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Keep these safety tips in mind before putting your home on the market.

Communicate With Your Agent

Your agent should have a process in place to vet any potential buyers before bringing them into your home.

Be Careful With Photography

Removing family pictures from the space will help maintain your privacy.

Secure Your Valuables

Be sure to put away any small valuables you might overlook like keys or important documents.

Consider All Privacy Options

Some sellers choose to withhold their address from print and online marketing materials or have their agent keep it as a pocket listing.

Published with permission from RISMedia.

If youre looking to add a bit more green to your design scheme, youre not alone. House plants are a popular way to add fresh beauty, and clean up your air while youre at it. However, keeping a house plant healthy is a responsibility, even if its a small one. Consider the following plants that are both beautiful and easy to manage.

Aloe. You really cant go wrong with succulents, and these cool plants can also help ward off sunburn. Just strip off a leaf, open it up, and rub the ooey-gooey insides on your sun-kissed skin.

Orchids. These sweet blooms are beautiful and low maintenance. Just keep a small misting bottle beside your plant and give it a gentle spray once a week.

Peace lily. These graceful plants dont need a lot of light, so theyre perfect for perching in your living room.

Snake plant. Dont let the slithery name fool you. Another succulent, this interesting upright plant can deal in bright or low-light settings, and can survive with minimal amounts of water.

English ivy. If you want a hanging plant, this vine is for you. Place this ivy on a shelf or mantel and let the vines hang down. You can let the plant run wild, or prune it back for a more manageable look.

Published with permission from RISMedia.

When you apply for a mortgage, a lender will decide how much money its willing to give you to put toward the purchase of a house. That doesnt necessarily mean that you should take out a loan for the full amount. In some cases, borrowing the maximum a lender will allow could leave you overwhelmed by debt.

How Lenders Decide How Much You Can Borrow
Lenders base their mortgage decisions on several factors, including credit score and length of credit history, but the most important factor is a borrowers debt-to-income ratio. This is the sum of all debts, including a mortgage, credit card minimum payments, and vehicle, student, and personal loans.

Most lenders want borrowers to devote no more than 28 percent of their gross income to a mortgage, property taxes, and homeowners and private mortgage insurance. They also want total debt payments to be no more than 36 percent of gross income. If your debt-to-income ratio is higher than these limits, a lender may reject your application or approve you for a loan at a high interest rate.

Reasons Not to Borrow as Much as You Can
A lender may approve you for a mortgage up to a high amount, but it might not make sense to borrow the full amount if your other, non-home-related debts are high. For example, if you have credit card payments that, when combined with home-related expenses, would put your total debt payments over 36 percent, you could find yourself struggling to meet all your obligations. You might have other expenses that take up a significant portion of your income. For instance, daycare costs, college tuition and medical bills could make it impossible for you to afford a high mortgage payment, even if a lender offered it.

Consider your long-term financial goals. If you have credit card bills you want to pay off quickly, you can pay more than the minimums due each month, but that might make your total debt payments too high to manage with a large mortgage. If you plan to buy a new car sometime soon, a car payment plus a high monthly mortgage payment could be hard to manage. If you want to set aside money for retirement or for your childrens college education, take those goals into account.

Dont Take on More Debt Than You Can Handle
When shopping for a home, its easy to get in over your head. Just because you can borrow a large sum of money, that doesnt mean you should. You probably have several other current and future expenses that could affect your ability to manage mortgage payments. Look at your entire financial picture and make a responsible decision that will allow you to cover all your bills and live comfortably.

This article is intended for informational purposes only and should not be construed as professional or legal advice.

Published with permission from RISMedia.

Here are a few ideas for a memorable camping trip seconds from home…

Cozy Accommodations

Fill your tent with blankets and pillows to ensure no one gets cold in the middle of the night.

Camping Vibes

Hanging lanterns and making smores around a fire will make it feel even more like camping.

Evening Activities

Plan out a few activities, like a card game, charades or even a scavenger hunt. Afterwards, star gazing is the perfect way to let everyone wind down before bed.

Remember the Essentials

Dont forget to stock up on bug spray, check the weather forecast and make sure to have working flashlights.

Published with permission from RISMedia.

Having good credit wont get you a mortgage by itself, but it definitely helps. A good credit score can result in a lower interest rate and better loan terms, while poor credit can lead to a higher interest rate for a mortgage.

But its not impossible to obtain a home loan if you have poor credit and are working to improve it. Here are some options:

Wait a Few Months

Work on improving your credit score for a few months, and then try to get a home loan. The wait may be worth it and could boost your credit score just enough to qualify for a loan.

There are several ways to improve a credit score. Reducing debt is the best way, so do all you can to pay off your credit card bills. If you have a history of late payments, or just a few of them, stop that bad habit and start paying all of your bills on time.

Also, check your credit reports for errors and fix them, and dont apply for new credit cards when shopping for a home loan.

FHA Loan

A loan backed by the Fair Housing Administration (FHA) is usually the easiest type of mortgage loan to qualify for.

Its aimed at first-time homebuyers and requires a low down payment of 3.5 percent for people with credit that isnt very high. Borrowers with credit scores as low as 500 can qualify for FHA loans.

However, FHA loans do have an additional expense”you’re required to purchase mortgage insurance. This protects the lender if you default on the loan.

Are You a Veteran?

A Veterans Affairs mortgage, or VA loan, is a low-cost home loan for veterans. It doesnt require a down payment in most cases, has lower rates than conventional loans, and doesnt require paying a monthly mortgage insurance premium, among other benefits.

Most VA-approved lenders require a credit score of at least 620, according to the Veterans United Network.

Have a Higher Down Payment

The interest rate a lender offers on a mortgage is partly based on risk. A poor credit score can mean youre a higher risk for not repaying the loan than someone with a high score.

To offset some of that risk and qualify for a lower interest rate, you can make a higher down payment. Putting 20 percent down instead of 5 percent may get you a better rate on a loan.

Whatever loan option you choose for a home purchase when trying to improve your credit, you should continue working to boost your credit score after buying a home. When it gets high enough, it may be worthwhile to refinance your home loan.

Published with permission from RISMedia.