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The Benefits Of Adding An In-Law Apartment To A Home

June 18, 2019 by Joel and Jodi Redmond

The Benefits Of Adding An In-Law Apartment To A Home One renovation that may add value to a home is an in-law apartment. Even if a homeowner does not have any relatives, an in-law apartment makes wonderful guest accommodations. It is possible to rent it when unoccupied to earn some money.

Homeowners who rent out part of a home need to check with their insurance agent to upgrade insurance to accommodate commercial use of a part of the home.

Additionally, a person staying in an in-law apartment, who is not a member of the owner’s household, may need to get renter’s insurance to cover any personal property kept in the in-law apartment.

Renovation Plans

An in-law apartment may be in a basement or attic. Creating one is possible as a home addition, a garage makeover, or as a tiny house in the backyard.

Check the building regulations for the area where the home is. It is wise to get the proper building permits needed for the construction. Work done without permits usually does not add value when reselling because it creates a liability.

Some people make an in-law without having to do major renovations if partitioning the house is possible. It may be possible to separate an area to create an in-law apartment if the house has an extra bedroom with a connected bathroom.

If no existing part of the home is suitable for remodeling, then adding an addition is an option. A better choice for a backyard that usually increases the resale value is building an in-law cottage rather than investing in installing a swimming pool. Some people may prefer having in-law accommodations when compared to the cost of maintaining a swimming pool.

Multiple Uses For An In-Law Apartment

Almost everyone has a use for an in-law apartment. This is why they are attractive to potential home buyers. Children can stay with parents as they become adults. Elderly parents can live with their children. Couples without children can use the room as a home office. Single people can rent out the space to help pay the bills.

Use of the space may change over time, so be sure to think creatively about the space. The value-added for having this space is the privacy it allows. Living together is normally easier when the parties also have some privacy.

Having a private bathroom, a separate entrance, and a kitchenette in the in-law apartment covers all the needs. This allows the space to be self-contained.

Summary

Consider adding an in-law apartment for the convenience, potential improvements in the resale value of the home, and to reduce the expense of supporting family members who live elsewhere and pay rent for an apartment to others.

If adding additional space for in-laws or guests sounds like a good fit for your family, you may want to consider accessing some of your home equity funds to cover the cost of renovation. Be sure to contact your trusted home mortgage professional for current financing options.

What’s Ahead For Mortgage Rates This Week – June 17th, 2019

June 17, 2019 by Joel and Jodi Redmond

What’s Ahead For Mortgage Rates This Week – June 17th, 2019 Last week’s economic reports included readings on inflation, retail sales and consumer sentiment. Weekly readings on mortgage rates and first-time jobless claims were also released.

Consumer Price Index Lower in May as Retail Sales Hold Steady

Last month’s Consumer Price Index, which is a widely-used gauge of inflation, dropped to 0.10 percent in May and matched expectations. April posted month-to-month growth of 0.30 percent. Core inflation, which excludes volatile food and fuel sectors, rose 0.10 percent in May and fell short of expectations of 0.20 percent growth.

April’s Core Consumer Price Index grew by 0.10 percent. Analysts reported a likely slowdown in economic expansion last week. Consumers, vendors and financial analysts said trade wars and global economic uncertainty were factors in concerns over economic conditions.

Retail sales rose from April’s reading of 0.30 percent to 0.50 percent in May; retail sales without automotive sales held steady with 0.50 percent growth. April retail sales also had 0.50 percent growth.

Mortgage Rates Stay Near Two Year Low

Freddie Mac reported average mortgage rates were little changed last week. 30-year mortgage rates averaged 3.52 percent and were unchanged from the prior week. 15-year fixed mortgage rates averaged 3.26 percent and were two basis points lower.

5/1 adjustable rate mortgages dropped one basis point to 3.51 percent on average. Discount points averaged 0.60 percent for 30-year fixed rate mortgages, 0.50 percent for 15-year fixed rate mortgages and 0.40 percent for 5/1 adjustable rate mortgages.

First-time jobless claims rose to 222,000 claims filed last week, which exceeded expectations of 218,000 new claims based on the prior week’s reading of 219,000 initial jobless claims. Analysts said that labor markets remained solid, but layoffs in California and Pennsylvania caused new jobless claims to rise last week.

The University of Michigan reported lower consumer sentiment in June with an index reading of 97.90 as compared to May’s reading of 100.00; 40 percent of consumers surveyed cited concerns over pending tariffs against Mexico for falling confidence in economic conditions.

The tariffs against Mexico were sidelined, which may boost consumer confidence readings in July. When tariffs were set against imports from China, only 21 percent of survey participants identified tariffs as cause for concern.

What‘s Ahead

This week’s scheduled economic releases include reports from the National Association of Home Builders on housing markets conditions, the Federal Reserve’s FOMC meeting statement and a press conference from Fed Chair Jerome Powell. Data on sales of pre-owned homes will be released along with weekly readings on mortgage rates and new jobless claims.

Five Things to Do With a Windfall Other Than Spend it Right Away

June 14, 2019 by Joel and Jodi Redmond

Five Things to Do with a Windfall Other Than Spend it Right Away

Perhaps you have won the lottery, received an inheritance, or cashed in one of your investments, and now you have a large sum of money you don’t know what to do with.

Although it is tempting to cruise around town in a brand new sports car it is important to think carefully about how to spend your newfound cash.

To give you some ideas on the smartest way to use your new wealth, here are five things to do with a windfall other than spend it right away:

1. Erase Your Debt

Your new found money will allow you to clear up all of your debts, which will lift a huge financial burden off your back and give you a lot of freedom. Start with the debts with the highest interest first, such as your credit card debts.

2. Create an Emergency Fund

Calculate how much money you would need to cover your living expenses for 6 months. Take this amount off your windfall and place it into a savings account. This money will be your fail safe. In case of an emergency, such as you hurt yourself, become ill, or lose your job, you will have enough money to live comfortably until times get better, without having to go into debt.

3. Invest in Your Home

If you spend your windfall on a renovation for your home, there is a good chance that you can increase your property value enough to make it more than worth it. Talk to estate agents in your area to determine which type of home improvement will increase your home’s value the most, but usually kitchens and bathrooms are the best rooms to update.

4. Buy a Vacation Property

Consider putting your newfound wealth into a holiday home overseas in a popular destination. You will be able to enjoy lounging on the beach there, and when you are not using it you can rent out the home to tourists to cover the costs. Later on in life when you want to retire, you will always have the option of moving there!

5. Live Off the Interest

If you won a million dollars in the lottery, you could spend it right away on a huge house and a car and then have nothing left. Or, you place it in an investment account and have it earn 6% annually. At this rate you would have approximately $5,000 per month or $60,000 per year without ever touching your initial sum. You could easily live off this amount and never have to work again.

These are a few ideas of what you could do with your money if you are lucky enough to receive an unexpected windfall.

Do you have any other ideas of how you could use your windfall?

The Benefits Of Adding An In-Law Apartment To A Home

What’s Ahead For Mortgage Rates This Week – June 17th, 2019

Five Things to Do With a Windfall Other Than Spend it Right Away

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