Here's The Most Expensive Zip Code in Every State

Here's The Most Expensive Zip Code in Every State



Ask a real estate agent what the biggest factor in determining a property's value is and they won't even have to think to tell you "location, location, location." The most expensive zip codes offer high-value homes with desirable features like a large amount of square footage, waterfront views and luxury add-ons.

 

To find the most expensive neighborhoods in each state, GOBankingRates surveyed median home value data from Zillow for hundreds of zip codes in all 50 states. This ranking lists the most expensive zip code in each state from the cheapest to the most expensive. Click through to see where most of the highest-valued properties are in your state.



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4 Cleaning Solutions You Never Heard Of

4 Cleaning Solutions You Never Heard Of

As we become more and more aware about the effects of household chemicals on our health and on the environment, it is becoming easier than ever to find alternatives to using store-bought cleaning supplies. Most of the commercially produced products contain chemicals like ammonia and bleach, and even though they clean well they can damage the nervous and respiratory systems and be harmful to both your family and your pets.

With a few simple ingredients and a little time, you can make your own cleaning supplies that not only reduce the number of toxic substances in your home but will even save you money.

Most of the non-toxic cleaning supplies use the same basic ingredients such as castile soap, white vinegar, baking soda and essential oils. For baking soda and vinegar, consider stocking up on larger sizes of these items from either a restaurant supply store or a warehouse store — not only is it more economical, but once you start making your cleaners at home, you will want to be able to refill your supply easily.

1. Granite Cleaner

• 1/4 cup of rubbing alcohol
• 3 drops of castile soap
• 1 cup water
• 5-10 drops of essential oils (for scent)
• Put the rubbing alcohol into a 16 oz spray bottle. Add the soap, essential oil and water. Shake to combine.

2. Toilet Bowl Cleaner

• 1/2 - 3/4 cup baking soda
• 8 - 10 drops tea-tree or melaleuca essential oil
• 1/2 - 3/4 cup distilled white vinegar
• Pour the baking soda directly into the toilet bowl, then add oil, then vinegar. Let sit for 10 minutes and scrub with toilet brush.

3. Soft Scrub

• Make this in small batches and store in an airtight container so that it does not dry out between uses.
• 3/4 cup baking soda
• 1/4 cup castile soap
• 1 tablespoon water
• Combine the baking soda and soap. Add the water and stir to make a paste-like consistency. Use a sponge to scoop out the scrub and use to clean tile, sinks and other hard surfaces.

4. Oven Cleaner

• 1 1/2 cup baking soda
• 1/2 cup sea salt
• 1/2 cup washing soda
• Filtered water (to make a thin paste)
• 1/2 cup white vinegar
• 10 drops melaleuca oil
• Preheat your oven to the lowest temperature possible and then turn it off.
• Mix baking soda, sea salt, and washing soda in a small bowl. Add melaleuca oil then add vinegar to the mixture — it will fizz a little. Slowly add water until you have a thin enough paste to spread in your oven. Leave the paste in the oven overnight and wipe it out in the morning.

With a few ingredients and a little ingenuity, it is inexpensive and easy to make at home a non-toxic version of these common (and most chemical-laden) cleaning products.

How much house can you afford? Two easy ways to tell.

How much house can you afford? Two easy ways to tell.

Buying your first home is an exciting process, but it’s not just about finding the features you want. If you’re like most people, price plays a major role in your decision. After all, even if you feel confident that you can afford a property, you’ll still have to convince a lender.
All lenders have unique lending guidelines, but they usually include some of the same key benchmarks. Here are two metrics they’ll use to decide how large a loan to issue you:

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Top 5 Mistakes of Mortgage Shoppers

Top 5 Mistakes of Mortgage Shoppers

 

Mortgage shopping can be an overwhelming experience for first-time homebuyers, and is not a walk in the park even for the experienced buyer. As you go through the mortgage shopping process, consider these top five errors that can trip up any homebuyer:

 

1. Not Paying Attention to Your Credit Rating – A poor credit score can result in a higher interest rate, or perhaps not qualifying for a loan at all. Check your credit well before you begin mortgage shopping to allow time for you to fix any errors or repair your credit.

You are able to get one free credit report each year from each of the reporting agencies (Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion). Check the report for any errors or false accounts that could be damaging your credit. However, the free reports do not give

 

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It’s Finally Getting Easier to Get The Best Kind of Mortgage

It’s Finally Getting Easier to Get The Best Kind of Mortgage

 

That means cheaper rates

It’s no secret millions of millennials and Gen Xers are having trouble buying homes. But here’s some good news on that front: It just a got a little easier for these and other buyers to qualify for so-called prime mortgages, loans that go to the highest quality borrowers.

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10 Tips for Home Buying and Selling

10 Tips for Home Buying and Selling

Buyers: Edge Out the Competition

Establish a price range. Use Redfin’s home-affordability calculator. This home buying tool considers not only your income and down payment but also total recurring monthly payments such as car payments, student loans, and credit card minimum payments.

Clean up your credit. If your credit reports are accurate, the home buying process is likely to go more smoothly. Read “Are Mortgages Now Harder or Easier to Get?" for more for information.

Get preapproved. Usually, that means a mortgage lender has checked your credit reports and determined how much it could lend you. It’s one step better than prequalification, in which a lender just gives you an idea of what you can afford. Lenders use different terminology, though, so make sure you ask for clarification. For instance, EverBank, based in Jacksonville, Fla., uses the term “preapproval” for what other banks define as prequalification. And what most banks call a “pre­approval,” EverBank terms a “credit only approval.”

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Online Home Buying in 4 Simple Steps

Online Home Buying in 4 Simple Steps



Buying a home is probably the most important transaction you'll make in your lifetime. It requires bravery, patience and a little bit of luck. But new online tools make home buying easier and more convenient than ever before, bringing much-needed transparency to a complicated process. Below are the four basic steps to purchasing a home (almost) completely online.

1. Research, Research, Research
This is a crucial first step that a surprising number of home buyers ignore, mainly because they get emotionally attached after seeing a house they "just have to have". Our recommendation: Don't even look at houses when starting your home buying research. First, figure out how much house you'll need.

Start by considering your lifestyle. Do you entertain a lot? Will you need significant space for your hobbies, like a painting studio or a woodshop? Do you have a stable of cars, motorcycles or other recreational vehicles? Do you prefer the country life, or are you a city dweller at heart?



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12 Sneaky Ways to Save Money on Your Water Bill

12 Sneaky Ways to Save Money on Your Water Bill

 

Replace Those Guzzlers

A lower water bill starts with newer, more efficient appliances. When shopping for new washers, pay close attention to the labels that indicate the efficiency of the machine. Look specifically for the WaterSense and Energy Star seals, which indicate that the machine runs on 35% to 50% less water and 50% less energy per load. Consider purchasing a front-loading washer, which uses substantially less water than a top-loading model.

 

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Home of the Week from Rosa Thelma Garza YOUR San Antonio REALTOR

5 Things to Know About Buying a Home in 2016

5 Things to Know About Buying a Home in 2016



The new year looks like it's shaping up to provide first-time buyers with the opportunity to enter into the housing market. Interest rates are still hovering around record lows, so there's some time left to snag a great deal. If you're planning on taking the plunge into homeownership in 2016, here are some key points to keep in the back of your mind before you begin the process.



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Debt collectors beware: Judge's ruling could change the game

Debt collectors beware: Judge's ruling could change the game

HAWTHORNE, N.J. (AP) — Ever had a debt collector on your back for money you knew you didn't owe? Listen to the story of Steven Psaros and take heart.

The Great Recession forced Psaros into foreclosure on the house he had bought in this northern New Jersey town in 1999.

Then, another blow. A debt collector demanded about $11,000 in homeowners' insurance, money Psaros claimed he didn't owe under terms of a mortgage refinance signed several years earlier.
He fought back in court and, in a ruling that could change how law firms handle debt collection, a federal judge held last month that the firm representing the debt collector could be liable for damages even if it didn't know its client was relying on incorrect information.

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Should you refinance your mortgage?

Should You Refinance Your Mortgage?




Dear Carrie,
I'm thinking of refinancing my mortgage since I know interest rates are going up. Does it still make sense or have I missed the boat?

--A Reader
Dear Reader,
Rising short-term interest rates are on a lot of people's minds these days. For savers, it's a plus, but borrowers--especially those with credit card balances--may see their payments creep up over time. However, for homeowners with a mortgage, it's a slightly different story.


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Buying or Selling a Home?

For sale, minutes away to Lackland Air Force Base!!!

If you or anyone you know is looking for a home minutes away from Lackland Air Force Base, in San Antonio, Texas, please let me know.



Rosa Thelma Garza


(210) 367-1758


www.homesforsale-SanAntonio.com

7 steps to take today if you want to buy a home this year

Buying a home and obtaining a mortgage are no easy tasks. You need to have your finances in good order if you hope to get approved for a loan to buy a home.



If you want to buy a house in 2016, here are several New Year’s resolutions to follow through on that can help make you a better homebuyer.



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Luxury Real Estate Trends in L.A. Are All About the Wow Factor

Luxury real-estate trends in Los Angeles are like sequels to blockbuster action movies: Everything is bigger, more high-tech, and most definitely over the top. “What people are trying to do now is separate themselves from the rest and put something in their home that no one else has,” says Million Dollar Listing Los Angeles star James Harris on behalf of Trulia. “Developers want to stand out,” he adds, so putting in out-there amenities is a smart way to get spec houses noticed in a sea of otherwise similar homes. Perhaps the most extreme example of one-upmanship among developers is the $500 million spec mansion currently under construction in Bel Air. The 100,000-square-foot home will have a 6,000-square-foot master suite, plus a jellyfish room and an ice room, which are exactly what they sound like.

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