Are Biweekly Mortgages Really Worthwhile?

You may ask what biweekly mortgages have to do with designing a joyous home. Here's why financial concerns make a difference to a happy home:

1. People who enjoy financial freedom feel less stress.
2. Charging home decorating materials costs too much in interest if not paid off quickly.
3. Homemakers who go heavily into debt for remodeling costs jeopardize their home.
4. Smart planning makes you feel good about yourself and your home.

Here is one home finance idea to help you...

You may have heard people, especially mortgage lenders, extolling the virtues of biweekly payments, saying that you can save thousands of dollars and take 5-7 years off your mortgage--and then offering to set up a biweekly plan for you for as little as $400. But you don't have to spend $400 to begin saving money and time on your mortgage. In fact, you don't have to spend anything at all! You can set up a money-saving mortgage payment plan yourself--easily and at no extra cost.

The key is to look carefully at the fine print in many biweekly plans. You find that even though you'd be making biweekly payments, the lender may only post them to your account on a monthly basis, which means that you wouldn't be saving anything on interest, because mortgage interest is paid in arrears (as opposed to rent payments, which are paid in advance). Your only real savings would be in the fact that you'd be making the equivalent of one extra payment a year. That’s a good thing, of course, but you don't need to pay someone $400-500, possible monthly maintenance fees, to be able to accomplish the same results.

Here’s how biweekly payments save time and money: By making biweekly payments, you actually end up making an extra monthly payment each year. Over the course of a year, you'd make 26 payments (one every other week for 52 weeks), which is the same as making 13 monthly payments. Making one extra payment per year will shorten the life of your loan and save you thousands of dollars.

But you don't have to make biweekly payments to obtain those savings. Here are a couple examples of how you can save big money, using the same basic idea:

If you get paid every two weeks, divide your monthly principal and interest payment in half and then send your lender a check for that amount during those months in which you receive three paychecks. Just sending in those two extra checks will be the equivalent of one extra payment a year.

If you don't want to send lump checks, you can get the same results by dividing your monthly principal and interest payment by twelve and then adding that extra amount to your payment every month. Normally, that figure won't put too much extra strain on your budget, and it will add an extra mortgage payment to your loan every year.

You really can save significant amounts of money and shorten the life of your loan by making extra payments, but you definitely don't have to pay a lender $400-500 to do it. Making those extra payments is easy to do yourself, and at no extra charge--which is always a good thing.

When you set up your budget, you'll feel responsible and not guilty about spending money for your next room makeover.

© Copyright 2005 Jeanette J. Fisher All rights reserved.

Professor Jeanette Fisher is the author of "Doghouse to Dollhouse for Dollars," "Credit Help! Get the Credit You Need to Buy Real Estate," and other books. Real estate financing questions? Visit the new Real Estate Credit Help Center for articles, Credit Tips ezine, and blog: http://www.recredithelp.com

California's Swan Lake

This is the view of some of the white pelicans on Lake Elsinore.

Secrets of Master Home Designers

By Lorraine Lawson

Many people feel they are destined to live in a home that is plain and lacks their unique personality because they aren't a designer. Nothing could be further from the truth. Fact is, with a little guidance, you can spruce up your home to make it inviting, warm and uniquely your own.

STYLE
One of the first steps is to decide what style you enjoy. Take time to look through design magazines, visit furniture stores, and take an afternoon or two to stop into model homes. You will be amazed at how many great ideas you will get by viewing something already in existence. Once you find some styles that suit you, allow those styles to be a manifestation of your personality.

PERSONALITY
Since your home is something that should be an expression of who you are, let your personality shine through. Be willing to allow your adventurous side to come out as you are exploring options for decorating your home. Far too often people carry on the tradition of the environment they grew up in even if that is not a true epresentation of their personality. Be willing to be yourself.

SIMPLICITY
We've all heard the expression, "Less is more." This may be very appropriate for the choices you make in decorating your home. Start with something simple. You can always add to your environment as you find unique pieces that fit your personality. Rather than rushing into a specific look, be willing to let the look evolve over time.

FLOW
The flow of your room is essential to the level of comfort you will experience. If there are numerous items blocking the flow of movement you may find you are actually feeling blocked. Be willing to experiment with the location of various pieces to get a sense of what works best for you. Make movement in the room easy and inviting.

ART
One of the most enriching aspects of a home is the artwork you choose. Not only is the artwork itself key to the overall feeling in a room, how a piece of art is framed can make all the difference in the beauty of the piece. You will be well served to invest in one or two pieces at a time and as your budget allows rather than rushing to fill the walls simply to add something. Art should speak to you. It should call to you. It is yet another expression of your personality and uniqueness. Choose with care and love as you would choose anything that brings beauty into your life.

Your home is your retreat from the world. Take time to create a space that is inviting and you enjoy being in. The more pleasure you derive from your home, the more balance you will experience while outside the home.

Lorraine Lawson is a fine artist based out of Campbell, California. She was born in Liege, Belgium home of her great-grandfather, Gustave Flasschoen, a renowned European artist. Although unique in her style, much of Lorraine's art has been influenced as a result of being surrounded by her great-grandfather's spirit. To view Lorraine's work visit www.onefineartist.com

Design on a Dime

Fixing up your home shouldn't mean going into debt. In fact, we at Joy to the Home advocate ways to makeover rooms with little costs.

Because our research on happiness supported that high debt makes people miserable, here's something to think about.

Save money on your mortgage costs and pay off your home early.

If you make an additional $100 per month payment towards your house payment, you can save thousands of dollars. And possibly retire younger!

This is a typical example in the US:

Remaining mortgage balance: $270,508.68
Current interest rate: 5.700 %
Current monthly payment: $1,625.12
Extra amount paid: $100.00

This scenario pays off your remaining loan balance 3 years and 4 months earlier. Because you'll pay off your loan sooner, you'll pay less interest over the life of the loan. And save $39,071.01.

Let's take this one step further:
Extra amount paid: $200.00

This scenario pays off your remaining loan balance 6 years earlier. Because you'll pay off your loan sooner, you'll pay less interest over the life of the loan. And save $67,389.56.

Think about your home remodeling costs. Decide your long term goals first. Then explore ways to makeover your home on a budget that makes the most sense for your needs. Creating a joyful home shouldn't put you into debt.

(c) Copyright 2005 Jeanette J. Fisher

Decorate Yourself Happy: How to Decorate For Everyday Pleasure/Joy

Because psychologists relate true happiness to joyous occurrences happening frequently, decorating your home to promote everyday pleasure makes sense. If you're planning a home makeover, provide for the cumulative total of all the little pleasure moments.

When people rate their happiness, it is the ratio of pleasant to unpleasant emotions and experiences that count. These happy experiences may be simple pleasurable, everyday happenings, not always grand events.

Design Psychology, a new method for residential interior and exterior design starts with planning spaces to support emotional well-being. Homes decorated to support desired emotions create happy spaces for joyful living.

Design Psychology Ideas for Pleasure

1. A tea table in the Main Bedroom provides an intimate space for conversation or individual reflection.

2. A reading nook provides a quiet space for escape.

3. A game table provides a place for playing together.

4. A meandering pathway in the garden provides an enticement to stroll.

5. A garden bed provides the perfect place for relaxing and leisurely afternoon naps.

I mean a real bed, not a flower bed, although you need flowers too!

Let your imagination flow freely, enjoy the process, and focus on your goal of providing pleasurable daily moments at your home.

Joy to you!

(c) Copyright 2004, Jeanette J. Fisher. All rights reserved.

Jeanette Fisher, Design Psychology Professor, is the author of Joy to the Home Journal. Discover innovative Interior Design Psychology and makeover your home to support happiness, productivity, and well-being. For Design Psychology information, see http://www.designpsych.com/ For more information about “Joy to the Home,” see http://www.joytothehome.com/

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/

Does your home make you happy?

Do all the home makeover shows on television inspire you to tackle a room makeover or make you want to move to your dream home? You’re not alone. The home remodeling boom shows no signs of slowing down. And more home sellers report they want to buy a larger home with more amenities.

However, you don’t need to rip your home apart or move on to create a home that makes you happy. You can start today with simple steps to shape a home that makes you smile. This doesn’t mean that you need to completely redo your home. Simple changes which cause happiness include decluttering, reorganizing, and gardening. A clutter-free home helps you avoid frustration. An organized home keeps your days focused on more important issues than finding lost articles. Spending time outdoors with nature keeps your body in harmony with the universe. Plus, you get to enjoy your garden every time you glance outside.

(This is from an article I'm working on. Check back to see more.)

c. Copyright 2005 Jeanette J. Fisher

Find Happiness in a Simple Home

You don't need a mansion to live in a home that brings you joy. In fact, people rate their happiness by the number of pleasurable moments. Therefore, create a joyful home by making spaces that induce simple pleasures.

What's on your list of simple pleasures?

What's So Special About My Front Door?

"The doors we open and close each day decide the lives we live."

- Flora Whittemore

Your front door welcomes all to your home. This declarative statement of your house -- the exclamation point of your home -- needs to sing out your welcoming note.

First impressions are not just for guests. Generally, we do not receive as much company as we think we do. We lead such busy lives and simply do not entertain or visit friends often enough.

Decorating your home to impress others is not as important as decorating your home for your own pleasure. Create a welcoming and warm retreat in which you feel great joy just to arrive. Do you feel happy when you see your home in the distance? Does your first glimpse of home bring a smile to your face?

A problem with many new homes is that developers do not provide a separate walkway to your front door. To make yourself and your guests feel more welcome than a car, provide a separate front walkway from the street to the front door. Don't make guests walk around cars and trip on driveway edges to navigate to the entrance.

Feeling Welcome

Flowers lining the walkway provide a warm reception. Cheerful flowers in loud colors near the entry tell the world that you care about your home. Extras like water fountains, fishponds, cooing peace doves, and scented vegetation make all feel gladly received.

Sing Out the Address

Proud address numbers are bold and beautiful. Avoid tacky peel and stick numbers. Brass numbers need to have screw holes in them, not pronged ends that eventually work loose. As in the past, gold-gilded numbers look elegant on glass doors. Gold-gilded vinyl transfer numbers look especially exquisite in transom windows.

Welcoming Accessories:

Wind chimes add pleasure to our sense of hearing.

Potted plants such as soft ferns (shun unfriendly spiked plants and thorns near the doorway).

Floral baskets with bright yellow and white flowers show up better at night.

A pair of rocking chairs, a double glider, or a porch swing invites neighbors to stop and chat.

A doormat that not only saves your floors but also looks welcoming!

What Color Should I Paint My Front Door?

Unless your front door is a beautiful wood, paint it a joyful color. Your entry door should be a different color than the rest of your house. Warm happy colors include the shades of red and yellow: burgundy, claret, rust, terra cotta, deep amber, and sunny yellow. Cool happy colors of green include apple, sage, and forest green.

After spending time and effort creating a wonderful entryway into your home, use it! Why enter from the garage or back door? Treat yourself as well as you treat your guests. Come home through your welcoming front door!

(c) Copyright 2005 Jeanette J. Fisher. All rights reserved.

What is the most important design detail for happiness?

Lighting helps change a room for different uses more easily than any other design detail. We can light a room for the occasion or the activity of the moment. The change and variation provided by lighting enhances the rhythms of our daily lives.

From flickering candles and twinkling party lights to advanced micro-lighting systems, lighting gives us either a comfortable or a miserable emotional atmosphere. Understanding the effects of different lighting helps you select the exact fixture and light source to create the desired emotional setting.

EIGHT PHYSIOLOGICAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL RESPONSES TO LIGHT
1. Poor lighting causes eye fatigue and headaches.
2. Absence of natural daylight triggers depression and poor immune defenses.
3. Bright light stimulates us, while low levels of illumination quiet our senses.
4. Dim lighting or harsh contrasts produce eyestrain.
5. Too much artificial light and overly-bright rooms hurt our eyes and make us feel jittery.
6. Insufficient lighting is linked to emotional stress and to physical ailments.
7. An excess of unnatural light does not replace the calming effects of natural daylight.
8. Uncovered light bulbs cause irritation and disturb tranquility.

Notice how too much artificial lighting or too little supplementary light bring about the same harmful side-effects. Choose your lighting design carefully to assure emotional and physical comfort. Look for types of light fixtures with covered light bulbs. Use daylight-like light bulbs in combination with colored light to set the mood.

Consider another fact: people feel more comfortable with lighting from many sources. Combinations of lighting add variety and vivacity to our lives. Contrasting mixtures of brightness and darkness cause dramatic and lively changes in our home ambiance. Uniform lighting is good for working, but it is boring. Blending light sources halts insipid monotony in our rooms and in our lives. Selecting from a gentle radiance, a warm glow, to a bright, intense light involves understanding the effects of lighting on our emotions.

For these reasons, take care when selecting your lighting. Choose varying lighting effects to bring about your changing harmonious space.

(c) 2005 Jeanette J. Fisher All rights reserved.