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When it comes to roofing, most homeowners aren’t aware of the steps they need to take in order to maintain it properly. This is unfortunate because poor maintenance can lead to some serious problems down the road. Read on and learn what you need to do in order to care for your roof.

When it comes to maintaining your roof, make sure that you keep your gutters clean. Clear them of any fallen leaves, twigs and other debris so that water can flow freely from your roof. If you don’t adequately clean out your gutters regularly you may become prone to flooding problems.

Always research a roofing company before you allow them to do any work on your roof. You want to call up the Better Business Bureau or visit their website to see if there are any complaints. Search online and see if anyone has left a review about the company as well. If you don’t do this, you could end up getting with a company that does terrible work.

When signing a contract with a roofer, check for the small print about material costs and labor. Do sign with a company which lists the costs and what will happen if their costs increase during the job. Also go with a company which charges around $1.50 a square foot for decking replacement.

Don’t pay until the roofer finishes the work. While you might have to pay a small deposit, it shouldn’t exceed 25% of the project’s full price, or the base cost of just the materials. Never pay for labor in advance. Make sure you always look at completed work, then get copies of all important paperwork before you pay the roofer.

Different states often have different requirements when it comes to roofing. You may need to have a permit or a bond if you want work to begin on your house. Get in touch with the building department in your area to ask them whether this applies to you or not.

Check all of the materials that you are using to repair your roof. A lot of leaks come from just installing the roof because shingles are cracked or nails aren’t the correct size. You need to be sure that your shingles are nice and strong and without cracks, and make sure you are using the right nails.

Do not just hire anyone to put a new roof on your house. A roof is an important part of any home and to ensure you are getting what you pay for and protecting your home, you should research contractors before choosing one to put a new roof on your house.

Make note of your initial impression of any companies you contact and receive quotes from. How was the customer service? Did you have to wait long to speak to someone? Did they answer all of your questions thoroughly? This can tell you a lot about how your overall experience will be from start to finish if you decide to choose them.

Never pay for your new roof in full before the work has begun. Sometimes you’ll find that a contractor will take your money and then won’t come back to finish things like they promised. Pay only when the supplies are at your house.

Always make sure your roofing contractor carries the proper insurance. Roofing can be dangerous work, and you want to make sure your contractor is covered in case of an emergency. If he is not, the cost could fall on you or your homeowners insurance. Ask to see the policy, and don’t just take his word for it.

If being eco-friendly is important to you, look into coated metal roofing. The materials used on these roofs can save you money on your energy bill and are made from materials that are completely recyclable. You can place coated metal roofs over asphalt tiles. By doing this, you will significantly reduce your carbon footprint.

When it comes to finding leaks on your roof, it can become quite frustrating. It is important that you not get discouraged if this happens to you. Simply tackle your roof section by section, and sooner or later, that leak will be found. The worst thing you can do is give up if you are unable to find a leak right away.

Ask your contractor how long he has been in business. Although a contractor with only one or two years’ experience may be excellent in what he does, it is better to be safe and select someone with a minimum of five years’ experience. Keep in mind that extra work experience does not always equal better work, but for the most part, this is the case.

Solar Panels

If you are enthusiastic in becoming greener, you can use renewable safe materials for your roof consider solar panels. Choosing solar panels will save you money not only on initial costs but in the long-term.

If you want to change your roof, think about using a green alternative for material. Recycled roofing material, composed of used rubber and plastic, not only saves money but serves the environment. Solar panels are another option, as they can also reduce energy costs. They can also create a tax credit for homeowners.

Consider going green with your next roof. You can replace part of your old tiles with solar panels. Solar costs have dropped significantly in recent years. This is cost effective if you place the solar panels in an area where your home receives a lot of sunlight. Many modern solar panels such as those built by solar panel installers are pleasing to the eye and mix well with the rest of the roof.

As was mentioned early on, most if not all landowners don’t know how to install or repair their roof. Which is why you should leave installing your solar panels to the professionals. With any luck, you now have an improved understanding of the steps you need to take to install a better roof and save a great deal of money in the process.

When you are shopping for a mortgage, the single most important thing to remember about ‘mortgage points’ is that there is more than one kind. There are three different mortgage-related meanings for the term ‘mortgage point,’ and you must understand exactly which type of mortgage point your lender is talking about when discussing your loan. After all, you’re the one who will pay the mortgage points and figure out which ones are tax-deductible. The first definition of a mortgage point is mathematical. In the mortgage industry, a ‘mortgage point’ means 1.0 percent of an amount of money, explains Doug Duncan, chief economist and a senior vice president for the Mortgage Bankers Association. For example, for a $100,000 loan, one mortgage point would equal $1,000. If the loan were for $173,500, one mortgage point would be $1,735, and so on. The term mortgage point also can refer to prepaid interest or to fees for loan-related services, or both. Duncan explains the most common meaning of mortgage point – often referred to as one discount mortgage point — ‘is simply prepaid interest. If a lender can receive part of the interest payment upfront, he or she will often lower the interest on the rest of the debt.’ Most lenders will gladly trade pre-paid interest in return for a lower rate because no one really knows how long the loan will actually last. Will the buyer sell the home or refinance it in one year? In five? Few mortgages last the full 30-year term of the loan. ‘Let’s say you took out a $100,000 mortgage today with no mortgage points at 5.5 percent for 30 years,’ Duncan says. ‘If you are willing to pay one mortgage point of prepaid interest — $1,000 up front — the lender will lower the interest rate because you have increased the certainty of getting a return on investment-a profit.’ This is not the only way the term mortgage point is used, Duncan adds. ‘Sometimes lenders will characterize other expenses in the same way, as a percentage of the loan.’ Rather than putting an actual price tag on costs such as origination fees, document preparation charges, and all the other expenses involved in getting the money, lenders often express them in terms of mortgage points.

So instead of setting a fixed price, the lender gives the charges a value that is a percentage of the total borrowed, charging you two mortgage points, three mortgage points, three-and-a-half mortgage points or even more to get the loan. The amount of paperwork doesn’t change, and neither does the time spent working on the deal, but some lenders make sure the costs match the size of the loan. It is important to remember that these mortgage points have nothing to do with return on investment. They are just a convenient way for the lender to charge for the time spent drawing up the papers. The various uses of the term ‘mortgage points’ clearly are among the most confusing aspects of getting a mortgage. ‘If you talk to three different lenders about what the interest rate will be and what the loan will cost, you will get three different amounts and three different uses of the word mortgage points,’ Duncan says. ‘This is why it is so important to talk to more than one lender and to tell each lender what the others are offering.’ When you are mortgage-hunting, let the lender know what interest rates the other lenders are charging, the mortgage points in terms of prepaid interest, and how much the mortgage points or flat-rate charges to process the loan will cost. ‘The number one consumer protection is shopping,’ Duncan says. ‘There are no foolproof methods, but comparison shopping is the best one going.’

He explains that another reason to know which mortgage points are prepaid interest and which are associated loan costs is because prepaid interest is tax-deductible, while loan-associated costs are not. Since mortgage interest payments are the single largest income tax deductions the average homeowner will ever have, it is important to know what is deductible. Deduct too many mortgage points, and the IRS could be calling on you. Deduct too few, and you are throwing away money. ‘From the consumer’s perspective,’ Duncan says, ‘when you buy a house, the interest-related mortgage points are a deduction in the year the mortgage points are paid. On a refinance, however, the mortgage points you pay are deductible over the expected life of the loan, not all in one year.’ So if you take out a 30-year, $100,000 loan to purchase and pay one prepaid interest mortgage point, you can deduct the full $1,000 that year. If you take out a 30-year, $100,000 refinance loan for one prepaid-interest mortgage point, however, you would be able to deduct only 1/30th of that $1,000 on your taxes every year — $33.33.

Duncan adds that some of the mortgage points associated with getting a loan also may be deducted from your taxes, depending upon the exact nature of the expense, your own personal circumstances and where you live. Check with your Pflugerville notary. Buying a home is a major and complex financial arrangement, and you should make sure you understand all the details of the process — each and every mortgage point. The last thing you want to do when you make the largest single investment of your life is miss the mortgage point(s) — any of them.

 

 

 

 

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