An Ashby home decor store has started a click and collect service for DIY enthusiasts in the town.
Ashby Decorator Centre deals in high-end quality paints and wallpapers for people who want to give their home a stylish new makeover.
But now the Derby Road-based store has made it easier than ever for people to do that.
It now has a brand new website where customers can see what paints they may need for the job.
And then, as long as you live within a few miles of Ashby town centre, you can have the paint delivered to your door.
The store sells high quality, designer paints like Farrow & Ball, among other quality items.
Ashby Decorator Centre, one of Ashby Nub News’s sponsors, has been in the town centre since 2009 in what was a newly-built unit opposite the town’s main Co-op.
Since then, it has specialised in top of the range paints and wallpaper – and is set to become even more in demand with the number of houses due to be built in the Ashby.
Manager Will McNeice with Sean Kelly from Farrow & Ball Paints at the Ashby’s store’s open day last July
Manager, Will McNeice, says he is always looking for ways he can progress the store and raise its profile.
The new website and a click and collect service are ways he sees as keeping the shop up to date with current trends.
Will explained: “We’ve been selling paints online now for eight years in total, and this is its first major update in a few years.
“We’ve given it a bit of change in look, a spruce up and some modernisation with it.
“But it’s been a good website for us over the years. Now we’re just looking promote the new website as much as we can and get customers to either come in and see us in-store, or we can deliver it out locally, that’s no problem.
“They can click and collect it. People can pop in and fetch it or I’m happy to drive it out to them. It’d be same day or the next day delivery. People don’t always want to carry it, purchases can be quite bulky.”
Will organised a ‘come and try’ day in the store in July where customers could come and see what the paint looks like for themselves and see if it suits what they are trying to do.
He was joined by a representative from Farrow & Ball – Will says it is something he may do again.
Will added: “We had a good reaction to it and people were able to come along and ask questions, so it’s something we could try in the future.”
This article is part of a series put together by the Total Mortgage marketing team that provides loan officers and other sales professionals with a crash course in marketing and self-promotion. To read other articles in this series, click here.
Driving traffic to your site can be a challenge, and one of the most difficult aspects of that challenge is getting Google and the other major search engines to trust your site and consequently increase its ranking position for high-value keywords. Though there are hundreds, possibly even thousands, of components that factor into Google’s ranking algorithm, inbound links (links from another site to your own site) are one of the most important.
To help make the process as painless as possible, we’ve put together the following guide. It will help highlight the importance of inbound links and explain some of the best ways to generate high-value links to your site.
Why you want inbound links
Inbound links do two main things:
1. Drive traffic to your site
Ever clicked on a link and wound up at a website you otherwise would never have found? That’s the power of inbound links. They bring you users who would not have gotten there otherwise.
2. Increase search engine ranking
Search engines want to give users the best results. If a site has many links from other sites, that’s usually a good sign that it has worthwhile content on it, and its search ranking will go up.
Want those things to happen? Of course you do.
Quick Tips
It’s no easy feat to generate inbound links, but here are some tips to get the ball rolling:
Link to other blogs
When someone smiles at you, thanks to mirror neurons, it’s likely that you’ll instinctively smile back. It might be a little different from a biological point of view, but when other bloggers see that you’ve linked to their site, they’re more likely to reciprocate and link to your site.
So when you write blogs (if you’re not doing that already, you should be), add some links to other blogs. With so much fantastic content on the web, it shouldn’t be hard to find resources that naturally fit into your posts.
Guest blog for other sites
Creating quality content is tough, which means most sites welcome the opportunity for a guest post on their blog. So set aside a few posts and reach out to various outlets to see if they’re interested. It’s common courtesy to allow at least one inbound link to your site per post. Don’t be surprised if they contact you in the future wondering if they can do the same on your site.
Create infographics
We live in a largely visual world. If you have information that you can craft, or have someone craft, into a compelling infographic, people will share that image and link back to you as the source. You might think to yourself, “I’m a loan officer; I can’t create infographics…”
Not so. You don’t have to be schooled in design, you just have to know some of the basics. There are many tutorials online that take as little as an hour to run through what you need to know to get started.
Considering your site will be around for a while, it could be worth it to learn how to design an infographic. Who knows? Maybe you’ll enjoy it.
Do something funny
Laughing is fun. Humor is one of the most desirable traits in a significant other for a reason. The mortgage industry isn’t known for its jokes, but that doesn’t mean you can’t try your hand at some comedic relief.
The key here is to know your audience—the last thing you want to do is offend someone. So make sure you bounce your joke off several different people before sending it out into the internet. And if for some reason you aren’t sure how your idea will come across, don’t do it.
Influencer (Social Media) Marketing
When it comes down to it, you’re going to have to reach out and promote yourself if you want to generate inbound links. That means talking to social media influencers. They are seen as authorities of their industry, and therefore, links from them have a lot of weight. And as a bonus, they have followers that are ready to devour any content that’s fed to them. If you build up a good relationship with several influencers, you can find yourself with a steady stream of inbound links.
Who are your targets?
It’s important to properly identify your targets. You need to figure out who the biggest influencers are in the mortgage and real estate industries, and whittle down what relationships will be the most productive. There are a few different ways to go about doing this.
1. Analytics sites
There are several sites that have software that crawl social media sites to gather data which then goes through an algorithm, resulting in a score. The most popular are Klout, Kred, and PeerIndex.
Klout is kind of the de facto authority for ranking social media influencers. It’s fairly straightforward, the algorithm comes up with a score between 1-100, where 1 is the worst and 100 is the best. Klout is particularly notable in that it takes into account blog influence.
PeerIndex shares a lot of similarities with Klout. It does get into a little more detail with its reporting, but that’s about it.
Kred doesn’t just rate individuals based on influence, it adds in an outreach score that lets you know how often someone engages with other people.
2. Messing around on social media
It might sound crazy, but doing your own direct searches on Facebook, Twitter, and any other social media platform can help you discover new influencers. It’s a lot less low-tech than the algorithms, but it has its merits. If you’re wondering where to start, take a look at our article on maintaining your social media presence.
3. Search engines
You use google when you want to find out about nearly anything on the internet, so it only makes sense that you would use it when trying to find social media influencers. A good place to start is by googling different mortgage related topics to find out who the big names are in the mortgage blog world.
How will you reach out?
Twitter? Facebook? Email? Once you know who your targets are, you have to figure out how you will reach out to them. There are many ways to go about this. Will you have to offer a cold pitch or will you need to build a relationship with them first?
Having a standing relationship definitely makes the process easier, but that doesn’t mean you should be afraid to pitch an idea to someone you’ve never talked to before. If the idea is good enough and you sell it to them in the right way, it’s not out of the question that they’ll go for. In the end, don’t overthink it. The important part is that you make the effort and contact them.
Content Outreach and Promotion Tips
Keep the conversation going
Influencers are people, and people generally don’t like it when you only talk to them when you want something. That means reaching out to influencers only when you have a new post you want them to share is poor etiquette, and unlikely to help you build lasting relationships.
The solution? Engage when you can.
Make sure you’re following them on whatever social media platform they use and keep an eye out for their posts. Commenting on their posts shows that you aren’t just in it for the links. As you’ll see, there are other benefits to commenting on blogs.
Comment on other blogs
There’s a certain element of skill to this one. You can’t just say, “Nice post! Thanks for sharing. www.yourloanofficerwebsite.com.” Not only does that look like spam and will most likely get deleted before anyone sees, it looks desperate and doesn’t give a user any reason to follow your link.
You have to thoughtfully engage and respond with a comment that brings something to the table. That way people know that you are capable of bringing them value and will be more apt to click the link to see what else you have to say.
Bigger Outlets
Breaking into a popular media outlet like the NY Times or Wall St. Journal can be challenging. They most likely don’t know who you are, and sending the editor an article to read is basically guaranteed to get ignored. Editors are busy, and they only look at material from unknown writers who get vouched by someone they know. That’s why you should reach out to a writer on their staff.
Send them an email telling them how you really love their writing and point toward an article you’ve recently read (if you don’t already, start reading their work and find a piece that you can really engage with).
Flattery is all well and good, but what will really set you apart is if you can offer some sort of constructive criticism. Tell them that you think their readers would appreciate it if you added in so and so. You want to emphasize that you aren’t trying to be negative, you just want to keep seeing them producing high-quality content.
If your feedback has validity, they will probably be grateful that you reached out to them, and will respond. After a few emails back and forth, you can ask them how you would be able to get to their level and write for them.
There are no guarantees, but getting your work into more prominent media outlets will certainly increase your exposure, making the reward worth the effort.
How to Create Quality Content
Without quality content, no matter how suave of a networker you are, no one is going to link to your site. That means posting quality content on a consistent basis is of the utmost importance. How do you figure out how to do that? As part of our loan officer marketing series, we’ve already created a blog on Creating and Curating Content.
Bottom Line
Generating inbound links is one of the most important steps on the path to a thriving website. It also takes time, so don’t get discouraged if you don’t have a million links after a few weeks. Just keep on hacking away at it and eventually the links will come.
You can learn more about what the Total Mortgage marketing team does for our loan officers by checking out other articles in this series, or by visiting our career portal.
Carter Wessman
Carter Wessman is originally from the charming town of Norfolk, Massachusetts. When he isn’t busy writing about mortgage related topics, you can find him playing table tennis, or jamming on his bass guitar.
Which continuity error or plot hole in a movie always sticks out in your mind? After someone polled the internet, here are twenty-five top-voted films that stuck out.
1. The Butterfly Effect (2004)
Image Credit: New Line Cinema
“In The Butterfly Effect, it’s repeatedly shown that when Ashton Kutcher goes back in time and changes something, he is the only one who is aware of the changes, as he is then propelled back to the new future he created from that aberration.”
“So, for example, when he blows off his arms, he wakes up in the future and is shocked to be limbless, but all his roommates are like, ‘duh dude, of course, you have no arms.’ However, Kutcher is in prison at one point and attempts to make another prisoner believe his powers.”
The Butterfly Effect Prison Error
Image Credit: New Line Cinema
“So he travels back in time, stabs his hands, and returns to prison. Despite minor changes having the potential to create new timelines, he’s right back in prison, and the prisoner recognizes the new scars, which goes against all the logic the movie showed.”
2. Mean Girls (2004)
Image Credit: Paramount Pictures
“In Mean Girls, when Cady comes home from the Halloween party, and Janis and Damian are watching a movie, and they get scared by her costume, the popcorn in the bowl goes flying everywhere, then the camera cuts back to them, and the popcorn bowl is full again,” another shared.
3. Harry Potter and The Prisoner of Azkaban (2004)
Image Credit: Warner Bros. Pictures
A Harry Potter fan asked, “Why don’t Fred and George Weasley see Peter Pettigrew on Ron’s shoulder on the Maurader’s Map while they’re at Hogwarts before his third year?” “If we’re gonna start in on Harry Potter, we’re gonna be here awhile,” joked another.
4. Remember The Titans (2000)
Image Credit: Buena Vista Pictures Distribution
“In Remember the Titans, there’s a montage scene of football highlights where a Titan’s Corner Back intercepts the ball and continues running in the same direction as the receiver was,” someone pointed out.
5. Wonder Woman (2017)
Image Credit: Warner Bros. Pictures
All Ares had to do in Wonder Woman to win was nothing. His goal was to enlist Diana to his side by showing that humans are inherently evil and beyond redemption. But, of course, she would’ve come to that conclusion if he didn’t show up saying, “I influenced them.”
“Furthermore, Wonder Woman can kill him. But he can teleport and shapeshift, so the only way for her to ever reach him would be for him to present himself, which he does, and then gets destroyed.”
“It’s stupid. The villain could’ve won by staying home, eating a bowl of cereal, and walking outside. And this villain is the literal god of war but has no sense of any tactic ever.”
6. A Quiet Place (2018)
Image Credit: Paramount Pictures
Someone asked, “If the creatures in A Quiet Place are blind and hunt via hearing, then why is their hearing threshold only slightly better than a human’s whenever someone is two feet away from them? Can they not hear heartbeats? Breathing? Fear-induced bowel movements?”
7. Ant-Man (2015)
Image Credit: Marvel/Disney
“Ant-Man,” one replied. “Do the things that shrink keep their density or not? Paul Rudd is shrunk down and still packs the punching power of a grown man in tiny size, but a tank can be shrunk down and carried on a key chain?”
8. Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace (1999)
Image Credit: 20th Century Fox
“My standout Star Wars continuity error is when young Anakin activates C-3PO while he’s still a build-in-progress. Anakin goes to plug in the C-3PO eye, picking up the eye part with one hand and installing the eye using his opposite hand in the next cut,” one Star Wars fan declared.
9. Batman Returns (1992)
Image Credit: Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc.
“Batman Returns. Bruce rips his mask off, and his eye makeup is gone,” someone noted. “I like that Matt Reeves fixed this in the new The Batman,” another volunteered.
10. Superman Returns (2006)
Image Credit: Warner Bros. Pictures
“The entire conflict of Superman Returns,” shared one. “Lex Luthor brilliantly creates an entire island made of kryptonite. Superman can’t stop him there! But five rent-a-cops in a dingy could,” shared one disgruntled fan.
11. Monsters University (2013)
Image Credit: Disney/Pixar
“Monsters Inc. Mike: You have always been jealous of me since the fourth grade. Next movie, they meet while in college,” said one. Another agreed, “It has always bothered me!”
12. Gremlins (1984)
Image Credit: Warner Bros.
“I just watched the original Gremlins,” confessed one. “They realize they can’t get wet but are all running around in the snow the entire movie—also, the bar scene where they’re all drinking beer, and it gets splashed around a lot.”
“It’s not meant to be a serious movie. But the whole first 30 minutes is setting the rules. Then, like 3/4 of the film, they make no difference after Stripe falls into the pool and multiplies like crazy.”
13. The Dark Knight (2008)
Image Credit: Warner Bros. Pictures
“I want to make it clear I LOVE the movie, and this doesn’t affect my enjoyment of it at all besides a ‘well huh’ every time I watch it. However, the dinner party scene in The Dark Knight, just ending after Bruce catches Rachel, has always stuck out to me,” shared one.
“There’s no explanation or follow-up, the scene ends, and the Joker somehow gets out of the Wayne building, and Bruce doesn’t try to catch him despite being on the ground while they’re all upstairs.”
14. The Karate Kid
Image Credit: Columbia Pictures
“The Karate Kid wins the match with a kick to the face when kicks to the face get you disqualified,” stated one. A few people argued about the rule not being relevant to the third Karate Kid film before one said, “Daniel is the true bully. Watch Cobra Kai.”
15. King Kong (1976)
Image Credit: Paramount Pictures
“An old one: Why did the natives build a big door for King Kong to get through? And why couldn’t he climb over the wall anyway? He climbed the f***kin’ Empire State Building!” one user exclaimed.
16. Beauty and The Beast (1991)
Image Credit: Buena Vista Pictures Distribution
“Disney’s Beauty and the Beast. In the opening sequence, the Beast rips his portrait to shreds with his claws from the upper left corner to the bottom right. Later in the movie, when Belle discovers the picture, it’s torn from the bottom left to the upper right corner,” another reported.
17. Back to The Future (1985)
Image Credit: Universal Pictures
One user noted, “Back to the Future is a great movie, but in the final scene, Doc comes back and says quick Marty, you need to go with me now into the future. It’s your kids. Why does he have to hurry? It’s a Time Machine!”
18. The Goonies (1985)
Image Credit: Warner Bros. Pictures
In The Goonies, when the Fratellis are kidnapping Chunk, the driver starts singing, and you can still hear him in the next shot. But his reflection in the side mirror is just still. First continuity error I noticed as a kid, and it sticks with me,” one answered.
19. The Dark Knight Rises (2012)
Image Credit: Warner Bros. Pictures
“In the climactic fight scene towards the end of The Dark Knight Rises, after Batman has freed the Gotham Police force from the sewers and they go to confront Bane’s thugs.”
“Despite both opposing groups being armed, and there is at least some exchange of gunfire at the beginning, both sides quickly seem to forget that they possess firearms and instead engage in a ma-ive hand-to-hand brawl,” one user confirmed.
20. Double Jeopardy (1999)
Image Credit: Paramount Pictures
“The entire premise of the Ashley Judd movie Double Jeopardy has always bothered me,” shared one. “It says that if you’re wrongly convicted of killing someone who faked his death, you can kill them for real after you get paroled and not face any legal consequences.
“It’s one big hole for a plot. The person who told her that was a former lawyer, and her parole officer (another former lawyer and law professor) didn’t correct her and even helped her hunt down her ex-husband.”
Double Jeopardy Cellmates
Image Credit: Paramount Pictures
“Any lawyer would know it was BS, and I would have thought that even a regular person would instinctively know that there’s no legal loophole that will let you hunt someone down and kill them in cold blood.”
21. Jura-ic Park (1993)
Image Credit: Universal Pictures
“The elevation change in the T-Rex paddock in Jura-ic Park. No matter what the defenders say, that gap in the electric fence was not wide enough to warrant two ma-ively different elevations. The 100ft drop was ridiculous,” one suggested.
22. Thor: Love and Thunder (2022)
Image Credit: Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
A Marvel fan asked, “If Thor could share his powers like in Thor: Love of and Thunder with others, then why didn’t he do that in Avengers: Endgame?’ Another answered, “He can’t. But Zeus’ lightning bolt let him do that.” However, many argued that it wasn’t explained in the film.
23. Top Gun: Maverick (2022)
Image Credit: Paramount Pictures
“Top Gun: Maverick,” one stated. “There is no way anyone survives a crash at Mach 10. But I still love the movie.” Another argued, “Top Gun: Maverick is Star Wars with fighter jets.” Finally, a third added, “Star Wars is Dambusters with spaceships and no awkwardly named dogs.”
24. How To Lose a Guy in 10 Days (2003)
Image Credit: Paramount Pictures
“How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days,” one asked. “Why didn’t she make the article up once she started falling in love with Matthew McCaughey? I know there’s journalistic integrity and stuff, but she didn’t have to keep torturing the guy. When she was at his parent’s, playing cards with his whole family was an excellent time to pull back on it.”
25. Forrest Gump (1994)
Image Credit: Paramount Pictures
Finally, someone noted, “Forrest Gump. When Forrest realized that little Forrest was his son was one of the most emotional moments in the film, AND THAT IRON IN THE BACK KEEPS SWITCHING POSITIONS!!! I can’t ever unsee it now. And you won’t either. You’re welcome.”
Source: Reddit.
These 11 Movies Are So Bad You’ll Wish You Could Unsee Them
Photo Credit: Lightstorm Entertainment / TSG Entertainment II
The movies we love best are a combination of excellent characters, plots, stories and cinematography. But if these factors can make great movies, they can also make terrible movies—the ones that make people cringe, the ones we swear they’ll never watch again.
These 11 Movies Are So Bad You’ll Wish You Could Unsee Them
10 Celebrities Who Are Universally Disliked
Photo Credit: Shutterstock.
People will always have preferences and something to say about celebrities. What you might love may not be the same for others. Whether it’s about their past behaviors, legal issues, or feuds with other celebrities, here is a list of celebrities people just cannot stand.
10 Celebrities Who Are Universally Disliked
11 Vampire Movies That Will Leave You Yearning for More
Photo Credit: Columbia Pictures
Sometimes, we just love to watch a favorite vampire movie, one of the ones that never gets old. It piques our imagination with the unknown story of two teenagers fighting for their love, the incredible and creepy scenes, and the bloodsucking cla-ics.
11 Vampire Movies That Will Leave You Yearning for More
25 Extraordinary Sequels and Remakes That Outshine the Originals
Image Credit: Rosebud Releasing Corporation
Every once in a while, a movie sequel or remake surpa-es the original film. After polling the internet, “Name a single movie where the sequel or remake was better than the original?” Here are the top-voted responses.
25 Extraordinary Sequels and Remakes That Outshine the Originals
25 Blockbuster Films With Behind-The-Scenes Turmoil Unknown to the Public
Image Credit: 20th Century Fox
Several big movies with significant nightmare productions have some seriously delicious tea. After a recent poll on the internet, here are twenty-five films with disasters that made filming difficult.
25 Blockbuster Films With Behind-The-Scenes Turmoil Unknown to the Public
This article is part of a series put together by the Total Mortgage marketing team that provides loan officers and other sales professionals with a crash course in marketing and self-promotion. To read other articles in this series, click here.
Launching a website with strong content is important to initial success. However, to maintain a high amount of traffic you’ll need to regularly update your site with fresh content. Whatever your medium (e.g. blogs, videos), without new content your site will inevitably get pushed into the back corner of the web. That’s because the algorithm that search engines use to determine what results show up first gives more weight to sites that are fresh and dynamic, as opposed to stale and static.
The following guide will teach you how to go about finding the best topics and optimal post times to help keep your website at the forefront of the web.
Killer content starts with a killer topic. You can write a mind-bending blog on adjustable mortgage rates in Amarillo, Texas, but if no one cares about that, it’s not going to perform well. You’ve got to tap into the minds of homebuyers and figure out what information would be most valuable to them. Remember, the best topics are based on questions that lots of people have, but that haven’t been answered before—or haven’t been answered well before. Here are a few tips to keep the ideas flowing.
Check out sites like Quora and Reddit
These two sites get lots of traffic and lots of curious users. Questions are posted periodically and typically have a high amount of engagement. It’s an easy way to check in and see what prospective homebuyers are thinking. You can search for whatever mortgage/home-buying topic you want at Quora, and Reddit has a subreddit dedicated to mortgages.
Google Autocomplete
Google likes to try and figure out what you’re going to type. As a user, it can be both helpful and annoying. As a marketer, it provides a glimpse into the inner-workings of potential clients. If a phrase is popping up in autocorrect, that means a lot of people want to know about it. That provides a great opportunity for you to answer a question or provide information for a large audience. You can type anything into google, but starting your phrase with who/what/when/where/why/how often yields the best results.
Google Keyword Tool
Google AdWords has a keyword planner tool that can be useful when trying to choose a topic. You can get search volume data and trends, new keywords using a phrase, website, or category, and enter keyword lists to get new keywords. Search volume data is helpful when you’re unsure if there is enough interest in a given topic to warrant a post about it.
Think about your interactions with borrowers or referral partners
Keeping your ears open and paying attention to what borrowers want is another way to come up with topics. If you are consistently getting asked the same question, there’s a good chance a post about it will perform well.
On the other end of the spectrum, remember the quirky questions that you’ve only gotten asked once or twice. They might not have high search volume, but they’re interesting enough to capture the attention of a borrower and show that you can handle anything.
Read the comments
If you carefully read the comments sections on other mortgage/home related websites, you might stumble across some ideas for your own post. You may not find a gem of a topic every time you do it, but if you make a habit of checking, eventually it will pay off.
Add to a conversation
Sometimes, you don’t have to have the original spark—you just have to make something better. For instance, maybe there’s a question that someone has written a blog about, but you feel you have something to add to the conversation. As long as you aren’t just rehashing the other post, there’s no shame in piggybacking off of someone else’s high-performing content.
Work with your expertise
Another way to start brainstorming ideas is to work with your expertise. Writing about things that you have an extensive knowledge on a) cuts down on time because you don’t have to do as much research—if any, and b) makes it easier to dig deeper into a topic and fully answer questions. Naturally, your success with this approach is greatly influenced by the demand for your given topic.
Sometimes, you get lucky and a topic will jump out at you and other times it takes some serious digging before you strike gold. Either way, the type of content will fall into one of two categories.
Evergreen Topics
“’Cause, honey, your soul could never grow old, it’s evergreen.”
Ed Sheeran might not have been thinking about awe-inspiring website content when he wrote those lyrics, but he sure could have been. When we say something is evergreen , we mean it’s going to stand the test of time. With website content, that means that the information in your post will always be useful to whoever is viewing it. It’s not some flash-in-the-pan post that will be irrelevant in a month. There are times where short-lived content is acceptable, or even preferable, but those situations depend heavily on perfect timing.
In a world where 2,000,000 blog posts are written every day, the idea of creating evergreen content might sound like a pipe-dream, but rest assured—evergreen content does indeed exist in reality. Naturally, some serious elbow grease will almost definitely have to be applied in order to make it happen, but that just makes the end product that much more rewarding.
When you look at what kind of content has done well over a long stretch of time, a few things should pop out at you.
Details reign supreme
There is a lot of fluff out there on the internet, so unless you happen to land on a gold-mine of a topic, you’re virtually guaranteed to have to get down to the nitty-gritty in your post. That means data. Hard numbers are always welcome and can do a lot to bolster the impact on your readers. It’s one thing to throw some words around, but if you can back them up with concrete facts, you’re more likely to win the reader over.
They are optimized with strong keywords
Keywords are what search engines use to bring up results. Think about what you type into Google. The more something gets searched for, the more likely it is that those pages that come up in the search will get traffic. While evergreen content doesn’t necessarily get massive traffic (although it definitely could), it always gets consistent traffic. All you have to do is set the ball in motion and the traffic train will chug along indefinitely.
There are many different ways to optimize your content with strong keywords—including optimizing the title tags, meta descriptions, and body copy. All these methods can be time-consuming and exhausting. Our marketing team has done this for years, and lends our expertise to all our loan officers so they don’t have to sweat the small stuff.
Trending Topics
Trending topics can be a good way to supplement the evergreen content on your site. Think of them like shooting starts—they burn brightly but fizzle out fairly quickly. It’s fine to take advantage of their trendy nature here and there, but it’s definitely not the best strategy to have them as your main source of content.
Trending topics are easier to spot because they’re in the news and everyone is talking about them, but for those who want to make sure they don’t miss out on anything, there are a few places to check out.
Google Trends
Google Trends allows you to see what topics have the most search volume at any given time period. The homepage displays trending topics in the past 24 hours. Mortgage industry news isn’t usually trending on the front page, but it’s worth checking out every now and then to see if there’s an angle you can take on a seemingly non-related trending topic.
Reddit
As mentioned previously, Reddit isn’t just that place on the internet where memes are created and destroyed. It’s a treasure trove of information, with subreddits for nearly every topic imaginable, including mortgages. With its upvote system, it’s also a great place to check watch for trending topics.
Social Media Hashtags and Trending Topics
Twitter and Facebook both make it easy to observe trending topics. With Twitter, the top trending hashtags are always on the left-hand side of the platform. With Facebook, the top trends are on the right-hand side of the page. They are constantly being updated are a great way to check the pulse of the online world.
They key with trending topics is to jump on the bandwagon early so you take advantage of as much time in the spotlight as possible. You’ll also be competing with everyone else who’s trying to use the topic to their advantage, so having a creative angle will help you stand out.
Once you’ve picked out juicy topics and created fresh new content out of them, you’ll want to figure out when the best time to post them will be.
You might think that if your content is amazing enough, it will gain traction no matter when you post it. That might be true, but it’s not just about gaining traction—it’s about getting the most traction out of your content. After all, you put a lot of hard work into the creative process, so there’s no point in losing out on pageviews, comments, and conversions all because you posted at the wrong time. So when you’re thinking about when to post, consider the following:
Posts that are published on Monday at 11am get the most traffic
It’s the new week and for some reason, everyone wants to surf the web. Maybe they’re trying to tackle their to-do list, maybe they’re trying to put it off—whatever the case is, they’re searching out content on the internet.
Posts published on non-popular hours get the most social engagement and shares
If your main goal is to get a lot of comments and shares on your social media platforms, then don’t post when everyone else is. It’s simple; posting during peak hours means that you’re competing against a massive amount of content. The result is that fewer people will see your stuff, and even fewer will engage with it.
The morning is best for most pageviews
Looking to straight up increase your pageviews? Post in the morning. Morning people are awake and highly caffeinated, meaning they’re ready to click and read and click and read until the central nervous stimulant wears off.
In the end, the only way to discover what is true for your website is to experiment with several different posting schedules. Case studies can point you in the right direction, and their advice might hold true for your site and content, but you’ll never know for sure if you don’t mix it up.
Be consistent
Consistency is important. No matter what your posting schedule looks like, you have to stick to it. It might seem challenging at first, but posting in a consistent manner is one of the top ways to increase traffic in the long-term. That means it’s important to set realistic goals. There’s no point in trying to commit to producing a blog or video three times a week if you’re going to run out of ideas in a month. Also, making the work manageable will keep your motivation up and make it easier to post in a consistent manner.
The bottom line
There’s a reason the phrase “Content is King” has been repeated millions of times across the internet. With the right topics and the proper posting schedule, your website should be able to avoid slipping into the darkness of the forgotten web.
Want more? You can learn more about what the Total Mortgage marketing team does for our loan officers by checking out other articles in this series, or by visiting our career portal.
Carter Wessman
Carter Wessman is originally from the charming town of Norfolk, Massachusetts. When he isn’t busy writing about mortgage related topics, you can find him playing table tennis, or jamming on his bass guitar.
This state has it all, from bustling cities to cozy small towns, from beaches to mountains.
Looking for the best place to live in Maryland? You’re in luck. With its close proximity to Washington, D.C., and an ample coastline, Maryland offers something for everyone. Stick around as we dive into the best places to call home in this diverse state.
Population: 65,092
Average age: 42.8
Median household income: $178,370
Average commute time: 29.3 minutes
Walk score: 45
Studio average rent: $1,889
One-bedroom average rent: $2,631
Two-bedroom average rent: $3,501
In Bethesda, sleek office buildings stand like polite giants nodding at the encircling trees, while award-winning public schools promise futures written in Pulitzer ink. Within close proximity of the nation’s political pulse, jobs in consulting, biotechnology and the not-so-small universe of NGOs flourish like dandelions after a spring rain. This is a town where lab coats and pant suits sip fair-trade coffee side-by-side, leafing through the latest policy white papers or engrossed in a new bestseller.
Dine globally without a passport; sushi bars and tapas joints are almost as commonplace as the strip of art galleries flaunting color like defiant peacocks. Walk the Capital Crescent Trail where nature seems to wink, uninterrupted, at the hurried lives just a few miles away. It’s a place for the young, the seasoned and the young-at-heart — because a social calendar here is as likely to brim with farmers markets and antique fairs as with indie film festivals. An orchestra of lives harmonizing in pursuit of personal crescendos, Bethesda stands as one of the best places to live in Maryland.
Population: 105,412
Average age: 38.7
Median household income: $111,278
Average commute time: 30.6 minutes
Walk score: 33
Studio average rent: $1,800
One-bedroom average rent: $1,691
Two-bedroom average rent: $1,947
In Columbia, winding pathways connecting neighborhoods feel like arteries of communal ambition. The schools are fortresses of academia, where young minds are not so much filled as they are ignited. The economy? It has enough horsepower to make a muscle car purr, driven by a gamut of industries from healthcare to cybersecurity.
Juxtapositions flourish in Columbia. Lakes and parks are as abundant as shopping centers and eateries, each offering solace or spectacle, depending on your mood. It’s where people kayak under the same sky that office buildings stretch toward. Cultural festivals mingle with farmers markets—life here is a curated menu of perpetual discovery.
Population: 67,139
Average age: 39.5
Median household income: $111,797
Average commute time: 30.3 minutes
Walk score: 56
Rockville residents understand the beauty of balance. The red and yellow lines of the Metro whisk them into the heart of D.C. in minutes, while the corridors of Rock Creek Park offer an immediate escape from the 9-to-5 grind. The job market isn’t just robust; it’s a kaleidoscope of potential, with opportunities ranging from biotech and software development to healthcare and federal services.
Rockville is a place where international grocery stores and boutiques stand unassumingly next to American big-box retailers. The town puts on cultural events that range from summer concerts to holiday parades, each inviting every strata of the community to mingle in shared celebration. In Rockville, you’ll find a gathering of people who aren’t just living but composing a narrative where ambition and relaxation co-author every chapter.
Population: 73,272
Average age: 41.5
Median household income: $136,234
Average commute time: 29.4 minutes
Walk score: 23
Studio average rent: $1,588
One-bedroom average rent: $2,207
Two-bedroom average rent: $2,545
In Ellicott City, historic landmarks sit comfortably beside modern retail spaces, like a multigenerational family enjoying a holiday feast. Consistently considered one of the best places to live in Maryland, Ellicott City offers not just exceptional quality of life but also an array of job opportunities in industries like information technology, healthcare and education, just to name a few.
Now, let’s talk nature. Patapsco Valley State Park is more than a lungful of fresh air; it’s an entire respiratory system of scenic trails, waterfalls and wildlife. But Ellicott City isn’t just a looker; it’s a doer. Community events like art festivals and outdoor concerts fill the calendar, drawing together a diverse and open-minded populace. Here, camaraderie doesn’t take a backseat: It rides shotgun, guiding both newcomers and long-time locals through a life that’s as rich in opportunity as it is in character.
Population: 40,687
Average age: 38.3
Median household income: $92,026
Average commute time: 29.7 minutes
Walk score: 48
Studio average rent: $1,698
One-bedroom average rent: $2,432
Two-bedroom average rent: $2,670
Annapolis is a unique city in that maritime culture and political pomp walk hand in hand to the beat of their own marching drum. This Maryland gem packs a punch with its waterfront ambiance, captivating history and modern-day amenities, making it one of the best places to live in Maryland. A haven for both boat enthusiasts and power-suit-wearing policymakers, the employment landscape is a diverse mix of opportunities in government, education, healthcare and maritime industries.
Life in Annapolis is scenic and social. It seems pulled from the pages of a well-written novel. You can enjoy a day by the Chesapeake Bay and then head downtown to meet friends at a café or catch live music at a local venue. From the red-bricked charm of its historic district to the energetic buzz of its contemporary lifestyle, Annapolis is both a tribute to its rich past and a living testament to the concept of one of the best places to live in Maryland.
Population: 57,542
Average age: 32.8
Median household income: $90,951
Average commute time: 26.3 minutes
Walk score: 50
Studio average rent: $1,599
One-bedroom average rent: $1,765
Two-bedroom average rent: $2,053
Think of Towson as the cosmopolitan cousin to Baltimore that’s carved its own distinct identity on Maryland’s cultural map. It’s like a dynamic, multifaceted character in a compelling novel, always ready for the next twist in the plot. A haven for students and seasoned professionals, this community stands tall as one of the best places to live in Maryland. Renowned educational institutions, including Towson University, provide a young, energetic vibe, while a robust job market in healthcare, law and information technology makes the town a magnet for qualified job seekers.
Life in Towson isn’t just about achieving, it’s also about relishing. Let’s talk natural beauty; think Loch Raven Reservoir and Cromwell Valley Park, where you can experience the great outdoors with the same convenience as grabbing a latte from the corner café. Speaking of which, Towson’s dining scene offers an international smorgasbord, from sushi spots to Italian bistros. The community pulse here is dynamic, too, defined by seasonal events like the Towson Farmers Market and the Festival of Trees.
Population: 79,588
Average age: 36.4
Median household income: $78,400
Average commute time: 31.9 minutes
Walk score: 47
Studio average rent: $1,800
One-bedroom average rent: $1,882
Two-bedroom average rent: $2,062
Acting as a savvy entrepreneur and a seasoned historian, Frederick emerges as one of the best places to live in Maryland. Job opportunities abound across sectors like healthcare, biotech and logistics. Meanwhile, education is equally ambitious, with schools that inspire students to look beyond the textbook, offering programs that harness creativity and analytical thinking alike.
But there’s more to Frederick than a well-rounded resume; this city knows how to kick back and enjoy the scenery. The great outdoors is right at Frederick’s doorstep, with the Catoctin Mountains offering a green expanse for hiking, picnicking and some good old-fashioned reflection.
Downtown Frederick is perfect for a leisurely Saturday stroll or a culinary journey through global cuisines. Throw in a dash of arts and culture and you’ve got a city that provides the best of what Maryland has to offer.
Population: 81,069
Average age: 34.6
Median household income: $91,970
Average commute time: 34.9 minutes
Walk score: 63
Studio average rent: $1,790
One-bedroom average rent: $1,963
Two-bedroom average rent: $2,248
Silver Spring is situated just a stone’s throw from D.C. This coveted enclave is on everybody’s lips when discussing the best places to live in Maryland or in the greater DMV area. A robust job market fueled by healthcare, media and technology provides plentiful opportunities for professionals of every stripe. Add to that a parade of excellent schools, where innovative teaching styles are the norm, and you’ve got an environment that molds future leaders as easily as it crafts neighborhood potlucks.
Silver Spring knows the art of balancing work and play like a tightrope walker knows the thrill of the high wire. The great outdoors beckon, whether it’s the nearby Rock Creek Park or the various local trails and green spaces perfect for a weekend jaunt.
And let’s not overlook the town’s eclectic palate; from food trucks to high-end dining, it’s a culinary carnival that tempts taste buds in all the right ways. Festivals, farmers markets and live performances add layers to the local color, making Silver Spring not just a place to live, but a place to live life to the fullest.
Population: 29,490
Average age: 36.0
Median household income: $80,255
Average commute time: 35.9 minutes
Walk score: 53
Studio average rent: $1,651
One-bedroom average rent: $1,817
Two-bedroom average rent: $2,112
Midway between Washington, D.C., and Baltimore, Laurel unfurls a red carpet of opportunities in fields like healthcare, government and education. A cluster of top-notch schools underscores the community’s commitment to academic excellence, cultivating young minds with both rigor and compassion.
Yet Laurel isn’t merely a grindstone against which to sharpen one’s professional and educational blades; it’s a banquet hall of experiences. Eateries and cafes serve a cornucopia of flavors, drawing inspiration from around the globe, while local shops sprinkle personality into every purchase.
Population: 9,801
Average age: 48.3
Median household income: $228,986
Average commute time: 30.0 minutes
Walk score: 62
Studio average rent: $1,550
One-bedroom average rent: $2,758
Two-bedroom average rent: $3,666
Chevy Chase is a destination worth your real estate dreams and categorically one of the best places to live in Maryland. On the edge of Washington, D.C., this suburban jewel attracts a cadre of professionals from industries as varied as law, healthcare and government. Educational aspirations are met with schools that not only excel in academia but also emphasize well-rounded growth, thereby churning out young minds equipped for the complexities of the modern world.
But life in Chevy Chase is not all spreadsheets and lesson plans. Think of it as a well-curated gallery of experiences. Tree-lined streets pave the way to an array of recreation options, from meticulously maintained parks to high-end shopping destinations. Imagine dining in restaurants where each dish seems to be plucked from a culinary magazine, or attending cultural events that resonate with intellect and soul.
Make your way to Maryland
So there you have it — a list of some of the top places to live in Maryland. Whether you’re a career-driven professional, actively raising a young family or just looking for a place that has a good mix of everything, Maryland has a spot for you.
The towns featured above aren’t just places to live; they’re communities where anyone can thrive. Now the ball’s in your court. Maryland’s got options; it’s up to you to choose your perfect fit. Find your Maryland apartment today.
Though some would call St. Louis, which has a population of over 308,000, a small city, St. Louisans will do their best to convince you that this is definitely not a small city. They’ll even convince you that this is the best city in the nation because that’s what they genuinely believe.
And it’s no wonder, too, since there are so many perks of living in St. Louis — from getting to enjoy four distinct seasons to having a cost of living that’s more than 12 percent lower than the national average. And much, much more!
If living in a city with great architecture, fun activities and low cost of living appeals to you, consider moving to St. Louis. Keep reading to find out where to live in St. Louis, MO. We’ll help you find great apartments to rent in St. Louis, as well as find the best neighborhood for your needs.
Where to live in St. Louis
Figuring out where to live in St. Louis doesn’t have to feel overwhelming or like a chore. By answering a few simple questions in our best neighborhoods quiz, you’ll find a neighborhood that just might be the best one for you. At the very least, it will give you a place to start looking for apartments to rent in St. Louis.
Who’s coming with you?
Which one neighborhood characteristic can you not live without?
What’s your idea of quality downtime?
Which of these best describes your current life stage?
Your personal style could be best described as:
Which of the following is most important to you in choosing an apartment?
Where to Live in St. Louis
Midtown
Image Source: 3124 Olive St
The urban neighborhood of Midtown is home to over 12,200 residents, many of whom are young professionals. The Midtown community is ideal for single people and couples who are focusing on their careers and the fun experiences to have in an urban environment. Residents love the abundance of fantastic restaurants (from American steakhouses and Creole/Cajun cuisine to international eateries), cafés and bars/pubs. They also appreciate the plethora of shops and boutiques where they can shop for their needs, plus do a bit of window shopping with friends. As a resident, you’ll also be in close proximity to art galleries, museums, the farmers’ market and live entertainment. You won’t get bored in Midtown.
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Tower Grove East
Image Source: 3436 Utah St
About three miles southwest of Downtown St. Louis is Tower Grove East, considered one of the best neighborhoods in the city. The vibe is urban-suburban and residents love that everything seems within arm’s reach. You have close access to restaurants, bars, live entertainment and many other activities. If you’ve been wondering where to live in St. Louis and want a neighborhood with a low crime rate, you should definitely consider this community. The safety of the community is a major draw for many residents. Nearby Tower Grove Park — a dog-friendly park — is stunning. The Victorian public park and arboretum have lush grassy meadows and over 7,000 trees. It’s a sanctuary from the hustle of city living for sure!
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Lafayette Square
About a mile and a half from Downtown St. Louis is Lafayette Square, a beautiful neighborhood full of cozy townhouses and majestic Victorians. Though it’s not far from the center of the city, this neighborhood moves at a much slower pace. In the center of the neighborhood is Lafayette Park, a green space of 30-acres that, like Tower Grove Park, is absolutely gorgeous. Dedicated in 1851, Lafayette Park is one of the first parks in St. Louis. It’s perfect for walking your dog or taking a romantic stroll with your significant other. Lafayette Square is a safe neighborhood that’s big on community spirit. In fact, Lafayette Park hosts movie nights, summer concerts and a variety of festivals throughout the year.
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Soulard Historic District
If nightlife activities and venues are high on your priority list, this is the neighborhood for you. The Soulard Historic District, one of the most diverse neighborhoods in St. Louis, is home to several bars and pubs. The community loves a party, like their annual Soulard Mardi Gras celebration. The celebration starts in January with a winter carnival and Cajun cookoff and ends at the end of February with the Mardi Gras ball and parade. There are tons of fun things to do in this neighborhood, including taking your pick of laid-back Southern restaurants and high-end eateries. You can even go out for karaoke!
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Prairie des Noyes
Image Source: 3970 Cleveland Ave
The Prairie des Noyes community is part of the Shaw neighborhood. The Missouri Botanical Gardens, Compton Hill Reservoir Park and Tower Grove Park border this neighborhood on the west, northeast and south, respectively. This is one of the safest neighborhoods in St. Louis and it’s ideal for anyone who loves the great outdoors. The parks are great for exercising, relaxing with a good book or picnicking with friends. If you’re an art lover, you’ll want to add the Historic Shaw Art Fair to your calendar. You’ll get to enjoy excellent local fare, live music and the artwork of artists from around the country. Homes in this neighborhood range from brick townhouses and apartment complexes to Colonials and Victorians.
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Botanical Heights
Image Source: 3822 Folsam Ave
If you’re looking for something with an artsy, hipster vibe, look no further than Botanical Heights. In the past decade, new construction in the area has helped turn this neighborhood into one of the top communities in St. Louis. Beautiful, modern houses line the streets. Botanical Heights is a foodie’s paradise. Even Martha Stewart herself is a fan of the local gourmet pastry shop, Cravings, which is also an award-winning restaurant and catering company. In fact, the “Washington Post” calls the intersection of Tower Grove and McRee the “best dining corridor in St. Louis.”
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DeBaliviere Place
Image Source: 5656 Waterman Blvd
DeBaliviere Place is an urban neighborhood a little over five and a half miles northwest of Downtown St. Louis. The diverse neighborhood of nearly 3,800 residents consists mainly of young professionals. Residents say they enjoy living in this area because it feels safe and there are plenty of people walking their dogs day and night. The close proximity between DeBaliviere Place and other neighborhoods contributes to a dense, urban vibe, which many residents like because it adds to the fun and excitement.
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Forest Park
If you’ve been wondering where to live in St. Louis and green spaces and culture are high priorities for you, you’ll like this neighborhood. The Forest Park neighborhood is home to Forest Park, one of the most beautiful urban parks in the world. If you’re a flower lover, you’ll want to visit the Jewel Box often, which is a 17-acre site on Forest Park that has a display greenhouse with hundreds of flowers. This neighborhood is also home to the St. Louis Art Museum, a world-renowned museum of fine art, as well as the St. Louis Zoo and the John F. Kennedy Memorial Forest.
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Rebecca Green is a content editor and writer for RentPath. She enjoys interior design, dogs and can tell you where to find the best pizza in Brooklyn. You can see some of her other published work on Apartment Guide.
Well, it took 79 years, but the FHA’s squeaky-clean track record is over.
FHA Commissioner Carol Galante wrote a letter to Congress formally requesting a bailout from the Treasury, the first time the agency has ever had to go down that road.
And it’s no small number either – the government housing agency needs a staggering $1.7 billion to meet the capital requirements of its depleted Mutual Mortgage Insurance Fund.
However, Galante stressed that the money wasn’t necessary to handle claims activity, and that the agency has “more than sufficient resources.”
In other words, the money is only necessary to keep the capital reserve ratio above two percent, with the money being transferred before the fiscal year ends on Monday September 30th.
Of course, just like any other company that insures mortgages, the last five or so years have been rough.
High-Risk Loans Crushed the FHA
The agency originally lost its shirt on seller-paid down payment assistance loans, which allowed borrowers to purchase homes with absolutely nothing down.
As we all know, those who had nothing to lose eventually walked away from their homes when values went south.
And more recently the FHA registered $5 billion in losses through its troubled reverse mortgage program, in which seniors took huge draws and eventually defaulted on the mortgages tied to homes worth considerably less.
Still, the worst seems to be over, as indicated in testimony before the Senate Committee on Banking in late July of this year.
At that time, Galante said serious delinquencies on FHA loans fell from 9.59% in December 2012 to 8.27% in May 2013, and noted that cures (where bad loans get back on track) began surpassing new serious delinquencies in April of this year.
So it’s more about playing catch-up to meet a Congressionally-mandated rule related to old data, not so much a sign of the times.
FHA Loans Are More Expensive Because of the Mess
The FHA has already made a ton of changes to bolster reserves, namely charging new borrowers a lot more than they used to.
This includes more expensive upfront and annual mortgage insurance premiums, and insurance that stays in force a lot longer.
The UFMIP was increased from 1% to 1.75% in 2012, and annual premiums have increased several times over the past few years.
And the latest change requires many FHA borrowers to pay mortgage insurance premiums for the full term of the loan, even if the LTV ratio drops to 78%.
A couple of years ago the agency also introduced a minimum credit score of 500, and upped the credit score requirement for its signature 3.5% down loan program to 580.
In short, today’s FHA borrower is paying the price for the mistakes made leading up to the housing crisis, which while seemingly unfair, is the only move the agency can make at this point.
Unfortunately, FHA lending has gotten a lot less popular due to these changes, which is a bit of a catch-22 for the agency.
Galante blamed higher mortgage rates for the recent reduction in loan volume, which apparently led to the request for the bailout. But let’s be honest, conventional loans make a lot more sense for borrowers these days in light of all those premium hikes.
Wait, the FHA Still Doesn’t Get It?
In spite of all this, the FHA is still engaging in highly questionable lending practices today.
Their latest grand idea revolves around those who recently sold short, got foreclosed on, or filed for bankruptcy.
Many of these borrowers will be able to apply for FHA loans just one year after such a massive event, so long as they can jump through a few underwriting hoops.
This has bad idea written all over it, but the FHA is moving forward with the initiative. The question remains whether lenders will play ball, or simply throw overlays on top of it.
It’s clearly irresponsible, but I suppose we don’t know if the FHA is getting pressured to keep the spigot open for less creditworthy borrowers, which after all, is their original mission.
Buying an existing house is standard for a reason, but for the most extreme of DIY-ers, building a home from the ground up can look like an attractive alternative.
Is building your own home cheaper? Is it smarter? Is it better for your health? Let’s run through the pros and cons.
Pro: Customizing Your Dream House
For those with a clear vision of their “dream home,” customization tends to be the first and last thing on their “pro” list. And there’s nothing wrong with that—who doesn’t want a chance to choose all their flooring and fixtures? Getting it out of the way upfront also means you won’t have to spend money on renovations for a very long time.
Con: Resale Value
Here’s the thing about customization: it’s, well, custom. To you. And by definition, that means it’s not custom for pretty much everyone else out there. This sounds great right now—who cares about the kind of people who don’t appreciate a good basement ball pit, right?—but it tends to present a problem when the time comes to sell the house.
The more tailored the house is to the needs of one family, the less likely it is to appeal to a wide variety of buyers. This is why realtors advise people not to turn their garages into in-law apartments or to pave over the side yard so the kids have a place to play basketball.
Of course, there’s a simple solution—make sure that ball pit is easy to remove, so when the time comes to sell, you can pretend it was a boring TV room all along.
Pro: No Nasty Surprises
Unless you’re buying in cash, your lender will require least one home inspection before you close, but inspectors aren’t perfect, and they can’t predict the future. So if they miss the beginnings of a tiny leak in your new attic, you’ll still be stuck with the damage next time a big storm rolls through.
By building new, you’re also pretty much guaranteed not to encounter health hazards like mold, lead paint, or asbestos. Of course, that doesn’t mean building a home is going to be free of any bumps in the road. Unexpected setbacks like bad weather, ruined materials, or rising costs can be just as painful.
Con: Building out of Town
If you plan on living in a medium-sized town or larger, building new almost always means an empty lot on the outskirts, far from that cute downtown you liked so much. That’s because the older established neighborhoods are already built up around the town center, lowering your odds of finding an affordable empty lot.
Unless you get lucky, your only other option for landing a prime plot of land is to buy one with a home already on it and then tear it down. This may be economically feasible if you can find a foreclosure on the cheap, but that’s a big “if.”
Foreclosures may be budget-friendly, but they come with a notoriously laborious buying process that can really stretch your building timeline, and your options for location are limited by current stock. Otherwise, you’d better have deep pockets.
Pro: Energy Efficiency
This may not be near the top of your own personal “pro” list, but it should be. The median age of a house in the US is 35 years. 35 years ago, builders didn’t use energy-efficient windows and you can bet they had never seen a low-flush toilet. Over the years to come, you could save thousands on your energy bills, when compared to a similar sized older home without renovations.
As a bonus, all this is good for the environment, too. So you can go to sleep each night with a clean (and green) conscious.
Con: Time and Effort
If you’re seriously considering building a home instead of buying, then you probably already have a decent idea of the commitment involved. But if you’re not, here’s a hint: it takes a long time.
Depending on weather conditions, size, and your contractor, building a house can take anywhere from 3 months to a full year, not including the process of finding a lot, hiring an architect, planning the details, and finding a builder. Before you decide, make sure your whole family is on board for the long haul.
Pro and Con: The Cost
Is building cheaper? That’s the question everyone who’s thinking about making this decision really wants to know. Unfortunately, the answer is as unsatisfying as it gets: it depends. Houses are big, confusing, labor-intensive assets—there’s no way around that. Any desirable house is going to be expensive.
If you’re smart about buying the land and striking a deal with builders, it is possible to save a few thousand dollars. However, the more custom your touches, the more you’ll spend. Even if you end up taking on some of the workload yourself to save money, you risk losing the efficiency, connections, and bulk pricing of someone who does it for a living.
Ultimately, it may be a wash, but that doesn’t mean it’s not worth considering. Just get your own quotes and do your own math before making your final decision.
Over the past few years, mortgage rates have reached new all-time lows and haven’t strayed too far from such levels, despite some upticks here and there.
As a result, everyone and their mother grandmother has refinanced to take advantage of the situation. In fact, many have been able to reduce their already-low interest rates several percentage points.
At the same time, the push to shorten mortgage terms has proven successful. During the third quarter, a whopping 37% of borrowers shortened their loan term while refinancing, according to the latest quarterly refinance report from Freddie Mac released today.
That’s up from 32% in the quarter prior and the highest level since 1992.
So just to great this straight, borrowers are snagging interest rates at levels never seen before, and they’re opting to pay off their mortgages in half the time with 15-year fixed mortgages.
Heck, mortgage lenders are even touting 10-year fixed mortgages on TV these days (because the rate is lower and seemingly more attractive).
Not only that, but everyone is going with a fixed-rate mortgage as opposed to an ARM, with more than 95% of refinancing borrowers choosing a FRM during the third quarter.
Anyway, thanks to these very favorable conditions, just about everyone who could refinance did, and even those who historically could not (underwater borrowers) were able to take part thanks to HARP.
Make Hay While the Sun Shines?
You can’t really blame anyone. The environment has been ripe for refinancing. While this is great news for homeowners and the housing market in general, there has to be a loser, right? No, I’m not talking about the Fed’s balance sheet.
Sure, mortgage brokers and loan officers have probably made a killing over the past several years, but now banks and mortgage lenders are coming to terms with the slowdown and shedding jobs like crazy.
Put simply, the future doesn’t look very bright for those in the industry, and that’s not just speculation.
Freddie Mac noted in its refinance report that mortgage rates have remained below 5% for much of the past four years, meaning few borrowers who took out loans during this time will have an incentive to refinance in the future.
[The refinance rule of thumb.]
As a result, the median age of the original loan before refinance increased to 6.7 years during the third quarter, the oldest since analysis began back in 1985.
Most Homeowners Won’t Refinance Again
This chart won’t go any lower, so the next refinance boom is hard to imagine.
So today’s mortgages are practically unrefinancible. No, that’s not really a word, but it might be soon.
How is today’s homeowner with a 15-year fixed mortgage set at 2.75% going to do any better? Or the borrower with a 30-year fixed at 3.5%? These loans aren’t going to be refinanced unless someone really, really needs cash.
The only hope for an uptick in volume is via home equity lines (that don’t disrupt the first mortgage) or a return to subprime lending.
Sadly, this means the mortgage industry isn’t going to “knock the cover off the ball” anytime soon.
Yes, there’s talk of the purchase money mortgage market steadily improving as home prices rise and more borrowers list their homes. But it won’t be enough to stop the bleeding.
The MBA expects mortgage volume to sink 32% in 2014, with $1.2 trillion in total production. I wouldn’t be surprised if the numbers came in short.
To make matters even worse, a lot of individuals seem to be numb to the low rates still on offer. Just imagine how high a 6% mortgage rate will look to these people.
The good news is that those who refinanced during the third quarter will save approximately $6 billion in interest over the next 12 months.
The week began with a perfectly normal example of a summertime Monday with lighter volume, no major movement, and trading levels remaining well inside the range of the past few sessions. Bonds started fairly flat but improved at the 8:20am CME open (movement surrounding opening bells = another hallmark of lighter summertime trading). Gains continued at a modest pace despite Treasury auctions. Perhaps bonds are having a ceiling feeling as long as this week’s data plays ball?
09:24 AM
Flat to slightly weaker overnight. Friendly bounce at 8:20am CME open. 10yr down 1.1bps at 4.204. MBS up an eighth of a point.
01:31 PM
Flat through the uneventful 5yr Treasury auction. 10yr down 1.7bps at 4.419. MBS up 3 ticks (.09).
03:26 PM
Best levels of the day with MBS up 7 ticks (.22) and 10yr yields down 3.5bps at 4.401.
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