TV TUESDAY! Lake News

Decorating Wednesday!!!!

Keeping it simple and classy, what little girl doesn't like pink!!!

Want a movie theater in your house? This is a perfect example of how easy it is to have one.

Stick with a color tone and use variations of the color pallet is sure to make a statement.

A entry way to DIE for!!! Absolutely breathtaking!!

Want to cover a bare wall? EASY! Just buy a bunch of frames and put your favorite pics in it. 

Great conversation piece when friends or family come over.

It does not have to cost much to have the bedroom of your dreams. I like to make the bed the center piece and decorate around it.

Okay Okay, I know. What women does not like a HUGE closet!!!  A perfect example of every women's dream closet.

Until next time and have a wonderful day,

Ebbie

Laurie's "Enchanted Village Of The Lights"

Enchanted Village Of The Lights is held every year with beautiful light displays for the Holiday Season.

Opening date this year is November 17th with the last lighting for the season on January 1, 2014. We hope you enjoy it this year. 

Until next time, 
Ebbie

Every Wednesday We Will have {Decorating Wednesdays!}

I am so excited to share with you various ideas and concepts of different layouts on Decorating your home with what we call "Staple Pieces".  "Staple Pieces" are items I like to start off with than go from there and add other pieces of furniture, home decor, and various other items to go off of the Staple piece I work with.

Here are some neat ideas on decorating your home. It DOES NOT have to be costly.  We love clean, cut, and crispy.

No matter where you came from its always lovely to have that one stop for everyone to hang up your Coats, purse, and misc. items. This is one way with many options to do just that right next to the entry way.

Living at lake of the Ozarks we have plenty of Fisherman. Finding a simple item like these Fish Stands will accent any avid Fisherman's Kitchen.

 A "Staple Piece" is usually the main item or furniture you decorate off of. In this one the Couch and Rug are the "staple pieces" and all other furniture/items selected to surround and coordinate it fashionably!

It truly does not take much to accentuate a bare wall with these items creating a "Piece of Simplicity".

The Winter Month is coming and no matter what kind of Fireplace you may have...you can never go wrong with the basic Rocking chairs to cozy up to the fire.

Dining rooms may seem like a daunting task to decorate.  Not so true.  The staple piece is the artwork on the wall. Throw a black table and upholster chairs with the colors off the artwork. Easy Peasy!

Outside Fire Pits are all the Rage these days. Easy to build and do it yourself. Here is a tutorial and easy steps to create your own before the snow comes down!

Click Here!

With that said We wish you a warm and cozy fall.

Until Next Time,

Ebbie

How to prepare on buying your "Dream Home"....

If you’re like everyone else, you dream about buying a house but wake up to the reality of loose-end finances and the overwhelming prospect of a monthly mortgage.

So how to prepare?

1. Check your credit – Requesting a credit report is actually one of the easiest things you can do; clearing fraudulent activity is one of the hardest. That’s why it’s important to check your credit history early in the process if you’re thinking about buying. If you find something negative on your report, it could take months to clear things up. The U.S. government allows for one free report each year from each of the three national credit bureaus – TransUnion, Experian and Equifax. Visit annualcreditreport.com for your free reports. It's a great first step.

2. Pay down debt – This might seem like a no-brainer, but banks don’t want to see that you have a whole lot of stuff and not a whole lot of money. Banks need to know you’ll be able to pay their loan first and foremost, and they like to see a high credit score, which debt negatively affects. So start paying off those credit cards, and put off purchasing that new car or making any other major purchases until after you’ve secured a mortgage. Speaking of mortgages…

3. Build a down payment – Conventional wisdom says a down payment should be no less than 20 percent of the home price. A 20-percent down payment is something to shoot for, but it's not necessarily required or entirely realistic, particularly for first-time homebuyers. A 3.5 percent down payment is the minimum required to secure an FHA loan. So although you might not end up bringing 20 percent to the transaction, you will have to prepare to bring some cash to the transaction.

4. Research neighborhoods – This is where the fun starts. If you’re not sure which part of town you’re looking to live, get out and explore! Drive around, walk the streets, visit the shops and eat in the restaurants. If you don’t see yourself living there, then move on to the next community. And don’t forget to research school districts – even if you don’t have children or don’t have children in public schools. Homes in good school districts move the fastest when it’s time to sell – should that day ever come.

5. Get pre-approved – Unless you’re paying cash, nothing shows a seller you’re ready to buy quite like having a pre-approval letter from a lender. Plus, you’ll know exactly how much you can borrow, which can guide you toward properties in your price range. Plan to secure a pre-approval just before you start looking at homes. Meet with several lenders to determine which company you trust most and which one can offer you the best terms and interest rate. Oftentimes, your real estate agent can provide you the names of reputable lenders.

If we can be any help to you finding your perfect home at the lake, please let us know or call 573-302-2313. Until next time! Ebbie :) 

10 Tips for Buying a Home

1. Don't buy if you can't stay put.
If you can't commit to remaining in one place for at least a few years, then owning is probably not for you, at least not yet. With the transaction costs of buying and selling a home, you may end up losing money if you sell any sooner - even in a rising market. When prices are falling, it's an even worse proposition.

2. Start by shoring up your credit.
Since you most likely will need to get a mortgage to buy a house, you must make sure your credit history is as clean as possible. A few months before you start house hunting, get copies of your credit report. Make sure the facts are correct, and fix any problems you discover.

3. Aim for a home you can really afford.
The rule of thumb is that you can buy housing that runs about two-and-one-half times your annual salary. But you'll do better to use one of many calculators available online to get a better handle on how your income, debts, and expenses affect what you can afford.

4. If you can't put down the usual 20 percent, you may still qualify for a loan.
There are a variety of public and private lenders who, if you qualify, offer low-interest mortgages that require a down payment as small as 3 percent of the purchase price.

5. Buy in a district with good schools.
In most areas, this advice applies even if you don't have school-age children. Reason: When it comes time to sell, you'll learn that strong school districts are a top priority for many home buyers, thus helping to boost property values.

6. Get professional help.
Even though the Internet gives buyers unprecedented access to home listings, most new buyers (and many more experienced ones) are better off using a professional agent. Look for an exclusive buyer agent, if possible, who will have your interests at heart and can help you with strategies during the bidding process.

7. Choose carefully between points and rate.
When picking a mortgage, you usually have the option of paying additional points -- a portion of the interest that you pay at closing -- in exchange for a lower interest rate. If you stay in the house for a long time -- say three to five years or more -- it's usually a better deal to take the points. The lower interest rate will save you more in the long run.

8. Before house hunting, get pre-approved.
Getting pre-approved will you save yourself the grief of looking at houses you can't afford and put you in a better position to make a serious offer when you do find the right house. Not to be confused with pre-qualification, which is based on a cursory review of your finances, pre-approval from a lender is based on your actual income, debt and credit history.

9. Do your homework before bidding.
Your opening bid should be based on the sales trend of similar homes in the neighborhood. So before making it, consider sales of similar homes in the last three months.

10. Hire a home inspector.
Sure, your lender will require a home appraisal anyway. But that's just the bank's way of determining whether the house is worth the price you've agreed to pay. Separately, you should hire your own home inspector, preferably an engineer with experience in doing home surveys in the area where you are buying. His or her job will be to point out potential problems that could require costly repairs down the road.

Of course we would love to help in this exciting search. Please give the Spouses Selling Houses a call. Until next time!! Ebbie :)