Susie Skog knows Lake Norman Real Estate Inside Out

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Those considering purchasing a new home may want to consider becoming a condo owner. Popular with every homeowner"from first-time buyers to retirees"condos offer many advantages over a traditional stand-alone property. Below are the top three.

Affordability: If you’re looking for a newly built home, a condo is likely to be less expensive than a stand-alone property. Why? Condos are often smaller in size than homes containing comparable numbers of bedrooms and baths. In addition, condos often share many building elements such as walls and roofing, so the cost of construction is often lower, resulting in lower pricing.

Low Maintenance: Condo life is a low maintenance life, as living in a condo means you’re likely paying Property Owners Association dues (POA), which cover many maintenance items such as landscaping, pest services, roofing, painting, and driveway repairs. Having so many services covered is appealing to busy professionals, parents of young children and retirees who may not feel up to mowing and raking. POA fees are typically relatively inexpensive, and for those too busy or tired to take on tasks alone, they are well worth the cost.

Amenities: Condos are all about top-notch amenities. From swimming pools and restaurants to golf courses and clubhouses with workout centers, many of today’s condo developments are filled with fantastic features. Expenses for building and maintaining these amenities are typically shared among condo owners, so you can enjoy these lux amenities at a very minimal cost.

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Adults aged 65 and older are at higher risk for dangerous falls.

Fall-related injuries can make it difficult for people to get around or live on their own.

If youre at risk, talk openly with your doctor and review all the medicines you take, especially if you feel woozy.

Have your eyes checked annually, and update your eyeglasses if necessary.

Stay active! Consider exercises to improve balance and strength, such as Tai Chi.

Wear well-fitting shoes with good support.

Many falls happen at home, so remove items you can trip over.

Have grab bars installed and put non-slip mats in the bathroom.

To stay safe, use caution at all times.

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Eco-friendly features are all the rage today as homeowners commit to living greener lives. But for those looking to reduce their carbon footprint, where do you begin?

For many, the answer is the kitchen. The central hub of the home, the kitchen offers a perfect foundation for incorporating green features and appliances.

Getting started, you may want to consider adding an induction stove, a stove that utilizes magnetic energy to induce a current that heats the food. Not only do pans heat up quickly on this type of stove, but the amount of time needed to cook meals is greatly reduced. In addition to the energy savings and coolness factor, induction stoves tend to be much safer than traditional stoves since theres no open flame or hot electric element involved.

Its also important to add energy-efficient appliances. If youre trying to sell your home and an old dishwasher and refrigerator unit serve as the focal point of the room, it could be a major deterrent to a sale.

Changing up the lighting is another easy way to up the eco-friendly factor and make the kitchen appear fresh and new. Installing ceiling fans is another simple, inexpensive way toward making the space more eco-friendly. Ceiling fans will circulate warm air in the winter and will help keep the kitchen cool in the summer, keeping heating and cooling costs lower throughout the year.

When it comes to greening your home, remember that you dont need to drain your bank account to find success. For example, adding a water filter to your sink (and saying goodbye to bottled water) is an inexpensive way to promote green living. Take this one step further by highlighting the fact that the water filter removes harmful contaminants, providing a fresh drink that can easily be enjoyed when relaxing at home or while out and about.

While not every change will yield a payoff, data shows that kitchen improvements will reap the highest rewards in home value, offering the fastest way to get someone interested in buying your home.

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While many homeowners make monthly mortgage payments, millions enjoy the luxury of owning their homes outright. If you strive to join their ranks, there are a number of ways you can expedite the completion of your mortgage " and none include lottery tickets.

Below are three ways you can pay your mortgage off faster.

1. Making Extra Payments
There are several ways you can make extra payments. Consider doing one of the following options, or doing a combination of them.

• Make an extra payment each quarter (4 extra payments/year).
• Divide monthly payment by 12 and add that amount to each monthly payment (adds up to 1 extra payment/year).
• Pay half of your mortgage payment every two weeks " aka biweekly payments (this also adds up to 1 extra payment/year).
• Make an extra payment whenever you can. If you receive a bonus at work, tax refund, or win a sweepstakes, consider putting that extra money toward your mortgage. Just be sure to have your lender apply it to your principal balance.

2. Rounding Up
Round your mortgage payments up to the nearest ten, twenty, or even fifty dollars, so that youre paying at least a few dollars more each month.

For example, if your monthly mortgage payment is $930, you could round it up to $950, putting an extra $20 toward your mortgage per month ($240/year).

3. Refinance to a Shorter-Term Mortgage
Refinancing into a shorter term mortgage will most likely make your monthly payments increase, but in return it will help you pay off your loan much sooner, therefor avoiding additional interest fees.

If you can comfortably afford the higher payments, and if you can lock in a lower interest rate, then refinancing into a 10-, 15-, or 20 -ear mortgage could be a great decision.

You may be surprised to find out that even making a few additional payments a year can really help reduce your mortgage balance sooner. If you want to crunch the numbers and see exactly how making extra payments will affect your mortgage contact a mortgage professional or talk to your accountant.

While all of these tips are pretty reliable ways to pay down your mortgage, please consult a financial advisor before acting on a strategy.

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