How Do You Know When It’s the Right Time To Buy a House?

How Do You Know When It’s the Right Time To Buy a House?

Many emotions come with buying property, such as nervousness and excitement. It’s a new chapter in your life that you’re eager to embark on, but sometimes, hesitation seeps in and leaves you wondering if you’re ready. How do you know when it’s the right time to buy a house? Let’s take a closer look at the signs you may be ready to own a home and some indicators that you might not be ready yet.

Signs You’re Ready To Own a House

Owning a home is exciting for many young people, especially if it’s their first home—it’s an extension of their independence. Being able to say you own property is a long-term goal that many have.

You might wonder if it’s time to get in touch with financial services about the process of getting pre-approved for a mortgage and searching for the best Realtors in your area. If you notice these signs you’re ready to own a home, get in touch with an agent to learn the next steps toward home ownership.

You’re Ready To Settle Down

The biggest thing to ask yourself is whether you’re ready to settle down and enjoy life at your own pace. Once you leave the renting world behind, you know what you want in a house. Whether you’re looking to start a family or not, being ready to settle down is the most straightforward sign that you’re ready to own a home.

You Have Savings Accounts Set Up

One single savings account is good for keeping emergency funds. However, having multiple accounts in good standing proves you can afford a home. You have enough to satisfy needs for the house, such as handling home renovation projects or ensuring you have enough to cover the down payment and other closing fees. Having money saved up is a surefire way to determine if you’re prepared to browse and buy on the market.

You’re Financially Healthy

Savings is essential, but how are your general finances? Everything from student loans to credit card payments can reflect how well you do with money. If you find yourself caught in a hole, you need to pause because a home isn’t possible right now.

The best way to get pre-approved for a mortgage is to have a DTI (debt to income) ratio of less than 45 percent. You might be below or equal to the percentage if you’re on time with payments, you spend what you need to, and your credit card usage is below 30 percent.

One way to figure out if you’re below 45 percent is to use this math equation: in parenthesis, write out your total monthly payments and divide the amount by your monthly income. Then, multiply that answer by 100, and you’ll have your answer. If that number is at or below 45, then you’re in a better position to buy a home.

The Market’s Looking Good From Here

While you might have everything working in your favor, sometimes the market isn’t right, especially if you’re looking in a less sought-after area. It might be best to speak with your agent about looking around your desired location so you can see what’s available.

Overall, a good market should have plenty of listings. If there’s an abundance of properties to pick from and good competition, you’re in a good place to buy or sell.

Your Credit Score Is Above Average

While it’s true that any credit score above 500 can guarantee the chance to buy a house, it might not be in your desired range. Say you want to buy a home in a good neighborhood with amenities nearby in a great school district, and your spending limit is between $300,000 and $500,000.

While that’s a good range, your lender may not approve a mortgage for that high of a home cost if your score’s below 680. Your score plays a big part in pre-determining mortgage rates, so if you plan to buy something higher, address your credit score.

If you’re in good standing, you’ll get good offers and lower interest rates. The higher your score is, the less interest you’ll accrue on top of payments.

You Haven’t Job Hopped

You might be prepared to buy a home if you have a well-paying job for at least two years. A worker who’s gone from job to job may have difficulty finding a home loan because there’s no evidence of steady income flow.

Signs You’re Not Prepared To Buy a Home

Although there are indications that some would be ready to work with an agent and go through pre-approval processes for mortgages, there are ways to tell if you’re not ready to buy a house. Here are three surefire ways to tell if you aren’t ready to buy a home.

You Don’t Know if You’ll Stick Around for a While

If you aren’t comfortable in your area, you might not be ready for a home. Buying a house means having a permanent place to stay, but if you’re unhappy with where you are, you may not be ready to put down roots.

If you need to do soul searching to find your true happy place, then do it. You shouldn’t feel obligated to stay in a space that doesn’t fit your lifestyle.

While deciding, consider giving yourself a timeline of where you’ll be in the next five years. Do you see yourself living in the same town you are now? When you have a steady job, have good financial health, and are ready to seek a permanent location to live, then you’ll be ready to buy a home.

Lenders Can’t Approve You

Lenders can’t approve someone with a low credit score and a mountain of debt. Work with a financial advisor and utilize phone apps to manage payments so you can pay off debts. You don’t want to add another loan to your debt without having a handle on expenses and a reliable income flow.

Buying Doesn’t Fit Your Routine

Some enjoy the ability to live where they want and go where they want to go without feeling held down in one place. If you prefer moving around and enjoy the freedom of renting, you’re probably not ready to buy. Factor how often you move into your home buying decision.

When Is It Time To Buy?

You’re the best judge when it comes to deciding when’s the right time to buy a home. Keep in mind that home is something you must tend to often, meaning you must handle repairs, renovations, and property taxes. If you’re not ready for these responsibilities, hold off on buying.

Take time today to sort through your plans for the future; if today’s not the day to purchase a house, that’s OK. There’s always next year.

However, if you are looking to buy or sell, you’ll likely need to make some updates. Bear Mountain Custom Painting ensures every home’s curb appeal makes a lasting first impression on homebuyers. We can also help you make your newly purchased house feel like home. Contact us today to help you with house painting in Cumming, GA, and for ideas on how to transform your property.

How Do You Know When It’s the Right Time To Buy a House?
5 Reasons You Should Consider House Flipping

5 Reasons You Should Consider House Flipping

House flipping isn’t going anywhere! House flipping’s seen a staggering increase in popularity, with many more property buyers choosing to use their skills to create high-quality redeveloped properties for prospective homeowners. If you’re wondering why you should consider house flipping, here are five reasons that might convince you. Our expert residential painters in Alpharetta, GA will explain the skills you can acquire during a house flip, the networking opportunities, and much more. Please get in touch if you would like a complimentary quote from us. We are known as the leading house painters in Alpharetta, and we have teams that handle the following, among other job types:

You Build New Skills

A great thing about house flipping is that anyone can do it—with a good team, budget, and plan, you can succeed in your first renovation. Many house-flippers start as amateurs, eventually growing into their newfound roles with better skills.

One of the first things you do, whether on a team or leading your own, is develop skills in carpentry in Cumming, GA, networking, sourcing, and home remodel budgeting. Being open to understanding and enhancing your knowledge can help you succeed in renovating a home.

There Are New Networking Opportunities

Every opportunity allows you to network, but you need to approach others. While it might sound off-putting initially, it’s very beneficial to do the networking on your own, as many companies won’t be the first to reach out and offer their services.

When you coordinate with others, you create a collaborative team and grow a network of hardworking, trustworthy individuals with solid backgrounds in home remodeling. The opportunity to network is one of the best reasons to try out house flipping.

You Feel Satisfied With Your Project

If you want to work on something that allows you to take part in enhancing your community, then remodeling a home’s the best choice for you. While there are long, strenuous moments in the home flipping process, there’s a wave of satisfaction that comes with completing this kind of project.

Whether a historical home or something modern, you’ll love seeing peoples’ eyes light up at the comely landscape and enhanced interior. You’ll feel proud to say you redeveloped a home sold in a growing community.

You Work for Yourself

Many like working independently. As an independent contractor, the world’s your oyster, and getting to work anywhere on your time is incredible.

A great way to work independently and strive to improve your skills is house flipping. During a home renovation, you control how things go from beginning to end. While it’s a great job, you need good organizational skills and attention to detail.

You Learn To Profit on House Flips

Of course, house flipping also has the potential for fantastic profitability. You often don’t make a profit right away, however. Every home renovation requires learning a variety of ups and downs. Work with a reliable team of Alpharetta window replacement professionals to help continuously make your business viable.

Bear Mountain Custom Painting would love to help you develop your house-flipping endeavor into a success. From house painting services to planning the blueprints, our team has the expertise to collaborate. Contact us today for more information on our home remodeling services.

Popular Window Styles You Should Consider Installing

Popular Window Styles You Should Consider Installing

It’s never too late to revamp one of the rooms in your house. If you’ve dreamed of updating your windows for a while, it’s time to sort through the popular window styles to find what works for you. Let’s take the time to learn about the designs you should consider installing in your home.

Peek Outside With an Awning Window

With similar mechanics to the casement window, the awning cranks open from the bottom, letting in more fresh air and deterring intruders from breaking in. Since the window opens from the bottom, you won’t need to worry about rain coming in and ruining the interior.

You can get more fresh air with these windows, but you’ll need to update the hardware frequently since the reeling system is prone to rust and breaking.

Let the Sunshine Spread Out With Sliders

The slider window is a popular style among modern homes, especially apartment complexes. These panes are cheaper to install and fit every home theme. They come in two types: a fixed design, where one pane doesn’t move, and the other side does, and a format that allows both panes to move.

While these windows work great, they don’t keep elements out well enough unless you install a screen onto the window. Since the windows use a tracking system, you’ll need to clean them more often.

Say “Hello” to the Glass Block Window

The glass block window’s fixed, meaning it can’t move up or down or side to side. Glass blocks add an extra layer of privacy in places like the bathroom, bedroom, or basement. Many homeowners use this style to help balance the amount of light and visibility. Since they’re opaque, these blocks obstruct unwanted views inside.

Although these blocks add privacy and are easy to install permanently, they don’t fit very well into most home styles. They don’t fit anywhere but the basement, bedroom, or bathroom because of their size and appearance.

Keep the World Turning With Double-Hung Windows

Double-hung windows are a common style most homeowners turn to for inspiration. This pane includes two sashes that allow it to slide up and down. The window fits perfectly in any home style and any room, for that matter. Additionally, this window pairs well with the entryway, so plan to mount double-hung panes nearby while planning your door installation in Cumming, GA.

The downsides of the double-hung window include sash cords breaking from wear and tear. They’re also prone to break-ins, so the best advice is to get this window style with impact glass for a more secure frame. This popular window style is a great one to consider, but make sure you consider the pros and cons before installing.

It’s essential that your home looks impressive year-round and stays safe. Bear Mountain Custom Painting enhances the house with modern window styles every homeowner loves installing on their homes. Contact us for information and ideas on your next window installation or repair in Alpharetta, GA.

4 Warning Signs Your Gutters Have Damage

4 Warning Signs Your Gutters Have Damage

Gutters are an immediate solution to draining water out of the area around your property to avoid flooding. Unfortunately, your property can sometimes still flood. But you may not see the typical indications of damage like broken foundation or siding. Such a situation is worse and more unique than usual. Find out the four distinctive warning signs your gutters have damage. 

Your Paint Is Peeling Off

The first sign you may not consider is peeling paint on your home’s interior. While you may have the best insulation to prevent water from seeping through the walls, it can still soak through and reach the interior. Whether inside or outside, if you notice the paint’s flaky and peeling, you need to check the gutters.

The Soil Has Eroded

The most typical indicator that your property is experiencing flooding is soil erosion. Dirt only absorbs so much water until it ends up getting carried away. In other words, when soil receives too much precipitation, it creates thinner ground. When soil is thin, you have a harder time planting and growing things. As a result, you have to replant and replace the dirt.

Soil erosion harms your yard and the home if enough is lying around the foundation. So don’t just change your soil and drain the water from the landscape; check your gutters as well to avoid further damage.

You Find Random Nails or Screws

Random nails and screws lying around your yard aren’t good signs. You need to reconfigure the gutter’s structure if it’s missing a few nuts and bolts. Sometimes, you may mount the system uniquely to the point that it works itself off its hinges. When that happens, you need to reinstall it.

If you find yourself reconfiguring the joints too often, you may need to bring in a home gutter installation specialist who can review the current work. After looking over everything, they’ll find the best ways to install the draining system precisely.

There’s a Large Gap

Sometimes, it’s the way you install a drain that creates problems. There should never be a gap between gutters. If there is, your home’s susceptible to damage. Replace the channels if you find holes between the roof and the spout.

It’s essential to learn all the warning signs your gutters have damage, including these four you may not immediately think of. Keep your home updated, and be aware of other indications that the downspouts need replacing.

Your home needs to be a place without major issues, but this isn’t always the case. Luckily, you have Bear Mountain Custom Painting to rely on. We take the time to get to know your situation and connect you with the right services to resolve your biggest concerns. Contact us for more insight on our gutter installation services and more. 

When To Know if It’s Time Replace Your Siding

When To Know if It’s Time Replace Your Siding

A home doesn’t need to be pristine every day, but it’s on you to keep it well-maintained. You do not want your home to suffer from common issues, including internal problems. If you haven’t checked the exterior walls in a while, it might be time to replace your siding. If you avoid these vital signs, you may have more problems to face later. So, do what you can right now to enhance your home’s exterior space.  If you need help with siding replacement in Cumming, GA, we can offer you a complimentary quote right away.

1. Your Siding’s Faded

A faded siding is the first thing that tells you your outside walls need updating. People with faded siding must repaint their walls often. If you rush through the job, you might not use primer or finisher. However, you need primer and finisher to prevent damage.

Check your siding by feeling the walls. If the paint flakes off or you see many chips, you need to call a professional who can put in new siding. They will apply the right products to extend the life of your sides.

2. A Mold Problem Has Started

If there’s no barrier protection applied to the siding, you risk moisture and dampness locking onto the material. When siding is too damp, it creates breeding grounds for harmful bacteria. The bacteria grow a fungus that leaches its way through the sides and into the house. Our Alpharetta house painters often catch mold in a client’s siding and recommend replacement.

How To Know You Have Mold

Mold appears in the dark, damp corners of basements, but they also appear on the exterior of homes, generally behind hanging vines and other dark corners. The first way to tell you to have siding mold is the appearance of it. Mold looks slimy, fuzzy, and usually appears dark green or bright red.

The other places you find mold outside are:

  • On your deck.
  • On the side of pools.
  • In your landscaping and on your plants.

Prevent continuous mold growth by identifying the mold early on with weekly inspections. You can tell mold has begun growing if you discover material that appears green or yellow and has a slight smell. If you catch it early enough, it’s easy to remove. Once it’s cleaned up, take safety measures, such as:

  1. Clean off moss or hanging vines that cover parts of the house.
  2. Perform weekly inspections of your siding and fix damages immediately.
  3. Hire a professional cleaning service.

3. The Interior Paint Is Peeling

When siding is damaged, it can actually create problems inside the house, such as peeling wall paint. It sounds like it doesn’t make sense, but when the siding’s damaged enough, it cannot keep heat and humidity out of the house.

When heat and humidity slip through the damaged exterior walls, it’s absorbed into the inner walls, creating damp areas that weaken the paint’s integrity. The interior should never be affected by mold; this is the next sign to inspect your siding and make repairs. We recommend that you keep your siding up to date — otherwise you’ll be placing a call to our house painters in Cumming, GA as well as our siding experts.

4. Your Home Listing Isn’t Impressive

If you’re ready to move, there are obviously things you need to do first. These include renovations, cleaning up the house, fixing things, and removing your personal items. While those things are fine, the one thing that turns any listing off is bad siding.

If you’ve noticed that the home listing you posted isn’t getting good hits, there’s likely something wrong with the home’s exterior. Although there are many things you could check on your own, a home inspector can do a thorough job of the exterior and provide a list of things to improve.

As you make the enhancements to your home, hire a professional to do some siding repairs to improve your home’s appearance and get prospective buyers interested in your listing. A home’s appearance matters more than the enhancements you’ve added.

Other things to do to enhance your home include:

5. The Siding’s Damaged

If you’ve damaged your siding, it’s best to get it fixed right away. Without the proper fixing, you risk the home worsening over time. For example, the cracks become a passage for vermin to enter, and rotted siding invites mold growth.

Decrease the likelihood of vermin entering or mold ruining your home’s integrity by fixing these issues. Hiring a professional helps you learn how to care for your home better and when to know if it’s time to replace your siding.

Your siding may have also been damaged by:

  • An improper installation job
  • Storms and the elements
  • A cheap material choice
  • Your climate

6. Strange Increase in Energy Bills

It’s essential to keep energy costs down. If you’ve noticed a steady increase in bills, there’s a chance your siding’s affecting the change.

As siding only lasts eight to 10 years, it’s best to update it with newer materials as soon as you notice it’s wearing. Replace your siding to decrease energy bills. With replacements, you’ll see a significant decrease in energy costs.

Here are other indicators that your home’s energy debts are increasing:

  • Your lightbulbs aren’t energy efficient.
  • The insulation’s not the best.
  • Your appliances are vampires—they suck up too much power.
  • You don’t control the amount of time you use energy.
  • Your home’s climate requires more energy consumption.

Why Hire Bear Mountain Custom Painting

Overall, finding a solution to your energy bill increase is draining. Sudden increases may be why your exterior siding isn’t performing well. On the other hand, your home’s paint could also be chipping inside the house because of damaged siding.

All of these indications are reasons to call Bear Mountain Custom Painting for an inspection and prompt installation. We’ll check for damages and provide advice on preventing future mishaps.

It’s essential to keep your home repaired and ready to live in or sell. We want to help bring your home back to life and in the best working order. At Bear Mountain Custom Painting, you will find licensed professionals with years of experience in siding installation in Alpharetta. For your next siding fitting or replacement service, give us a call! We can’t wait to service you and repair your house. We are also the leading house painters in Johns Creek, as well as the go-to painting contractors in Roswell, GA.

When To Know if It’s Time Replace Your Siding
Painting Old Siding vs. Siding Replacement: Which Is Best?

Painting Old Siding vs. Siding Replacement: Which Is Best?

You’ll need to do a lot of maintenance work to keep up your house’s appearance, including landscaping, fixing the kitchen, and repairing windows and doors. These elements certainly help keep the house looking sharp, but you also need to think about fixing up the siding. When it comes to painting old siding vs. siding replacement, which is best?

If There’s No Warranty, Replace It

First, if there was never a warranty offered for your siding, it’s better to have it replaced by professionals who will provide a guarantee. However, if you currently have exterior walls with a connected warranty, look over the restrictions before replacing or painting over old siding.

The Potential Cost of a Replacement or Painting

Most of the time, you want to base this decision on the cost of both services. A new installation will likely cost more than simply repainting. Painting the siding still adds more value to your home and saves money by not needing to replace everything.

Updating the Home’s Appearance

Hiring a painter might be the best approach if you need to make a sudden U-turn on your home’s curb appeal. By painting instead of replacing the siding, you give the house a fresh look and open the door for more ways to decorate your home. Contact a home exterior painting company for more ideas on repainting your home’s exterior

Aged and Damaged Siding Calls for Repairs

If you have found scratches, warped pieces of siding, and holes on your home’s exterior, you might be tempted to ignore them. However, covering them up with a splattering of paint certainly won’t help and will likely create more problems, such as inviting pests and causing mold growth. In this case, replacing the siding is the best choice.

Which Is the Best Choice for Your Home?

When deciding whether you should paint old siding or go through a siding replacement, you should ultimately base your choice on the following scenarios. If you need further information on the signs your home may need a siding replacement, look for these signs:

1. If your home has chipped paint, you need to repaint it.

2. If the problem worsens and you have warped siding, replace the wall panels.

3. If you need a new aesthetic, repainting is the better choice.

4. If your home is more than 20 years old, you need a siding replacement.

The right choice all depends on your needs. If you find that your home’s exterior is in despair, with mold growth and siding that’s falling apart, you should replace the siding. However, if you simply want to update your exterior, repainting may be the right option.

Your house needs to feel like a home. Contact Bear Mountain Custom Painting today for information on siding replacement or painting services. We’ll connect you to the right service and find the best solutions for you and your home. 

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