All About Credit Scores
Is it ever too late to build credit? No. Your credit score can affect you for your entire lifetime, so it’s always worth trying to improve.
The Basics of the USDA Loan
Do you seem more comfortable surrounded by pastures than pavement? If so, buying a home in a rural setting might be well within reach, thanks to the U.S. Department of Agriculture mortgage program. In fact, the USDA has one of the government’s least-known mortgage assistance programs. Issued through the USDA loan program, also known as […]
Best Holiday Gifts for New Homeowners
If someone you know is celebrating the holidays for the first time in a new home, it can make the season feel extra special. Why not consider a gift that celebrates their new homeowner status? We put together a list of ideas to help you choose the perfect gift. Casual Gifting Smarter Smart Bulbs Called […]
How to Keep Your Home Warm This Winter
The key to understanding how to keep warm is the fact that you lose more heat by radiation to your surroundings than you do by convection to the air. This is why your house feels so cold when you get back from a winter break, even after you’ve turned on the central heating—though the air […]
Holiday Traditions in Texas
No matter which ones you celebrate, the holidays are a time to join family and honor history and heritage. In our state, we have a diverse range of cultures, and each of these groups celebrates individual holiday traditions that make Texas unique during the holidays. Tamales Many Texas holiday traditions can be traced back to […]
How to Prepare Your Home and Yard for Winter
Now that we’re past the middle of autumn, it’s time to prepare your home for the December—February cold weather. These steps, most of which you can do yourself, will help lower your utility bills and protect your investment. Why not try to be a smarter homeowner this year and take some time now to get […]
Insurance You Need as a Homebuyer
Reviewing the numerous types of insurance available during the home buying process can be overwhelming. You already have so much to do to close on your home—do you really have to jump through more hoops? Well, yes. No sensible car owner would drive without insurance, so it figures that no new homeowner should be without […]
Thanksgiving Traditions in Texas
Texas has a long history of Thanksgiving proclamations: President Sam Houston proclaimed that March 2, 1942, Texas Independence Day, be a day of celebration of freedom and Thanksgiving. Governor George T. Wood proclaimed the first Thanksgiving observance in Texas for the first Thursday in December 1849. (Fun fact: Governor Wood was from Liberty County and […]
Home Payment Liability After Natural Disaster
At the beginning of September 2017, the Federal Emergency Management Agency had declared more than 46 official natural disaster areas. These disasters have lingering effects, but such declarable events include flooding, fire, tornadoes, hurricanes, monster winter storms, tornadoes, hailstorms, and other emergency situations. The question of whether you have to pay your mortgage even if […]
Is There a Best Time to Buy a House in Texas?
Early spring is traditionally the beginning of home shopping season in Texas. It’s often a period of optimism for would-be home buyers, since spring is when the highest number of homes for sale are newly listed. This is a great time for buyers most interested in finding the perfect home—but be aware that as a […]
