Archive for December, 2009
Historic Places in New York City
New York City, it’s one heck of a town. Population-wise, it?s the largest in the United States.? Originally known as “New Amsterdam”, the city became “New York” after the English took over in 1664. From 1785 to 1790 it even served as the capital of the United States.? Today the city is a global capital, playing host to the United Nations. But above all else, New York is an icon, a city unlike any other, which may at least partially explain the sheer amount of nicknames the city has acquired: “The Big Apple”, “The City that Never Sleeps”, or even just “The City”. A unique city by definition is going to have a unique history, and from that unique history we are going to find an abundance of historic buildings and locations. Below are just a few. Were we to even attempt to list all of them, it would require a thick book, probably several.
Moving Tips
Moving is an incredibly stressful evening in your life but the stress can be minimized by using the following moving tips.
Color Code
Give each room in the house (or each person) a color and have them label their boxes in that color. Then create a code so movers can easily put boxes in the appropriate room.
Number System
Prioritize your boxes and number the ones that contain everyday items with a one. This way you won’t be searching through everything to find the things you need.
Valuables at Hand
Don’t trust your most treasured valuables with strangers. Keep a few boxes of important papers, valuable heirlooms and other items you’d be devastated if you lost with you at all times.
Be Willing to Say Good bye
As you’re packing be honest with yourself, if you don’t use it then get rid of it. Why move stuff you don’t want or need? Create a pile of items you’ll take to a local charity or sell at a garage sale.
Address Labels
Order address labels with your new address and slap them on everything. Remember to inform anyone who bills you of the address change. Stick the address labels on your moving boxes too just so nothing gets lost in the shuffle.
And most importantly, allow yourself some time to unpack and put things away. Don’t create additional stress by having irrational timelines.
Private Mortgage Insurance
If you’re considering purchasing a home or if you have purchased a home you have probably heard the term PMI thrown around. PMI stands for Private Mortgage Insurance but most people simply call it PMI. Not everyone has to pay a PMI, it is typically added to home loans if the borrower doesn’t have at least a 20% down payment on the purchase price.
PMI insurance can vary but the general range is somewhere between half and one percent and is designed to protect the lender in case the borrower defaults. It’s doubtful that the PMI actually does anything to protect the borrower but PMI is an accepted industry practice and isn’t going anywhere soon, so if you don’t have 20% to put down on your home then you’ll have to pay a PMI.
One thing to keep in mind during the course of your loan is the amount of principal you’ve paid. Once you’ve paid off 20% of your home’s assessed value you can approach your lender and ask them to remove the PMI. One would think that this would automatically be figured by your mortgage broker but it’s not so it’s something every mortgage holder with PMI should keep track of as it can save you thousands over the life of your loan.
