Lafayette, LA real estate news
So, you haven’t yet succeeded. You’ve been denied your requests. You’ve reached the end of the road. It may seem that you have no other options than to accept failure. But before you admit defeat, look at it this way…
FAIL is merely the First Attempt In Learning.
NO signals the Next Opportunity.
END simply means Effort Never Dies.
Positivity will always reign supreme, no matter how many tries it takes! 2016 is the year to
BE POSITIVE!
Originally posted at: Lafayette Real Estate News
Get an early and vibrant start to your morning next Saturday by participating in the Color Vibe 5K!
Starting at the Acadiana Mall, the run will head southwest down Robley Drive, turn right on South City Parkway, then retrace back to the mall. Along the route will be multiple color stations, which blast participants with a cloud of bright color. At the finish line will be a dance party with color throws taking place every few minutes, for those who want even more color!
The Color Vibe 5K is open to people of all ages and is free to children under 12, so be sure to bring your whole family! Whether you want to run, walk, skip, or dance your way along the route, you’re sure to have tons of colorful fun.
The run will take place Saturday, February 20 at 8 AM and will last until 10 AM. Don’t forget to check in the day before to prevent congestion on the day of the event and to avoid having to pay a late check-in fee!
Check out the event’s website, which has everything you need to know about the Color Vibe 5K. Once you’ve gotten all the information, click here to register. Hurry, while there are still spots left!
Proceeds of the Color Vibe 5K will benefit LARC (Lafayette Association for Retarded Citizens), whose mission is to support individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities in reaching their goals of self-sufficiency, quality of life and self-worth. For more information about LARC, please visit www.lafayettelarc.org.
Originally posted at: Lafayette Real Estate News
Silverbacks Improv Theatre is Lafayette’s very own comedy group, whose productions feature a mix of improvisation and storytelling. Formed in 2012 as the Stage Monkeys, the cast consists of comedians who have trained and performed in states across the country, with a combined improv experience of over 50 years!
The troupe’s style of comedy is quick and witty. Taking cues from the audience and random topics, the team acts out scenarios that have no defined start and no defined end. Whatever pops up becomes the show.
The Silverbacks regularly perform at Theatre 810 and Cité des Arts. During tonight’s Second Saturday ArtWalk, however, the crew will make their first appearance at Jefferson Street Pub, performing a set of “Whose Line is it Anyway”-styled games called short form games. Audience members can expect fast-paced and silly game concepts, many of which will rely on the audience’s input to move the action forward.
As a special treat for the audience, the Silverbacks will hold a drawing for Valentine’s Day themed gift baskets – one for Singles, and one for Couples. Don’t miss out on this fun-filled event! The show begins tonight at 8 PM with a $5 cover charge.
Don’t forget to support our community by checking out and purchasing the work of local artists!
Originally posted at: Lafayette Real Estate News
For most Americans, it’s pretty safe to say that a house will be the biggest purchase you’ll make in your lifetime — and a mortgage will be the biggest debt you’ll ever carry. So you don’t want to mess it up.
The idea of buying a home can be intimidating if you aren’t familiar the housing market or if you don’t know a thing about what a mortgage entails. But with a little guidance, the process can be a lot easier.
Don’t let the unfamiliarity scare you. With the right information, you can get an affordable home that’s right for you, your family and your finances.
So with that in mind, here are some mistakes to avoid when it comes time to buy a house.
Before you even consider buying a home, it’s important to review your credit and make sure everything is in order.
Before you start the home buying process, you’ll want to make sure your credit score is in good shape. Check your credit card or loan statement, talk to a non-profit counselor, use an online credit score service, or buy a score directly from credit reporting companies. If you and a partner or spouse want to buy a home, you may want to try to qualify for mortgage underwriting on just the income of the person who has a better score; most lenders will base your rate on the lower score if you’re a couple.
If your credit isn’t in the best shape, try getting it back on track as soon as possible.
It’s very important to pre-qualify for a mortgage before you start the formal shopping process. By doing this, you can get an idea of what kind of home you can afford and what the monthly payment will look like.
Getting pre-approved takes this a step further. It’s good to get an idea of the loan you can get, and when your credit is in order and you’re ready to start the process, getting pre-approved will give you a much more accurate estimate of how much the bank will actually lend you.
Also, keep in mind that the amount the bank will lend you may not be exactly aligned with what you can afford.
Most people only get one mortgage quote. That’s the wrong way to go about it. You’ll want to get quotes from multiple lenders. Check with a local bank, as well as a credit union, and get an online quote or two. Credit unions in particular offer creative mortgages that can save you money.
But know this: Each time a lender pulls your credit to give you a quote for a mortgage interest rate, it will ding your file. You can minimize the damage by getting all quotes within a 14-day period, so it doesn’t look you’re applying for multiple loans from multiple lenders each time. That will minimize any potential damage to your credit score.
When you apply for a mortgage, you’ll face a variety of junk fees. Many of them can be negotiated down or away altogether, but the key is knowing what to expect so you can take action!
Here are a few examples of “junk fees” to watch out for:
Depending on how much house you plan to buy, and where you plan to buy it, you may need a solid chunk of cash for a down payment. You will typically need a down payment of between 5% and 20% to get a conventional loan. And if you put down less than 20%, you will likely have to buy mortgage insurance.
Making sure you have enough cash to cover a down payment is key to ensuring a smooth home-buying process. Otherwise, you may have to put it off for a while.
There are two parts to this:
So when you’re figuring out how much house you can afford, make sure to factor in other important expenses besides just bills — things like saving for retirement, emergency expenses (medical, car repairs etc.) and even the cost of furnishing your brand new home. You probably won’t be very excited about your decision if you’re stuck in an empty house for two years because you can’t afford to buy anything to put in it.
If you’re going from renting to owning a house, the cost of home ownership can be quite a shocker. There’s no more calling the leasing office or the landlord to fix things — it’s you who’s on the hook now and you need to understand what all that entails.
Many first-time homeowners are surprised by all the expenses associated with owning a home, so it’s crucial that you are prepared — both mentally and financially.
You’ve probably already thought about the more “fun” expenses, like buying furniture, but don’t forget about all those other not-so-glamorous costs — such as replacing the water heater, hiring a plumber, hiring a landscaper, property taxes and so on. Then there are the even pricier expenses like replacing the roof. Plus, if the house is in an area that may flood, you will likely have to pay for flood insurance.
People do it every day, you just need to make sure you are prepared when it’s time to transition to being a homeowner.
Don’t just sign the dotted line and don’t just trust the word of the guy (or gal) who told you where to sign. You did all that hard work to make sure you got the best deal and prepared yourself in every possible way, so make sure you know exactly what you’re signing up for.
By this point, you’ll know what your monthly payments are, but that’s not enough. You also need to know if the interest rate on your mortgage can change, and if it can, you need to know when and by how much. And you need to see all this in writing. Don’t just take someone’s word for it. If you don’t quite understand the documents you’re about to sign, ask a lawyer, or even family member or friend, to review the terms of the loan with you. You can do this ahead of time, but even if you get to the actual moment of signing and still don’t understand something, don’t sign it.
You should look at a ton of homes! You can do a lot of the preliminary search online, but then go look in person. Get familiar with the area so you know what’s a good deal and what’s not. And start to understand more about the neighborhood where you’re considering buying. Is it family friendly — or does it have all the qualities you’re looking for? Have you driven around (or even walked around) the area at night? You don’t want to buy a house and then realize you’re stuck in an area you aren’t comfortable with — and this goes for everyone in the family.
Originally posted at: Lafayette Real Estate News
