Are you unhappy with your home’s interior design? If so, you may be the victim of a bad color scheme. It’s no secret that color can either make or break a design, but luckily, neither is finding out how to choose the perfect color palette for you.

When the color’s right, it can:
• Enhance feelings of health and wellbeing
• Modify perceived temperature — make your space feel warmer or cooler
• Transform perceived space — make your space feel larger, or more cozy and intimate
• Illuminate dark areas
• Create mystery and romance in dull areas
• Energize static areas

But it has to be the right color for you. Color, and the psychology of color, is a big design trend says Barbara Jacobs, principal of Barbara Jacobs Color & Design. “But generalizations — green is relaxing, blue is soothing, red is energizing — only apply when certain hues are used,” she says. “A sharp, electric green definitely would not be relaxing; a deep blue-green might feel cold instead of soothing. The wrong red used in an entire room might create the sensation of entrapment rather than energy.”

Before planning color in your personal environment, make a mini-questionnaire and poll yourself and your family. Your answers are 50 percent of the project because your color choices depend on them for direction, Jacobs says. She gives her clients a very long questionnaire with hundreds of questions, but you can start with these five. The answers will lead you to your new color scheme.

1. Where is the room?

2. How many windows are there and which direction do they face?

3. Is there landscaping outside that will have an effect on the colors in the room?

4. Who will use the room, and what will they do there? Is it private or community space?

5. Will it be a sociable and active place, or a peaceful place? How do I want it to feel?

AMARILLO, TEXAS — Forbes Magazine has named Amarillo one of the best cities for working retirement. They cite Amarillo’s 4.1 unemployment rate, low home prices and a lower cost of living. They also point to the abundance of physicians in the city and great air quality, “making it ideal for a retiree who wants to work but also enjoy a healthy lifestyle and the great outdoors.”

Eric Miller, of the Amarillo Convention and Visitor Council says, “It kind of adds up to our image, how we look in front of the country, in front of a growing population of retirees, a very valuable population. And if they come there, that adds to our economy.　 So it really is invaluable if you look at the big picture.”

Jerry Frisbie is an 81-year-old sacker at the United on Gem Lake Road. He’d been retired for some time. After his wife of 53 years died he went to work at the store to be around people. “Being able to be around people and not just sitting home here, doing nothing. It’s a blessing. I still miss her, but I get up and go to work.” Frisbie has been named United’s Employee of the Year.

The garden is waking up, and you’re in charge! It’s time to plant, prune, prepare beds, and care for your lawn.

• Check for signs of growth. Did you remember to plant snow crocus lastfall? If not, cut forsythia or magnolia branches to bring inside for forcing to get a dose of early spring color.
• Prep the beds. Remove winter mulch or, if well composted, work into the top layer of the soil. Work in some leaf mold or well-rotted manure, too.
• Prune. Now is the time to trim fruit trees if you didn’t prune in winter. Prune before buds begin to break into bloom or you’ll stress the tree and get a tiny crop (or possibly none).
• Perform basic maintenance. Check stonework for frost heaves. Check and clean the deck now so you don’t have to do it later; make any repairs.
• Start seeds indoors. You’ve spent the winter reading seed and plant catalogs, so try some.
• Plant veggies. Hardy vegetables, such as onions, potatoes, artichokes, and some lettuces, should be planted now.
• Divide perennials. Before plants have begun spring growth is a good time to divide many perennials. Share some divisions with your friends this year.
•  Species tulips and crocus are among the earliest flowering bulbs.

by HomeAdvisor

In some areas of the country, roof damage is common during the winter months because of the massive amount of weight added by annual snowfall and ice accumulation. Removing this heavy snow and ice can prevent costly water damage to the roof itself, as well as to walls and ceilings. Homeowners that have attempted to do this job themselves know all too well that it is a precarious operation in many instances. Unless you can do it safely, don’t jeopardize your well-being by trying to remove it yourself; here, there’s no shame in leaving this dangerous work to a professional with the appropriate experience and equipment.

Winter Roof Damage
Water leaks from ice and snow are caused by interior heat from the house. Water from ice melting on the roof is trapped and creates an ice dam on the roof, gutters and downspouts. The water then takes the path of least resistance under the roof system, or sideways and through flashings, which were not designed for to handle this kind of moisture. When this happens, interior water damage can occur.

Some of us have either heard of (our tried ourselves) using a regular snow shovel to remove excessive snow from the top of our homes to prevent roof damage. This technique, however, has some pretty obvious drawbacks, and can cause its own damage to shingles. Some contractors may suggest that rock salt or calcium chloride be used to melt the ice and snow. Unfortunately, this may also damage shingles. In fact, many shingle manufacturers warn against this, and it may void your warranty.

Gutters, Flat Roofs, and Possible Ice Damage
Ice in gutters and downspouts is virtually impossible to remove without causing roof damage or harming the gutters themselves. Gutters that are filled with blocks of ice, however, are a repair waiting to happen. Make sure that your gutters are cleaned regularly to reduce the risk of getting them clogged with ice. In some cases, the gutter system may even be removed from the roof to prevent ice damage.

Flat roofs whose drains freeze will trap water on the roof system. The trapped water may accumulate to levels higher than the roof flashings, resulting in water leaks. Fixing this problem sometimes involves removing the downspout and physically opening the drain to create discharge.

Dealing with Skylights
Skylights covered with ice and snow may cause leaking because of their “weep holes” being covered. Internal condensation can’t escape, causing water. Have the snow and ice removed from around the skylight. Make sure the contractor is aware that there are skylights, so they don’t damage them if they are buried by snow.

Repairing Existing Roof Damage
If you notice leaks or water marks on the walls or ceiling of your home, the damage is already done. Some roof repair operations are relatively inexpensive; nationally, the cost for asphalt shingle roof repair is about $575. When ice damage is extensive enough to warrant roof replacement, Americans pay an average of around $6,000 to install a new asphalt roof.

Read more: http://www.homeadvisor.com/article.show.Will-Your-Roof-Cost-You-Thousands-This-Winter.9037.html#ixzz2M8Kt0gec

When you apply for credit – whether for a credit card, a car loan, or a mortgage – lenders want to know what risk they’d take by loaning money to you. FICO® scores are the credit scores most lenders use to determine your credit risk. You have three FICO scores, one for each of the three credit bureaus: Experian, TransUnion, and Equifax. Each score is based on information the credit bureau keeps on file about you. As this information changes, your credit scores tend to change as well. Your 3 FICO scores affect both how much and what loan terms (interest rate, etc.) lenders will offer you at any given time. Taking steps to improve your FICO scores can help you qualify for better rates from lenders.

For your three FICO scores to be calculated, each of your three credit reports must contain at least one account which has been open for at least six months. In addition, each report must contain at least one account that has been updated in the past six months. This ensures that there is enough information – and enough recent information – in your report on which to base a FICO score on each report.

About FICO Scores

Credit bureau scores are often called “FICO scores” because most credit bureau scores used in the U.S. are produced from software developed by Fair Isaac and Company. FICO scores are provided to lenders by the major credit reporting agencies.

FICO scores provide the best guide to future risk based solely on credit report data. The higher the credit score, the lower the risk. But no score says whether a specific individual will be a “good” or “bad” customer. And while many lenders use FICO scores to help them make lending decisions, each lender has its own strategy, including the level of risk it finds acceptable for a given credit product. There is no single “cutoff score” used by all lenders and there are many additional factors that lenders use to determine your actual interest rates. However you can now see what interest rates lenders typically offer consumers based on FICO score ranges.

Other Names for FICO Scores

FICO scores have different names at each of the credit reporting agencies. All of these scores, however, are developed using the same methods by Fair Isaac, and have been rigorously tested to ensure they provide the most accurate picture of credit risk possible using credit report data.

More Than One Credit Score

In general, when people talk about “your score”, they’re talking about your current FICO score. However, there is no one credit score used to make decisions about you. This is true because:

• Credit bureau scores are not the only scores used.
  Many lenders use their own credit scores, which often will include the FICO score as well as other information about you.
• FICO scores are not the only credit bureau scores.
  There are other credit bureau scores, although FICO scores are by far the most commonly used. Other credit bureau scores may evaluate your credit report differently than FICO scores, and in some cases a higher score may mean more risk, not less risk as with FICO scores.
• Your credit score may be different at each of the main credit reporting agencies.
  The FICO score from each credit reporting agency considers only the data in your credit report at that agency. If your current scores from the credit reporting agencies are different, it’s probably because the information those agencies have on you differs.
• Your FICO score changes over time.
  As your data changes at the credit reporting agency, so will any new credit score based on your credit report. So your FICO score from a month ago is probably not the same score a lender would get from the credit reporting agency today

Most people never give their water heater a second thought — until it stops working. One thing you can do to extend the life of hour water heater is to drain the tank annually to remove any sediment that may have built up inside it.

Step 1: Turn off the Water Supply

If you have an electric water heater, turn off the power at the breaker-box. If yours is a gas heater, turn the thermostat to the “pilot” setting. Connect a hose to the drain valve located close to the thermostat, but don’t open the valve yet. Turn off the cold-water supply that feeds the water-heater.

Step 2: Drain the Hot Water

Inside your house, open up one of the hot-water faucets in one of your sinks or tubs. This will prevent a vacuum from forming in the lines. Go back to the water-heater, and open the drain valve to drain the hot water out of the tank. Make sure the far end of the hose is draining somewhere that won’t be harmed by hot water. An outside driveway is ideal.

Step 4: Test the Pressure-Release Valve

Turn the power-supply to the water heater back on at the breaker box (or the thermostat), after the tank has filled with water. Once the water temperature has been brought back up, test the pressure-relief valve according to the manufacturer’s instructions. This safety device is designed to prevent excess pressure build-up or overheating inside the tank. If it’s faulty, you may need to have it replaced by a licensed plumber.

Whether you are a homeowner seeking to refinance, a homebuyer or a renter, expect higher housing costs this winter.

Certain mortgage fees are rising, especially for those with small down payments. Luckily for borrowers, low mortgage rates are still around, but they only have one way to go this year, and that’s up.

This isn’t the time to wait for a better deal. It’s time to act.

It’s also time to pay close attention to a number of new mortgage regulations that are being released this year. They will help determine who gets a mortgage in the near future.

Here are five housing trends you should expect to see this winter.

Homebuyers with low down payments will pay higher mortgage insurance premiums when they get a Federal Housing Administration mortgage this year.

The FHA says it will increase the annual insurance premium that is added to a borrower’s monthly mortgage payments by 0.1 percent. It may sound like a small increase, but this hike is on top of numerous insurance premium raises the FHA has implemented since 2008 as part of its ongoing efforts to shore up the FHA’s reserves. Industry observers say there’s great potential for much higher increases this year.

FHA borrowers are charged about 1.25 percent of the total balance of their loans per year. Before the financial crisis of 2008, the charge was about 0.5 percent.

Because mortgage rates are extremely low, the added cost might not affect borrowers significantly now. That could change once rates rise, says Janneke Ratcliffe, executive director for the Center for Community Capital at The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

The FHA also is considering tightening certain requirements for borrowers with FICO credit scores between 580 and 620. Among some of the changes, the FHA would increase the down payment requirement and costs for borrowers in high-cost areas borrowing between $625,000 and $729,000.

Mortgage rates appear to have reached bottom. They can stay low or rise, but don’t bet on them falling. Most analysts say they will rise — probably slowly, until the Federal Reserve decides to stop printing money to invest in mortgage bonds. Then rates could spike overnight.

It’s unlikely the Fed will give up on keeping mortgage rates artificially low so early in the year. But refinancers and homebuyers who have not taken advantage of the historically low rates shouldn’t waste time, mortgage professionals say.

The Mortgage Bankers Association estimates that the 30-year fixed will rise to about 3.9 percent by the end of the first quarter of the year.

That’s still an attractive rate, especially for those who still pay 5 percent or higher on their loans. Those who qualify for a mortgage and are ready to refinance should do so as soon as possible, mortgage professionals say.

“In the long run, locking and closing a loan at these rate levels will forever be a smart decision,” says Brett Sinnott, director of secondary marketing at CMG Mortgage Group in San Ramon, Calif.

Rents will continue to climb in many parts of the country, as the number of apartments available for rent shrinks, and demand from renters rises.

U.S. apartment vacancies dropped to an 11-year low of 4.5 percent in the last quarter of 2012, according to real estate research firm Reis. Foreclosures, still-tight mortgage lending requirements and a weak jobs market are contributing to the surge in demand and rental prices.

“A majority of distressed and displaced homeowners would prefer to remain in single-family homes, but it remains difficult for potential buyers to secure mortgages to purchase those homes,” says Wally Charnoff, chief executive officer of RentRange, a provider of rental market data and analytics. “As the homeownership rate in the U.S. continues to decline and the rate of distress remains elevated, demand for quality rental properties will continue to grow and bring with it the associated competition that traditionally drives rent increases.”

Now that the election is over and the “fiscal cliff” ordeal has been put to bed — at least partially — President Barack Obama’s administration will likely renew its push to help underwater homeowners. That could result in new refinancing opportunities for homeowners who have not been helped by the numerous refinancing programs that have been created since the financial crisis.

“I wouldn’t expect a big shift in administration strategy, but I do think the administration will return to some of the issues they have previously worked on, in particular refinancing, which I would expect to be highest on their agenda,” says Julia Gordon, director of housing finance and policy for the Center for American Progress. “I also think they do have an interest in principal reduction and an interest in trying to nominate someone to replace Mr. DeMarco.”

Edward DeMarco, the acting director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency, has been a strong opponent and a major obstacle to any programs that involve offering underwater borrowers partial principal forgiveness on loans owned by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.

Once DeMarco is replaced, which is expected to be soon, talks involving some type of principal reduction may resume.

A series of new mortgage and servicing rules is in the process of being unveiled in early 2013. These rules will reshape the mortgage industry and could affect consumers, for better or worse, once they go into effect.

The mortgage industry has long claimed that many of the rules could restrict lending and the availability of capital, making mortgages much harder to get. Consumer advocates and other industry observers say the announcement of these will actually bring clarity and more certainty to the market, making loans actually easier to get. Many of the rules, which resulted from the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, have been in the works for about two years.

The main rule released so far requires lenders to verify that a borrower has the ability to repay the loan when getting a mortgage. The rule was designed to protect borrowers from the types of risky loans that led to the housing crash. The regulation had to be crafted with caution so that it wouldn’t restrict lending and hurt the housing recovery.

“We got what we thought we were going to get, so I don’t expect any dramatic changes for most borrowers,” in terms of getting approved for loans, says Anthony Hutchinson, a senior policy representative at the National Association of Realtors.

By Polyana da Costa • Bankrate.com

By KAREN SMITH WELCH