you need to do but make absolutely certain that you save it legally. When you don’t, the cost you will be facing will be far more than it would have been otherwise.

Check out our financial software reviews to pick the best financial software for personal or charity use such as the best personal finance software or church financial software.

Jeff Patterson has been writing articles online for nearly 2 years now. Not only does this author specialize in Home Improvement, you can also check out his latest website about

This short page will provide a quick overview on how to prepare a home for a home inspection.

The link below provides a Home Inspection Checklist PDF to record your progress.

Inspection reports repeatedly identify similar neglected maintenance items. Performing some basic maintenance can help keep your home in better condition, thus reduce the chance of those conditions showing up on the inspection report. To present a better maintained home to perspective buyers, follow these tips. Most of these items can be accomplished with little or no cost, while the benefits of selling a well maintained home can be worth the effort and could help preserve your transaction.

1. Clean both rain gutters and any roof debris and trim back excessive foliage from the exterior siding.
2. Divert all water away from the house. For example; rain-gutter downspouts, sump pump discharge locations, and clean out garage and basement interiors.
3. Clean or replace all furnace filters.
4. Remove grade or mulch from contact with siding preferable providing 6-8 inches of clearance.
5. Paint all weathered exterior wood and caulk around trim, chimneys, windows, doors, and all exterior wall penetrations.
6. Make sure all windows and doors are in proper operating condition; replace cracked windowpanes.
7. Replace all burned out light bulbs and remove  extension cords being used for permanent wiring.
8. Make sure all of the plumbing fixtures are in spotless condition (toilets, tubs, showers and sinks) and in proper working order (repair leaks).
9. Provide clear access to both attic and foundation crawl spaces, heating/cooling systems, water heaters, electrical main and distribution panels and remove vehicles from the garage.
10. If the house is vacant make sure that all utilities are turned on. Should the water, gas or electric be off at the time of inspection, the inspector will not turn them on. Therefore, the inspection process will be incomplete, which may possibly affect the time frame in removing sales contract contingencies.

Click or right click the link below to open a Home Inspection Checklist PDF to serve as a guide for preparing your home for an inspection.

Home Inspection Checklist PDF

What Is A Home Inspection?

An inspection is essentially a “visual snapshot” of a home’s condition as it exists at the time of the inspection, and that condition is described in a comprehensive written report.

An inspection consists of a non-invasive physical examination of a home’s systems, structures and components intended to identify material defects that exist at the time of the inspection. The heating and cooling equipment is activated along with operating plumbing fixtures, testing accessible electrical outlets and fixtures, and operating a representative sampling of doors and windows. A visual inspection of the roof, crawl spaces, walls and drainage adjacent to the home are included.

An inspection is NOT any of the following:

• not a code inspection
• not an FHA/VA inspection
• not an appraisal
• not a pest control certification
• not a warranty
• and not an insurance policy

So Why Should I Get A Home Inspection?

As a seller, if you have owned your property for a period of time, an inspection can help identify potential problems and recommend preventive measures, which might avoid future expensive repairs. There is no such thing as a home that is too new or too well built to benefit from a professional inspection. Many of the problems frequently encountered after a new owner moves in, are a routine discovery for a qualified home inspector.

As a buyer, the purchase of a home or commercial building is one of the largest single investments you will ever make. You should know as much as possible— both indoors and out — in terms of current and future repairs and maintenance. After the property inspection, you should have a much clearer understanding of the property you are about to purchase, and be able to make your decision confidently.

Can I Inspect The Building Myself?

As the seller of course, but even the most experienced builder or homeowner lacks the knowledge  and expertise of professional inspectors who have inspected hundreds, and perhaps thousands of homes and buildings in their career. A home inspector is more familiar with the critical elements of construction and with the proper installation, maintenance and inter-relationships of these elements.

Most buyers would find it difficult to remain completely objective and unemotional about the building they really want, and this may lead to a poor assessment plus it is unlikely the owner will allow access for the period of time it would take to do a thorough inspection. The seller might find it difficult to remain completely objective and unemotional about the building they have owned or lived in for a period of time. An inspection by a qualified home inspector may provide both seller and buyer a comprehensive, non-biased, third party review of the property.

Should I Attend The Inspection?

It is not necessary for you to be present for the inspection, but it is a good idea. By following the inspector through the inspection, observing and asking questions, you could learn more about the building and get some tips on general maintenance.

Can a Building “FAIL” A Home Inspection?

No. A home inspection is simply a visual examination into the current condition of a property. It is not an appraisal, an insurance policy, or a Municipal Code inspection. An inspector, therefore, will not pass or fail a building, but will simply describe its condition and indicate which items may be in need of minor or major repairs or replacement.

Does Everything Wrong With The House Have to be Repaired?

A home inspection report is not intended to be a “to do” or repair list for the home Seller. Sellers are not obligated to repair conditions noted in the report except where the law might apply, nor are they required to produce a flawless house. With a home inspection, potential repair items identified to both parties may become subject to negotiation.

In Conclusion:

An inspection is a visual examination of the structure and systems of a building. If you are thinking of buying a home, condominium, mobile home, or commercial building, you should have it thoroughly inspected by an experienced and impartial professional home inspector.

The early 70′s saw the creation of a new industry within the real estate field as home buyers began hiring general building contractors to perform pre-purchase inspections on intended home purchases. As this burgeoning home inspection industry grew, it soon became apparent that the depth of knowledge necessary to adequately evaluate a home’s systems and components was beyond the capacity of most general contractors.

Gradually, the term, “Contractors Inspection” was dropped in favor of “Home Inspection” as qualified inspectors came to be looked upon as industry “experts” performing inspections to confirm the current condition of a home’s general overall condition. By the 1990′s, due to California real estate law, increasing consumer awareness, coupled with Realtor’s marketing, pre-purchase Home Inspections became commonplace.

The majority of homes sold in today’s market are now inspected. Locating and scheduling home inspectors has generally been in the realm of the agent representing the buyer. However, as a result of public awareness programs and an increased Internet presence sponsored by inspectors and associations, more home buyers have begun seeking qualified inspectors on their own. Additionally, home sellers are increasingly seeking out the services of professional Home Inspectors at the time of (or prior to) the listing of their property to ease the transaction process.

In the early days of the home inspection profession, some real estate brokers and their agents may have felt threatened by the industry. Eventually the real estate community came to understand and appreciate that a professional inspection was far superior to having a simple “walk through” performed by someone with only a general construction background.

The savvy and more experienced real estate agents soon recognized that a professionally performed property inspection was not only a smart marketing tool, but could help shield them from potential litigation after the close of escrow. The famous Easton vs. Strassberger court decision changed this supposition from theory to fact.

This landmark case occurred in 1984, when the court held that the duties of a real estate broker include “the affirmative duty to conduct a reasonably competent and diligent inspection of the residential property listed for sale and to disclose to prospective purchasers all facts materially effecting the value of the property that such investigation would reveal.”

Real estate brokers and their agents immediately recognized that it would be prudent to refer to independent experts to provide a far more complete and thorough inspection than they were capable of furnishing. They also recognized the opportunity to share potential disclosure liability by introducing another player into the sales transaction.

This resulted in a significant increase in homes being inspected by professional    inspectors before the close of escrow.

By 2002 more than 14,000 home inspectors have entered the profession nationwide and approximately 1,800 professional inspectors are working full or part-time in the state of California. The inspection business continues to grow. A professional, independent home inspection has become widely recommended by real estate authors and columnists.

Inspections are gaining popularity on new homes as well as resale properties. Today, buyers, sellers, real estate agents, attorneys, banks, and relocation companies are seeking professional inspectors in an attempt to help meet disclosure requirements.

NACHI WEBSITE: International Association of Certified Home Inspectors

NACHI SOP: Standards of Practice

NACHI COE: Code of Ethics

CALIFORNIA: Business and Professions Code

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Associated Links

http://FloridaRefinanceProgram.com

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Date: June 10, 2009

Contact: The Home Inspector, Inc

Rick Daniel Earns Certified Master Inspector® Designation

Arnold, California, The Home Inspector, Inc is pleased to announce that Rick Daniel is now credentialed as a Certified Master Inspector (CMI)®, which is the inspection industry’s top professional designation.

The Master Inspector Certification Board has awarded Rick Daniel the Certified Master Inspector (CMI)® rating for demonstrating a high level of competency by completing not less than 1,000 fee-paid inspections and/or hours of inspection-related Continuing Education (combined) in his lifetime, for having been in the inspection business for at least three years, for agreeing to abide by the industry’s toughest Code of Ethics, for substantially following a Board-approved Standards of Practice, and for submitting to a criminal background check.

As a Certified Master Inspector (CMI)® Mr. Daniel joins an elite rank of individuals who consistently demonstrate a high level of compentency and professionalism. Of the thousands of inspectors in California, only 17 have currently qualifed for this level of excellence.

Rick Daniel wishes to thank his clients and colleagues for their continued support of The Home Inspector, Inc.

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Q. When can I get an inspection done?
A. We conduct an average of two inspections per day, Tuesday through Saturday. Our morning inspection begins at 9 am and the afternoon inspection begins at 2 pm. Other arrangements can be made to accommodate the specific scheduling requirements of our clients including Sunday and Monday if needed.

Q. Can I be present?
A. Absolutely! My favorite part of the work is the teaching and educational aspect. Buyers, Sellers and Realtors are encouraged to attend the report presentation at the completion of the inspection. However, it is highly recommended the client arrive at the end of the second hour. The inspection process takes a minimum of 3 hours to complete and most visitors get very bored waiting for us to finish. The kids get REALLY restless as well.

Q. How long before I get a copy of the report?
A. We process the reports within 24 hours of completing inspection. You can expect to receive a PDF version of the report delivered via E-mail within 24 hours. An exception could occur on the weekends where processing might be delayed until Monday morning. The hard copy of the report is mailed via USPS at the earliest convenience.

Q. How much does it cost?
A. The cost is based on the square footage of the building. The fee schedule can be viewed by CLICKING HERE.

We can bill through the escrow account opened with the title company or directly to the client. Inspections that are paid directly receive a $25 cash discount off the base fee. We can also bill using the PayPal service but the discount does not apply.

Q. Who gets a copy of the report?
A. Most of our inspections are conducted for the buyer of the property.  Our policy is to provide a printed hard copy and PDF file of the report to the buyer. The seller and each of their Realtors receive a PDF copy via email unless otherwise instructed by the paying client. The paying client ALWAYS gets a hard copy.

Q. Do I have to sign a contract?
A. Either the client or their Realtor must sign the contract before the inspection is conducted. The contract is based on established standards recognized throughout the industry and can be viewed by CLICKING HERE.

Q. Are you licensed and insured?
A. There is no licensing for Home Inspectors in the State of California. I am certified through a national organization called the International Association of Certified Home Inspectors (InterNACHI) and recenlty was accepted as a Certifed Master Inspector through that organization. There are currently only 21 InterNACHI inspectors with the CMI rating in California. You can read the Press Release by CLICKING HERE. I carry Errors and Omission and liability insurance.

Q. How long have you been doing this work?
A. I started training in the summer of 2003 and began working full time for the company in October of 2004. As of July 18, 2011 I have personally conducted over 1,691 inspections. The company is at the 4,030 mark.

Every so often we ask our Realtor contacts to answer a brief survey. Here are some of the comments they have provided.

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Appreciate the one on one contact with buyers and sellers.

“The Home Inspector company does a thorough and complete job on identifying home issues and future concerns for respective Buyers. I have always been very satisfied with Rick Daniel’s detailed observations and his willingness to review all issues with the Buyers directly. His hard copy format is written in layman’s terms for easy comprehension. I would highly recommend his home inspection service for any of my future escrows. I trust his opinion.”

Randi G.

Over lap of inspection discoveries helps create a clear picture of the condition

Buyers and sellers can ask questions

Report format is easy to read and understand

Report format saves time when pulling key facts out

Peace of mind knowing a knowledgeable person has looked the property over

The information distributes and reduces liability

You provide an order of magnitude as to how large or small a problem might be

You recognize that old houses are “old.”

You do not over or understate any particular condition

Some issues are normal and just need to be considered

You are very good with the buyers when answering their questions and providing information.

People know what they are getting when you are done

You build too much rapport with the client.
(I am not sure what to do about that)

Thorough investigation even on “As Is” properties help clients to budget for repairs

“Rick Daniel is a very professional home inspector. He points out things that are of concern, but does not go over the top as some inspection companies do and really scare the buyer. He is extremely thorough, probably does one of the longest inspections I have seen. But then better to be thorough. Rick takes lots of pictures so that the buyer can view any issues that come up. I believe Rick’s home inspections are a great value and he will try to accomodate your schedule. Give him a call today, you will thank me later!”

Christine R.

Peace of mind knowing the structure is basically sound, even if the building is rough

The buyers can read and understand the report.

The report is not loaded with technical verbiage

You usually get an inspection done “yesterday.” That is very helpful

Emailed PDF reports and follow up with a hard copy is great

You get the report out fast

You don’t slow the process down by waiting for a signed contract
(We had to change this old policy to comply with insurance regulations.)

The photos help out of town buyers more clearly understand a concern

The discovery of problems, or lack of, help alleviate stress and concern

Former purchasers insisted you inspect their new purchase

Your dedication and thoroughness have gained you respect

You make me look good with your good reports

Your inspection of the garage door was a bit “overzealous” but I would recommend you again.
(I bent a garage door during the autostop-reverse test. I bought the client two new matching garage doors.)

When you make a mistake, you get it taken care of fast and don’t pass it off

You respond quickly to requests

Your accurate and representative reports arrive quickly

You are willing to visit and answer former clients questions long after the report is done

“Absolutely the best! Rick Daniel is thorough and professional. He knows his stuff, and is able to communicate clearly with buyers and sellers. His reports are complete and easy to read, including photos to illustrate the items noted. I’m an experience Realtor, so I’ve worked with lots of different inspectors. Rick is always my first choice. My clients trust him, as do I.”

Cher W.

Another realtor who is highly respected recommended you

Referred by a former buyer with a with high recommendation

The summary pages are very important and helpful

You reduce my liability with your information. I would rather lose an escrow than end up in court.

If the house is bad, I will just find them another house

The sense of security and peace of mind is invaluable