Special Features Of The Colonial Style House

Special Features Of The Colonial Style House

When I lived in the Northeast, the colonial style house was quite common to see. Now, living in the Southeast, I no longer come across this style home. The colonial style house is quite an elegant style with a look of days gone by. If you own a home of this type, you are familiar with its appearance and special features.

Image details: Plantation House served by picapp.com

The house itself is usually a rectangular shape brick home and consists of two or more stories. It always has a pitched roof which usually includes one or more gables. The windows are all the same and evenly spaced throughout the house. Most of the time you will find that each window has a set of shutters. It is a very clean looking, straight lined house.

One of the elements that makes a colonial style house unique in design is the grand entry way. On the outside, there are usually a few steps in front that lead to a porch. It is the front columns that give it that elegant appearance. Upon entering, you come into an entry hall usually with the formal living room on one side and the formal dining room on the other. The staircase with its fancy spindles that leads to the upper rooms is in the front entry hall. Everything else is in the back of the house while all of the bedrooms are on the second floor.

The colonial style house will have beautiful wood floors, moldings and woodwork throughout the home. While the molding and woodwork has always been a common decorative element of this type of home, it has only started to become popular in other types of houses in recent years. Another common design feature of the colonial style house is the fireplace. You will always find at least one or more fireplaces in this home.

The best décor for this type of home is Early American. Using spindle back chairs, wood tables and hand made crafts to decorate will bring these homes to life. They appear warm and cozy with the warm colored walls, needlepoint chairs and quilted blankets. The best type of window treatment is a wood or brass rod with tab top curtains.

I remember walking into this type of house and having the feeling that I was stepping back in time. If it was built a long time ago, you begin to wonder who lived there before. What is the history of the home? Even if this is not your style home to live in, it is worth visiting one to appreciate their architecture.

There are many old and new colonial style homes throughout the country. If you live in one, tell us about any special features you have in your home that might be different than others.

Subscribe to this blog's RSS feed

One of the most important things to do when purchasing a home is having a home inspection. By doing this, you will not only have peace of mind but will save yourself money by knowing if there are any issues with the home. The cost of the inspection is minimal compared to a major repair that may have to be done. Make sure to use a licensed inspector for this as they are trained to look for things that may not be very noticeable to the untrained eye.. Here are some things that are checked during a home inspection.

If the home is not occupied, make sure that the electric is turned on and active. The inspector needs the electric in order to check the appliances. He will check the heating and cooling systems, the washing machine, the dryer, the stove and any other appliance that is part of the transaction. He will also inspect the plumbing and electrical systems of the home.

Checking the roof for damage is another thing the inspector will do. He will also check the fascia and soffits and gutters. He will be looking at the foundation and structure of the house for cracks that may cause problems or need to be repaired. He will make note of any rotten or deteriorated wood around the home. If there is a sprinkler system attached to a well, he will put the pump on to make sure that it is working properly and will check the pressure of the well pump. He will also check to see if the sprinkler heads are in place. If there is a pool, he will check the condition of the pool along with the pool pump. Again, he will put the pump on to make sure that it has enough pressure and is working properly.

One of the most important parts of an inspection is checking for termites and other wood destroying organisms. What may look like old wood to you may really be termites. If this is discovered, it should be taken care of prior to the final transaction of purchasing the home. After all, this is not something you will want to be responsible for as soon as you buy a home. It can be an very costly endeavor. If it is wood destroying organisms such as ants, you can possibly replace the wood yourself.

Any mold found on the interior of the home also can become an issue. Mold can be very dangerous to your health. If mold is found, your inspector can advise you on what the next step is to take in order to make certain that it can be removed and will not come back.

The inspector will look at the walls, ceilings and floors. He will also look at any visible insulation, windows and doors. If there is an attic and basement, he will also check those areas along with heating and cooling ducts.

This is why it is vital to have a home inspection done by a licensed inspector. It will give you peace of mind and can prevent you from making a very costly mistake.

Did you or did you not have a home inspection? Go ahead and reply in the comment section below.

Home Inspection Business from A to Z: Real Estate Home Inspector, Homeowner, Home Buyer and Seller Survival Kit Series (Real Estate from a to Z)

Inspecting a House (For Pros by Pros)

Healthy Home Kit: Inspecting for Environmental Hazards Working With Professionals to Avoid Risks Cleaning Up Radon, Lead, Asbestos and More!

Homeowners Insurance is one of those must haves when you own a home. In fact, it is a required when you have a mortgage, but like all types of insurances, it has been steadily on the rise. If you live in a high risk area as I do, it has more than doubled in the past few years. By working closely with my insurance agent, I found that there are ways to save money on my policy. Here is some important information that you should know about your homeowners insurance policy that just might save you some money.

• Make sure to shop around . Since different agents write policies with different companies, you will find that the rates will vary. After receiving a quote, you must look over the policy being offered. Many times there are unnecessary additional items which you can remove to save some money.

• Sit with your insurance agent and go over every line item on the insurance policy quote. They will be able to explain each item for you so you can determine if it is necessary.

• By raising the deductible, you will decrease the cost of the insurance policy. Be sure not to raise it too much and make certain that you are comfortable with the proposed deductible. Whatever your deductible is, you should have this amount available in savings to cover that costs should something happen.

• Do not insure the land that your house sits on. If you deduct the value of the land from the total value of the home, you will have the amount of coverage you should carry.

• Do not add in the value of a shed to the value of the home. Outdoor personal property is covered under the line item “unattached structures“.

• Do not add in the value of a pool. But you should carry a high personal liability such as $300,000 if you have a pool in case of accidents.

• Try to get a policy with the same company as your auto insurance. This will give you a multiple policy discount.

• You will receive a discount for items such as security systems and hurricane shutters (if you live in a hurricane prone area). Make sure to tell your agent about this.

• Make sure to tell your agent of any major repairs you have made such new electrical wiring, heating system, air conditioning system, roof and plumbing. You will also receive a discount for these items.

• If you are over 55, ask if you can receive a senior citizen discount.

• If your home is located in a flood zone, it is important to carry flood insurance.

• After you have called several insurance agents for quotes, compare each of the policies. Do not stop and accept the first quote you receive. You will be surprised to see the different quotes you receive from different companies.

• If you home is paid in full, do not let your policy lapse. Depending on where you live, it can be very difficult to find a company that will issue you a policy.

Homeowners insurance is a necessity and something that you need to take control of. While at the same time you want to save some money, you also must be comfortable with the policy that you agreed on. Next time you are renewing your policy, don’t forget to take a look at this list of how to save money on your homeowners insurance bill.

If you know of any other ways to save on homeowners insurance, please share them with us. Today everyone is concerned about saving some money.

When I purchased my first home, I had no idea where to start. I would look in the newspaper or real estate magazines and just call the realtor who was advertising the home that I wanted to look at. I made the same mistake when selling my first home. Many years and mistakes later, I finally realized that there are important things to consider when choosing a realtor whether you are buying or selling a home.

If you are purchasing a home, it is a wise choice to find a buyer’s agent. These agents work exclusively with buyers and, therefore, work for you. If you are selling a home, the agent that list the house and places the house ad is the selling agent.

For today, let’s say you want to sell your home. By doing these things, you will able to sit back and be assured that you have wisely chosen a realtor.

• Try to get referrals from friends or family.

• Interview at least three agents and make sure to ask questions.

• The agent must have an active real estate license and be in good standing.

• They should belong to the multiple listing service (mls).

• Being an agent should be their full time job.

• You should ask how long they have been in the business.

• When choosing a seller’s agent, you should ask how many homes they have listed and sold over the past year.

• They should have a presence on the internet.

• When choosing a realtor, you should ask for references.

• You want to choose an agent who handles homes in your price range.

• When interviewing an agent, make sure that they listen to you. If you ask questions, they should give clear explanations that you easily understand.

• They should be a member of the National Association of Realtors (NAR). This association has a very strict code of ethics.

• What will they do for their commission? Do they arrange for inspections, work with mortgage companies and title companies.

• Many states now have license information online. You should check with your state to see if any complaints were filed against a realtor of your choice.

Many of us don’t realize that a realtor is working for you while at the same time working for other people. You are the one who is going to pay them and so, therefore, you want to be comfortable with them. You also want to be assured that they are going to do their best for you. Whether you are buying or selling a home, it is a very big financial investment and should not be taken lightly. With a little bit of homework and your list of important things to consider when choosing a realtor, you will be able to pick the best agent for your peace of mind.

If you have had experience with choosing a realtor or are in the process of choosing one, I would love from you.

It’s in the news and everywhere we turn. It’s all about the mortgage industry and how it is falling apart. The reality is that the unconventional types of mortgages have created problems and are probably a thing of the past. The risky way of qualifying for a mortgage is also becoming a thing of the past while
the historical conventional way is still around. So if you are looking for a new mortgage or a refinance, remember these tips so you know how to choose the right mortgage to avoid trouble later.

Image details: Miniature house and bank loan brochures served by picapp.com

Basically, we are back to the old fashioned conventional, FHA and VA mortgages. Although all mortgages have their risk, these types are the good, quality mortgages that are still available. Which one you choose will depend on your financial situation, your credit score and your lender.

More importantly at this point is whether to take a fixed rate or an adjustable rate mortgage. For many years in the past, everyone wanted a fixed rate. Then, it seemed like all of the sudden, the tides changed. All of the hype was geared to the adjustable rate mortgage. This type of loan was highly advertised because people were qualified based on the initial low rate at the time of application, not the going fixed rate or the potential higher adjustable rate. The lender’s reasoning for using an adjustable rate was that most people move within three years or will refinance within three years. The last reason for justifying the use of an adjustable rate always puzzled me. Reasoning was that within three years of taking an adjustable rate loan you would have a better job, get a promotion or have a salary increase which would take care of the increase in rate and mortgage payment. In the end, more people were able to get approved and lenders were able to close more loans.

Now things have changed. If someone wants an adjustable rate, they must qualify based on the fixed rate at the time of application. Although this is better than it was in the past, there are no guarantees of what the fixed rate is going to be in the future. Making the choice between fixed rate and adjustable rate is probably the most important decision you will make.

With a fixed rate loan, your principal and interest will stay the same for the life of the loan. Taxes and insurance might and usually do go up which will increase your payment. The fixed rate is not that much higher than an adjustable rate and you will not have to refinance if there is no other needs.

You probably already know that the adjustable rate loan payment will change depending on the terms that you agreed upon along with tax and insurance increases. With this you can always refinance. The risk is that your credit has changed or the fixed rate is higher and you cannot qualify. Keep in mind that every time you refinance, there is a cost to pay. Closing costs can add anywhere from $3000 to $6000 or more on to the loan amount.

Everyone needs to make their own decision when choosing which way to go. I, personally, am a fixed rate enthusiast. I don’t like risks or surprises. And I don’t like to keep paying the bank more money to do another loan. It becomes a vicious cycle. My theory is, get it done and get it paid off as quick as possible.

So there you have it. You have just read about the good, the bad and the ugly. I hope this helps you when making your decision when choosing the right mortgage which, by the way, is your decision and only your decision. Do let anyone else do it for you or talk you into something that you are not comfortable with.

Need to talk about this? Go ahead and post your thoughts below.