Joe D., Author at Funding Programs for Homeowners

Many people spend a good portion of the year waiting for summer to come. Being able to sit outside in the sun and enjoy the warm weather is a relaxing way to spend the day. Once this weather starts, you might feel relieved to not have to deal with the cold. However, the heat can lose its charm quickly, especially inside your house. At the end of a hot summer day, you want to feel cool and comfortable inside your house.

Blasting the AC all summer can feel great, but not once you see your electricity bill. You don’t want to deal with the cost of running your air conditioning all the time, but you have to get some relief from the heat.

Check out these eight ways you can lower your electricity bill over the summer.

Don’t Have the AC on All Day

This might seem obvious, but many of us are guilty of doing it. It can be easy to keep your air conditioning running all day without realizing it. You might even accidentally leave the AC on when you’re not in the house or in certain rooms. Once your house is a comfortable temperature, you can go without the AC. If it’s a slightly cooler summer day, you might not even need the air conditioning at all.

Install a Smart Thermostat

A great way to manage your electric bill, and eventually your heat bill, is with a smart thermostat. With a smart thermostat, you won’t have to put any effort into effectively heating and cooling your home. Over time, your smart thermostat will pick up on your preferences and cool and heat your home the way you like without you having to do anything. These thermostats will know exactly when to cool your house and to what temperature, so the AC will only run when you need it.

Get Energy-Efficient Appliances

There are ways to keep your AC on and not worry about the cost of running it. Today, there are plenty of air conditioning units on the market that are energy-efficient. An energy-efficient air conditioning unit will be just as good at cooling your home, This way, you can turn your AC on when you need it and know you’re doing the best you can to reduce the amount of energy you use.

Clean AC Vents and Filters

When was the last time you cleaned your air conditioning unit? This is supposed to be done regularly, but many of us end up forgetting about it. It might seem like your AC is running perfectly fine, but built-up dirt can be causing it to struggle. Dirt in the vents and filters can be causing your AC to work harder and use more energy to cool your house as well as an AC that’s well maintained. Regular cleaning can ensure your air conditioning unit is as effective as it can be.

Invest in insulation

If you’re concerned about the cost of heating and cooling your home, you might need new insulation. Without the right insulation, you could be practically throwing money away. A properly insulated house will do a better job of keeping the cool air from your AC in. Of course, getting all new insulation in your home can be a big expense, but it will be useful in every season for years.

Get a Fan

Using your AC less doesn’t mean you can’t use any appliances at all. Placing a fan in the right spot can also help cool air from your air conditioning unit circulate easier, which means you might not need to run it as long to cool down a room. On a day that isn’t too hot, a fan can also be used in place of your AC.

Buy New Blinds and Curtains

Letting the sunlight shine in your home can often be calming. However, this can be causing your house to heat up. If you’ve ever sat where a sunbeam is shooting, you know how warm this can get. With heavy blinds and curtains, you can block this warm light from getting in. This will also be beneficial in the winter if you have drafty windows that let in the cold.

Open the Windows

Not every summer day is going to be scorching hot. On a breezy day when the temperature is a bit cooler, turn off your AC and open your windows. This is also true for many summer nights when the temperature can drop quickly. Keeping the windows open on a comfortable summer day isn’t just great because you’re saving energy, filling your home with fresh air is another reason to consider doing this more often.

Apply for Home Renovation Loans

Some of the changes you need to make to lower your electric bill can come at a cost. If you need new windows or insulation to keep your home comfortable, you need to figure out how you’ll afford this. Paying for this out of pocket isn’t always possible, but a home renovation loan can help.

Contact Homeowner Funding to find out how we can help you afford your next renovation project.

The siding of your house is one of those aspects of home improvement that is easy to ignore. Siding sits there on the house for years, not attracting much attention. However, siding is actually among the most important parts of your home safety and security. Siding exists to protect the structure itself from the harshness of the elements. Rain, wind, snow, and hail can all damage the exteriors of homes over time. The right kind of siding also protects you and your family from experiencing more of the heat or cold from outside.

You can see why it is so vital that you choose a quality siding for your home. Maybe the siding on your current home is now several decades old, and you are looking for a replacement.

At Homeowner Funding, we offer siding financing for vinyl home siding, which is one of the best choices out there for house siding. But if you want to be presented with a list of options, here are three house siding products for you to consider.

Vinyl Siding

We want to mention vinyl siding first not just because we work with it all the time, but because of its exceptional quality and value. When you have vinyl siding covering your house, you know you are getting a product that resists weather, insects, and even fading from the sun. It’s also a versatile product that you can buy in all kinds of colors and facades. Perhaps best of all, vinyl siding, once installed, doesn’t need much maintenance other than a good power wash now and again. That’s because vinyl is susceptible to collecting and showing dirt from the air. But that is truly the worst of the issues here. Get in touch with Homeowner Funding to discuss our vinyl siding financing options!

Wood Siding

Next up on our list is wood siding. This is an option you may not see on homes too often, but it offers a truly beautiful, rustic, and relaxing look when it covers an entire house. Cedar is a top-quality wood you can get for your home, but keep in mind it tends to be more expensive than other woods, such as pine. With all woods, however, you will have to perform some maintenance to keep the siding strong and healthy, since rot, fading, and splitting can set in after so many years. You will want to power wash and seal your wood siding on a schedule to make the siding last as long as possible. When all this is done correctly, wood siding will provide your home with excellent resistance from outdoor elements.

Fiber Cement Siding

The last item here is fiber cement siding, a product constructed from cement and cellulose fibers. Compositing cement and these plant fibers creates a siding that resists moisture, rot, fire, insects, and weather. Fiber cement siding is considered one of the best on the market for these reasons. You may even find that your home insurance company provides you with a discount for having it installed. DIYers, take note, however: fiber cement squares take some expertise to handle, cut, and install properly, so professionals installation is strongly recommended. In any case, all the positive qualities of fiber cement siding show that you really can’t go wrong with this particular siding option.

Get Vinyl Siding Funding from Homeowner Funding

Homeowner Funding has been working for a long time to provide the citizens of the Northeastern United States with reasonable home renovation loans for all their home improvement projects.

We understand the right type of siding is essential for any homeowner, but we also know that not everyone can afford what they need right now. Updating your home can get expensive. To make it all a little easier for you, we offer siding funding at competitive interest rates. We install your siding, and you repay the loan later. It’s that easy. Our loans have allowed thousands of families to start remodeling the homes of their dreams. We can do the same for you.

Most homeowners have a long list of improvements they’d like to do around the house. Some of these might be projects that absolutely have to be done, but there are plenty of purely aesthetic changes that will just make you enjoy your home more. Whatever the reason for your home improvements, this can be a lot of work to take on. Being able to handle home improvement projects yourself is something many of us lack the skill for, so you often have to hire a professional. No matter the size of the project or who’s doing it, this can be extremely successful. The cost of completing these projects can keep people from doing them, but it doesn’t have to be like this.

Home improvement loans can help make your next renovation project possible. Here, you can learn more about how these loans work.

What is a Home Improvement Loan?

A home improvement loan is similar to any other type of loan you take out, but the funds from these loans are used specifically to help you maintain your home. Rather than paying out of pocket for renovations or putting it all on your credit cards, you can get the amount you need when you need it and pay it back later, likely with a monthly payment plan. Using a home improvement loan is more beneficial by charging your home repair projects to a credit card because the interest rates are often much lower. Your credit card might also not allow you to spend as much as a home improvement loan, which can make it difficult for larger home improvement projects.

How you use these funds to cover your home improvement projects is up to you. It’s your home, so you should be in control over what repairs and improvements you want, not the moneylender. You can fund a variety of home improvement projects, including anything from insulation to an updated bathroom.

There are two different types of home improvement loans, secured and unsecured. For a secured home improvement loan, you’ll need to provide some type of collateral. Many of these loans will use your home as collateral so ensure they receive payment. With an unsecured home improvement loan, you won’t have to offer up any of your possessions, but there can be other hurdles to get through. Because no collateral is involved, an unsecure loan can be much harder to qualify for.

How Do You Qualify for a Home Improvement Loan?

Like any other loan, you’ll need a good credit score to qualify for a home improvement loan. What credit score you’ll need to qualify will vary from lender to lender. The better your credit score is, the better your chances of being approved for a good loan. If your home improvement loan is an unsecure loan, you should expect it to require a higher credit score. Your credit score can make a big difference in the loan you qualify for. For those with lower credit scores, you might only be approved for a low loan amount or get stuck with a higher interest rate.

If your credit score isn’t great and your home repairs aren’t urgent, it could be more beneficial for you to put off your improvement project and work on getting a better credit score in the meantime. There are a number of ways you can improve your credit score, and what needs to be done will vary from person to person. For example, you could make an effort to get all of your bills paid on time or work on paying off debts you currently owe.

Apply for a Home Improvement Loan Today

Taking out a loan is a big decision to make, and, understandably, that most people will have a few questions before they do it. You want to fully understand how your loan will work before you agree to it. Applying for a loan can sometimes be a hassle, but at Homeowner Funding, we work hard to make this process easy for you. We’re here to discuss your options for your home improvement plans and how we can help fund them.
If you have questions about getting a home improvement loan, contact us today.

Many of us hope to find our forever homes, but you’ll likely live somewhere else before you get there. Even if you don’t plan on staying in your current home forever, it’s still a huge investment. You want to feel comfortable and happy while you’re there, but you also want to be able to get as much as possible for it when it’s time to sell.

There are many ways that you can improve your home’s value, whether it’s through major renovations or smaller DIY projects. Here are eight ways to boost your home’s value when you’re ready to sell it.

Improve Your Curb Appeal

A house that looks bad from the outside can have potential buyers driving right past it. This is the first thing buyers notice, so it’s important that you get your first impression right. The most common advice for people looking for ways to boost their home’s value is to work on its curb appeal. If you have the space for a garden in front of your home, some flowers or small shrubs can instantly make your home look more attractive. Even if this isn’t an option, making sure your lawn is on top-shape can make a huge difference on its own. For something more major, consider investing in new siding if yours is getting too old. Old windows and doors can also be obvious from the outside, so they should be updated as well.

Create More Space

Some buyers want a new house because they want something smaller than their current home, but many are looking for the opposite. As a family grows, they tend to look for houses with more space, or small households might want a bigger space for their possessions. If your house is on the smaller side, you might benefit from an addition when you’re selling it. One extra room in your house can have a huge difference, especially if it’s an addition like a sunroom.

Make it Energy-Efficient

No one wants to spend a fortune each year to heat and cool their homes, or for any other utilities. Because of this, making your home more efficient is one of the best things you can do to boost its value. This also becomes more important for buyers as people want to find more ways to live environmentally-friendly lives. There are many ways you get work towards getting your home more energy-efficient, but one of the best is getting a new installation. With installation you can rely on, you won’t have to worry about outside temperatures getting in or make your HVAC system work harder than it has to.

Renovate Your Bathroom

Every room of your house is important when you’re trying to sell, but the bathrooms are especially important. Styles can change and quickly make your bathroom outdated, but frequent use and exposure to water can also require a renovation. Every detail of your bathroom can make a difference, but especially bathtubs and showers. These have to be not only functional, but also relaxing. Everyone dreams of having the perfect bathroom, and buyers will be ready to pay for a luxury like that.

Finish Any Important Repairs

Fixer-uppers are extremely common, but there are still many people who don’t want to have to do any major renovations on a home. If your home needs expensive repairs done soon, buyers might lose interest because of the hassle, or they might expect you to lower the cost for them. Homeowners who already know that there are urgent repairs, like a new roof, or will need to be done soon should take care of it themselves before selling. Buyers could be willing to pay more for a home that’s fully up to date in terms of repairs.

Turn it Into a Smart Home

Just a few years ago, it may have seemed like something meant for far into the future, but today, smart homes are a reality for many people. A smart home might not be a requirement for many buyers, but it can be a huge benefit to have. Changing your home into a smart home can be a great way to set yourself apart from the competition and make buyers more willing to spend more for your home. Many of the changes you can make to turn your home into a smart home aren’t as complicated or expensive as you might think, but it can still help boost your home’s value.

Update Your Kitchen

Like your bathrooms, buyers will be paying extra attention to your kitchen. Many think of the kitchen as the heart of the home, so you can be sure buyers are paying attention to yours. If there’s one thing that can really draw buyers in, it’s a stunning bathroom. Some kitchens might require a huge renovation where everything needs to be gutted and completely redone, but others might need some small changes like a new backsplash or a new paint color on the cabinets.

Make Some Cosmetic Updates

Not all the ways to fix up your house have to be difficult, it can be as simple as just making it look nice. You want your home to look its best when buyers walk through, and this is something you can likely do yourself. If it’s been a while since your home’s last cosmetic update, now is the time to refresh it. This can be something as simple and fresh coats of paint throughout the house or even a professional deep cleaning to make everything look like new.

Get Help Funding Your Home Renovations

Renovations will benefit you in the long run, but until then, they can be a huge expense that you might not be able to take on by yourself. If you have a home improvement project planned that can help boost your home’s value, let Homeowner Funding help. We can work with you to get funding that will make your renovations possible.

The job of a homeowner never feels like it’s fully over. No matter how much work you put into your home, something else always seems to come up that quickly requires your attention. There’s no doubt that a large amount of time and work goes into the basics of taking care of a house. You have to put in this work just for upkeep, but you’ll have to do even more to turn it into a house you love. Every house requires repairs and cosmetic renovations from time to time, but that doesn’t mean it’s easy.

Renovations can always cause stress when parts of your home are being worked on or if you’re taking on the hard work yourself. They can also cause a significant amount of financial stress. Most renovation projects come at a huge cost, so paying for it out of pocket isn’t usually an option.

Here are a few ways you can finance your next home renovation.

Credit Cards

Your mind might go straight to credit cards for anything you aren’t able to pay for right away. Most of us rely on our credit cards to cover the costs of everything we need frequently. While this can be a huge help, it can also cause you some problems down the road. Paying for a home renovation with a credit card can lead to extremely high interest rates on top of the already expensive cost of the renovation. If you have a major renovation, a credit card is likely not going to be a good choice to pay for it. However, this can still be an option if you have smaller home improvement projects, like new paint or minor repairs.

Homeowner Loans

The way many people can finance their home renovations is through homeowner loans. These loans are similar to any other type of loan you can apply for, but are meant specifically for home renovations and repairs. This gives you easy access to the funds you need to pay for your renovations and gives you the chance to pay it off over time later. Homeowner loans can also be incredibly flexible, you can do what you want to your home, rather than giving control of your renovations to your lender.

Refinance Your Mortgage

To afford a large purchase, many people decide to refinance their mortgage. You’ll still have to pay off the new mortgage, but you won’t have to worry about taking on an additional loan. It’s common to refinance your mortgage for many reasons, but you should only do it under certain circumstances. Unless you’re refinancing for a lower interest rate, you should try to avoid refinancing. If you aren’t smart about refinancing, you could end up paying significantly more for your mortgage than you would have.

Apply for a Government Grant

Some might be able to qualify for a government grant to cover the cost of their renovations. A grant can be much more beneficial than a loan because you won’t have to pay back the money that you’re given. Getting money to complete your home repairs without having to worry about paying it back might seem like the option everyone should do. However, few people will be eligible to receive a grant for their home improvement project. Government grants can be an option for the elderly or people with disabilities to make their homes safer, for people looking to make their homes more environmentally-friendly, and more. With a grant, you might also have more limitations regarding what types of renovations you’ll be able to do.

Homeowner Loans Made Easy

A homeowner loan is the best option for most people who are looking to take on home renovations. This gives homeowners the funding and freedom to improve their homes how they want. While this is often the best option, many people might be wary of it because of how difficult applying for a loan can sometimes be. At Homeowner Funding, we want to see homeowners get the funding they need to create a dream home, which is why we work hard to make the process as easy as it can be.

People all over the country dream of the day they can buy their own home. Finally buying a home for yourself can be a great feeling, knowing you have a place to call your own and no longer need to worry about renting. However, being a homeowner comes with plenty of challenges. One of the largest concerns that people run into as homeowners is doing home repairs and improvements. Needing a repair of any size can be stressful enough, but figuring out how to afford it is another problem itself.

Home improvements can quickly get to be extremely expensive and many homeowners can’t afford it on their own. This can cause a lot of problems, as many home repairs aren’t simply something you want, but something your home needs. If you’re trying to figure out how you’ll pay for your next home improvement project, here are some common ways people do it.

Do It Yourself

One of the easiest ways of affording home improvement projects is by doing it yourself. Of course, this doesn’t work for every project, but it’s something to keep in mind when you’re able to do it. Many smaller home repairs and improvements are things that you can easily take on by yourself. Tasks like painting the walls, for example, might be something some might prefer to hire someone to do, but if you’re physically able to do this, there’s no reason to spend more money on a small improvement. For other home repairs, you might be able to do just enough until you’re able to afford a professional to come in.

If there are improvements that require more skill than you might possess, you might have a friend or family member who’s qualified to do it. While you’ll still have to compensate them for their expertise, you’ll likely be able to get the job done for much less than hiring a different professional. If you’re struggling to afford your home repairs, using resources like this that are already available to you can bring costs down significantly.

Dig Into Your Savings

Ideally, if you need home repairs done, you could reach into what you have saved up to cover the costs. Savings accounts are a great way of paying for home repairs if this is something feasible for you. Of course, this isn’t always possible for everyone. If you have major repairs that your home needs, this might be more than you have saved up.

For smaller repairs and improvements, taking something out of a savings account might be the best way of paying for it. You might not be able to reside your house or add on a new room with this method, but you might be able to do some aesthetic improvements, like new cabinets or flooring. This might also be the most stress-free way of paying for improvements, since you’ll be for it and be done.

Get a Home Improvement Loan

For home improvements and repairs that you just can’t manage to pay by yourself, a home improvement loan is the best solution. This provides you with a personal loan that can help you cover the costs of many of the important home repairs that you need. This can help you tackle the major improvements on your list, like a new roof. Home improvement loans make it possible for you to get the amount you need when you need it and then pay it back over time. You can get a home improvement loan relatively quickly to get your repairs and improvements started as soon as possible.

Getting a home improvement loan might seem difficult, but it’s easier than many people think, as long as you’re getting it from the right place. At Homeowner Funding, we know how important it is for homeowners to get access funds that make it possible to afford home improvements. Our goal is to make affording home improvements as easy as possible for our clients. We can help you get funding for a variety of different home improvement projects so that you have whatever assistance you need.

Don’t worry any longer about how you’ll be able to pay for your next home renovation projects. Contact Homeowner Funding today to apply for a home improvement loan.

Most of us have a long list of home improvement projects that we’d like to do. Many times, these projects aren’t just aesthetic want, but ones that are necessary for our homes. Over time, many parts of a house will need to be updated due to age and regular wear and tear. We all need repairs and improvements, but that doesn’t mean they’re affordable. Due to the expensive cost of renovations, many people put them aside until they’re more feasible, even if they desperately need them. Of course, you also want to know that you’re working with the best contractors available, which is well worth the cost for the service you get.

Not only are home repairs expensive, but they require a huge amount of work. If you have improvement projects that need to get done, here’s some information on how to do it.

Common Projects

Bathroom Renovations

Few people have the bathroom of their dreams. Not only may your bathroom be outdated appearance-wise, but it might also need a renovation if it has problems due to age. Bathrooms get a lot of use out of them, not to mention constant exposure to water. Because of this, renovating your bathroom might be essential. You might also need some improvements done as you or another member of your house ages. Some bathtubs can become dangerous as we age, so you might need a new bathtub installed to make it safer.

New Additions

Adding a new room to your home is a huge decision. With just one addition, your home may have a completely different feel to it. You’ll suddenly have more room for storage as well as a new place to spend quality time with family and friends. There are plenty of benefits to adding onto your home, which is what makes this such a popular renovation project. If you need more space at home, a new addition is something you might want to start considering.

Siding

Siding is likely the first thing people see when they pass by your house. If you have high-quality siding in a color you love, you might feel great knowing everyone’s looking at it. However, many of us aren’t so proud of our home’s siding. Maybe at one point, you loved your siding, but it doesn’t last forever. A house’s siding is exposed to sunlight every day that can cause it to fade, not to mention bad weather year after year. Good siding not only makes a great impression on people passing by, but it also protects your home from the elements. When you’re getting new siding, you might also want to see how new home insulation can help your home.

Roofing

You probably don’t pay too much attention to your roof, but that doesn’t mean it’s not doing a lot to you. Just like your siding, your roof gets put through a lot when it comes to exposure and the weather. When you need a new roof, it’s usually not an option. It might be time to replace your roof due to age or maybe it’s more recent, but it’s been damaged from bad weather. Replacing your current roof will be unavoidable at some point, so most homeowners will do this eventually if they’re in the same house long enough.

Insulation Windows and Doors

New doors and windows can look beautiful both inside and outside, but they also have plenty of other benefits for homeowners. Drafty windows and doors can be costing you a lot of money to heat and cool your home. High-quality windows and doors can also keep your home safe. If your current windows and doors aren’t properly fitted or the locks aren’t great quality, consider getting them replaced with something new and safe.

How to Afford Improvements

With so many repairs and improvements, how are you supposed to be able to afford all of this? Paying out of pocket isn’t an option for most of us. When you have repairs that need to get done, you need home improvement financing. With this, you can get a loan that allows you to cover the costs of all the repairs you need. We can help you get the best contractors that can do beautiful, high-quality repairs and improvements for your home.

We know how important it is to be able to do repairs on your home. At Homeowner Funding, we can help make all of your home renovation projects possible. To get started on your next improvements project, contact us to learn more.

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