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By: HouseLogic
Sign that paperwork. Write those checks. Get those keys! The closing. It all comes down to this. The grand finale. Once you have the keys, the house is yours. (Cue: Air horn sound!) Nice work getting this far. You’re almost a homeowner. Let’s run through some questions you may have as you cross the finish line. What Does ‘Closing’ Mean? The close, or settlement, is when you sign the final ownership and insurance paperwork and get the keys to your new home. The closing process technically begins when you’ve signed a purchase and sale agreement. That agreement should specify a closing date. From the signing date to the closing date typically takes 30 to 45 days. During this time, purchasing funds are held in escrow, where your money is safe until the deal is officially done. What’s a Closing Disclosure? Lenders must provide borrowers with a closing disclosure, or CD, at least three business days before settlement. This form is a statement of your final loan terms and closing costs. You have three days to review the CD to compare it to the loan estimate you received shortly after you applied for the loan. If you need a refresher on loan estimates, you can view a sample version. The point of this formal review process is to reduce or minimize surprises at the closing table. If there’s a significant discrepancy between the loan estimate and the CD, notify your lender and title company immediately. Depending on what the underlying issue is, the closing has to stop and a new closing disclosure must be sent out with a new three-business-day review period. The LE includes a couple of items that can’t change by the time you get the CD — namely interest rate and lender fees. Some items can change by only 10%. (Fees paid to local government to record the mortgage might be one.) Others, like prepaid interest, can change without limit, because they can’t be predicted at the start of the loan process. Prepare for Closing Buy a Home: Step-by-Step When Will the Final Walk-Through Happen? Most real estate sale contracts allow the buyer to walk through the home within 24 hours of settlement to check the property’s condition. During this final inspection, which usually takes about an hour, you and your agent will make sure any repair work the seller agreed to make has been completed. During the walk-through, you’ll also double-check that everything in the house is in good working order. Be sure to:
If anything is amiss, your agent will contact the listing agent and, in most cases, negotiate to get the seller to compensate you at closing for the costs of fixing the problems yourself. Worst-case scenario: You have to delay closing to resolve problems. If that unlikely event happens, your agent will help you address the issue. Who’s Invited to the Closing? Certain people will be there. Who, exactly, depends on your state. Typically, you’ll be joined by:
Nonetheless, as the home buyer, you’ll have to sign what might seem like a mountain of paperwork — including the deed of trust and the promissory note (promising the lender you’ll pay back the loan). That cramp in your wrist will be worth it once everything is done. How Much Will I Pay for Closing Costs? If you’ve heard people vent frustration with the home buying process, you’ve likely also heard complaints about unexpected costs at closing. Let’s unpack what you should expect so you’re not surprised, too. Closing costs can vary widely by location and your home’s purchase price. Costs are split between you and the seller, but as the buyer, you’ll cover the lion’s share. You can generally expect your closing costs to be 3% to 4% of the home’s sales price. So, on a $300,000 home, you can pay anywhere from $9,000 to $12,000 in closing costs. (Meanwhile, the seller typically pays closing costs of 1% to 3% of the sales price.) You can try to predict closing costs with calculators like Nerdwallet’s, which lets you plug in your mortgage details to get a rough estimate of what your costs will be. Closing fees often include (but are not limited to):
What Should I Bring? (Other than Champagne?) At the closing you should have:
What Is Title Insurance, and Why Do I Need It? Every lender requires borrowers to purchase title insurance, a policy that protects you and the lender from outside claims of ownership of the property. Wait, you may be asking, some random person could show up and claim they own the house? Sounds crazy, but it happens. Let’s say a previous owner didn’t pay all of their property taxes. Because those taxes remain against the property, the taxing entity could potentially take your home if you don’t have a “clean” title. Title insurance also protects you from ownership claims over liens, fraudulent claims from previous owners, clerical problems in courthouse documents, and forged signatures. The title company will comprehensively search deeds, wills, trusts, and public records to trace the property’s history and verify that you’re becoming the rightful sole owner of the property. Typically, lenders have a preferred title company they work with, but ultimately the buyer decides which title company to use. Your agent could offer a few referrals. Title insurance comes in two forms:
What If There are Last-Minute Issues? Should I Panic? For your loan to be approved, it has to go through underwriting. The underwriter’s job is to validate all of your financials, confirming that your income, credit, and debt haven’t changed since you were pre-approved for the loan. The underwriter will also review the property’s characteristics and appraisal. If everything checks out, your mortgage will be approved. If something goes wrong during underwriting though, you’ll have to address the problem before you can close on the home. Let’s say your credit score dropped because you recently purchased a car with an auto loan, or maxed out your credit cards. This isn’t necessarily dire, but you may need to delay closing as you work with your lender to take steps to raise your score. (For that reason, it’s a good idea to hold off on big purchases, avoid overusing a credit line, or doing anything that could result in a credit inquiry until after the closing.) OK — Can I Celebrate Now? If you’ve made it through close — yes! Once you’ve climbed that mountain of paperwork and you have those keys in hand, you now officially, finally own a home. Congratulations! You put in a lot of hard work, including building relationships with your agent, your lender, and other experts along the way. Now it’s time to start investing in other relationships. Like with your new neighbors. By: HouseLogic
Check out these captivating outdoor fireplace ideas that will transform your outdoor space into a cozy haven. There’s nothing like gathering around a fire with your friends and family on a chilly evening. The right outdoor fireplace warms an outdoor area and is a gathering spot to make lasting memories. If you’ve been considering getting an outdoor fireplace, here are some ideas to help you get started. 4 Outdoor Fireplace Ideas Outdoor fireplaces come in many shapes, sizes, and materials. Most homeowners want one that fits the style of their home and is compatible with their outdoor space. Style compatibility affects your design choice, the materials you choose, and the size and placement of the outdoor fireplace. Here are a few styles to consider. #1 Traditional Outdoor Fireplaces A traditional outdoor fireplace made of brick or stone can work well with a home that has exterior brick or stone elements. Matching the elements and tones in your fireplace to your home’s exterior helps create a cohesive look. Traditional materials like brick or stone are also a great option for homeowners seeking a classic wood-burning fireplace. If the masonry is sound, stone or brick fireplaces generally won’t require much maintenance. If you choose this option, consider having a professional check your fireplace once a year to keep it in good shape. #2 Modern Outdoor Fireplaces A modern, minimal outdoor fireplace can complement a home with a clean, modern look. Combine materials like stucco, stone, or concrete with a pared-back, sleek design. A gas fireplace is relatively low-maintenance option that suits the look and feel of a contemporary home. It also helps keep your patio warm and inviting well after the summer months. Apart from general masonry checks and regular cleaning, these fireplaces don’t usually require much upkeep. #3 Sustainable Outdoor Fireplaces Homeowners seeking sustainability might consider gas or electric fireplaces. If these aren’t for you, other sustainable fuel options, such as ethanol or wood pellets, produce less smoke and ash. As for exterior materials, explore locally sourced stone, sustainably sourced wood, or recycled metal. #4 Customized Outdoor Fireplaces If your home incorporates some unique design elements that are difficult to replicate, you might check into an outdoor fireplace built to your specifications. You can choose from many materials, including steel, concrete, stone, and wood. Qualified contractors and designers can help you plan a custom fireplace that suits your needs. Advantages of Outdoor Fireplaces Building an outdoor fireplace may be a considerable undertaking, but it offers some excellent benefits. Outdoor Fireplaces Can Add CharacterAn exterior feature like an outdoor fireplace adds visual interest to your home and helps it stand out. It also helps family and guests enjoy outdoor entertainment more. Outdoor Fireplaces Increase Joy Don’t underestimate a fire feature’s role in making your home a fun and joyful place. Homeowners who added an outdoor fire feature reported a joy score of 9.7 out of 10 after finishing the project, according to the National Association of REALTORS® “2023 Remodeling Impact Report: Outdoor Features.” Outdoor Fireplaces Can Beautify Your Space An outdoor fireplace can be a great focal point in your outdoor patio, backyard, or deck. If you’ve long thought your patio lacked something special, a well-designed outdoor fireplace may give you the refresh you’ve been looking for. Before You Build Before deciding on the project, consider some of the issues and requirements. Safety Matters In most cases, outdoor fireplaces are a safe addition to your home. But if you have pets or young children, you’ll need to implement strict fire safety rules about keeping a safe distance from the fire. Make sure your outdoor fireplace is a safe distance from your home and other structures as required by the local code. And, before starting a fire, check with your local forest service office to find out about burn authorizations or fire restrictions. Budget Concerns When you compare the costs to other features like fire pits, building a fireplace can be pricey. The average cost to build a firepit is around $850, though the range is $200 to $5,000. By comparison, the average cost to build an outdoor fireplace is roughly $3,000, with prices ranging from $1,500 to $9000. Homeowners on a strict budget may want to consider an outdoor fire pit. Maintenance Needs While gas and electric fireplaces require professional attention, traditional wood fireplaces require regular cleaning. Even with a small outdoor fireplace, this can be time-consuming and tedious, especially if you have a busy life. But what kinds of maintenance does an outdoor fireplace require? Take a look at the Cleaning and Maintenance section. Placement Consideration Your outdoor fireplace’s location will vary based on building codes in your area, so look up local requirements before starting work on your project. A good rule of thumb is your fireplace should be at least 10 to 15 feet away from your home, property line, and any other structures or flammable materials. You’ll also want to place your outdoor fireplace so it doesn’t face prevailing winds or obstruct any views. Fuel Options Many factors can influence fuel choice including your desire for convenience, your aesthetic preferences, and your budget. Consider the pros and cons of a few fuel options.
Regular cleaning and light care keep your outdoor fireplace neat and ready-for-use. Here are some important tips to bear in mind:
You can choose from many materials and outdoor fireplace designs. The perfect match can complement your home and landscaping to create a balanced and well-coordinated result. The right outdoor fireplace can transform your deck or patio and make the area more inviting and comfortable, and add character and personality to your outdoor space. Look for an experienced contractor who uses high-quality materials and can match the outdoor fireplace to your vision while meeting local regulations and requirements. By: Lisa Kaplan Gordon
Yep, quartz countertops are a kitchen trend that’s here to stay. Your kitchen is the one place where you want to be really careful about trendy choices. The last thing you want is a kitchen that looks dated in just a few years simply because you followed a kitchen trend. Here are eight trends that are popular now but have staying power because they address lifestyle needs, convenience, and savings — ensuring you’ll enjoy your kitchen for many years. #1 White on White Kitchens White appliances are so much easier to keep clean than stainless, which smudges if you so much as look at it. Plus, a white look is always on trend because it’s able to blend into any style. White appliances are also less expensive than stainless. #2 Smaller Appliances Small kitchens are big these days. Microliving is taking off for millennials and retirees. Owners of multigenerational homes are installing tiny, secondary kitchens for returning adult children and elderly parents. Typically, these micro kitchens feature a two-burner cooktop, combo microwave/convection oven, 18-inch dishwasher, and 60-inch fridge or refrigerator drawer. #3 Quartz Countertops “Consumers Reports” says quartz is the toughest countertop material, which resists scratches, burns, and chips. A mix of crushed quartz stone and resin produces countertops that range from solid colors to the look of real granite, but they’ll beat natural stone in toughness. It’s easy to maintain, and unlike granite, it doesn’t have to be sealed annually to prevent stains. #4 LED Rope Lighting Ribbons of LEDs are showing up in the weirdest — and most wonderful — kitchen places: Along toe kicks as nightlights, on the inside of cabinet doors to show off Grandma’s China, concealed in crown molding to wash ceilings with light. It’s a pretty cool kitchen trend that’ll stick around because:
#5 Multiple Small Fridges Instead of One Big One Refrigeration is no longer limited to a single, hulking unit. Homeowners are customizing their cooling needs with “point of use” refrigeration, adding cool where they need it. That could mean adding a counter-height produce fridge in your prep island, next to a wine cooler for the adults, and a juice/soda fridge for the kids. Don’t think we’re talking about dorm-fridge quality and prices. U-Line point-of-use refrigerators, for example, offer (depending on the model) 11 shelf positions, full-extension slide-out bins, and five food and beverage settings labeled deli, market, pantry, root cellar and beverage. Units typically sell for $2,500 to $4,000. #6 Touch-Activated Faucets Touch-activated faucets have moved from commercial spaces into home kitchens. On the face of it, touch-activated seems a little gimmicky, and with prices ranging from $300 to $400, it’s certainly a lot of money. But it’s great for those times when you’ve got dirty, chicken-goopy hands, and for those in your household who refuse to turn water on and off between tasks because it’s too much hassle. And as water becomes scarcer, anything that saves gallons will have value — and save you on your water bills. A reason we recommend touch-activated over touch-free: As you know from public bathrooms with touchless faucets, they’ll often turn on when you don’t want them to and not turn on when you do. #7 Transitional Design NKBA designers say contemporary, with its sleek simplicity, is among the most popular kitchen styles. Fussy doodads and decorative and distressed glazes are out. Contemporary looks sleek and clean, but can also come across as cold. Contemporary design encourages a noncluttered look, which can be hard to maintain in a busy home. So it’s better to hedge your bets with transitional design, which combines contemporary and traditional to bring out the best parts of each. #8 Accessibility Aging in place is a big snore — until you get to that age when the right kitchen trends will allow you to stay in your home. And since a large part of the population is reaching retirement age, accessibility finally is catching on — even with homeowners who aren’t intentionally seeking those features. Why? Because the designs make so much sense. It’s a trend that’s not going away. The use of adaptable and universal design features increased from 20% in 2020 to 27% in 2022, according to the American Institute of Architects Home Design Trends Survey. Three here-to-stay trends: 1. Side-opening ovens at counter height: You don’t have to reach up or bend down to fetch your turkey, just comfortably slide it out. It’s one of those slap-your-forehead tweaks that make cooking so much more ergonomic and accessible for everyone. 2. Drawers with deep pockets: Base cabinets have evolved from back-bending storage for pots and pans to deep drawer space — typically 24 inches deep — that can hold just about everything in your kitchen. Continuing that evolution — heck, let’s call a revolution — are deep drawer organizers, ranging from $54 to more than $100, that make sure everything stays in its place, rather than rumble around in chaos. You can customize drawers with:
3. Microwave drawers: Just like the side-opening oven, by installing the microwave below counter height in a drawer, it’s easier for everyone to use. Just open it up put your food inside, close, and start it. That’s better than above-oven height, which has been the typical location for many years. By: Stacey Freed
Wow. What an olfactory difference cleaning with a small box of baking soda can make. How many of those hanging car air fresheners would it take to stop the fishy smell from last night’s dinner? Too many! Before you decorate your kitchen like a cardboard pine forest, take a deep breath — preferably through your mouth — and open your cupboard. Enter baking soda. Odds are you already have what you need to nix food odors in one inexpensive little box. That unassuming baking soda can work a miracle in your kitchen. Baking Soda Absorbs Odors This household staple acts as a molecular sponge, eagerly soaking up and neutralizing a wide range of odors. Baking soda, unlike most commercial air fresheners, doesn’t mask odors, it absorbs them, says Mary Marlowe Leverette, an experienced cleaning and fabric care expert. Not only does baking soda absorb odors, but it does so with a scientific finesse that makes it a go-to solution for maintaining a fresh and odor-free environment in various corners of your home. How Does It Work? Baking soda (sodium bicarbonate in a convenient box) neutralizes stubborn acidic odors — like those from sour milk — as well as other funky smells lurking in your home. It’s a natural odor eliminator, but it’s not instantaneous. Depending on how pervasive the scent is, baking soda can take anywhere from a few hours to a whole day to remove unwanted food odors. The secret to the absorption lies in the chemical composition of baking soda, scientifically known as sodium bicarbonate. Baking soda is amphoteric, meaning it can react with both acidic and alkaline substances. The acidic or alkaline molecules that often cause odors are neutralized by contact with baking soda. 7 Household Items to Clean With Baking Soda From banishing odors in your dishwasher to rejuvenating your microwave, baking soda can elevate your cleaning routine, especially cleaning kitchen appliances. Bonus tip: A vinegar-baking soda combination can boost cleaning power: the acid in the vinegar reacts with the baking soda, causing it to break down and release carbon dioxide gas. This gas can lift dirt from the surfaces undergoing the cleaning process. Let’s delve into the myriad ways cleaning with baking soda (and sometimes vinegar) may refresh and revitalize items around your home: #1 Dishwasher Dishwashers are supposed to be hallowed havens of cleanliness. If you don’t run the dishwasher every day, those rotten food smells can build up. Stop the stink by dumping a cup of baking soda into the dishwasher and running it through a rinse cycle. The soda eliminates foul smells and unwanted food odors from the machine. Ah! That’s a nicer-smelling place for your dishes, no matter what type of dish detergent you use. #2 Oven If you avoid using your oven because of that special burning smell, it might just be time for a scrub. The oven can be responsible for a lot of household cooking, which means it can hold onto a lot of food smells. Cleaning the oven with baking soda can be done in just a few steps: Cleaning Your Oven with Baking Soda
#3 Range Hood That greasy range hood could also be adding to your kitchen’s odor. Clean it with a mixture of about one-quarter cup baking soda, a good squirt of degreasing dish soap, and the hottest water you can stand (but be careful not to burn yourself!). #4 Drains and Disposals When you can’t source an odor, drains and disposals are often the culprits. Make them stink-free and (bonus) clog-free with a mix of one-quarter cup of baking soda, one-quarter cup of vinegar, and some kosher salt. Give the drain a slightly abrasive scrubbing and follow up with boiling water. #5 Food Containers Containers that once held strong-smelling foods can retain those odors. To rejuvenate them, wash them with a solution of water and baking soda. Let the containers air dry, and voila — a fresh start for your leftovers. #6 Microwave Does your microwave still smell like last weekend’s bacon? Clean and deodorize it with a solution of two tablespoons of baking soda mixed with a cup of water. Put the solution into an uncovered, microwave-safe container and zap on high for three minutes. Then, simply wipe down the interior. #7 Refrigerator A little fridge baking soda box isn’t just an old wives’ tale — it helps keep your refrigerator smelling crisp. Place a full box in there with the top tab open to let air flow into the bicarbonate powder. The soda eliminates strong smells from foods like onions, cheeses, and yesterday’s leftovers. Pro Tips: Removing Odors With Baking Soda
Baking Soda: A Multi-Purpose Cleaner and Deodorizer The best thing about the cheap, odor-zapping wonder of baking soda is you can use it guilt-free. “You’re not going to harm humans or animals or ruin anything using baking soda,” Leverette says. “Plus, after you’re done deodorizing, mix it up with vinegar or lemon juice and some red dye, and make a cool volcano. The kids will love it.” So, the next time you reach for that box of baking soda, remember that you’re not just adding a pinch of freshness to your baking —– you’re unleashing a cleaning superhero into your home! |
AuthorJason Gelios is a Husband and Father. After that, a Top Producing REALTOR®, Author of the books 'Think like a REALTOR®' and 'Beating The Force Of Average', Creator of The AskJasonGelios Real Estate Show and Expert Media Contributor to media outlets across the country. Archives
May 2025
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