Hope Leitner, Realtor®, CRS

Paying off your mortgage can provide peace of mind and is a worthy goal but is it the best thing for you to do at this time. Do you have higher interest rate debt currently?   If you have credit card debt with double-digit rates or personal, car or student loans, you'll probably save more money from interest by paying these things off before you pay off your mortgage which is usually one of the lower rates on debt. Many financial advisors recommend funding your annual retirement contribution before paying down a mortgage.   If your company offers matching funds for your contribution, you would be leaving money on the table by not making the contribution to your retirement.   For instance, you would be getting a $10,000 value by putting $5,000 into your retirement if your company matches it. Creating an emergency fund is another favorite of financial advisors.   When the rainy day arrives and you need funds, it may be difficult to get money from the equity of your home, especi

Information is brought to you by Hope Leitner Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices California Properties Setting Up Your Surround Sound Speakers When you move into a new house, there are numerous things you’ll want to do early on to get your house in live-in shape, and one thing you should think about early is setting up the surround sound system in your new home. Techies love this sort of stuff, but not everyone is adept at understanding all the wiring and how to properly set up speakers and an audio system. While you could hire someone to come in and do the job, watching a few DIY videos on YouTube may be enough for you to handle it yourself. One of the most vital components of the surround system is the speaker and the placement of the speakers around your media room is paramount in creating an ideal surround sound system environment. Start by locating the “sweet spot” in your room where you will most likely be sitting to watch TV. Of course, multiple people watch at

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Information is brought to you by Hope Leitner Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices California Properties The Costs of Owning a Dog One of the biggest responsibilities a child—or a family—can take on is adopting a dog as a pet. Feeding, walking, grooming and cleaning up after a dog are daily responsibilities that everyone can do, and will also help teach children how to take care of something they love. For parents, however, there’s the extra task of paying for all the costs associated with the dog. Here are some of the primary expenses of owning a dog that a family should consider before bringing one home: Upfront Fees Adoption fees are the first costs you’ll incur, whether from a pet store, private breeder or animal shelter. Animal shelters will be the least expensive, though they’ll likely require your dog to be spayed or neutered at a cost of up to $200 or so. There are also the costs of vaccinations, license and microchip, all of which can easily add $100 or more t

Homeowners still have considerable advantages from the amortization of the mortgage and the appreciation enjoyed by most homes even with taking the standard deduction instead of itemizing to take the interest and property tax deduction.   There is an adage, "Rent or buy, you pay for the house you occupy."   You either pay for it yourself or for your landlord.   The people who have job security, sufficient income, good credit and the funds for the down payment and closing costs can enjoy the many financial and emotional benefits of homeownership. Looking at a $350,000 home purchased with an FHA mortgage with 3.5% down payment at 3.25% interest for 30-years, the total payment would be $2,420 a month.   During the first year, the average monthly principal reduction is $573 a month which build the owner's equity in the home. At an estimated 3% appreciation, this home would increase in value at the rate of $875 a month during the first year which again builds the owner&#

Information is brought to you by Hope Leitner Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices California Properties How to Clean Your Hardwood Floors If you’re the proud owner of a hardwood floor, you may be engaged in a constant cleaning battle. Hardwood looks best when it’s buff and gleaming, but with a busy schedule, it can be hard to keep the floors sparkling at all times. Below are a handful of tips for quickly cleaning your wood floors. Clear the space.   This may seem obvious, but it’s an often-overlooked step in the cleaning process. Clear your furniture (picking it up, not dragging it) so you can access the full plane of your floor. Vacuum.   Use a vacuum to pick up surface dirt and pet hair that will interfere with your mopping. If your vacuum has a crevice accessory, put it on and get in the tough to reach spots, like corners and baseboards. Mop.   Going with the grain, mop your floor from wall to wall, including your baseboards. If your floor is sealed with polyurethane

Information is brought to you by Hope Leitner Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices California Properties 5 Peaceful Paint Colors If you plan to repaint your interiors this year, don’t forget to pick a hue that will positively impact your mood. While bright red or neon green may be fun, they can subconsciously create stress in the body. Below are five peaceful paint colors to up the “ahhh” factor of your favorite spaces. Violet A dusty purple can promote balance and inner peace. Make sure to pick a shade with more blue tones and less black for a relaxing vibe. Green While a neon green can be alarming, a less bright shade (think forest or grass) can be calming and refreshing. Gray While some may think gray is dull, it actually has been shown to be a soothing, stress-free color. Plus, it goes with nearly any accent hue, so you can get creative with accompanying colors. Blue Choose a gentle ocean blue in the bedroom for a restful night’s sleep. Known to reduce tension, opt

Information is brought to you by Hope Leitner Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices California Properties A Checklist for Retiring Early Retiring early is a great idea if you can afford it. Unfortunately, few people plan for retirement as well as they should. A common rule of thumb is to save 10 times your final salary to retire by age 67. For someone with an annual salary of $50,000, that would mean having $500,000 saved in retirement funds. If you want to retire early, you probably already know you need to have a good chunk of money saved. But there are some other things you can do too: Check Federal Benefits The Social Security Administration has rules for when benefits can start to be collected. The longer you put them off, the more money you can get. To receive the full amount of benefits, you must reach full retirement age. Check out the agency’s   to determine your full retirement age. If your full retirement age is 67 and you choose to collect Social Security be

Information is brought to you by Hope Leitner Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices California Properties When to Buy Extended Warranty? Usually Never You just bought a new dishwasher, TV, tablet, refrigerator or other big-ticket item you’ve been wanting for months. The salesperson, or maybe even the cashier, asks if you’d like to add an extended warranty for a few dollars more. Is it a worthwhile extra expense? Our cars, appliances, gadgets and almost anything electrical have complicated parts that can break and make repairs more expensive — sometimes more costly than buying another new item. An extended warranty would cover such repairs, we’re told, and give us peace of mind. But don’t buy one so fast. For one thing, they’re almost an impulse buy and are sold without giving you much time to think about them or read the fine print of the contract. They can also be repetitive. Most new products come with a free manufacturer’s warranty for three to 12 months, promising a f

Information is brought to you by Hope Leitner Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices California Properties Keeping Your Child's Credit History Clean If your child has a Social Security number, they can become a victim of identity theft. With a clean credit history, a child’s Social Security number can be more valuable to a thief than an adult’s. It can be used to apply for government benefits, open bank and credit card accounts, and apply for a loan. This could lead to a poor credit history before your child reaches age 18. A poor credit score can make it difficult to get good terms on credit, a mortgage and insurance. Some employers and landlords also pull credit reports to predict what type of risk someone might be in the future. Here are some ways to ensure your child has a clean credit history into adulthood: Keep documents safe Don’t carry around your child’s birth certificate or Social Security card. Keep them locked in a fire-proof safe at home. Have your home

Information is brought to you by Hope Leitner Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices California Properties Is Granite on its Way Out? According to the National Kitchen and Bath Association, granite countertops are in less demand today, while the use of quartz is on the rise. Why? For one thing, man-made quartz countertops are offered in a far greater range of looks and feels. Reason number two: it’s a bit easier to maintain over the long haul, and it’s deemed a better environmental choice because it emits lower levels of radon—a potentially cancer-causing agent. To be fair, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) maintains the radioactive materials in granite countertops are far too minuscule to pose a health threat. So what, exactly, is a quartz countertop? It’s made of engineered stone, composed of at least 90% ground-up quartz mixed with a binder (like resin) then molded into a slab. Because pigment is added during the manufacturing process, the sky’s the limit when it

Information is brought to you by Hope Leitner Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices California Properties Making Financial Lessons a Family Tradition Teaching children manners and how to tie their shoes is one thing, but financial lessons are often pushed to the wayside until it’s too late. Budgeting and financial planning should be a focus in every household. Whether you are passing along your lessons to your children, nieces or nephews, keeping financial sense in the family can have longstanding benefits. Here are some financial lessons you can teach children before they leave home: How to Budget Whether it’s through a household budget that you let them become a part of, or a weekly allowance on which they have to determine how to spend and save, budgeting is a skill they will be able to use throughout their lives. Show the younger generations how to budget for monthly expenses, such as a mortgage, groceries, utility bills and other expenses, and then show them what you

Information is brought to you by Hope Leitner Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices California Properties Deciphering Auto Insurance Jargon From buying auto insurance to filing a claim, figuring out the language of auto insurance can be difficult. Why is your insurance agent recommending “gap insurance” and are “OEM” parts worthwhile? Here are definitions of some of the more complex insurance jargon terms. If you come across something in your policy or your agent says something you don’t understand, ask them to explain the terms. Bodily injury liability:   This insurance provision covers costs associated with injuries and death that you or another driver causes while driving your car. Such coverage is usually mandated by state law. Collision coverage:   Optional coverage in case your vehicle is damaged in a collision with a vehicle or other object, such as a tree, when you’re at fault. Collision coverage won’t reimburse you for mechanical failure or normal wear and tear o