Buying a house can be a long and winding road of ups and downs. But being prepared and knowing the steps can help you weather the emotional storms that invariably come along.Knowing how your credit score is calculated can be helpful to establishing a good strong score which will help you obtain a mortgage for the best rate.The riskier you are to lend money to, the higher the rate of interest will be on that mortgage which can make the cost of the loan prohibitive.1) Payment history, paying your bills on time makes up 35% of your score. Set an alarm in your calendar so that you do not miss any payment dates. This is the largest contributor to your credit score.2) The amount of debt you are carrying makes up 30% of your score, too much debt will affect your score negatively, lenders want ... 03/19/2025

Now that we are wrapping up the first quarter of 2025, galvanized pipes are not getting any younger. They were used as water supply pipes prolifically through the 1960’s with isolated instances through the 1980’s. Best case scenario the pipes are 50 plus years old if they are still in use but most are far older. In the vast majority of homes if galvanized supply lines are still in use, they have already exceeded their engineered lifespan and homeowners should plan to replace them. Home inspectors should be identifying the supply lines in the house as well as do their best to identify the type of supply lines brining water to the house. If your house still has galvanized lines develop a plan to replace them. Leaks are a big concern and even if you lucky and they don’t leak build up insi... 03/18/2025

Spring is here today! MR squirrel was looking around as usual, and Cleo was amazed at all the birds singing at our door today. Suddenly, I heard this bird screeching, one I had not heard before. With my camera in hand, I walked over, and the most beautiful Blue Jay was perched on the walkway fence. He seemed to be talking to Mr. Squirrell, who controlled the warm water bowl I had placed outside. Before I could snap his picture, he was gone.   Cleo wanted to go out and play. She was upset and tried to go outside later once they were all gone. She came right back in; she knew home. The Blue Jay has a nest in the big tree next to our condo, so that we will see him again. They have a very distinct voice. I will try to get a picture of him in the next several days. The weather is warmer, but... 03/20/2025

This post is in response to the ActiveRain March Challenge: Sharing The Gift of Who You Are, thanks to Patricia Feager and Lew Corcoran.------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------I am second generation American. My grandparents on both sides of my family came to America in the early 1900’s from Ukraine. They migrated because life was very hard back there, and I grew up hearing stories of how they settled in and raised my parents in and around the Philadelphia area.My father’s parents moved around a bit after they were married. My grandfather would purchase farms at auction. He would sell things from his farms in the city, as a huckster, using a horse and wagon as transport his goods for sale. His last far... 03/22/2025