Your Own Homes Improvement Outline

(One for the Ladies)

Let me begin by saying what a home improvement plan will not do! I have seen this happen more than once, so I will say this now. A home improvement project, addition, upgrade, remodel, or makeover will not make up for a troubled marriage. So for those that think home improvement may save a marriage, I’m telling you now that it will add more stress and it is a poor substitute for proper counseling.

With that said, when you see a home being sold due to a divorce, take a good look at the house because you may see evidence of a great remodel job. However, the marriage still failed. The scenario above leads into other areas of home remodel, acquisition and selling points. Gentlemen, pay attention here! It is generally recognized that women are responsible for 80% of all decisions on whether or not to purchase a particular home.

So what influences the ladies in their decisions concerning home purchases and remodeling? By far the two biggest items are the kitchen and the bath. If I had to choose one or the other, I believe I would look at which area was in need of the remodel more, while at the same time looking at the costs of both options.

As for the men, what do they want? They would be happy with a large garage/workshop plus a secluded den or office to carry on with business or to retreat to the solitude of a “cave.” Men, as we can see, really don’t spend as much time feathering the nest so as a result we see that contrary to popular belief, men really tend to follow the female’s lead.

Generally speaking, you’ll find that men don’t pay much attention to draperies, window treatments, flower boxes, state of the art appliances, Jacuzzi tubs, well-lit bathrooms, large closets or floral patterns of any kind. They often prefer brown and gray everything, with a big garage, a shed, a sprinkler system and a privacy fenced back yard for barbeques and lounging in private. Men also like low maintenance houses so they aren’t constantly being asked to fix or repair things. If left up to the men to decide, you would find that faucets, toilets, sinks, baths, floors, mirrors, cabinetry, appliances and furnishings would tend to be favored by their industrial strength qualities as opposed to beauty.

Those are general observations and many times they will not apply. However, by keeping them in mind and using the 80/20 rule, they may help in the decision making process. So now using what we know, it would be wise to slant your remodel towards the light and bright feminine side of life. It seems to make sense that if the women are the decision makers then we should let them decide on what really needs attention first!

Let’s look at the kitchen first. Can you paint or refinish the cabinetry and change the knobs and handles to get the new look? Would new Formica laminate over the old counter tops with a matching backsplash do the trick? Maybe a white ceramic sink with a new faucet will achieve the desired effect. Quite possibly you may decide to rip it all out. If that is the case, then paint the walls and consider tiling the floor also. Often times, adding some minor electrical and lighting upgrades will help transform and modernize the entire effort. Don’t forget the new built in dishwasher and plumbing as well.

Custom cabinets, if designed, built and installed by a local reputable cabinetmaker with references and a picture book of previous work done, are often very attractive in price and quality. I use craftsmen with low overhead who work on one job at a time. Often I will ask them to make, in addition to the kitchen, a base cabinet for the bathroom to match, all for one low price. When working with kitchens I always look to see if a wall can be opened up to create a pass through or bar stool counter top. This lets in more light and allows the person in the kitchen to talk with and see the people in the adjoining room. It also creates the effect of a more spacious kitchen.

The bottom line is that a well-lit, light, bright and spacious kitchen, well equipped with modern appliances, plenty of storage space and decorative tiles, paint and window treatments, will add value and appeal to any home’s remodel plan.

Next, lets look at remodeling the bathroom. Here again, we look to the feminine side as the women seem to spend more time here then the men. So with the ladies in mind concerning the upgrade, I will often bite the bullet and rip it all out, the tub being the only exception! If I can leave the tub in, the job is easier, faster and cheaper. However, if I am looking at an olive green or yellowed chipped up and rusting ceramic eyesore, than a new fiberglass insert with a sliding glass door is going on my list of items to buy at the local Home Depot.

Jet tubs are the in thing, so I won’t rule them out as a possible upgrade. This decision again is based on the female as most men don’t take candlelit bubble baths or require a pulsating massage. Walls are painted with Sherwin Williams semi-gloss paint which creates an excellent moisture barrier to the walls. With regard to walls, by adding tile or laminate half-wall wainscoting to the lower three to four feet of the wall, you’ll add a nice touch. Since you have torn out the old toilet and base cabinet, now is also the perfect time to rip up the old vinyl and put down ceramic floor tile before the new fixtures are installed.
New lighting, mirrored vanity cabinets, G.F.I. electrical outlets, wallpaper borders, towel rings and bars are usually the finishing touch. Even a man can appreciate coming home to a spacious, clean, modern, functional and aesthetically pleasing kitchen and bath. One final note here: Be sure to caulk everything when you’re through. You’ll want to protect your new investment from rotting, from the inside out. Dampness and wood eating insects are your homes worst enemies.

Now with the kitchen and bath out of the way, what do you feel is next? I myself spend on average about seven hours a day in the bedroom, so I tend to go there next. Once again, the closet is of importance to the ladies so I will look to paint that bright white, upgrade the lighting and install a closet organizing system to maximize the space that is available. A tip for the guys! Put in a shoe rack for the ladies, as most of you wouldn’t even think about that little upgrade.

Once the closet is done, I’m back patching and painting the rest of the room. Another smart thing you can do is to let the female decide on what color of Sherwin Williams brand satin super paint they would like to have applied. I always make sure I get enough paint to do the ceiling as well because when you’re on your back, you will be looking at it. Once the walls and ceiling are done, the ceiling fan with light kit and dimmer switch go in. Then the baseboards are prepared for installation before the carpet goes down. Usually I paint them a shade darker than the walls and tack them to the wall about one-half inch above the floor.

Now that the paint is put away, it’s time to install the plush carpet and a dense quality pad beneath it. In order to really bring the room together you will need to take a paint swatch or chip to the carpet dealer to choose the carpet color that really sets off the walls and base board trim. As for final touches, those include mini blinds, a curtain, and decorative switch plates and receptacle covers. A solid core door represents today’s modern standards with a keyed lock set for security, so I will add that factor in too. Just add candles and you’re done!

As for the rest of the house, I will choose one-color paint and use it throughout all the remaining areas that are to be lightened and brightened. Earth tone, eggshell or tan sand colors are a neutral favorite of many, so unless you have a floor that is going to clash with it, earth tones are a safe bet. Speaking of floors, I will follow appraisal rules that tell me wood is better than carpet, except in bedrooms. And tile is better than vinyl. With that in mind, I will use tile and Pergo flooring everywhere else. Once the tile and wood are installed, I never have to replace it and maintenance is a breeze. The appraiser also looks upon wood and tile as an upgrade, so at the earliest opportunity, they are getting incorporated in my plans.

There you have it! A general Joe homeowner remodel job, but what about the infamous addition? With this consideration, you’ll have many more options to weigh, so let’s take a look at some of the pros and cons of adding square footage.

When does it make sense to add square footage?

#1. Is it physically possible, legally permissible, and financially feasible? Will the new addition serve your intended purpose to the maximum extent?

#2. Does the current floor plan, layout or design of your home allow for a smooth flowing traffic pattern in, out and through the proposed addition?

#3. Will your lot size accommodate a larger dwelling and will the neighborhood surrounding your home support the higher value that you expend?

#4. How long do you intend to stay in the house that this upgrade is planned for? Five years from now, will the addition return, dollar for dollar, the money you have spent to the sales price of the home if you sold it?

#5. Are you prepared to deal with draftsmen and plans development, contractors, building officials and permits? Will you mind living on a construction site for about 6 months? Are your finances in place with an additional 10% set aside for cost overruns? Has everyone agreed upon what this addition should look like and the purpose it will serve?

Let us say you have considered the above and would like to continue towards the improvement. From here, we should consider the economic principle of what is called progression. Example: You have a 2-bedroom, 1-bath home, located in a neighborhood of more expensive 3-bedroom, 2-bath homes. In this case you could, with more certainty, add another bedroom and bath and expect to be able to realize or achieve the value from the addition’s expense as the more expensive homes around you will tend to pull the value of your home up along with theirs.

Now the reverse is also true, so you must consider the opposite case that is called the principle of regression. That says that if you over-improve beyond the value of the homes that are surrounding you, then those lower value homes will tend to keep the value of your home in the lower price ranges. So putting it another way, try not to pass the point of diminishing returns. In essence, saying that you can only improve so much before you reach a point where, for every dollar you spend, you will receive less of that same dollar back when you sell.

A good rule of thumb to use is to try to get at least two dollars of increased value for every dollar you spend. Once you begin to approach “break-even,” then you should consider maintaining what you have as opposed to adding to it. A simple way to say it: Don’t over-improve!

Another watchword to know is super-adequacy. That would be like putting gold faucets in a mobile home. It’s overkill and too high-end for the properties overall value, so the final decision on remodeling and additions comes down to balance and a happy medium being reached. Also, take into consideration the cost, aggravation, the net gain, the need for improvement, the improved quality of life, the suitability to all occupants taste, needs and desires and in the end the ability to receive a higher sales price.

I choose to remodel more often than add-on because it goes much faster and the profits role in quicker too. If I need more space to live in, I simply remodel the house I’m in and rent it out for top dollar, and then get an equity line to buy a bigger house! When remodeling my own home I will attempt to do everything myself, aside from building cabinets or rewiring electrical circuits. As with everything else, if I get in over my head, I will concede defeat and call in an expert to finish what I started while I learn where I went wrong by watching them finish it up.

Here are a few parting shots that you may or may not know:

Painting everything inside and out is the greatest value producing improvement that you can make on a dollar for dollar return basis. When painting, ensure you buy the absolute best paint available, as it is true that the expense of painting lays in the application of the paint not the paint itself. So if you have to apply two coats because of an inferior watered down paint then the cost just doubled in time and the added paint needed to get the job done.

This next tip alone will save you the cost of this entire book and here it is. Without naming any names, whether it be the manufacturer or the distributor of the product, there is a problem out there with what used to be considered top brand, quality paints. It has been said that some manufacturers have thinned out their paint and left their good name on, all in the name of allowing certain retailers the ability to sell hundreds of thousands of gallons a month at what appears to be a bargain price. Unfortunately, the consumer is fooled by the name and ends up coming back for more paint when they find that it takes more of the thinned out product to get complete coverage.

I, for one, as you can well see by now, am a real fan of Sherwin Williams brand, super paint. This blend is so superior in my mind to any other paint available to the little guy, that I refuse to use anything else. I have applied it to exterior walls located in the worst conditions and climates and ten years later its still as good as the day I put it on. The elasticity, color and protection are still in place with absolutely no chalking, cracking or deterioration of any kind, The same goes for interior paint as well. The coverage and wash ability are unmatched!

I also would like to say Sherwin Williams has not paid me to say one word of this. It is for your sole benefit that I harp on it to the degree that I do, as it burns me to no end to see trusting people get ripped off and not even know it!

But wait! It gets even worse. As if to add insult to injury, the retailers don’t really even shoot for the highest profit margin on the paint. They make their profit when you start buying all the tape, rollers, trays, brushes, handles, scrapers, sand paper, buckets, screens and new fangled gadgetry along with a host of other products that may be required to finish all phases of the job at hand.

Has anyone ever told you that? If you doubt it, take a viscosity cup and run the super paint through it and then do the same with the other paint. After this test, you will need no further proof of which paint is going to save you time and money in the long run.

Well, enough said. I hope you get the point on paint. Now another thing you can do to improve your home substantially is landscape it. Landscaping, if done right, can add up to 30% to the value of your home. I prefer to plant shrubbery and low maintenance hardy plants and trees of all types. A few flowers to add color and my job is done.

Back to the addition. If you decide to add a room or two, it has also been proven that you can save about 30% here too by being your own contractor. I would encourage you to get a book titled, “How to Be Your Own Contractor,” as it will often take an entire book to give you a proper grounding on the subject. Just know this! It is entirely within your realm of ability to tackle the over site and scheduling that you would pay that 30% to the general contractor to do. If you feel up to the task, get a book and be vigilant. In the end, you will have that new addition at a significantly lower price.

Home improvement can lead to many small things in the home working more efficiently and easily than before. There are many ways to improve the current household appliances to a much more energy efficient ones without spending a fortune on them. Every elements and section of our homes should be supervised in an efficient way. Conservation of various energy resources is significant in determining our lifestyle. Firstly the circulation of air inside our house should be properly managed since the temperature and quality of air inside our homes greatly affect our health. All small chinks in our house should be eliminated, since it allows chilly and dry air to leak in while the warm humid air escapes out. Hence the temperature is greatly affected. We should block all tiny fissures through which wiring goes inside the wall or floor. Seal the chimneys with non insulating metal and cement. To prevent entry of cold air use of tight fitted and insulating glass windows are preferred. Fibre glass batting or cellulose enhances the efficiency of cooling and heating system of our house to great extend. We should also keep our air vents clean for smooth flow of air.

Another important feature for home improvement and making it energy efficient is the power management. Working upon our power economy not only leads to a balanced and comfortable life but also cuts down our electricity bills to a great extent. We should use fluorescent lamps since they provide much more energy efficiency as compared to incandescent bulbs. Although, they are costlier than normal lamps, they turn out to be cheaper in the long run due to their durability and high efficiency. Use of automatic and mechanized thermostat regulates the temperature of our house automatically, due to which great amount of electricity and energy is saved. Now day’s hydraulic heating systems are in great demand due to their less power consumption. We should make a habit to switch off the lights when we leave our rooms. Construction of houses should be such that they utilize utmost natural light.

By practising water conservation we are in a way preserving and safeguarding the proper use of energy involved in various treatment processes of water. A great part of home improvement is a proper water circulation system in the home, making sure there is no leakage. We could keep a plastic water filled bottle or brick in our toilet tank to minimise the water content used in flushing. Insulation of water pipes present under sink by fibre glass is also an important technique in water conservation. We should not leave the water running while brushing our teeth. This habit will save a lot of water. Similarly vegetables used for cooking purposes should be dipped in a bowl of clean water rather than being directly washed under running tap water. Dishwasher should be used for washing dishes; similarly washing machines should be used for washing clothes. This not only saves water but also energy. We should check our washrooms and toilets for any seep-outs, and if any then should repair them immediately. Installation of water saving shower heads and taking shorter showers also minimize the wastage of bathing water.

Use of products that utilize solar energy can also contribute to energy preservation programme. People install solar panels that trap solar energy, which in turn is used in various household purposes. Some of the widely used products are solar cookers, solar calculators and solar garden lights. With so much energy crisis in our world we should indulge ourselves in energy saving habits. Not only they preserve energy resources, but also put our life at ease and trim down our expenditure.

The VA Home loan requirements make the loan one of the easiest loans to qualify for in the United States. The primary stipulation for qualifying for the VA loan is that you must have served in the US forces for a full time period of four years. This is the standard tour of duty for some people, so it follows that if you served in the army, you pretty much qualify.

One of the major VA loan benefits is that it’s possible to get a home with no money down using a VA Home loan. In the current economic housing market, this is practically one of the only loans now that will afford a person the opportunity to get a no money down home. Previously, there were many bad credit lenders that would offer sub prime mortgages with no money down, but since the housing crash, this is no possible.

However, no money down home mortgages are possible to get with the VA home loan. The one stipulation for getting no money down home with a VA loan is that you have to have good credit. If you don’t have good credit, you can still qualify for a VA loan, but you will have to put down a deposit on the home to get the loan.

VA loans traditionally have lower interest rates than other such loans – particularly the FHA home loan. If you have to choose between the two loans, it’s better to go with a VA home loan because of all the benefits it offers to home owners who can qualify for it

While there are many different approaches to making plans small, inexpensive home, I’m going to be describing the one I see as the best choice for the average person with a small budget, and I’ll tell you why. There are many influencing factors affecting our world right now; some are new, and some are changing very rapidly. As time goes on, the struggle for resources becomes more complex and frenzied. Many modern building techniques, while effective and convenient for the infrastructure we have set up, are really quite wasteful and could be seen to encourage what could be called “living beyond our means.” Sustainability is something that we are all going to be hearing emphasized increasingly as time goes on. Building with natural materials whose production consumes little energy is a part of this idea.

The benefits of using natural materials to create your plans small inexpensive home are numerous, and I’ll describe some of them now. The first material I want to talk about is cob, which is a mixture of clay, sand, straw, water, and a binder such as wheat paste or manure for cohesiveness. When cob dries it is like concrete; very hard and strong. If you were to make a six inch wedge shaped shelf along a wall made of cob, once dried you would be able to stand, even jump up and down on it and it will not crumble. The chopped straw that is uniformly mixed in adds enormous tensile strength to the material. While it can be eroded or reshaped with enough water, it’s possible to seal the surface with an oil which will waterproof it. This is useful for cob floors because after treatment they can be mopped easily. Cob has relatively low insulating value, so if your wall is all cob it’s important to make it very thick to ensure retention of hot or cold air. Conversely, it works as excellent thermal mass, meaning it absorbs heat or cold and stores it very well for long periods of time. This can be useful when designing your plans small inexpensive home for passive solar heating. A dark wall in a position to get lots of sun during the days in winter will soak up that heat all day, and throw it off into the air all night.

Earthbags are another useful technique to have at your disposal when making plans small inexpensive home. As you might have guessed, they are just burlap or some similar type of bags filled with highly compressed dirt, which is important to prevent settling from occurring. Earthbags can be used as a floor base to be covered with a layer of cob and then plaster. Any gaps between bags can be smoothed over beautifully this way. Barbed wire is sometimes used between the bags to help keep them in place, which is very effective. Stem walls built on top of the foundation of your choice are extremely stable.

The benefits of these different techniques are numerous. From an environmental standpoint there is little to no pollution when your house is finally demolished, since the bulk of the structure built using these techniques initially came from the build site itself. In fact, many people have built small homes like this themselves with the help of friends and family. Do some research and you’ll find that methods will be effective in helping you make plans small inexpensive home.

People purchase houses for many different reasons. Some people buy houses to improve on the property, and get a good return on investment from it. Other people buy property to sell on. For whatever reason they buy a house or property, they would like to see their home improvement value.

Estimating your home improvement value is fairly easy. Raising that value is just as easy if you know what to do, and how to do it. The basic rule of thumb is that the more money you put into your house, the more you can expect to get out of it. It doesn’t matter how big the house is, where it is located, or what condition it is in, there are always ways to increase your home improvement value.

It doesn’t have to be grueling work to increase your home improvement value. All that is needed is a little bit of planning, time, and money. To figure out where your house can improve you can sit down with a pen and a piece of paper. On one side of the piece of paper you can write what your house has, and then on the other side you can write down what your house doesn’t have. For example, on the “house has” side of the paper, you can write: Two Bedrooms, One Bath, and Basement. You can fill in what your house doesn’t have, and what you would like your house to have in the “house doesn’t have” side. Realistically, you will not be able to complete all of the things on your list.

In today’s society people expect a certain level of living. Some people won’t even consider looking at a house if it didn’t meet their standards. Things you can add that will increase your home improvement value are things like en suite bathrooms and extra bathrooms, or half baths. Making an en suite bathroom can be as simple as adding a door between the bathroom and the room. Just adding a door can increase your property value by a lot.

Adding another bathroom can be just as easy, and you don’t have to take a mortgage to get it done. If you have a cupboard or pantry that is big enough to hold a toilet and sink, then you can continue from there. This is just another simple way to increase your property value.

Adding an extra bed room, or garage can also increase your home value unbelievably. But if this all seems a little out of price range, a new coat of paint, new flooring, or new cabinets can also increase your home improvement value. If you stick to white with your bathrooms and kitchen it will keep things feeling fresh and bigger. Also, white is a contemporary color and will appeal to most buyers.

If you remember the basic rule that investing a small amount into your home now could increase your home improvement value by a considerable amount in the future, you are sure to do just fine. Keep things contemporary and fresh. Remember your dream home and try to achieve it as much as you can, and watch your home improvement value climb!

Does your home need a little bit of improving? Are you considering putting your home on the market and you think that it could use a few different improvements before you actually put it on the market? If so, there are a lot of different home improvement options for you to choose from that will not only improve the look of your home but will also positively impact the value of it. Whether you are choosing to sell or you just want to improve the home for your own use, home improvement can be a lot of fun and worth the time, effort, and money.

Improving Your Home for Value and Style

When considering home improvement you should know that the bulk of your money would be best spent in the kitchen and in the bathrooms. These are the areas that are not only used the most in the home, but also will benefit you where the value of your home is concerned.

When looking in the kitchen there are several things that you will want to consider when considering home improvement. First, you will want to make sure that you have a well laid out kitchen or a plan for one. When you plan the kitchen you will want to spend a good deal of your budget on new cabinets, hardware for the cabinets, as well as quality countertops such as granite, slate or marble. In addition, stainless steel appliances are always a plus as these are very popular right now.

In the bathroom some of your focus will be the same as it is in the kitchen. You will want to spend a good deal of your budget on a luxurious bathtub as well as a sink and shower enclosure. You should make sure to create a bathroom floor plan that not only looks good, but provides the best use of space. Quality countertops are also a concern in the bathroom.

Throughout the house you should consider things during home improvement such as paint, lighting fixtures, and flooring. Recessed lighting is very popular right now and it gives the look and feel that many people are fond of. Paint colors right now are often neutral but are colors nonetheless and add a touch of warmth to any space. Tile and wood flooring is also a great choice and the products on the market today make these floors easy to care for.

Home improvement is something different to everyone. If you plan on being in the home for more than five to ten years you should definitely gear all of your home improvement choices to your tastes. If you are going to be in the home for less than five years it is a good idea to think about how your choices would appeal to the general population as you will not want to turn off a future buyer with some very specific choices.

The decision to employ a contractor for a home improvement job, room addition, or home repair might not always be an easy one to make. Sometimes, however, it is absolutely necessary to call a professional to handle a job you are unable to do yourself. If you are ready to renovate a bathroom or remodel a kitchen, you want the best person for the job, quality worksmanship at a reasonable priced. Nobody wants to be scammed out of good money for a poor job, but unfortunately it does happen.

Oftentimes, older people are preyed upon in home improvement scams. Taking advantage of a senior citizen’s tight budget, a scam artist may try to double-talk a homeowner into expensive, unneeded repairs, then take the money and run. If any work is done on the home, more than likely it isn’t enough to justify the payment, and also the work may be shoddy and leave the house in worse condition than it was. Such scams are not always perpetrated on older homeowners, however. Therefore, it is important to know what signs to look for so you don’t become ensnared in a fraudulent remodeling job.

What to Look For in a Home Improvement Scam

One possible sign of a con-artist contractor is the approach. If a contractor approaches you for home improvement work unbidden, be warned, especially if he or she is aggressive. Don’t let anyone talk you into repairs or additions you feel your home doesn’t need, and do not allow anyone to come off the street into your home for a “free estimate.” This could actually be a way for somebody to case your home for a future robbery. Even if this person claims to have done work in your area you will want to be on guard. Many contractors find work through customer referrals, so if you are in need of home repairs it is best to get referrals from trusted sources like friends and family.

Be mindful, too, of contracts and payment. If a contractor wants cash up front, or is reluctant to agree to certain terms on a contract, that is usually a red flag. If financing is needed and a contractor insists upon your using his or her referral, that could be another sign. It is not uncommon for unscrupulous contractors to receive kickbacks from creditors they bring into a job. If you need financing, go through your own bank or resource.

Does your contractor have a physical address and phone number, or work primarily through a PO box? This could be another sign of dubious intent. You want to be certain the contractor you choose can easily be found, and is properly licensed and insured. You may wish to avoid anyone who refuses to provide such information.

Be aware of anyone and everyone you approach with a possible home improvement job. Take care to explore recommendations of people you trust and examples of work by potential contractors, and know your legalese before committing a signature to any contract. This is the best way to ensure a job well done without any problems

Home Improvement loans differ from remodeling grants in that the entire amount of a loan has to be repaid to the lender whereas a grant can be seen as a type of gift. However, it is unusual to get the full amount of the repair or improvement works on your house so the costs will have to be partially met by yourself.

Do I qualify for a Remodeling Grant?

1. Home owners aged 62 and older

2. Families with Low Income

3. Applicants who have bad credit

A professional inspector is sent out to the house in any of these scenarios to determine if repairs or renovation is needed.

Before any money is offered you will need to pass an inspection carried out by a professional whose job it is to determine exactly what renovation or repairs are actually required.

Depending upon the type of grant you apply for you will be paid in one lump sum or in payments. A good place to start looking is your local and state government offices or websites. It’s also worth contacting your local Department of Human Services. Each organization sets their own rules about who will receive a home improvement grant.

Because governmental organisations and institutions give out grants that are attached to the area in which they work, you will need to do find grants that that are appropriate to the nature of your repair. If, for example, the desired repair is to your waste management system, you can obtain a grant from the environment office.

If you’re turned down for a remodeling grant then you will have to turn to more traditional methods and try for a subsidised loan. There are lots available with interest rates between 1% and 5% and are usually set up so that repayments cover a longer period. Do your research first though and never borrow beyond your means.

Scenario:

My mother has taken a mobile home loan for a property in Florida. She has another home in South Carolina. Her husband has passed away last summer and for the past 3 months she hasn’t been able to afford the payments. What will happen if she’s unable to pay off the mobile home loan and allows the home to be repossessed? What’s the difference between a repossession and foreclosure? Can the mortgage company put a lien on the other house? What if she sells the other house first? Can they go after the proceeds? Can the company go after her social security money and retirement savings?

Solution:

If the mobile home is a personal property bought from a dealer, and the owner is unable to pay off the mobile home loan (personal property loan), then the dealer (or creditor) will simply repossess property. Repossession means that the creditor will take over the ownership and sell off the home at a public auction.

If the sale price isn’t enough to cover the unpaid debt, then the mobile home owner has to pay it off as he owes the debt. Now, in the situation stated above, your mother has taken out a mobile home mortgage loan and not a personal property loan. So, the home will not be repossessed, rather it will be foreclosed if she is unable to pay off the mobile home loan and doesn’t qualify for a workout plan.

Since your mother couldn’t pay for the past 3 months, therefore she should have a straight talk with the mortgage company. I suppose the company hasn’t contacted her yet with a Notice of Default, so there’s still some time left for her to send a hardship letter and request for an alternative payment plan.

However, if your mother gets a Notice of Default and fails to repay the dues within the specified time period, then company may declare a foreclosure. If your mother fails to negotiate with the company for a workout plan, then the latter will sell off the mobile home through foreclosure sale. And, if the company is not able to recover enough proceeds from the sale, then it may ask for payment of the deficiency amount.

If your mother fails to pay the deficiency amount, the company may file a deficiency judgment and get an order issued by the court. If she still doesn’t pay it or is unable to pay it, then a lien may be placed on the property in South Carolina (SC). But in order to place this lien, the mortgage company will have to seek a sister-judgment. This means that the company will try to get a judgment in SC based on the Florida judgment even though it may not have a license in SC.

If your mother sells the SC property first, there’s a chance that the mortgage company may come after the proceeds provided the latter receives the sister-judgment from that state. The mortgage company cannot place a lien on your mother’s Social Security (SS) check as SS is protected from such liens. As for the retirement savings, the mortgage company may ask your mother to liquidate the entire savings in order to repay the loan but this depends upon the laws in the state of Florida.

To make a living, voice over talents used to have to physically go to gigs recorded in commercial production facilities. Now, gigs can come to them-in home studios and through the Internet. But for many voice over talents, newbie and old pro alike, outfitting a home studio is technically baffling. So, how do you make that spare bedroom or corner of your studio apartment (no pun intended) into a functional voice over facility, with decent acoustics and the appropriate equipment? Let’s take a look at the basics involved in setting up a home voiceover studio.

Selecting your studio space

A studio of any size or recording purpose starts with the space in which it will be located. Isolation from outside sounds is important. If you live in a studio or one-bedroom apartment, then try to locate your “studio” in a corner as far from the door to the hallway and away from windows. Also, a closet can work well as a recording booth. Set up your recording equipment just outside the closet and your microphone inside the closet.

If you live in a two-plus bedroom unit or a single-family home and can dedicate an entire room to your studio, then you’ll have more options available for controlling the acoustics of the space. You’ll want to make sure the room doesn’t sound too “echoey” or “hollow.” Treating these problems can be as simple as putting some overstuffed furniture in the room, along with a rug and some drapes over the windows. Have a lot of old clothes sitting in an attic or basement? You can use them to create a recording “booth” around your mic. Fill three or four rolling clothes racks with clothes and then position them on the sides and back of your mic position.

Of course, you can use professional acoustic materials to control sound reflections. You’ll find an excellent primer on acoustical treatment-in plain English-at Auralex. Check out these acoustical treatment production companies, too: HSF Acoustics; Silent Source; Vocalbooth; Whisper Room.

Selecting your equipment

Once you have your studio space selected, you’ll need to properly equip it in order to deliver pro quality voiceovers to clients. With the latest in digital recording technology and reasonably priced pro microphones, you could spend as little as $1000 for a very basic, yet serviceable, home voiceover studio. That’s assuming you have a decent computer sound card and speakers. The list is quite short: $200-$250 for a microphone. $40 for a mic pop filter to prevent “popping” your Ps, Bs, and Ts. $45 for a mic stand. $200-$250 for a USB or Firewire digital recording interface. $65 for shareware recording software. $45 for headphones. $40 for cables. $100 for sundries. Bare bones, but it will work.

Plug your microphone cable into the digital recording interface, which is a little box that amplifies and processes the signal from the mic. Plug the interface into your computer’s sound card. Plug your headphones into the interface. Load the recording/editing software. A couple of adjustments to volume in and out and you’re ready to record. Voice the copy. Clean it up with an edit or two. Then convert it the voiceover sound file to an.mp3 file, attach it to an email, and send it off to the client via the Internet. To learn more about the equipment listed above, search the web or visit online pro audio dealers. A few good ones are: Full Compass; Sweetwater; B&H Pro Audio; Boynton Pro Audio; BSW.

This simple studio set up is serviceable, but it has its limits. If a client wants to direct you via the phone, then you’ll have to either hold the phone to your ear while you record, or get a hands-free headset. You could also buy a gizmo call a phone hybrid that allows you to speak through your mic down the phone line to your client as you listen to the client’s direction through your headphones.

Learning more

As with any investment, you’ll need to research the equipment you’ll need for your studio, and how to install and use it. See if you can locate a voice talent in your area that may let you visit his or her studio. Visit Mix Magzine or EQ Magazine and check their archives for articles on home studios. Local production houses may be willing to make suggestions, but, remember, by setting up your own studio, you’re indicating to clients that they can cut out the production house by working directly with you. That may not sit well with some production house owners, because the home voiceover explosion has had a detrimental impact on many commercial recording facilities.

That’s a basic home voiceover studio in a nutshell. If you can operate a home stereo and have experience in front of a computer screen, then you can put together and operate a home voiceover studio. With a little practice recording and editing, and some promotion of your home studio, you can quickly recover the cost of your studio and add to begin to add to your bottom line. Happy voicing!