Loan modification sounds simple enough: you basically ask your lender to change your mortgage terms on the basis of your financial hardship. If you’re one of the millions of American homeowners who want to stop foreclosure, it may just be the solution you’re looking for. If all goes well, you can get your loan modified in just a few weeks and start getting your life back on track.

Unfortunately, it’s a bit less simple than that. Lenders aren’t all too willing to restructure your mortgage at your request, and you can bet they’ll make it hard for you. But with a strong case and the right defense from a loan modification attorney, it’s more than possible to get your way. This guide shows you how to face your lenders and get the best loan modification agreement.

How Loan Modification works:

1. Consultation. The process starts when you consult your loan modification attorney. During the meeting, your lawyer will review your situation and decide whether or not a loan modification is the right step.

2. Paperwork. When they’ve decided they can help you out, your loan modification firm will send you a package asking for financial documents that will be used for your application. These usually include:

·       Proof of income

·       At least four month of bank statements

·       A hardship letter explaining your situation and requesting a loan modification

·       A monthly expense sheet detailing all your expenses, including items you are not paying for (such as food and utilities)

·       Your most recent mortgage statement

·       2 years W2 forms

·       2 years tax returns

Your loan modification attorney will determine the best approach based on your current situation. They can also use violations of the Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act (RESPA) and Truth In Lending Act (TILA), as leverage during negotiations.

3. Negotiations. Your lawyer will begin negotiations shortly after sending your application. This is where the real work happens, as they’ll actually talk to your lender about your situation and get your loan modified. A good loan modification attorney will negotiate aggressively until the bank makes an offer that suits your financial capacity.

4. Approval. When your bank and lawyer have reached an agreement, they’ll send you a document detailing the offer for approval. The change can be a bad credit refinance, a lower interest rate, or a restructuring of your mortgage, depending on your request and what they agreed on.

How to qualify for a Loan Modification:

Each bank has its own guidelines on qualifying borrowers for mortgage assistance. To get the best results, it’s important to know their standards and do your best to meet them. Factors commonly considered include:

·       Income vs. Expenses. The main reason you need to show income vs. expenses is to prove to your lenders that you can still afford to make your payments if they were lowered. This comparison shows how much of your monthly salary goes into paying off your mortgage, including the principal and interest, property taxes, and insurance.

·       Nature of hardship. Some lenders have specific rules on what qualifies as financial hardship. Your hardship letter should explain in detail what made you fall behind and show that it was out of your hands. Commonly accepted situations include illness or death in the family, job loss or demotion, lawsuits, divorces, and military service.

·       Payment history. Lenders will also look at your previous mortgage statements to see how you handled it before you fell behind. If you made timely payments prior to financial hardship, it shows that you can get back on track once you have a mortgage modification. Note that this isn’t the same as your credit history—your credit rating has nothing to do with qualifying for a loan modification.

·       Bank statements. A good bank account shows two things: first, that your spending habits were stable before you fell into hardship; and second, that you have an emergency fund in case you fall behind again.

·       Tax payments. This serves as secondary proof of your financial responsibility. Consistent returns show that you pay all your duties and aren’t just trying to get cutbacks. It also backs up whatever claims you made in your hardship letter, and proves that the situation was out of your hands.

Finally, your loan modification attorney also plays a big part in your application. You want someone who comes from a respectable firm, has a good track history (preferably in legal foreclosure assistance), and has contacts at all the major lenders. A good attorney can take time to understand your case and keep negotiating until you get proper mortgage assistance.

For more information about Loan Modifications please visit http://www.CDLoanMod.com or call 800.738.1170

Depending on your personality, decorating can be an aspect of owning a log home that you enjoy or that you loathe. While one person delights in finding that perfect color or fabric, the next person has cold sweats just trying to match something to go with the deep browns inherent in a log cabin.

You can take the worry out of any decorating project, whether it be finding the right color scheme or picking the right furnishings to go with your log home, if you simply remember some critical elements of decorating.

Before embarking upon your decorating journey, it is first important to confirm that the wood in your log home is healthy. Water and any moisture buildup will destroy the structural integrity of your home. It is best to seek the advice of a local contractor or log home refinishing Services Company, who can help you to keep your log home healthy and well-cared for. Although you can attempt to apply finishes and stains to the wood to protect it as well, you certainly need the advice of a building professional specializing in log homes who can best assess the log content and stains and finishes that will best protect your home. They can then advise you on what products you yourself can apply to moisture-proof your log home.

Now that you know that your home is strong and healthy, it is time to look at color schemes that benefit the log home.

To get started on pulling together those perfect colors, it is valuable to take time and look through magazines or books that offer color schemes that you admire. Then think about the wood and style in your home¾will these colors highlight the wood or would another color be better to bring out its true beauty? Don’t be afraid to explore new colors - shades of greens, blues, and purples are all colors that compliment the deep browns of the natural wood in log homes.

A little education about how to use color to your benefit will help you in your decision making.

Color creates moods, the use of serene blues, cheery yellows, or energetic reds and oranges are guaranteed to brighten your mood and the dark tones of a log home.

The beauty of a log home deserves to be shown off to its best advantage. When choosing colors that will enhance the wood in your home, look for the hues in the wood itself to give the wood depth and complexity. It is also important to look at whether you are going for a high-contrast look, which will give drama, or if low contrast, which is softer and more casual, is more to your personal style.

If high contrast is the look that you seek, dark wood would be better paired with light colors so that the wood stands out in sharp relief. If the logs in your home are of a lighter wood, then the opposite would be true, showing up boldly against dark or strong colors. This type of contrast is good for showing off particular pieces of furniture, or bringing attention to other furnishings in the room. However, when using high contrast it is important to note that this design style often makes a room feel busier and will not blend in as much as if you were using low contrast.

If you want to create a look that is rich and subtle, use low-contrast pairings. Warm neutral colors such as mushroom, beige, khaki, or taupe, bring out the warm, rich notes in log homes. The furnishings will show up nicely, but will not stand out as they would when using high contrast. Drama gives way to relaxation in this color pairing.

Here are some additional notes regarding colors that can be used to nice affect in log homes:

· Green highlights the yellow tones in wood and gives a cool contrast

· Bright blue brings out the orange tones in wood, but this is very high contrast and dramatic

· Pale orange or rust showcases the orange in the wood, but these colors can mesh together to almost seem too similar if other furnishings do not give some contrast

· Yellow, which does not enhance the color of wood, brings out the orange and yellow

When choosing accessories for your new color scheme, look first at the pieces that you already own. What colors or fabrics for pillows would enhance the furniture you already have? What well-placed lighting might offset the blinds or drapes already used on your windows? At times furniture, drapes, and other furnishings are the exact elements that you want to change, but sometimes these are the things that you love in your present design and it would be wise and could save money and time working them into your log home’s new look.

And finally, when choosing your new color scheme, look inward. What are the colors that make you feel good? What fabrics make you think of home? If you look inside yourself and go with your own instinct, and not those of the latest fad, your new color scheme used in your log home will be the perfect fit for you.

design styles for Log Homes are defined by clean lines accentuated by sculptural furnishings, art, and bold contrast. Some find contemporary style stark and unwelcoming while others find the underlying simplicity refreshing. Almost everyone can enjoy the uncluttered, relaxing vibe of modern style.

Colors used in contemporary and modern design for Log Home range from neutrals to bright colors, though it is the use of black that defines the contemporary palette. Muted colors and monochromatic color schemes are also popular in modern interior design including hues of white, cream, brown, and taupe. Pops of color are often added with accessories and accent furniture pieces.

Through the use of negative space, each element in contemporary design has the appearance of independence while still contributing to the overall design of the room. Architectural and functional elements enhance textural interest and line.

Contemporary Decor

The underlying simplicity of line, shape, and form in contemporary design requires only a few well placed accessories. Contemporary art is simple, dramatic, and large in scale. Art pieces are set off from other elements in the room by lighting or solo placement on a pedestal. Textures such as brushed metal, chrome, and glass are popular in modern kitchen and bathroom designs.

Woods like birch, ash, and maple are commonly seen in contemporary flooring and cabinetry. Plush or shag rugs add comfort and texture to wood or tile floors and help to round out the color palette. Lighting is an exceptionally important element in contemporary design. Recessed lights are used to wash walls and highlight art, while unique accent light fixtures serve as art statements.

Contemporary Furniture

During the early twentieth century, innovative materials started a revolution in furniture design. As a result, contemporary and modern furniture designers developed pieces from materials like acrylic, steel, plastic, and molded plywood. Influential design movements for modern furnishings include Scandinavian style, Bauhaus, and Art Deco. New materials are still being pioneered by contemporary designers who often seek out green design solutions.

Contemporary and modern furniture is often created in unconventional shapes with clean, smooth lines and no frills, ruffles, or carved details. Fabrics used on upholstered furnishings are often cotton or linen in solid neutrals, black, or bold colors. Sofa and chair skirts are flat or box pleated while exposed legs are thick and solid. Pillows, in clean geometric shapes, can be used to add a shot of color.

Since all contemporary and modern furniture is cleanly shaped, the upholstery is really what defines the casualness or formality of the room. Furniture upholstery in modern design tends to be low maintenance fabrics like cotton, microfiber, and leather. Upholstery colors range from bold primary colors to neutral hues of putty, cream, and black. More about Log Home Coatings and Restoration…

Log Cabins or Log Homes are a special type of construction made exclusively with logs. These logs have not been cut into lumber and therefore preserve a special kind of appearance and charm.

photo credit: Let Ideas Compete

Log homes can be handcrafted or “Machine Profiled”. The latter means that the logs haven’t been directly imported after cutting, but have been treated with a machine in order to make them more convinient to work with. This is achieved by making them more regular in shape and size and removing imperfections. There is an ongoing debate as to whether or not Machine Profiled Log homes are real log homes.

An interesting property of log homes, is the way they age. Since moisture will be present in any wood when it is first cut, the logs that make up the house will have varying levels of moisture inside them. The top layer of the wood will seal up on drying, while the insides continue to have moisture that wants to escape. This will cause large cracks in the wood. Far from being a defect, this effect is looked on as part of the charm of the home.

There is a growing interest in Log home maintenance and restoration. Many people find an old world charm in living in a house that more closely mirrors those built by our ancestors. In addition, log homes are very prevalent in the woods and if you’re the type who looks for a quick getaway, you’re going to want to keep your log home in good condition!

Home Remodeling – The Ease of Painting a Room

Remodeling can be a task that some people dread. However, home remodeling can actually go very smoothly if you are well organized and know exactly what needs to be done. Often, painting your home, whether inside our out, can be the one task most people put off. Due to the time it takes, painting tends to be placed on the back burner. Paining can add a new element to your home. When you are looking for a change and you want to change the interior of your home, painting can be a fairly quick method of refreshing your home. Changing from a light color to a dark color and visa versa can dramatically change the look of a room.

A great benefit of many home improvement stores like Home Depot and Lowes in Cleveland, Ohio is that they carry a wide variety of paints and color selections. Many stores have the paint swatches that you can take home to see how they will look in your home. These also list the specific name of the paint color so that the store you obtained the swatch from can mix the paint according to its specifications. Once you have chosen your color you need to decide what type of paint finish you want. Some of the finishes include:

·   Flat – a flat finish has no sheen (shine) to it and it tends to hide flaws easily. This type of finish is suited for low traffic areas such as a bedroom or closet. You won’t want to use this in areas of high traffic like the living room because it is too difficult to clean up.

·   Eggshell – this offers the same amount of protection as a flat paint but offers a little bit of luster to it. This finish is a little easier to clean then a flat finish.

·   Satin Finish – this is easier to clean than the previous two methods. This is an excellent finish for a child’s room since it is easy to clean.

·   Semi-Gloss – this paint reflects a lot of light off of it. This is a selection that is used in a lot of kitchens because it doesn’t soak up the grease like other finished.

·   Gloss – this paint finish offer the greatest luster content and is very easy to clean but is not recommended for whole wall applications. This is more of a trim paint.

Now that you’ve chosen your paint and color, it’s time to get the furniture moved out of the way and prepare the walls for painting. You want to start by covering up your trim so that you don’t get paint all over them. There are a wide variety of tapes made to cover trim that won’t hurt its finish. You’ll also want to do this with electrical outlets as well as light switches. Next, you’ll want to primer the wall if you’re going from one dark color to a light color. However, if you are doing the opposite, you may be able to get away with putting primer over any spots. Use some spackle to cover any holes and then paint the trim areas around doors and windows to make it easier to paint all over later. When you apply your first coat, be sure to allow it to fully dry before adding a second coat. Also, make sure to let the wall fully dry or let it dry for at least 24 hours before re-hanging pictures.

Sounds like a lot of work but it will be well worth in the end and you’ll have a room that you can be proud of at half the cost of fully remodeling.

If you read about the advantages of home siding in a previous article, you now might want to know “What about stone siding?”. Stone siding is undoubtedly one of the best sidings that you can have for your home, both in terms of durability, looks, as well as insulation.

photo credit: laszlo-photo

If you look at great stone monuments like the “Golconda Fort”, and the “Orkney Islands”, you will know that stone lasts almost forever, and is completely impervious to the weather. A stone siding will greatly enhance the value of your home. However, the down side is that real stone siding is very expensive, and is certainly not for the Do-it-yourself person. You will need professionals to handle it.

If you  still want to have the appearance of stone without the costs, consider Simulated stone siding. This is made of polyvinyl chloride made into sheets that look like stone. It is extremely durable, and will confer most of the benefits of real stone siding. It is very resistant to fracture. The material also retains it’s look and won’t fade over a period of time.

photo credit: Digiart2001

The material is available in several styles and textures that you will want to fully explore before you decide which one to use.

Drop Cloths can help you ensure that paint doesn’t splatter all over your room. The difference between drop cloths and plastic, is that Drop cloths are absorbent, skid resistant, and leak proof. According to Murphy’s law, paint will fall on the places that are uncovered no matter how small, and it isn’t until you start painting that you realize how true this is!
Image Credit:kimberly hurst

Canvas drop cloths are the best for professionals. They are tough, and can be reused over an over. They have an excellent grip on the surface, and are completely non-permeable. It’s also the most expensive.

For a one time paint job however, paper drop cloth is easily the best choice. They can be used to cover the floor and the furniture, and are cheap as well. However, they it does absorb the paint. This is good and bad. It’s bad because there is a chance that whatever you’re covering will get stained. It’s good because it won’t wet your feet when you walk over the spills.

Plastic drop cloths are like paper drop cloths, but don’t absorb the paint. The advantages and disadvantages are reversed here. Cleaning up afterwards can be a mess since the paint is still on the plastic, but it protects the underlying surface a little more.

Finally, the paper/poly drop cloth tries to use the advantages of each. The paper ensures that the paint is absorbed a bit, and the plastic ensures that the underlying surface doesn’t get stained. However, it is understandably more expensive

Paint can be applied with several tools, and till now, we have only looked at Paint Brushes. However, to cover large smooth areas, a paint brush is very ineffective. Paint Rollers to a much better job.

photo credit: jeffk

Paint Rollers are basically cylinders with absorbent material on them. The cylinders move around an axle, which allow an even coat of paint to be applied. The amount of paint that a roller can hold is quite large, and this makes them very convenient.

However, using a roller is an art. If you apply too much pressure, the paint will move to the ends creating “ridges” in the paint job.

Put the paint into a tray lined with aluminium foil for easy cleaning later on. Dip the roller into the paint and roll it in letting the paint get sucked up. Apply the paint on the wall in up and down strokes alternating with diagonal strokes every now and then. Keep moving. If you go over the wet paint several times, the paint will dry too fast. Also, the roller needs to be kept wet at all times. If the paint is allowed to dry on it, it will be useless.

Keep in mind that you have to use a paint brush for corners and other nooks and crannies.

Rough or textures surfaces have bumps and irregularities on them. This affects everything related to painting them right from preparation to how you finish off. They typically require more surface preparation, and take well to oil paints. However, due to the disadvantages of oil paints, it’s best to learn how to paint well using water based or latex paints, which are both environment friendlier as well as cheaper.

photo credit: shaire productions

The key concept in painting rough surfaces, is to load more paint onto the brush. A wide 4 inch brush does the job nicely provided you work the bristles into the surface. This, along with the extra paint, fills in the hollows. as well as paints both sides of raised surfaces.

The best type of brush to use for textured surfaces is one that is “Exterior Grade”. They have firm bristles that hold the paint well. To ensure that the various surfaces of the textured paint are covered, the stroke that used is more like poking the wall instead of dragging the brush across it. Also keep in mind that exterior grade paint is thicker than normal paint. Instead of dipping your brush into it, you will have to ’scoop’ it out.

We read earlier about painting walls with Oil Based Paints. Now we look at painting with Emulsion or Water Soluble paints. An Emulsion is essentially a mixture of two substances that are somewhat incompatible. In water based paints, the pigment is suspended in water, and cannot be fully absorbed by it.

photo credit: ▲ lewis chaplin

Emulsion paints give a nice sheen when applied. The degree of sheen can be chosen along with the paint. They also tend to become hard as the sheen increases. Emulsified paints will be thicker and cloudier than other paints. They contain additional components known as fillers to stabilize them. Different additives impart various properties, depending on the requirements like bacterial growth control, and antifreeze foam control.

To paint with these paints, it is preferable to use a thick brush. Unlike with oil paints, you must apply the paint in all directions. If you start at the top of the wall, continue horizontally across the top, moving in a criss cross pattern. Make sure that you don’t apply too much paint. Once a horizontal patch is done, you can start on painting immediately below it.

While “Laying Off” the paint, use a dry brush and maintain the criss cross pattern.