It's time for Chunk Your Junk in Frisco Texas, this Saturday November 7th from 8 am to 12 pm.
Do you have things at your home that you just can't throw away? Once a month you have an opportunity to Chunk Your Junk. This includes appliances, chemicals, fencing, yard waste, and much more. For a more detailed list of what is allowable, go to their website.
To Chunk Your Junk in Frisco Texas, go to 6616 Walnut Street between 8:00 am and 12:00 pm. Don't forget to bring your Driver's License and a current water bill.
If you are unable to make it to Chunk Your Junk, you can call Texas Waste Management and see what is allowable in your weekly trash. They can also schedule a one time pick up of certain items. Last year, we got rid of a 52 inch television and a mini fridge.
How Much Money Do You Need to Buy a Home in Texas? First and foremost, you should not just focus on the down payment, although that's not a bad place to start. When you contact a Mortgage Consultant, they will typically walk you through a few scenarios and help you determine which type of loan is best for your financial situation.
When buying a home, you need to consider the following cash factors:
Down payment - min. 3.5% FHA or min 5% Conventional of the purchase price
Earnest money -usually requested by the seller, but overall will be deducted as part of the transaction
Hazard Insurance - typically, insurance companies require the first year to be paid upfront
Closing Costs & Pre-paid Expenses - Displayed on the Good Faith Estimate which is provided by a Mortgage Consultant.
Lender Costs
Title Costs
Pre-paid items - 2 to 3 months worth of hazard insurance/tax reserves
Mortgage Insurance Premium - Can be financed into the loan
Can negotiate with the seller to pay for some/all of the closing costs (speak with your Real Estate Agent)
Reserves - 2 to 3 months worth of cash reserves, after all costs above are paid.
As you can see, there are many factors to consider when buying a home in Texas. The exact amount needed to close can fluctuate depending on the loan amount, property taxes, and hazard insurance plan. For an accurate breakdown of what fees to expect, contact your local Mortgage Consultant.
These items should be determined before you make an offer on a home. Part of your offer will include the request for the seller to pay for some of the closing costs. Without knowing the closing costs, it makes it harder to request the exact amount (although it can be done).
Have you hired a Real Estate Agent? Watch for my upcoming post which will help you narrow down your search for a Real Estate Agent in your area. If you are in the market and need a few suggestions, feel free to contact me directly as I can assist you with finding a Real Estate Agent anywhere in the state of Texas.
If you live in the state of Texas and are looking for a reliable Mortgage Professional to assist you with the loan product that best fits your financial situation, give me a call. We do not charge upfront fees to run scenarios or charge unnecessary application fees.
Do you want to know all of your options? Call me today and let's discuss them further.
Always available for your Frisco Texas Mortgage needs!
Should your life stop just because you're buying a home? Truthfully, you never know what affect actions you take today will have on the mortgage you apply for. Even if you don't plan on refinancing or purchasing for another three to six months from now.
Something as simple as transferring money from your savings to your checking account can create hassles in the mortgage process. I know it may seem a bit much, but lenders are paying closer attention to mortgage transactions today. Sure, the transfer of money seems simple enough.. and maybe it is. But when lenders see a large sum of money transferred into an account, they want a paper trail to know where the money came from and be sure that all accounts balance.
There are at least six things that should be avoided when purchasing a home or refinancing your existing mortgage. Even if you are already 'pre-approved', you should wait until the loan has closed.
Buying, Leasing, or Refinancing a Car - Many people are inclined to 'improve their social standing' by purchasing a car and buying a home at the same time (yes, this includes leasing a vehicle). There's nothing wrong with the concept itself, but buying the car before buying a home can affect what the lender determines you can afford for a home. Since a car is such a big ticket item, it can greatly raise your debt-to-income ratio, which lenders use to determine the amount of home you can afford. Ultimately, it will affect how much home you can purchase. Refinancing your automobile can affect your credit scores. Even though you are probably lowering your payments, the refinanced loan is considered new debt when calculating your credit score.
Becoming Self-Employed or changing jobs - Either of these could have a negative impact on your loan application and overall approval. In most cases, lenders want to see at least 2 years of self-employment. Keep in mind that this means 2 years worth of tax returns, which really means you probably have to be self-employed for more than 2 years in order to provide a full 2 years worth of returns. ** also, income is determined based on the 'Adjusted Gross Income' (after your deductions) ** Wait until after buying a home to become self-employed.
Changing jobs to a 'sales' environment is also risky while you are considering a home purchase. Even though the position you accept is not considered 'self-employment' is it still sales based. If you were receiving a salary prior to your new 'sales' job then you will need to show 2 years worth of sales income. Being in a sales position has similar considerations as being self-employed.
Moving Money Between Accounts - I mentioned this in an example above. When a lenders underwrites your loan to determine your eligibility, they will request complete statements (yes, even the blank pages) from your accounts that contain liquid assets. When you move money around between these accounts, especially if they are large amounts, you will have withdrawals in some and deposits in others. The lender will want to see documentation for these transactions. Most people do not keep all of this paperwork, so it's much easier to leave the money in the accounts until after you have purchased or refinanced your home.
Change Banks - This pretty much ranks up there with 'moving money'. It just creates additional paperwork for you and the lender. The more paperwork, the more likely issues could arise for your home purchase. Not only could there be questions/concerns from the lender, but it could cause unnecessary delays in closing your loan. Stay with your current bank until the mortgage process is complete.
Make a Large Purchase - A large purchase is not just about a car or boat. Now that you are moving into a bigger place, you will probably want to fill it with furniture... and that 'One Year Same As Cash' deal sounds really tempting. Resist the urge to purchase that new sofa set until after you have obtained the mortgage. Again, this is for two reasons. First, it could affect your credit scores and debt-to-income ratios. Secondly, remember that you are not done buying a home until the loan closes. There are no guarantees until that happens. Unfortunately, there are a number of things that could happen which results in a declined loan application. Contact your local mortgage professional to help you avoid any costly mistakes.
Apply For a Credit Card - Although this is the last item I mentioned, this is equally as important. The new credit card won't hurt your credit score too badly if you already have good credit, but it will cause the to question your financial stability for buying a home. For the time being, don't apply for no interest credit cards or department stores. After you are settled into your new home, there will be plenty of time for shopping.
In summary, when you are buying a home or refinancing your current mortgage, it is best to stay away from anything that will look as though you don't have your finances under control. The items above are just a few examples that could cause such a determination.
If you live in the state of Texas and are looking for a reliable Mortgage Professional to assist you with the loan product that best fits your financial situation, give me a call. We do not charge upfront fees to run scenarios or charge unnecessary application fees.
Do you want to know all of your options? Call me today and let's discuss them further.
Always available for your Frisco Texas Mortgage needs!
This is my first 'Foto Friday'. I've thought about sharing pictures before and thought today would be a good day. I needed a little 'Pick Me Up" today and pictures of family and friends seem to always do the trick.
I'll warn you that these photos are not as good as the ones taken from Paul Henderson or Michael Thornton (If you love photo's and do not subscribe to them, I strongly urge you to). But they are moments in my life over the past 2 years or so that I've been able to capture on my iPhone. The iPhone takes pretty good photos in comparison to my previous phones, and I can easily upload them to my computer at the end of the day.
These are my wacky kids... Okay.. the blonde headed kid is not mine, but I'm pretty sure he is over my house more than his own, so we claim him on taxes (I'm kidding if anyone from the IRS is looking at this post).
My wife can be pretty goofy herself. This is Andrea wearing some Mickey Mouse ears. Yes, these are her Mickey Mouse Ears. She has a few pairs. On these, the ears light up.
Plus you can never go wrong when you stumble upon an amazing view or photo opportunity..
This is fireworks at the Hollywood Bowl in California. We took the kids there on our family vacation this summer. My wife and I have enjoyed the Hollywood Bowl for years.
Well, thats just a small venture into my iPhone. I have about 190+ photo's in there. Far too many to share in one night, but each of them hold some great fun and memories.
On Saturday, October 24th, 2009, Windsor Place HOA in Frisco Texas will be hosting a Fall Festival Party.
The festival will be held in the Pavilion at Newman Park, located on the corner of Angel Falls and Twin Falls. Party starts at 3 pm until 5 pm. Don’t be late or you may miss some of the activities.
-Kids Costume Contest (parents and pets are also welcome to dress)
-Fall Photos
-Goodie Bags
FOOD WILL BE PROVIDED! That’s right. Windsor Place HOA has hired Mooyah Burgers to cater our family fun event.
So, bring your kids, your smiles, and plan on having some good food and lots of fun!
**** Quick Update ****
We held the Fall Festival today and we had approx 30 homeowners show up, out of 182 homes. Probably the biggest showing we had were from the kids in the neighborhood. I'm sure that was due to the delicious burgers though. The contest consisted of many babies. My wife took pictures, so I'll share them once available.
Always available for your Frisco Texas Mortgage needs!
This post was featured and has been reblogged a few times already, but I wanted to share it with you. If you have a fireplace and use them during the winter, this is a good post to read about the safety (or lack there of) of your fireplace.
With old man winter just beginning to clear his throat with the first cool snaps of the winter season, many Americans begin firing up their fireplaces. But before you start enjoying the ambiance of the warm embers glow with the blanket, a bottle of bubbly and your sweetie, is your fireplace really safe from the hidden dangers that most folks do not even know about?
Statistically, over 1/3rd of Americans use solid fuel (wood) as their primary source of heat. Most of these are in rural areas. Statistics also show that 36% of residential home fires start in the fireplace or wood burning stove.
When was the last time you:
Had your chimney or flue evaluated by a licensed chimney sweep? Most residential fires are caused by creosote build-up and flue fires.
Checked the air inlets? Some modern fireplaces draw air from the exterior. Insects find these protected areas a cool spot to build their nests. Blocked inlets can cause poor combustion and CO to build up.
When was the last time you checked to see if tree branches were hanging over the flue?
When was the last time you checked the batteries in your smoke detector? Statistics show that most deaths could have been prevented. Missing/dead batteries was the number one cause.
Be safe.
Do not use incendiaries to start a fire. Flammable liquids are unsafe.
Use only seasoned hardwoods. Soft, green wood causes creosote to build up in flues and liners.
Keep firewood away from your home. We do not want to bring in WDO's do we?
Build smaller fires. These burn better and produce less smoke.
Okay Texas Readers... I was going to do a post on Fright Fest at Six Flags, but our local Dallas Realtor Steve Shatsky has put one together already. Are you dressed and ready to have fun? Well, get started. Between the Texas State Fair and Fright Fest at Six Flags, you should be quite busy.
Now through November 1, 2009, it will be "Thrills by Day, Chills by Night" at Six Flags Over Texas in Arlington as Snickers® presents Fright Fest 2009.
The event will transform Six Flags into a Halloween Extravaganza with special Halloween themed shows, street entertainment, and hair raising haunted houses. The haunted houses are my favorite! And don't forget that admission still includes access to all the park's rides... in the dark!
If you are in the Dallas/Fort Worth metroplex and are looking for a REALTOR® to help make the home buying or selling process easier and more friendly, call me today at (469)449-9840 to schedule a consultation. Or visit my website at EasyTexasRealEstate.com. I'd be happy to help you move forward and achieve your Real Estate dreams and goals. Not located in the D/FW area? Contact me anyway... I'd be happy to refer you to a real estate professional in your area who can help you.
A few weeks back, I wrote about my son becoming a member of the Cowboys,as part of the Frisco Football League. They have had three games so far and they get better each week. So, why I am telling you this? Well, tonight I am sitting at the computer and putting together some music for the game tomorrow. I did the same thing about 2 weeks ago. See, I am the game announcer during the home games only. During that time I get to announce the players and the plays, but I also put together some warm-up music before the game and play music during timeouts and half-time.
2 weeks ago, I went through my entire list of music and was still looking for more. I then decided to send a message on twitter, facebook, and myspace for some ideas. To my surprise I received a TON of suggestions of good football songs. Songs that add some excitement to downtime during the game. Don't misunderstand... I'm not trying to be a DJ but I do like to have fun.
So, whenever you are in a bind, know that you have thousands of social media friends that are willing to help out. I utilize these friends often. See, social media/networking is not just about you sharing a link to your website. Sometimes its about sharing other knowledge and experiences... and other times its about asking for advice or suggestions.
Alright, back to putting additional music on the list. Wish us luck against the Chargers tomorrow and watch for some updates on Twitter @JCannata.
Always available for your Frisco Texas Mortgage needs!
Working from home has its advantages. After getting the kids up, fed (sometimes chocolate chip pancakes), and out the door, I can then sit and start my day. I thought I'd share with you the mug I enjoy each day with some fresh coffee and tasty creamer.
This mug is my favorite that I drink out of every day. I'm able to add pictures, instead of something like a credit companies name, a lenders name, or something that reads 'class of XX'
On one side is my daughter, Sidney. She is not this small anymore. In the top picture she is almost 2 (now 12 1/2... you have to add the 1/2 now) and is wearing a Nike hat that I use to wear. It was a little big for her, but she was so darn cute in it with those big cheeks.
The bottom picure is of my daughter and son together. They are 13 months apart. In this picture we were in the snow
If I turn my mug slightly to the right, you will see my son, Quinten. Again, he isn't this small anymore. At the time of the above picture, he was just over 2 years old. When he was a baby, it would take a miracle to get this boy to laugh at us (and I'll have you know I'm pretty funny). He was not a cranky baby... just didn't find us amusing... at least not that often. After a year, the boy was cracking more smiles and now has a big grin on his face most of the time. As a matter of fact, he thinks he's the funniest kid around. I compare him to Jim Carey because he is goofy like that all the time. My wife and I often laugh at the thought that he didn't laugh at us at all in the beginning and now he has quite a sense of humor.
The bottom picture is of the kids together. They are around 5 & 6 years old and we were at the park where Quinten was learning to play Tee Ball. It was also the last day that Quinten tried Tee Ball.
Of course, the mug would not be complete without my lovely wife Andrea, who has put up with me for 15 years (in December). We will leave her age out of this post, but I can say she was younger in each of these pictures.
The top picture was in 1994. It was our first apartment together in Moorpark, California. A simple 2 bedroom, 2 bath. She laughs at me when I tell her its one of my favorite pictures. I'm a simple man and don't need all of the fancy dresses and make-up. The ponytail/scrunchy works just fine for me. :-)
In the bottom picture was one of our first real dates. We went to Six Flags Magic Mountain in Valencia, California. The date was 8/15/94, it was a work day. We both ditched work and of course were spotted by other employees. It was a lot of fun. That was when we use to go on the scary rides....
I could change the pictures around, but honestly they have been the same pictures for 6 years now. We take lots of pictures, but these are some of my favorites. Thought I'd take a moment and share my mug with you and share some stories. Now I'll get back to work!
Always available for your Frisco Texas Mortgage needs!
Jeff Belonger shares with us today a few examples of 'Shark Advertising'. These are companies that lure consumers with false and misleading statements. I've used one of these companies in the past and spent quite a bit of time explaining the true facts to the consumer.
ADVERTISING – Those ads that seem too good to be true.
I have been in the mortgage business for 17 + years. I have seen so much advertising when it came to mortgage companies and how many of the ads were misleading or just flat out lies. Those companies advertising low rates that didn't happen. This easily went on from 1992 to 2002. I always wondered why this wasn't regulated as strongly as it should have been. I found out that some of these companies had 100's of complaints, yet they still operated for those 10 years. I think this is misleading and I call it Shark Advertising. It's dangerously misleading, yet it worked for many companies, at the expense of the borrower.
If anyone has noticed, we haven't see as much advertising from mortgage companies or large banks in the last 18 months or so. I am now seeing a few mortgage companies advertise on the radio and as of lately, a few advertise on TV, especially ESPN. The ads are misleading because they appear to make you believe that it's being backed by the government. (Miriam Bernstein made this comment below that explains this part.. - Comment # 30 -)Has anyone seen a few ads on tv that look like a news update, a spokesperson telling you about government funded programs or that the government is helping in sponsoring these programs. Yet if you read the fine print, it's a mortgage company, disguising this ad very carefully, spinning it as thought the government is putting this out to the public??
I am even seeing this more and more in such places as Facebook. Below are a few that I am seeing on Facebook now.
Here are some ads found on facebook and comcast.net. As you can see, these mortgage companies and or companies that are lead generators, make you think that the government is behind this. Obama hasn't asked homeowners to refinance. The first one on the left, upper left, is from a company called Lower My Bills. They sell leads to other mortgage companies, after they have gathered your information online. Then you have like 4 to 10 lenders call you, sometimes daily.
People on Facebook that give basic information – eye catchers to pull you in.
Here is a loan officer on Facebook that placed this on his Wall, to capture the attention of others. You just need to be aware of what you read. Sure, this can happen, but there are some unknowns not mentioned. And sometimes the loan officer will raise that unknown, so you can't obtain that great rate and get the next best thing. Keeping in mind, it's not always about the Best Rate. How service? Integrity? Educating the borrower? And so much more.... Please read : I want the same deal that my friend receivd... & Mortgage payment vs Interest Rate
Web Sites that are deceiving !!!!
As I explained in this blog post, deceptive web sites, here is a great example above. Doesn't this look like it could come from the USDA themselves? But it isn't. It acts as a lead catcher, catching your info to call you and or sell you about USDA loans or any other type of mortgage loan. No Cost Obligation is mentioned on the site. - We always love to hear about free things, but are they free overall?
Here is a FAVORITE of mine !!!
I am sure many of you have seen this one on tv, FreeCreditReport.com. The commercial announces a free credit report. But at the very end, it says that you need to enroll in their Triple Advantage program.
A free credit report? They have tons of commercials & commercials cost money to display on TV. They also have like 3 to 4 different kinds of commercials and. producing commercials cost money.
Well, I feel like an investigative reporter for the news. I filled out my info online, trying to see what I get. It says that it takes 3 to 5 days for me to obtain these credit reports from the 3 credit agencies. (giving my credit card #) And then there is a button that says, to obtain your 3 reports now, click here. Imagine that, it's asking for $24.95 now. See the 2nd paragraph on the left, highlighted in yellow? It talks about the new Federal Law and I am wondering if that is what they are sending me now, because that is free. But from what I know, you have to go to annual credit report to get the free reports.
Conclusion : Just be very careful of what you read and what says free, when it might not be free. I always have said, someone has to pay for it from some where. Is it you? Is it me who pays for it?
Overall....No matter what, consumers will fall for some of these ads. It's called false hope. Especially when desperate, you just want to believe that someone can help you.. or, that it's cheaper with them than the others. thanks
As a Loan Officer, it is my job to remove the stress out of buying a home and/or refinancing your current mortgage. I do this by providing ongoing updates, being available for questions, and ultimately delivering 'as promised' with not surprises. My goal is to become your consultant for life and for you to rely on me to assist your family and friends as well.
I work closely with local real estate agents by helping increase their business. I approach this in two ways. The first way is to review the agents current marketing plan to identify areas where enhancements can be made to generate higher quality leads. The second part is focused on the service to the client both during and especially AFTER the sale.
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Disclaimer: ActiveRain Corp. does not necessarily endorse the real estate agents, loan officers and brokers listed on this site. These real estate profiles, blogs and blog entries are provided here as a courtesy to our visitors to help them make an informed decision when buying or selling a house. ActiveRain Corp. takes no responsibility for the content in these profiles, that are written by the members of this community.
It's time for Chunk Your Junk in Frisco Texas, this Saturday November 7th from 8 am to 12 pm.
Becoming Self-Employed or changing jobs - Either of these could have a negative impact on your loan application and overall approval. In most cases, lenders want to see at least 2 years of self-employment. Keep in mind that this means 2 years worth of tax returns, which really means you probably have to be self-employed for more than 2 years in order to provide a full 2 years worth of returns. ** also, income is determined based on the 'Adjusted Gross Income' (after your deductions) ** Wait until after buying a home to become self-employed.
Make a Large Purchase - A large purchase is not just about a car or boat. Now that you are moving into a bigger place, you will probably want to fill it with furniture... and that 'One Year Same As Cash'
Posted by 
Of course, the mug would not be complete without my lovely wife Andrea, who has put up with me for 15 years (in December). We will leave her age out of this post, but I can say she was younger in each of these pictures.
;)
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