Category: Mortgages

House

House Hunting? Here’s Our Advice

Maybe you’ve put your house on the market, are ready to move out of your apartment or are just seeing what options are out there. Whatever your reason for house hunting is, we’re here to help make it as stress‐free as possible with some helpful advice.

1. Get Pre-Approved So You Know Your Budget

Before you jump the gun and start falling in love with houses outside of your price range, it’s important to get pre‐approved for a mortgage so you know your budget. This will give you an idea of what a bank is willing to loan you.

2. Make a List of Your Must-Haves

There are some things that are non‐negotiable when it comes to finding the right house. Make a list of things you absolutely need such as a certain number of bedrooms, the size of your yard and the overall condition of the house. Do you want it to be move‐in ready or are you looking for a fixer‐upper? Do you prefer houses that are newer or are you open to older houses as well? These are all good questions to answer before the house hunt begins.

3. Narrow Down the Location & Explore the Area

This is even more necessary if you have kids or plan to during your time living in the new house. Where your house is located will determine where your kids go to school which is an important part of the decision process. The location also determines how far you’ll commute to work, the pool or parks you take your kids to, where you go to shop and much more.

You may love everything about a house, but you also must love the neighborhood and area you’d be living in. Take some time to explore, go on a walk around the neighborhood, visit some restaurants nearby, talk to potential neighbors to see if they enjoy the area, etc.

4. Visit Open Houses

Going to open houses is a great way to help you build the “must‐haves” list we discussed earlier. You may not have realized you wanted a feature in your house until you see it, or you might not like a feature that you originally thought you wanted. Exploring open houses whenever possible will help you figure out exactly what you’re looking for.

5. Don’t Decide Before Visiting

Online house hunting is very popular, and many people find their dream home before they ever step foot inside. Gather your options and have an open mind when looking around instead of having a favorite before you even visit.

We’ve got you covered when it comes to home loans, so reach out to our team to learn more. Happy
house hunting!

Peoples Bank & Trust Co.

Member FDIC

Equal Housing Lender

NMLS # 407724

House

How-To: Staging Your House to Sell

If you’re preparing to sell your home, you’re in the right place. We’re here to provide you with 8 helpful house staging tips so you can make the most of your space and grab the attention of prospective buyers.

1. Focus on the curb appeal.

Curb appeal is huge when it comes to first impressions. Some good and relatively cheap ways to make the outside of your home more attractive are to repaint the front door, lay fresh mulch, add more greenery, get a new welcome mat or make your porch presentable by adding some outdoor furniture.

2. Make sure your house smells its best.

You might not have considered the importance of how your house smells, but it can have an immediate effect on the way the buyers feel and think. Making sure your house is full of pleasant aromas gives a good first impression. This can be done by using a diffuser, candles, fragrant flowers, plug‐in air fresheners and more.

3. Don’t overdo the furniture.

Get rid of clutter to make your rooms look bigger and more spacious. When potential buyers are walking around the house, they’ll want plenty of space to check it out without running into things, so avoid crowding the space. Next, rethink the placement of your furniture. All spaces are different so there isn’t a universal rule but be sure to place the furniture in a way that creates good traffic flow but still makes the room feel cozy.

4. Add some upgrades to your kitchen.

The kitchen is usually the make‐or‐break space for buyers, so if you’re going to update anything in your home, the kitchen is the best place to start. Clear clutter off the countertops, consider updating your backsplash, repaint the cabinets or replace the sink. All these things can make a big positive difference to the overall look of your kitchen.

5. Un-personalize your home.

Now’s a good time to remove those personal items like family photos, collectibles or your kid’s artwork. Replace them with generic decorations that will allow potential buyers to picture themselves in your home.

6. Lighten and brighten each room.

Now is a good time to improve the lighting in your home. You want your space to look welcoming, so don’t just depend on one lightbulb to light the entire room. Add accent lamps and replace the bulbs for a brighter, warmer feel.

7. Clean the bathroom, then clean it again.

The best way to turn potential buyers away is to have an unappealing bathroom. This means you should deep clean it, de‐clutter the counterspace, display new towels, add a candle and some cute counter décor and you’re good to go.

If your next step is to apply for a home loan, our mortgage experts are here to help. Contact us to learn more and good luck staging and selling your home!

Peoples Bank & Trust Co.

Member FDIC

Equal Housing Lender

NMLS #407724

house for sale

How To Sell My Home Fast

The housing market is ideal for both buyers and sellers at this time of year. Things are moving quickly so in order to sell your home fast; you need to be ready to move and groove! We’ve created this blog with tips and helpful advice on how you can sell your home fast. 

Choose FSBO or Realtor 

Choose if you will be selling the home yourself (for sale by owner) or if you will be using a realtor. The realtor knows the process and can get things rolling – they may also have connections for potential buyers. But if you are selling on your own, that can save you some money. Just make sure you have things lined up in case you get an offer, such as a purchase agreement and seller disclosure. You can contact your local lawyer/law firm for help with this. 

Declutter 

The most important thing is to declutter and clean your home so it looks larger than it may actually be. People want to look at pictures or in person and feel like the home is clean and move-in ready! They don’t want to see a lot of work they will need to do right away when moving in. Lots of boxes and extra furniture in rooms can make a buyer feel overwhelmed as they won’t be able to imagine their things within your home. 

Post Everywhere 

Don’t just use Zillow and Realtor.com – post on Facebook Marketplace, your social media platforms and so on. Everyone is utilizing social media as a platform to find and buy things which means posting your home there can get widespread views once family and friends start sharing the post.  

Price Fairly 

Don’t go top dollar but don’t go too low either. Whether you are selling on your own or have a realtor, it’s important to look at comparable homes in your area to see what they are priced at and recently sold for. This will give you a good idea on what to list your home for so it’s not too high. Doing so will also set you up for the conversation on how much you are willing to go down if a price reduction is needed or a buyer wants to feel like they got a deal. 

Be Ready to Show 

When it works for someone to come see the home, make it work for you – even if you need to move things around. It’s important to make the buyer feel like seeing your home is easy so they don’t get a bad feeling about having to reschedule a showing a few times due to your schedule or issues with access to the home. The quicker you can get people in, the quicker you can get the home sold! 

We hope you find success in selling your home fast! When you find your next home, we’re ready to help with the mortgage process so you have the funding needed. 

Peoples Bank & Trust Co. 

Member FDIC 

Equal Housing Lender 

home

How to Increase Your Home’s Value

Buying a home is a major achievement—and investment! Mortgage payments help build up equity in your home over time, but there are changes and upgrades you can make to your home in order to increase its value, resulting in a bigger return on your investment.

Homeowners should look for simple, cost-effective ways to increase their home’s value, especially if they plan to sell in the future. Take a look at these 5 ways to increase your home’s value and get a stronger return on your investment.

1. Spice Up the Landscaping

Whether you heard it from a real estate agent or on HGTV, curb appeal matters! You want your home’s landscaping to leave a good first impression—on future homebuyers and neighbors alike. Ways to improve your home’s landscaping include:

  • A well-maintained lawn – this is one of the first things people see and is a well-rewarded investment.
  • Neat and tidy garden – keeping your garden tidy leaves buyers thinking it’s easy to maintain, which is always a plus.
  • Clean and lighted pathway – having a clean pathway that’s lined with pretty plants or LED lights leaves a great impression. Repair cracks and pressure wash it to remove built up dirt or grime.

2. Paint, paint, paint!

One of the most cost-effective and easiest upgrades to do to your home is to simply paint it! Adding a fresh coat of paint to each room of your house gives it a newer, refreshed look and ensures that there is no discoloration behind long-standing furniture or stains left by tiny hands. Peeling or outdated paint can be a turn-off and repainting saves the prospective buyer from having to do it themselves. Focus on painting areas like the bathroom and kitchen as those tend to have more wear. Painting the interior can result in a 107% return on investment (ROI).

3. Upgrade Your Bathroom

When searching for a home, buyers consider bathrooms as some of the most important rooms in the house. Bathroom upgrades are some of the most cost effective to upgrade and ensure you get a return on your investment. Some ways you can upgrade your bathroom include:

  • Repainting walls in a neutral, modern coat of paint or removing old wallpaper
  • Painting or refinishing cabinets (or replacing them if you have more room in your budget)
  • Installing matching modern hardware on drawers, cabinets and closets
  • Upgrading lighting, faucets, showerheads, or installing a new toilet
  • Cleaning everything – rid the bathroom of rust stains, scrub all the surfaces and re-caulk areas around the shower, bathtub and tile

Keep the design neutral and light so you can appeal to as many buyers as possible, colors like light blue or gray work well. If you’re looking to save money by doing the bathroom upgrades yourself, plan for a few days of work. For every $1 spent on bathroom renovations, you can make back $1.71 in home value.

4. Upgrade Your Kitchen

Many consider the kitchen to be the heart of the home. Upgrading a kitchen can make a big difference for some buyers. Depending on your budget, you will have to choose between minor or major kitchen upgrades. Below, we’ve listed some ways you can do both:

Minor Kitchen Upgrades

  • Replacing cabinet doors and hardware (but leaving the box of the cabinet)
  • Upgrading to quartz or granite countertops
  • Installing a set of new matching appliances
  • Repainting and adding backsplash throughout
  • Putting in new flooring if existing is outdated, damaged or worn

Major Kitchen Upgrades

  • Adding an island to the kitchen
  • Installing fully new or custom cabinetry throughout
  • Upgrading to more high-end, energy-efficient appliances
  • Replacing flooring with higher quality options and adding or upgrading trim
  • Adding undercabinet LED lighting

If you’re leaning toward making major improvements to your kitchen, we can help! Give us a call or contact us via our website to discuss your financing options for upgrading your home.

5. Make Your Home More Energy Efficient

Upgrading your home’s efficiency can be more affordable than you think. Some of the most popular environmentally friendly ways to increase your home’s value include improving heating and cooling costs, adding energy-efficient lighting and appliances, upgrading windows, doors and siding. Even adding a smart thermostat makes it easier for a homeowner to control the home’s climate from anywhere and allow them to manage their energy costs more easily. Home tech investments can provide a strong selling point for your home and increase its overall comfort, convenience and functionality.

Some upgrades, such as installing solar panels, are more of an investment and you may need to consider financing options to make this upgrade happen.

How Do I Pay for Improvements?

There are several routes you can take when upgrading your home. For upgrades that need to be done professionally, or those you cannot pay for in cash, there are several financing options available.

  • Credit Card – This option may work for you if you are able to pay off the home improvements in a short amount of time.
  • Personal Loan – A personal loan is a great option if you don’t have enough equity built up for a home equity loan or HELOC. These loans don’t require you to put your home or other property up as collateral to get approved. The interest rate for a personal loan will be higher than a home equity loan, but lower than a credit card in many cases.
  • Home Equity Loan or HELOC – A home equity loan is similar to a personal loan in that you receive a lump sum of cash with a fixed interest rate and monthly payment. A home equity line of credit (HELOC) works like a credit card and comes with variable rates and a line of credit that you can borrow against.

If you’re ready to spruce up your home and increase its value, give us a call, apply for a loan or credit card on our website or schedule an appointment with our team to further discuss your options.

Peoples Bank & Trust Co.

Member FDIC

Equal Housing Lender

NMLS# 407724

couch

How much home can I afford?

How much can I reasonably spend on a home? This is a question every single prospective homeowner asks before purchasing a house, and this is exactly what we want them to be asking! While buying a home is a great financial investment to start building equity and wealth, no one wants to be house poor. Create a budget for yourself by using the tips below or jump straight to our mortgage calculator. 

Save for a Down Payment and Closing Costs 

A down payment on a house is what you pay for the home up front. The larger down payment you can do, the lower your loan amount will be. Not only does a large down payment lower monthly mortgage bills, but it cuts the amount of interest you pay on the home loan over time. 

Many loan programs allow first-time homeowners to buy a house with zero money down. This is a great option for some homebuyers, but many decide not to take this route because they end up spending more money on interest over a longer period of time. 

Another upfront expense to purchasing a home is the cost to close the deal, aka the closing costs. Many first-time buyers forget to save for the additional fees that are required on top of your down payment. Fees to consider are: 

  • Loan origination fees 
  • Appraisal and survey fees 
  • Title insurance 
  • Homeowners insurance 
  • Private mortgage insurance (PMI) 
  • Mortgage points 
  • Property tax (typically 6 months of property taxes) 
  • Escrow fee to the agent who helps you close  
  • Attorney fees 
  • Miscellaneous fees 

Down payments are typically 5-10% of the house cost (20% is ideal) and closing costs are typically 3-5%. So, keep that in mind when saving for your dream home! 

Add Up Your Monthly Expenses 

Most home loans are meant to be paid off over a thirty-year period, making your mortgage payment a monthly expense. Before you decide on a budget for your new home, you need to add up your current monthly expenses to determine how much of your monthly income is left for your mortgage. Monthly expenses include: 

  • Monthly bills 
  • Loan payments 
  • Food 
  • Subscriptions 
  • Childcare 
  • Etc. 

If you have not received a raise or started bringing in supplemental income since your previous home purchase, but you want a bigger house, you’ll need to pay a larger down payment. The larger your down payment is, the less your monthly mortgage payment will be. Obviously, if you’re making more money these days then you have more monthly income for a mortgage payment. 

Calculate Your DTI 

Your debt-to-income ratio is also vital to consider when establishing your home budget. Similar to adding up your monthly expenses, DTI is the total amount of monthly debt you have compared to your pre-tax income. The lower your DTI, the more home you can afford.  

A recommended DTI is 28% of your monthly income or lower. To calculate the DTI you should aim for, use this formula: monthly income x 0.28 = DTI. Once you pay off enough debt to reach that DTI, you are likely to get approved for a better loan, depending on your monthly expenses that are in addition to debt. 

Get Your Current Home Appraised 

If you currently own a home and you’re planning to purchase a new one, it’s a smart idea to get your current home appraised. Knowing the value of your home can help you predict how much money you’ll make from it. Homeowners in the market to buy a new home often use that surplus to pay for the down payment and closing costs on the new home. 

Have more questions about how you can afford your dream home? Reach out to our friendly and helpful mortgage lenders today! 

Peoples Bank & Trust Co.

Member FDIC

Equal Housing Lender

NMLS #407724

table

Home Buying 101

Becoming a homeowner for the first time is no easy task! You’ve probably heard horror stories from friends about overpaying or missing a crucial piece of information before committing to an offer. Here are a few tips to help you prepare for buying your first (or next) home so you feel confident in the home you choose to buy! 

Before You Buy 

  • Start Saving Early – the earlier you start saving, the better! Many first-time homeowners assume they just need to save for a down payment, but home buyers must also pay closing costs up front! Closing costs include the down payment, title insurance, homeowner’s insurance, property tax, closing or escrow fee and others depending on your lender. Plus, the larger your down payment, the less you’ll pay in interest as you pay off the home loan. 
     
  • Strengthen Your Credit Score – if you know you’re going to purchase a house in the next few years, it’s a good idea to take action to earn a higher credit score. Start by making sure your bills are paid on time, pay off debt you have and keep credit card balances low. 
     
  • Learn About Mortgage Options – there are several different mortgage options to look into before you commit to a home loan. These include conventional loans, Federal Housing Administration (FHA) loans, U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) loans and loans from the Department of Federal Affairs. 
     
  • Find First-Time Home Buyer Programs – many states will assist with your down payment! Check with us to see what programs we recommend. 
     
  • Decide How Much You Can Afford – it’s a good idea to set your budget before you start shopping or get pre-approved for a home loan. Check out this tool from NerdWallet to see how much house you can afford.  

While You Look for the Perfect Home 

  • Get Pre-Approved – ask your lender to draft a pre-approval letter to send to a potential seller when you’re ready. If it’s all sorted out beforehand, you can put an offer in on your dream house quickly. 
     
  • Don’t Look at Houses Over Your Budget – this is a great rule of thumb for sticking to any budget, don’t look at what you can’t afford! You don’t want to fall in love with something that’s not realistic for your income level and prior financial commitments. 
     
  • Create a Priority List – decide what home features are important to you. This will help you weigh the pros and cons of each house. For example, if an office space is more important to you than having a large backyard, you’ll be able to narrow down your search easier. 

When You’re Ready to Make an Offer 

  • Pay for an Inspection – not only do inspections help you negotiate the price of a home down, but they also help you know what you’re paying for.  
     
  • Negotiate with the Seller – don’t be afraid to negotiate! In most instances, the worst-case scenario is that the seller will come back with a counteroffer. 
     
  • Buy the Right Home Insurance – home insurance covers the cost to repair or replace your home and belongings if they’re damaged by an incident covered in the policy. It also provides liability insurance if you’re held responsible for an injury or accident. Buy enough home insurance to cover the cost of rebuilding the home if it’s destroyed. 

If you’re in the market to buy a home, reach out to us! We’re here to help you find the right home loan for your budget. 

Peoples Bank & Trust Co.

Member FDIC

Equal Housing Lender

NMLS# 407724

home

How much money do I need to buy a home?

With rates continuing to be low, now is a great time to purchase a home! It may seem daunting at first, but it’s a great experience and can be fun if you are prepared. Whether you are a first-time homebuyer or have purchased a home before, keep reading to see how much money you need to buy a home. 

You may not need the full loan amount offered. 

While you can get a loan for a large amount of money, you may not want to get that full amount. Think about all of your other expenses first and the salary you make. Be sure to break it all down and make sure the monthly payment isn’t going to be too much when everything else is added on. 

Think about the upfront costs. 

Closing costs can be around three to four percent of your loan or more and it’s nice to try to have a down payment anywhere from ten to twenty percent. If you want to avoid paying additional private mortgage insurance (PMI), you’re looking at a twenty percent down payment. Here are some of the items included in closing costs: 

  • Application fee 
  • Appraisal fee 
  • Title search 
  • Title insurance 
  • Attorney fees 
  • Home inspection 

These are large upfront costs so it’s important to factor them in and begin saving for them. If you work on saving at least twenty five percent of the sale of the home, then you’d be in a good place to cover the down payment, closing costs, moving fees and so forth. You can try to negotiate that the seller pays for your closing costs which could help save you some money – your realtor can help you know if this is a good option or not depending on the circumstances of the area and home. 

Make note of utility, insurance and tax increases. 

If you are moving to a new area, even if it’s across town, utilities, taxes and home insurance prices could all be different than what you currently pay. Be sure you’ve calculated this into your monthly payments as well because it could be a couple hundred dollars more than what you are paying now depending on the new home you are looking at and the area it’s in. 

Ask your bank questions so you fully understand what the costs will be. 

If you have any additional questions, or just don’t fully understand what you’d potentially have to pay upfront vs monthly and when those payments would start, ask your bank. We are here for a reason – to help you and create a smooth home buying journey. Our mortgage options suit any need so contact us today with your questions and concerns so we can help put your mind at ease! 

Peoples Bank & Trust Co.

Member FDIC

Equal Housing Lender

NMLS #407724

home

4 Steps to Home Buying

Whether you’ve been looking for a while or have just decided to begin the hunt, buying a home is an exciting adventure! With rates so low, it’s the perfect time to become a new homeowner. But do you know some of the things you should be doing before stumbling upon your dream home? We’re here to explain our top four steps to home buying so you can enjoy the journey. 

Know How Much You Can Afford 

Even though you could get a loan for $300,000, this may not mean you want to spend that much on a home. Go through your current debts, what equity you’d get back on your home, your salaries, monthly bills and expenses to know how much money you spend each month. Then calculate what your new mortgage would potentially be (including taxes, insurance and utilities as those may change) to know how much you are comfortable spending each month while allowing room for savings. This will help give you a final number you are truly comfortable spending, so you don’t go over your max when making an offer. 

You will also want to think about closing costs and the down payment. Closing costs are normally around 3% of your loan and it’s nice to try to have a down payment of 10-20%. These are large upfront costs so it’s important to factor them in and begin saving for them. 

Get Pre-Approved 

You may begin your search and think you’re in no rush – but what if you come across the perfect home and there’s already offers that could potentially be coming in? You want to make sure everything is lined up so you can put an offer in right away to get ahead of others. Waiting a whole day to meet with your bank and go over finances could cost you that slot that would get you to owning your dream home. You need to know how much you can actually afford, if you need the sale to be contingent on your home selling and so on. We can help you manage all of this and get you pre-approved for a mortgage. 

Don’t Just Look on Home Sites 

Don’t just wait to see a home on a website like Realtor.com or Zillow. You want to check Facebook and follow realtors there as they may post a home before it becomes live on the site. You can also ask around if anyone is thinking about selling so you can get your foot in the door first before it goes on the market. The same goes for your realtor – if you want to use a realtor, choose one and make sure they are looking for you to alert you to a home that fits your criteria before it may go on market. 

Get a Home Inspection & Appraisal 

After putting in your offer and getting it accepted, be sure to have an inspection. You’ll want to know everything is running smoothly before you make this big financial decision. You will also need the home to be appraised. A home appraisal is a review that gives the current value of the property you want to buy. You must get an appraisal before you buy a home with a mortgage loan. Lenders require appraisals because they can’t lend out more money than a home is worth. 

Even though this seems like a lot, it will leave you confident in your decision to buy a home. When you have everything above worked out, all you need to focus on is finding a home that fits your needs instead of wondering if you can even afford it. Keep in mind our team can help you with any of the above, so contact us today! 

Peoples Bank & Trust Co.

Member FDIC

Equal Housing Lender

NMLS #407724

home

Homeowner Costs People Forget About

Are you thinking about taking the big step of becoming a homeowner? Purchasing your first house is a significant and exciting change, but it can be easy to get caught up in the excitement and forget about certain costs. If you want to make sure you have all of your financial bases covered before owning a house, keep reading!

Lawn Upkeep

The cost of maintaining a lawn is one people often underestimate. Whether you hire someone to keep your lawn looking fresh or decide to do it yourself, it will cost some money. Besides needing a lawn mower for cutting your grass, keep in mind things like pest control, weed killer, fertilizer and landscape. Some other equipment needed in lawn upkeep includes a hose, sprinkler, rake, weed wacker, trimmers and much more.

Keeping it Clean

Keeping a house clean is much more challenging and costly than cleaning a small apartment. Many families not only add onto their collection of cleaning supplies, but usually double almost all of the supplies they own. It may sound unnecessary, but once you have to start making trips up and down stairs to clean different levels of the house, you might want to double your supplies, too. 

Property Taxes

One of the biggest payment differences between paying rent for an apartment and paying a house mortgage is property tax. It’s important to figure this out beforehand and add it to your estimated monthly payment so you know what to expect. To get a general idea of how much you’d be spending in property taxes, use an online property tax estimator.

Immediate Renovations

After buying a house, it’s normal to want to turn that house into a home. Homeowners are constantly looking for things to improve, like redoing the kitchen cabinets, fixing the deck, changing the wall colors, finding a new floor you love… the list goes on. Keep in mind when house hunting what you’d want to change about the houses you look at and add this to the list when considering your expenses.

Time

This one seems obvious, and although this particular cost won’t be coming out of your pocket, it’s a very important component to consider. Owning a house means doing everything yourself – something you didn’t always have to do while living in an apartment. Keeping up with maintenance, dealing with pest control and tending to the lawn are some of the many time-consuming things that come with being a homeowner. 

Now that you’ve considered some of the unexpected costs of owning a house, you’re able to make a more informed decision on if taking this step is the right choice for you right now. We offer mortgages that will help your homeowner journey become a little smoother.

Peoples Bank & Trust Co.

Member FDIC

Equal Housing Lender

home-remodel

6 Tips to Budget for a Home Remodel

Sticking to a budget is always a challenge, especially if it comes to a remodel within your home. That’s why we’re here to give you the structure you need for your newest renovation. Pull out the hammer and get ready for your home remodel the right way with these 6 budgeting tips.

Prioritize

What needs to get done first or what has been bugging you the most? Start there. That will be your first update and then go from here. You’ll need to know how much is too much, which means if you want new kitchen cabinets, are you getting a new countertop and floors too? Know where you will decide to end the project. You’ll also want to prioritize your materials. Think about cheaper alternatives and what items you must have. Do you want granite countertops, or is laminate okay?

Create a Detailed Plan

Know exactly where you’re going to start, what items you need for each update and how you will get it accomplished. Will you buy the materials yourself or do you need a contractor for certain areas? This will lead you to creating a detailed plan with cost estimates. You’ll want to know a ballpark of what everything will cost, as going into it with no estimate in mind could leave you with a bigger hole in your wallet than expected.

Talk to Multiple Contractors

Don’t talk to one and be done. Speak with multiple contractors to see what their prices are and what they can do. Be sure to check them out to know if they offer quality work and are trustworthy. This person will be building a piece of your home, so you want to make sure you pick the right one and get a decent price.

Set A Budget

Do not allow yourself to go over budget. Do your research and know an approximate estimate from your detailed plan, so you aren’t surprised by anything. Calculate your income, expenses, loans and so on to know what you can truly afford. It’s easy to get carried away with the renovation once you start, so your budget will help you remain practical.

Stick To The Plan

As mentioned above, do not stray from your well-calculated plan and budget. You’ve done all the research, so it’d be sad to let it all go down the drain. New appliances or lighting can wait – so know your plan and be honest with yourself about what you mapped out you could afford. 

Account For Hidden Costs

You will run into things that will end up costing more than expected – don’t worry! This is why you made your plan. Within your plan, you should have picked a few things you could wait on if something more urgent came up. Know what you can trim from your original plan and budget in order to account for these hidden costs.

Congratulations on creating your plan and budget! Your home will look beautiful once the renovations are made, so be sure to get started the right way with these top tips.

Peoples Bank & Trust Co.

Member FDIC

Equal Housing Lender